Seconds Interval Timer vs Custom Workout Timer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Seconds Interval Timer
This app provides a versatile interval timer for various workout types like Tabata, HIIT, and circuit training. It features a clear, full-screen display, customizable alerts, and background operation. Users can also utilize a stopwatch and countdown timer, with integration for Apple Health.
- Full-screen colored display
- Templates for HIIT, Tabata, Circuit Training
- Voice and audio alerts
- Music assignment per interval
- Background operation
- Apple Health integration
- Stopwatch and countdown timer
Read full descriptionHide full description
Seconds is an interval timer for HIIT, Tabata, EMOM, circuits and any workout built from timed intervals. It calls each interval out loud, keeps running with the screen off, and runs on iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Apple has featured it, and Joe Wicks, The Body Coach, has said it is the fitness app he uses more than any other. BUILD ANY WORKOUT - Start from a HIIT, Tabata or circuit template, or build a timer from scratch with sets, rounds and intervals of different lengths. - Chain timers into one compound timer, so a warm-up flows into the main set and then a cool-down. - Color-code every interval so you know what is coming before the beep. - Share a timer with a friend in one tap. HEAR IT, DON'T WATCH IT - Voice cues call out each interval by name and warn you before the next one starts. - Beeps and bells are there too if you would rather not be talked at. - Play your own music, per timer or per interval. Cues duck the music and it comes back up when they are done. - The timer keeps going in the background while you use other apps or the screen sleeps. ON THE GYM FLOOR - A full-screen, color-coded display you can read from across the room, in portrait or landscape. On iPad it uses the whole screen. - A lock button stops a stray tap from pausing your set. APPLE WATCH - Seconds runs on the watch by itself, so the phone can stay in the locker. Timers you build on the phone sync to the wrist, and Quick Intervals builds a basic circuit on the watch itself. MORE TIMERS - A stopwatch that marks your best and worst laps. - A countdown timer with five preset durations (three on Apple Watch). APPLE HEALTH - Save workouts and mindful sessions to Health. With a heart rate monitor connected, Seconds reads your body measurements and year of birth from Health to estimate calories burned. FREE TO TRY, ONE PAYMENT TO UNLOCK - Everything is available from the first launch. Build any timer and run it. - Each timer locks after you run it once. A single in-app purchase removes the lock on every timer you make. SECONDS AND SECONDS PRO - Seconds Pro is the same app, paid once up front, with nothing to unlock. The two are separate products and a purchase in one does not carry over to the other. If you bought Seconds Pro, download Seconds Pro. If you bought the unlock in Seconds, download Seconds and use Restore Purchases.
Custom Workout Timer
Design custom workout routines with timed exercises. This app provides spoken prompts for each exercise and countdowns for remaining time. Enjoy your music without interruption during your training sessions.
- Create custom workout routines
- Timed exercises
- Spoken exercise prompts
- Countdown timer
- Music player integration
Read full descriptionHide full description
With this app, you create your own workouts of timed exercises. The app will speak to remind you which exercise to do next, and count down how much time you have left. It doesn't interfere with the music player, so you can listen to your music at the same time.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Seconds Interval Timer at 4.7 against Custom Workout Timer's 3.7. Seconds Interval Timer also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (24K vs 6). Custom Workout Timer's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 75%) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Seconds Interval Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Custom Workout Timer sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Seconds Interval Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Seconds Interval Timer has 24K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Seconds Interval Timer's written reviews are positive against 88% of Custom Workout Timer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Seconds Interval Timer ships an update monthly, Custom Workout Timer every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Seconds Interval Timer | Custom Workout Timer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (24K ratings) — better | 3.7 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.2% of reviews | 87.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 24K — better | 6 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 95 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Runloop Ltd | Encodia, LLC |
Customer experience
Seconds Interval Timer
Custom Workout Timer
Bugs and requests
Seconds Interval Timer
Reported bugs
2 issues- Timer sometimes stops working unexpectedly
- Issues with restoring purchases on new devices
Requested features
5 requests- Ability to change beep/alert volume independently
- Option to delay transition between intervals
- Sync workouts across devices
- More preset workout templates
- Heart rate monitoring integration
Custom Workout Timer
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Seconds Interval Timer
- Advanced Version$7.99
Custom Workout Timer
- 7-day TrialFree
- Full App$1.99
Questions
Is Seconds Interval Timer free?
Is Custom Workout Timer free?
Which has better reviews, Seconds Interval Timer or Custom Workout Timer?
Do Seconds Interval Timer or Custom Workout Timer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Seconds Interval Timer or Custom Workout Timer?
Other comparisons















