# Exercise Timer vs Smart Workout Counter

The clearest difference is ads: Exercise Timer at none against Smart Workout Counter's shown. Exercise Timer also leads on ratings volume (1K vs 8). Smart Workout Counter's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly) and review sentiment (88% vs 73%). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Exercise Timer against 4.9 for Smart Workout Counter. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Exercise Timer has 1K ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of Exercise Timer's written reviews are positive against 88% of Smart Workout Counter's.

Exercise Timer ships an update monthly, Smart Workout Counter every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Exercise Timer | Smart Workout Counter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exercise-timer-interval-timer/id1501534442/reviews) | **[4.9 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-workout-counter/id1546110594/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 73.2% of reviews | **87.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 52 MB | 56 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Neurondigital Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1501534441) | [JEONGSIM CHOI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830175912) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Smart Workout Counter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-workout-counter/id1546110594)

Create and track custom workout routines with this intuitive timer. It automatically guides you through your exercises, counting sets or time, and allows for easy navigation between sessions. Enjoy background music and choose from various voice cues to enhance your training experience.

**Highlights:** Customizable workout routines, Automatic counting of sets/time, Workout flow visualization, Pause and navigate sessions, Background music support, Multiple voice cues

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Version | $0.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Exercise Timer free?

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

### Is Smart Workout Counter free?

Smart Workout Counter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Exercise Timer or Smart Workout Counter?

Smart Workout Counter is rated higher. Exercise Timer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while Smart Workout Counter averages 4.9 from 8 ratings.

### Do Exercise Timer or Smart Workout Counter have ads?

Smart Workout Counter shows ads; Exercise Timer does not.

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

Exercise Timer ships an update monthly, and Smart Workout Counter every 3 days. Most recently, Exercise Timer was updated on October 16, 2026 and Smart Workout Counter on October 8, 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.*