Comparison

Sym Breathing 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

Sym Breathing

This app offers guided breathwork to help you achieve a calm and balanced state. It uses a steady 5.5-second inhale/exhale rhythm to reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance well-being. Features include customizable cues, daily affirmations, and a night mode for sleep.

Highlights
  • Guided 5.5-second inhale/exhale rhythm
  • Customizable audio, visual, and haptic cues
  • Daily affirmations for positive mindset
  • Night mode for reduced blue light
  • Seamless audio integration with other apps
  • Effortless session initiation
Features
Read full description

SYM BREATHING A simple way to slow down, breathe evenly, and find a calmer rhythm. Sym Breathing guides you through a balanced 5.5-second inhale and 5.5-second exhale using smooth visual, audio, and haptic cues. This slow, even rhythm is commonly known as coherent breathing or resonant breathing. Choose a session length, tap the breathing sphere, and follow along. No complicated routines. No overwhelming controls. Just a simple breathing practice you can return to whenever you need a few quiet minutes. GUIDED BREATHING, YOUR WAY Follow the expanding and contracting breathing sphere, listen for gentle audio cues, feel subtle haptic feedback, or combine all three. Choose the guidance that works best for you and your surroundings. A SIMPLE, BALANCED RHYTHM Sym Breathing uses a 5.5-second inhale and 5.5-second exhale, approximately 5.5 breaths per minute. The app keeps the rhythm for you, so you can focus on breathing instead of counting seconds or watching a clock. CHOOSE YOUR SESSION Select a breath count for a defined practice or choose an open-ended session and breathe for as long as you like. DAILY AFFIRMATIONS Begin with a daily affirmation that offers a brief moment of positive reflection before your breathing practice. NIGHT MODE Switch to a warm red interface for a softer visual experience in low-light environments or before bed. LISTEN TO YOUR OWN AUDIO Keep listening to music, ambient sounds, podcasts, or other audio while you breathe. Adjust the breathing cue volume independently to create the experience you prefer. COHERENT BREATHING Slow, balanced breathing practices are commonly used for relaxation, mindfulness, stress management, and supporting autonomic regulation. Research has also explored resonant breathing in relation to heart rate variability, or HRV. Sym Breathing makes this practice easy to follow by guiding each inhale and exhale for you. PREMIUM Unlock all premium features with a monthly or annual subscription. The annual subscription includes a 7-day free trial. Unless canceled before the trial ends, the subscription automatically renews at the displayed annual price. Subscriptions can be managed or canceled through your App Store account settings. HEALTH DISCLAIMER Sym Breathing is intended for general wellness, relaxation, and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you experience discomfort or dizziness while practicing breathwork, stop the session. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before beginning a new wellness practice if you have questions or concerns about your health. TERMS OF USE (EULA) https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Breathe slowly. Find your rhythm.

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

Sym Breathing4 screens
4x4 Timer Interval Training4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sym Breathing at 94% against 4x4 Timer Interval Training's 0%. Sym Breathing also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (35 vs 1). 4x4 Timer Interval Training's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and device support (3 vs 1). On price 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Sym Breathing sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. 4x4 Timer Interval Training asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sym Breathing holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sym Breathing has 35 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of Sym Breathing's written reviews are positive against 0% of 4x4 Timer Interval Training's.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Sym Breathing versus 4x4 Timer Interval Training: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSym Breathing4x4 Timer Interval Training
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (35 ratings) — better2.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews94.1% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings35 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumFree — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDaniel LubbersKesem Solutions Pty Ltd

Customer experience

Sym Breathing

All ratings35 ratings
Positive97.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive94.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.9%

4x4 Timer Interval Training

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

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Sym Breathing

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Annually7 Days trial$4.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$24.99
None

4x4 Timer Interval Training

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sym Breathing free?
Sym Breathing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is 4x4 Timer Interval Training free?
4x4 Timer Interval Training is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Sym Breathing or 4x4 Timer Interval Training?
Sym Breathing is rated higher. Sym Breathing averages 4.9 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while 4x4 Timer Interval Training averages 2.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Sym Breathing or 4x4 Timer Interval Training have ads?
Neither Sym Breathing nor 4x4 Timer Interval Training shows ads.

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