Comparison

Chime vs Stellar Intervals

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

Head to head
About

Chime

Features
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Chime gets you from zero to training in seconds. Pick a mode, tap start, and move. Run Tabata, EMOM, AMRAP, or any HIIT-style workout with clear audio cues and haptic feedback that keep pace with you, even when your phone is locked. WORKOUT MODES Tabata The classic 20-on / 10-off format. Eight rounds. AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible) Set the clock and chase as many rounds as possible. EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute) Set your rounds and move on the minute, every minute. Custom Dial in your own rounds, work time, and rest time for circuits, conditioning blocks, or strength intervals. FEATURES โ€ข Configurable pre-session countdown โ€ข Large progress ring, readable at a glance โ€ข Audio and haptic cues with independent controls โ€ข Timer and cues keep running with your phone locked โ€ข Play, pause, skip, and rewind controls during any session โ€ข Dark mode support โ€ข No ads, no login, no account, no tracking

About

Stellar Intervals

Features
Read full description

Most Norwegian 4x4 timers count the clock. Stellar Intervals counts what matters: the time your heart is truly in the zone โ€” and how fast it recovers afterward. THE PROBLEM WITH CLOCK-BASED 4x4 The Norwegian 4x4 protocol calls for four 4-minute intervals above ~85% of your max heart rate. But it takes time to climb into that zone โ€” often 60 to 90 seconds. A standard timer counts that ramp-up as "work," so you get an uneven, watered-down dose every session. Two workouts that look identical on the clock can be completely different efforts. TRUE TIME IN ZONE Stellar Intervals fixes this with a heart-rate-gated timer. The interval clock starts only when you cross your 85% threshold โ€” and pauses the instant you drop below it. No more junk time. Every session delivers a true 16 minutes of high-intensity stimulus. Repeatable, predictable, honest. A CLEAN SIGNAL: HEART-RATE RECOVERY Here's what true time in zone unlocks. Heart-rate recovery (HRR) โ€” how many beats per minute your heart drops in the first minute after an interval โ€” is one of the most studied markers of cardiovascular fitness. But it's only meaningful if the effort before it was consistent. Because Stellar Intervals standardizes every interval to the same load, your HRR becomes a clean, comparable number you can trust. Track it interval to interval and week to week, and watch your fitness improve in a metric measured from your own training. THE SCIENCE The Norwegian 4x4 protocol is the gold-standard interval method for improving VO2 max โ€” and VO2 max is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health and longevity. Stellar Intervals helps you execute the protocol precisely and follow your progress through HRR, a marker researchers have long tied to heart health and aerobic fitness. FEATURES Heart-rate-gated timer โ€” counts only true time in zone Auto-pause when you fall below 85% HRmax Per-interval heart-rate recovery (HRR) tracking Long-term HRR and time-in-zone trends Works with Apple Watch and Bluetooth chest straps Sport-agnostic: run, bike, row, ski, or elliptical Apple Health integration Clean, distraction-free workout screen HONEST BY DESIGN Stellar Intervals does not estimate or claim to measure your VO2 max โ€” no app can do that accurately from your wrist. What we do measure, we measure for real: your true time in zone and your heart-rate recovery. Two numbers you can trust, both improving as you train. WHO IT'S FOR Runners, cyclists, and rowers chasing VO2 max gains. Longevity-minded people who already track HRV, sleep, and biomarkers. Anyone who wants their 4x4 done with precision instead of guesswork. Requires a heart rate source (Apple Watch, Apple Airpods Pro 3 or Bluetooth HR monitor). Start your first true interval today.

Screenshots

Chime4 screens
Stellar Intervals4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Chime at none against Stellar Intervals's shown. Stellar Intervals's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
Chime versus Stellar Intervals: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChimeStellar Intervals
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyMonthlyโ€”
AdsNo โ€” betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” better
Requires iOS1715.1 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size7 MB41 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperKunal ParmarGarage Projects AB

In-app purchases

None

Chime

No in-app purchases

None

Stellar Intervals

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Chime free?
Chime is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Stellar Intervals free?
Stellar Intervals is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Chime or Stellar Intervals have ads?
Stellar Intervals shows ads; Chime does not.

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