Comparison

Tap Timer vs Pulse

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

Head to head
About

Tap Timer

This app provides silent, precise interval timing using haptic feedback directly on your wrist. Create custom workouts with a drag-and-drop editor and run them independently on your smartwatch. It seamlessly integrates with health tracking for a discreet and powerful timing experience.

Highlights
  • Custom haptic intervals
  • Drag & drop interval editor
  • Standalone Apple Watch operation
  • Health & Activity Rings integration
  • Silent, discreet timing
  • Versatile workout and focus modes
Features
Read full description

FEEL YOUR TIME — SILENT & PRECISE. - Discreet: Haptic signals right on your wrist — no sound, no screen-checking. - Standalone: Runs 100% natively on Apple Watch — leave your iPhone behind. - Powerful: Build complex intervals in seconds using drag and drop. - Versatile: HIIT, Tabata, CrossFit, MMA, Pomodoro, breathwork and more. Welcome to Tap Timer — the silent interval timer you feel on your wrist. Forget distracting alarms and beeps. Tap Timer uses the Taptic Engine of your Apple Watch to deliver precise, silent vibration patterns for every phase change. In a loud gym, a quiet library, a boxing ring, or a breathwork practice: you feel exactly where you are in your routine without ever looking at a screen. BUILD COMPLEX INTERVALS From a standard Tabata, heavy lifting session, or kettlebell workout to CrossFit WODs, pilates, and circuit training. Structure your workout timer on iPhone using an intuitive drag-and-drop editor. Everything syncs instantly to your wrist via iCloud. No accounts, no subscriptions, no setup. DISTINCT HAPTIC FEEDBACK Assign distinct vibration alerts for your prep countdown, work phase, rest timer, and cool-down. Keep it subtle for a meditation timer or breathwork, or sharp and distinct for a boxing or MMA training session. WRIST-FIRST EXPERIENCE Built specifically for Apple Watch. Leave your iPhone in the locker room. Tap Timer runs entirely standalone on your watch as a true watch timer — no phone required mid-session. KEY FEATURES ► Custom Haptic Alerts: Configure vibration patterns for every interval block. ► Drag & Drop Editor: Effortlessly structure fitness routines, focus blocks, or breathing sequences. ► Standalone Apple Watch App: Completely independent execution on your wrist. ► Apple Health Integration: Logs heart rate, active minutes, and workout types directly to your Activity Rings. ► Privacy First: Zero tracking. No ads. All data stays in your private iCloud. IDEAL USE CASES - Fitness & Combat Sports: HIIT, Tabata, EMOM, AMRAP, MMA, boxing, weight lifting, and round timer setups. - Cardio & Movement: Running intervals, crossfit, pilates, and stretching routines. - Productivity & Focus: Pomodoro technique, timeboxing, and deep work sessions. - Public Speaking: Silent speech timer and presentation pacing. - Mindfulness: Guided breathwork, yoga, and quiet meditation timer routines. PRICING Free to download. Unlock full access via a single, one-time purchase. No subscriptions, ever. End User License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Pulse

This customizable interval timer offers a vibrant and personalized experience for various timed activities. With extensive color options and quick setup templates, it's designed to be glanceable and non-intrusive. Enjoy features like Live Activity and an Apple Watch app for seamless tracking.

Highlights
  • Full color customization with 136 palettes
  • Quick start templates (Tabata, Pomodoro, Boxing)
  • Live Activity and Dynamic Island support
  • Apple Watch app for wrist-based control
  • Beeps and haptics for interval cues
  • Save and name custom timer sequences
Features
Read full description

