Comparison

Interval Timer vs Ekiro

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

Head to head
About

Interval Timer

This app provides customizable interval timers for various workout styles like Tabata and HIIT. It offers presets for quick starts, allows users to build and save custom routines, and features an independent Apple Watch app for on-wrist control. Track your progress with workout history and streaks, all within a distraction-free interface.

Highlights
  • Built-in Tabata, HIIT, and EMOM presets
  • Custom workout builder
  • Save unlimited custom presets
  • Independent Apple Watch app
  • Live Activity and Dynamic Island support
  • Workout history and progress tracking
  • Sound effects and haptic feedback
Features
Read full description

Whether you're doing Tabata in the gym, HIIT in your living room, or a custom circuit on the track — Interval Timer keeps you focused on the work, not the screen. READY IN SECONDS Built-in presets for Tabata, HIIT, and EMOM mean you can go from zero to working out in one tap. No setup. No guesswork. Just pick a preset and start. BUILT AROUND YOU Create and save custom workouts with your own work duration, rest time, round count, and exercise count. Every detail is yours to control. Save as many presets as you want. ON YOUR WRIST The independent Apple Watch app gives you a full timer right on your wrist. Leave your phone in the bag. Your workout syncs automatically — start from the watch, finish on the phone. STAY IN THE ZONE Live Activity and Dynamic Island support keeps your timer visible even when your phone is locked. See your current phase, time remaining, and progress — without unlocking your phone. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Every completed workout is logged automatically. See your total sessions, total time, current streak, and weekly chart at a glance. Know exactly how consistent you've been. CLEAN. FAST. FOCUSED. Designed with a dark interface and zero distractions. No ads. No bloat. Just a timer that works as hard as you do. FEATURES • Tabata, HIIT, and EMOM built-in presets • Custom workout builder — set work, rest, rounds, and exercises • Save unlimited custom presets • Independent Apple Watch app with full timer support • Live Activity and Dynamic Island support • Workout history with streaks and weekly chart • Sound effects and haptic feedback (customizable) • Warmup phase toggle • Auto-pause when leaving the app • Works completely offline — no account needed

About

Ekiro

Features
Read full description

BUILD YOUR OWN WORKOUT Create a workout with the run and walk intervals that suit you. Or pick a ready-made one and start. From there, Ekiro keeps track of the timing and tells you when to run, walk, or switch to the next stage. You just keep moving. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO TRAIN YOUR WAY Choose your intervals. Decide how long to run and walk. Add as many stages as you need. Short intervals, long ones, mixed blocks — your workout does not have to fit a preset plan. Create custom stages. Go beyond running and walking. Add hill running, jump rope, or any other activity and name it your way. Add warm-up and recovery. They become full workout stages with their own duration. Use repeats. Build a sequence once and choose how many times it repeats. Change the order. Arrange stages in the sequence that works for you today. Save your workouts. Found a combination that works? Save it and use it again without rebuilding it. OR JUST START WITH A READY-MADE WORKOUT Do not want to set anything up? You do not have to. Pick a ready-made workout and go. Not sure where to start? Ekiro can help you choose your first workout, so you do not have to figure out interval training on your own. DURING YOUR WORKOUT Forget the stopwatch. Ekiro times every stage for you. Get a heads-up before each switch. Ten seconds before an interval ends, Ekiro warns you that a change is coming. Listen for cues. When a stage ends, Ekiro tells you what comes next. No need to keep looking at your phone. See what is next. If you do check the screen, you will see both the current stage and the one coming up. AFTER YOUR WORKOUT See the big picture. Time, distance, and pace are saved in your report. Break it down by interval. See the result of each individual segment, not just averages for the whole run. Track changes over time. Compare your results week by week and see how your training evolves. IF YOU RUN WITH APPLE WATCH You do not need an Apple Watch to use Ekiro. But if you have one, you can leave your phone at home and take the workout to your wrist. Leave your phone at home. Start directly from Apple Watch and let Ekiro guide you through every stage without your iPhone. See what stage you are in. Your watch shows the current stage and how much time is left before the next one. Get cues on your wrist. Ekiro warns you before a stage changes and lets you know when it is time to switch. Track your heart rate while you run. Apple Watch reads your heart rate, and Ekiro shows it during the workout. Set your own heart-rate limits. Choose your range and Ekiro will alert you if your heart rate goes outside it. Review the results later. After the workout, your results appear on iPhone together with the rest of your reports. EKIRO COACH You run. Ekiro Coach helps you decide what to do next. After your run, tell Ekiro Coach how it felt by rating the effort from 1 to 10. Based on your rating, Ekiro Coach suggests your next workout. Its recommendations follow the principle of gradually increasing training load used by professional coaches. Felt easy? Coach may suggest running a little longer or adding another repeat. Felt right? Coach may suggest keeping the same load and staying at that level a little longer. Felt hard? Coach may suggest making the next workout easier, without sudden jumps in load. You decide. Ekiro Coach suggests the next step, but accepting it or keeping your workout unchanged is always your choice. Ekiro is a training app, not a medical device. If you have health limitations, talk to your doctor before starting training. Terms of Use: https://ekiro.run/en/terms Privacy Policy: https://ekiro.run/en/privacy

Screenshots

Interval Timer4 screens
Ekiro4 screens

Verdict

The call

Interval Timer and Ekiro are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Interval Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Ekiro sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Interval Timer versus Ekiro: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInterval TimerEkiro
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBehailu AwlayeSvetlana Maksimova

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Interval Timer

One-time1
  • Interval Timer Pro$4.99
3 purchases

Ekiro

Subscriptions2
  • Ekiro Coach$2.991 Month
  • Ekiro Coach$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Ekiro Forever$5.99

Questions

Is Interval Timer free?
Interval Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Ekiro free?
Ekiro is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Interval Timer or Ekiro have ads?
Neither Interval Timer nor Ekiro shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Interval Timer or Ekiro?
Interval Timer ships an update fortnightly, and Ekiro fortnightly. Most recently, Interval Timer was updated on October 24, 2026 and Ekiro on October 9, 2026.

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