Comparison

Custom Interval Timers vs ChainFlow

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Custom Interval Timers

Design personalized interval timers for workouts or productivity. Its intuitive editor allows for custom flows with various settings like countdowns and personalized interfaces. Offers light/dark modes and an option to disable ads.

Highlights
  • Customizable interval flows
  • Intuitive timer editor
  • Count up or down timers
  • Personalized running interface
  • Light/dark mode
  • Ad-free option
Features
Read full description

Create highly customizable interval timers in a beautiful Interface. Interval timers are useful for exercise, like High-intensity interval training (HIIT) or Tabata, and can also be used to manage productivity, events, and more! This app provides a fascinatingly simple and intuitive editor for setting up your own custom timers. With just a few building blocks you can create the exact experience you want. Multiple settings to match your preferences: - Count up or down - Personalize the running interface to show what matters to you - Light/dark mode - Disable ads for free!

About

ChainFlow

Create highly customized interval timers for any routine, from HIIT workouts to study sessions. Set unique work and rest periods for each segment, with clear audio cues and a distraction-free interface. Save your routines for easy access and hands-free operation.

Highlights
  • Custom interval chaining
  • Adjustable work/rest times per interval
  • Clear audio cues
  • Hands-free operation
  • Screen-off functionality
  • Routine saving
  • Dark interface
Features
Read full description

A custom interval timer for routines where every interval can be different. Most workout timers are built around repeating the same work and rest periods. ChainFlow lets you build the exact sequence you need, with individual timing for every step. Create HIIT workouts, circuit training sessions, stretching and mobility routines, boxing rounds, exercise sequences, drawing practice, focus sessions, and more. BUILD ANY ROUTINE Add as many intervals as you need. Give each one its own name and timing, then drag them into the exact order you want. START FAST WITH TEMPLATES Begin with ready-made HIIT, Tabata, Boxing, Morning Mobility, Pomodoro, and Gesture Drawing templates—or start completely from scratch. Every template becomes a normal ChainFlow routine you can fully edit. HANDS-FREE TIMING Hit Start and focus on what you're doing instead of watching the clock. ChainFlow automatically moves through your sequence and gives you clear audio cues at each transition. • Works while your phone is locked or ChainFlow is in the background • Live Activities and Dynamic Island support • See your current interval and what comes next • Pause, skip forward, or return to the previous interval • Optional 3-2-1 countdown before starting • Works alongside music, podcasts, and other audio • Optional audio ducking during cues BUILD ONCE. USE IT AGAIN. Save your favorite routines, duplicate individual intervals or entire chains, reorder them anytime, and quickly adjust a routine for your next session. ChainFlow works especially well when your routine doesn't fit a rigid repeating timer: • Custom interval workouts • Circuit training • HIIT and Tabata • Stretching and mobility • Boxing and round training • Exercise and strength training • Yoga and meditation sequences • Gesture and figure drawing practice • Pomodoro and focus sessions Whether you're training, stretching, drawing, studying, or building a routine of your own, ChainFlow keeps the timing out of your head so you can stay in the flow.

Screenshots

Custom Interval Timers4 screens
ChainFlow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Custom Interval Timers at none against ChainFlow's 1. Custom Interval Timers also leads on ratings volume (14 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). ChainFlow's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, update cadence and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ChainFlow sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Custom Interval Timers asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Custom Interval Timers against 5.0 for ChainFlow. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Custom Interval Timers has 14 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Custom Interval Timers ships an update every 4 months, ChainFlow every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 24, 2026 and September 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Custom Interval Timers versus ChainFlow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCustom Interval TimersChainFlow
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (14 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings14 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB22 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlex RichMichael Ebako-Hodgson

Customer experience

Custom Interval Timers

All ratings14 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

ChainFlow

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Custom Interval Timers

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

ChainFlow

One-time1
  • ChainFlow Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Custom Interval Timers free?
Custom Interval Timers is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ChainFlow free?
ChainFlow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Custom Interval Timers or ChainFlow?
Custom Interval Timers and ChainFlow are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 14 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Custom Interval Timers or ChainFlow have ads?
Custom Interval Timers shows ads; ChainFlow does not.
Which is updated more often, Custom Interval Timers or ChainFlow?
Custom Interval Timers ships an update every 4 months, and ChainFlow every 2 months. Most recently, Custom Interval Timers was updated on August 24, 2026 and ChainFlow on September 3, 2026.

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