Comparison

Intervals vs Virtual Backyard Ultra

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

Head to head
About

Intervals

This app provides a versatile interval timer for various training styles like HIIT and Tabata, integrating seamlessly with Apple Watch and iPhone. It offers detailed workout tracking, custom workout creation, and performance analytics to help users achieve their fitness goals.

Highlights
  • Real-time workout tracking on Apple Watch
  • Customizable workout editor
  • Training Impulse and heart rate zone analysis
  • Game Center integration for leaderboards
  • Weekly progress challenges
  • Apple Health integration
Features
Read full description

The Ultimate Fitness & Interval Training App for Apple Watch Achieve your fitness goals with our versatile interval timer, perfect for HIIT, Tabata, functional training, cross-training, and more. Designed for everyone from recreational athletes to pros, this app offers a comprehensive training experience, seamlessly integrating Apple Watch and iPhone. It combines a comprehensive activity feed with insightful fitness statistics and all your essential health metrics in one beautifully designed app. Features: * Real-Time Workout Tracking – Track your workout on Apple Watch while viewing all relevant data live on your iPhone. * Comprehensive Workout Editor – Create custom workouts with blocks and steps—whether for HIIT, Tabata, or other interval structures—to tailor your training exactly to your needs. * Training Impulse & Heart Rate Zones – Calculate your Training Impulse and view your daily training load at a glance. Train with customizable heart rate zones for optimal intensity. * Points & Self-Competition – Earn points based on your workout intensity and compete with yourself in every split. New: Compete & Analyze Like Never Before! * Game Center Integration – Compare your workout scores with other athletes in the weekly Intervals League. * Weekly Progress Challenges – Beat your past workouts and push for new personal bests in the race for the best week of the year. * Training Load Balance – With TRIMP (Training Impulse) analysis, track your short-term and long-term training load to see if you're pushing too hard or need to step it up. * Enhanced Statistics – Get deeper insights into your performance, including personal records and detailed training metrics. Pro Features (PRO subscription required) * Additional Sports – Access specialized timers for fitness gaming, rowing, running, cycling and more. * Advanced Workout Editor – Plan even more precisely with added warm-up and cooldown phases. * Apple Watch Workout Export – Export your workouts as native Apple Watch workouts. * Statistics & History – Analyze your progress and view your workout history. All workouts are saved in Apple Health and can be reviewed for detailed insights. Make every split a challenge and take full control of your progress! Download the ultimate interval workout timer now and make your HIIT and Tabata workouts more precise and effective! Note: The workout feature requires an Apple Watch to track your heart rate and training data. Health App Integrations: Intervals uses your health data from the Health App (HealthKit) to display your energy burned, record your workouts, and display your current heart rate. Privacy policy: http://apps.gogolith.com/privacy
 Terms and Conditions: http://apps.gogolith.com/row-terms

About

Virtual Backyard Ultra

Features
Read full description

Virtual Backyard Ultra turns the last-one-standing race format into something you can run solo, anywhere. The rules are simple. Every hour, on the hour, you run a "yard" — a set loop. Finish inside the hour and you earn a rest until the next one begins. Miss the cutoff and you're out. The last runner standing wins, so the only goal is one more yard. Virtual Backyard Ultra is your timekeeper and distance tracker for every yard: • Corral clock — a clear countdown to the top of the hour, with audio, haptic, and spoken cues at 3-2-1 and the starting bell. • GPS distance — track how far you cover each yard, with live distance-to-go and turnaround prompts on out-and-back courses. • Your format — set the yard distance, interval, and course type. The classic 4.167 mi per hour (24 yards = 100 miles) is one tap away. • Live Activity & Dynamic Island — keep the corral clock on your lock screen and in the Dynamic Island while you run. • Apple Watch — the corral clock on your wrist: the yard you're on, the countdown to the next bell, and your distance. It taps you at the bell, when you finish, and if you miss a corral. • Race resume — if the app goes down mid-race, from a crash or a force-quit, reopening it puts you straight back in with the clock where it should be. • History & personal best — every run is logged, with your longest streak front and center. • Export & share — save a finished run to Apple Health as a running workout, one segment per yard with your route, or export a .fit or .gpx file. Share a result card when you're done. • Screen-off friendly — distance keeps counting in your pocket, and the bell still rings. No account. No sign-up. Just you, the clock, and one more yard. Free to download.

Screenshots

Intervals4 screens
Virtual Backyard Ultra4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Virtual Backyard Ultra at none against Intervals's 2. On price, update cadence, ads 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. Intervals sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Virtual Backyard Ultra asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Intervals ships an update every 11 days, Virtual Backyard Ultra every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Intervals versus Virtual Backyard Ultra: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIntervalsVirtual Backyard Ultra
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS1818.0
Further details — not scored
Size47 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChristoph GogolinCow Cow Technologies LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Intervals

Subscriptions2
  • All Pro features (monthly)$2.991 Month
  • All Pro features (yearly)7 Days trial$12.991 Year
None

Virtual Backyard Ultra

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Intervals free?
Intervals is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Virtual Backyard Ultra free?
Virtual Backyard Ultra is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Intervals or Virtual Backyard Ultra have ads?
Neither Intervals nor Virtual Backyard Ultra shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Intervals or Virtual Backyard Ultra?
Intervals ships an update every 11 days, and Virtual Backyard Ultra every 6 days. Most recently, Intervals was updated on October 10, 2026 and Virtual Backyard Ultra on October 7, 2026.

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