Comparison

Best Interval Timer vs 4x4 Timer Interval Training

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

Head to head
About

Best Interval Timer

This app acts as your personal coach, guiding you through workouts with customizable routines. Focus on your exercise while it manages timing for warm-up, high/low intensity intervals, cool-downs, and rest periods.

Highlights
  • Customizable workout routines
  • Warm-up, intensity, cool-down, rest periods
  • Background and multitasking support
  • Adjustable interval sounds and vibrations
  • Workout practice tracking
  • Landscape and portrait orientation
Features
Read full description

This app is like your personal coach, just focus on your workout without having to worry about time, Best Interval Timer will lead you to finish them perfectly. There is one default routine in this free version, but you can edit it to your own one which include warm-up, high/low intensity, cool down and rest time etc, you can custom as many sets as you wish to do. Key Features: ⁃ One default routine. ⁃ Big readable counting down time. ⁃ Start, pause or reset routine. ⁃ Warm up, low intensity, high intensity, cool down, rest time. ⁃ Support background, foreground playing and multitasking. ⁃ Music plays. ⁃ Vibrate or not. ⁃ 15 interval switch sounds. ⁃ 12 background interval pictures available. ⁃ Show number of times you have practiced of one routine. ⁃ Support landscape and portrait. ⁃ Create one reminder to alert you doing your workout. ⁃ Supports universal version. If you have any question or suggestion, please send email to our support userfeed@vip.tom.com.

About

4x4 Timer Interval Training

This app provides a simple, distraction-free interval timer for the Norwegian 4x4 training protocol. It guides users through 4 minutes of intense effort followed by 4 minutes of rest, repeated four times, to improve cardiovascular fitness and VO₂ max. The minimal interface ensures focus on the workout.

Highlights
  • Simple 4x4 interval timer
  • Clear ON/OFF phase guidance
  • Optional sound cues
  • Large, easy-to-read timer
  • Session progress tracking
  • Minimal interface
Features
Read full description

4x4 Timer Norwegian Intervals is a simple, distraction-free interval timer designed for the Norwegian 4x4 training protocol, a well-known aerobic workout used to improve cardiovascular fitness and VO₂ max. The method is straightforward: 4 minutes ON. 4 minutes OFF. Repeat x4. This app guides you through the full session with clear visual timers and optional sound cues so you can focus on the workout, not the clock. Why Norwegian 4x4? The Norwegian 4x4 protocol has been widely studied in exercise physiology research as an effective way to train aerobic capacity and endurance. In recent discussions about longevity and brain health, Louisa Nicola highlighted this interval method as a powerful cardiovascular training approach used in performance and health optimization. This app simply helps you run the protocol consistently. Features • Simple 4x4 interval timer • Clear ON / OFF phase guidance • Optional sound cues for interval changes • Large easy-to-read timer for workouts • Session progress tracking and streaks • Minimal interface designed for training No accounts. No complicated setup. Just start when you're ready. How it works Tap Start Push hard for 4 minutes Take 4 minutes full rest Repeat for 4 rounds Total session time: about 32 minutes. Ideal for • VO₂ max interval training • Running intervals • Cycling workouts • Treadmill training • Stepper or rowing workouts • HIIT cardio sessions Research context The Norwegian 4x4 method has been studied in exercise science for its ability to stimulate high aerobic workload during short intervals. The app references this training approach discussed by neuroscientist and performance expert Louisa Nicola in conversations around cardiovascular fitness and long-term health. This app does not provide medical advice and is intended only as a simple training timer.

Screenshots

Best Interval Timer4 screens
4x4 Timer Interval Training4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Best Interval Timer at 89% against 4x4 Timer Interval Training's 0%. Best Interval Timer also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (86 vs 1). 4x4 Timer Interval Training's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Best Interval Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Best Interval Timer has 86 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 89% of Best Interval Timer's written reviews are positive against 0% of 4x4 Timer Interval Training's.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Best Interval Timer versus 4x4 Timer Interval Training: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBest Interval Timer4x4 Timer Interval Training
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (86 ratings) — better2.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews89.3% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings86 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 12 months—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer倩 赵Kesem Solutions Pty Ltd

Customer experience

Best Interval Timer

All ratings81 ratings
Positive92.6%
Neutral4.9%
Negative2.5%
Written reviews103 reviews
Positive89.3%
Neutral6.8%
Negative3.9%

4x4 Timer Interval Training

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Best Interval Timer

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • App stops working after rating notification
  • Buttons don't work after rating notification
  • Crashes when saving timers
  • Crashes when editing exercises
  • Freezes and stops working
Show 2 more
  • Lost all timers after reinstalling
  • Side view unusable

Requested features

10 requests
  • Ability to save multiple intervals/routines
  • Voice cues for start/stop
  • Apple Watch compatibility
  • Larger buttons and text
  • Option to save different schedules (e.g., Tabata)
Show 5 more
  • Fix crashing when saving timers
  • Fix crashing when editing exercises
  • Improve side view usability
  • Remove ads or reduce frequency
  • Option to have cool down at the end of all intervals

4x4 Timer Interval Training

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Best Interval Timer

No in-app purchases

None

4x4 Timer Interval Training

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Best Interval Timer free?
Best Interval Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is 4x4 Timer Interval Training free?
4x4 Timer Interval Training is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Best Interval Timer or 4x4 Timer Interval Training?
Best Interval Timer is rated higher. Best Interval Timer averages 4.6 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while 4x4 Timer Interval Training averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Best Interval Timer or 4x4 Timer Interval Training have ads?
Best Interval Timer shows ads; 4x4 Timer Interval Training does not.

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