# Workout Timer Essential vs Exercise Timer

The clearest difference is rating: Exercise Timer at 4.8 against Workout Timer Essential's 2.7. Exercise Timer also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 16 months) and ratings volume (1K vs 3). Workout Timer Essential's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Workout Timer Essential sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Exercise Timer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Exercise Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Exercise Timer has 1K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Workout Timer Essential's written reviews are positive against 73% of Exercise Timer's.

Workout Timer Essential ships an update every 16 months, Exercise Timer monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Workout Timer Essential | Exercise Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/workout-timer-essential/id1316272592/reviews) | **[4.8 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exercise-timer-interval-timer/id1501534442/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **1K** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **73.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 31 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alessandro Pettazzoni](https://appshunter.io/developer/1316272591) | [Neurondigital Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1501534441) |

## What reviewers say

### Workout Timer Essential

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/workout-timer-essential/id1316272592)

A streamlined workout timer designed for simplicity and essential functionality. It offers a clean, bicolor interface and integrates with HealthKit for Apple Watch workout data. Support the developer with an optional in-app purchase to remove ads.

**Highlights:** Essential bicolor layout, HealthKit integration, Apple Watch workout functions, Streamlined design, Optional ad removal

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ads Removal | $0.99 | one-time |


### Exercise Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exercise-timer-interval-timer/id1501534442)

Create and guide custom interval training routines with this app. It supports timed and rep-based exercises, offers voice coaching, and logs your workout history with detailed analytics. Track progress over time and organize routines into training plans.

**Highlights:** Custom workout routines, Voice coach for next exercise, Timed and rep-based exercises, Workout logging and analytics, Training plans, Background operation, Apple Watch support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Exercise Timer Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Exercise Timer Premium Yearly | $30.99 | per year |
| Exercise Timer Lifetime | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great value without fluff
- 👍 Simple but customizable
- 👍 Awesome HIIT timer with exercise naming
- 👍 Versatile and customizable exercise timer
- 👍 A very underrated app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy, freezes constantly
- 🐛 Apple Watch version dysfunctional
- 🐛 Input nightmare, difficult to use
- 🐛 Landscape mode not available on iOS
- 🐛 Reordering exercises in edit stage is a nightmare

**Reported bugs**

- Syncing issues with Apple Watch
- Randomly locking users out and requiring upgrade
- Deleting all routines after uninstalling
- Exercises not updating properly on Apple Watch
- Apple Watch app causing native exercise app to crash

**Requested features**

- Sync workouts across devices without logging out/in
- Ability to duplicate workouts on iPhone
- Search, sort, or reorder routines
- Connect with Apple Health app
- Shortcut/automation support


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Workout Timer Essential free?

Workout Timer Essential is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Exercise Timer free?

Exercise Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Workout Timer Essential or Exercise Timer?

Exercise Timer is rated higher. Workout Timer Essential averages 2.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Exercise Timer averages 4.8 from 1K ratings.

### Do Workout Timer Essential or Exercise Timer have ads?

Neither Workout Timer Essential nor Exercise Timer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Workout Timer Essential or Exercise Timer?

Workout Timer Essential ships an update every 16 months, and Exercise Timer monthly. Most recently, Workout Timer Essential was updated on September 14, 2026 and Exercise Timer on September 25, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*