A fast, colorful timer for the things you do in chunks — and the things you do until you're done. Intervals, Pomodoro, and open-ended flow sessions. 168 palettes. WHY PULSE Every interval timer looks the same — red background, green active state, none of it yours. And they all only count down, so when the work doesn't fit a fixed box you fight the timer. Pulse counts both directions, brightly, and gets out of your way. Big numbers. Live Activity. Apple Watch. $3.99 once unlocks it all. FLOW MODE (NEW) A flow session counts UP. Focus until you decide to stop; the break you earn is proportional to the focus you put in. • Tap START and go — no countdown, no cap • Tap BREAK for focus ÷ 5 (or ÷ 4, or ÷ 3). 50 minutes of focus earns a 10-minute break • Optional target: a chime when you reach it, then it keeps counting — it never stops you • Optional reminders every 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 minutes: a soft tick and a haptic • Works locked: the count-up rides your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, cues still fire 168 PALETTES, SEARCHABLE • Coral — bright red + lime + black (the classic) …and 167 more. Search by color ("orange"), vibe ("neon", "calm"), or era ("70s"). Eight ship free; the one-time unlock opens all 168 and repaints the whole app instantly. TWO TAPS TO START Pick Interval or Flow, set three simple controls, tap Start. Or open the Library for a template: • Flow Session, Flowmodoro 25, Deep Work 90 — the new flow templates • Tabata — 8 × 20s work / 10s rest • Pomodoro — 25/5 focus cycle • Boxing Rounds — 3 min / 1 min corner Save any setup as a named timer — one tap next time. WHAT'S INSIDE • Big-number timer inside one countdown ring — glanceable across the room, color-coded: focus, work, rest, done • Liquid Glass — rebuilt for iOS 26 • Live Activity — Lock Screen + Dynamic Island keep ticking in other apps: down in intervals, up in flow • Beeps + haptics — 3-2-1 countdown and interval cues that fire with the screen locked • Your timers — save, name, edit, reuse (three free; Pro unlimited) HISTORY & LABELS • Label a timer Work, Study, Gym, Boxing — or anything you type • Every session logged: timer, label, duration, rounds, outcome, grouped by day. Tap any row • Streak — days in a row with a finished session. No shame, no confetti • This week's focus time, six stat cards, an activity grid, time by label • Export CSV (Pro) — your whole history in one file Free keeps the last 7 days. Pro keeps everything. SHORTCUTS & CONTROL CENTER • Ask Siri: "Start a flow in Pulse" — or "Start my Boxing Rounds in Pulse" • Add "Start Flow" to Control Center or your Lock Screen • Both actions work in the Shortcuts app for your automations ON YOUR WRIST • Apple Watch app — start any saved interval timer, or Quick Start, from the watch • Palette-matched work/rest states, haptic taps at every transition • The watch runs its own timer — it can't drift or freeze • Flow sessions are iPhone-only for now WHO IT'S FOR • Writing, coding and studying — flow sessions, deep work • HIIT and Tabata circuits, boxing rounds, EMOM • Pomodoro sprints and focus blocks • Meditation, breathwork, yoga, cooking, music practice WHO IT'S NOT FOR • People who want a workout video library (this is a timer, not a fitness app) • People who want an app that blocks other apps — Pulse gets out of the way instead • Anyone looking for a subscription — Pulse is one payment, forever PRICING • Pulse Pro — $3.99 one-time: all 168 palettes, unlimited timers, unlimited history + CSV export • Supporter unlock — $9.99 one-time: same features, bigger thank-you Flow, labels, reminders, Shortcuts and Control Center are free. No subscription. No auto-renew. No ads. Ever. PRIVACY Pulse runs entirely on-device. No account, no analytics, no tracking, no ad SDKs. Your timers and history stay on your phone. Privacy Policy: https://trypulsetimer.com/privacy. SUPPORT support@trypulsetimer.com · https://trypulsetimer.com/support Time things in chunks. Or go until you're done. $3.99.

Screenshots

Tap Timer4 screens
Pulse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Tap Timer at 18.6 against Pulse's 26.0. On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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. Tap Timer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per 7 days and Pulse sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Tap Timer against 5.0 for Pulse. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tap Timer ships an update fortnightly, Pulse every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Tap Timer versus Pulse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTap TimerPulse
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS18.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMax LottermoserLance Merrill

Customer experience

Tap Timer

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Pulse

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Tap Timer

Subscriptions3
  • Premium Access (Weekly)$0.997 Days
  • Premium Access (Monthly)$2.991 Month
  • Premium Access (Annual)$17.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium Access (Lifetime)$6.99
2 purchases

Pulse

One-time2
  • Pulse — Standard$3.99
  • Pulse — Supporter$9.99

Questions

Is Tap Timer free?
Tap Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pulse free?
Pulse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tap Timer or Pulse?
Tap Timer and Pulse are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Tap Timer or Pulse have ads?
Neither Tap Timer nor Pulse shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tap Timer or Pulse?
Tap Timer ships an update fortnightly, and Pulse every 3 weeks. Most recently, Tap Timer was updated on October 9, 2026 and Pulse on October 6, 2026.

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