# Interval Timer vs Exercise Timer

The clearest difference is ads: Exercise Timer at none against Interval Timer's shown. Exercise Timer also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.5). Interval Timer's advantage is ratings volume (19K vs 1K) and update cadence (every 9 days vs monthly). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Interval Timer sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month 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 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Interval Timer has 19K ratings behind it against 1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Interval Timer's written reviews are positive against 73% of Exercise Timer's.

Interval Timer ships an update every 9 days, Exercise Timer monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Interval Timer | Exercise Timer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/interval-timer-tabata-timer/id406473568/reviews) | **[4.8 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exercise-timer-interval-timer/id1501534442/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **19K** | 1K |
| Positive reviews | 69.0% of reviews | **73.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 143 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NEO PIXEL LABS PTE. LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1788472183) | [Neurondigital Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1501534441) |

## What reviewers say

### Interval Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/interval-timer-tabata-timer/id406473568)

This app helps you manage workout intervals with customizable work and rest periods. It runs in the background and allows music playback, with options to save settings and share progress. Integrates with Apple Health for heart rate monitoring.

**Highlights:** Customizable sets, intervals, and rest times, Runs in background and with screen locked, Music playlist integration, Save settings as templates, Apple Health integration for heart rate, Post workouts to social media

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus - 1 Month | $0.99 | per month |
| Premium - 1 Month | $1.99 | per month |
| Plus - 1 Month | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium - 1 Month | $2.99 | per month |
| Plus - 1 Year | $4.99 | per year |
| Premium - 1 Year | $9.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Free version works well
- 👍 Customizable intervals and timers
- 👍 Flexible for different workouts
- 👍 Easy to use and set up
- 👍 Provides visual and audio cues

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Timer issues (stops, loses time)
- 🔋 Drains battery when used
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 📢 Intrusive ads
- 🔒 Incompatible with other apps

**Reported bugs**

- Ads block functionality
- App freezes or crashes
- Timer doesn't work in background

**Requested features**

- Add notes to workouts
- Provide workout history and analytics
- Allow syncing with Apple Health
- Improve Apple Watch integration
- Add more customization options


### 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 Interval Timer free?

Interval Timer 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, Interval Timer or Exercise Timer?

Exercise Timer is rated higher. Interval Timer averages 4.5 out of 5 from 19K ratings, while Exercise Timer averages 4.8 from 1K ratings.

### Do Interval Timer or Exercise Timer have ads?

Interval Timer shows ads; Exercise Timer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Interval Timer or Exercise Timer?

Interval Timer ships an update every 9 days, and Exercise Timer monthly. Most recently, Interval Timer was updated on September 24, 2026 and Exercise Timer on September 21, 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.*