Gym Rest Timer vs Box Timer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Gym Rest Timer
This app helps you manage rest periods during workouts without interrupting your flow. It offers multiple modes, including lock screen control and volume gesture activation, to keep your training seamless. You can even use voice commands to start timers.
- Lock screen control
- Notification mode
- Media player mode
- Volume gesture control
- Siri integration
- Widget support
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Tired of constantly unlocking your phone to restart your rest timer? Gym Rest Timer is designed to minimise this and be as unobtrusive to your workout as possible, with 3 modes to choose from: 1. Notification mode - When your rest timer completes it sends you a notification which you can use to start the next one. 2. Media Player mode - Control and track your timer straight from the lock screen using the media player controls. 3. Volume Gesture mode - When listening to music just reach into your pocket or headphone remote and press volume down-up in quick succession. The app will detect this gesture and restart the timer. Install the accompanying widget to your widget screen and access timer controls straight from your lock screen. Use Siri to start a timer even from across the room!
Box Timer
This app provides a simple, distraction-free timer designed for intense training sessions like CrossFit, HIIT, and functional fitness. It features a massive, high-contrast display, customizable interval options, and seamless audio cue integration with music apps. All workouts are automatically saved for easy tracking and reuse.
- Massive, high-contrast display
- Supports AMRAP, EMOM, For Time, Tabata
- Customizable work/rest intervals and rounds
- Works with music apps, clear audio cues
- Automatic workout history and reuse
- Background operation and screen lock support
- No ads or sign-up required
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SIMPLE TIMER BUILT FOR SERIOUS TRAINING Box Timer brings the power of a CrossFit box timer to your phone. Massive display. Zero distractions. Works perfectly whether you're in the gym, at home, or training outdoors. BUILT FOR CROSSFIT, HIIT & FUNCTIONAL FITNESS From crushing WODs to HYROX training and daily circuits — Box Timer handles every workout type with a clean interface that keeps you focused on the work, not the timer. EVERY WORKOUT TYPE COVERED - AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible) - EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute) - For Time workouts with countdown - Tabata (20/10 protocol) - Custom intervals with work/rest periods and rounds - Count up or count down modes DESIGNED FOR VISIBILITY – Massive timer display with high-contrast text – Landscape mode for maximum size – Readable from 10+ meters away – Perfect for garage gyms and home workouts AUDIO THAT WORKS WITH YOUR MUSIC – Crystal-clear audio cues for round changes – Works seamlessly with Spotify, Apple Music, and any audio app – No interruptions to your playlist – Simple settings for audio on/off SAVE YOUR GO-TO TIMERS – Save any timer as a named preset – Load it again with one tap from the timer screen – Edit or delete presets anytime – Never set up the same workout twice ZERO FRICTION EXPERIENCE – Works in background and with screen locked – No account or sign-up required – No ads – Lightning-fast timer setup – Runs smoothly even during intense workouts GLOBAL FITNESS COMMUNITY Available in English, Swedish, German, Spanish, Polish, French, and Japanese WHY ATHLETES CHOOSE BOX TIMER "This app is a must have for CrossFit workouts. Ideal for emoms, amraps and for time workouts. I even use it for strength work like squats by programming beeps for 45 seconds work and 2 minutes rest. And it’s free! I mean come on." Whether you're an elite athlete or just starting your fitness journey, Box Timer delivers exactly what you need: a powerful, distraction-free timer that stays out of your way. Get it now and experience the difference.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Box Timer at monthly against Gym Rest Timer's every 8 months. Box Timer also leads on ratings volume (2.9K vs 73). Gym Rest Timer's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Gym Rest Timer against 4.9 for Box Timer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Box Timer has 2.9K ratings behind it against 73, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Gym Rest Timer's written reviews are positive against 93% of Box Timer's.
Gym Rest Timer ships an update every 8 months, Box Timer monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Gym Rest Timer | Box Timer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (73 ratings) | 4.9 (2.9K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 92.3% of reviews | 93.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 73 | 2.9K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 18 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 23 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | David Blake | Edvin Linden |
Customer experience
Gym Rest Timer
Box Timer
Bugs and requests
Gym Rest Timer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Box Timer
Reported bugs
3 issues- Timer not functioning properly in landscape mode
- Review prompt interfering with timer operation
- Compatibility issues on certain iPad models
Requested features
4 requests- Round count display during rest periods
- Customizable countdown beeps or sounds
- Ability to save and load custom timer settings
- Apple Watch app support
In-app purchases
Gym Rest Timer
No in-app purchases
Box Timer
No in-app purchases









