Comparison

Session vs Shift

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

Head to head
About

Session

Features
Read full description

Session is the interval training timer that adapts to YOUR sport. Whether you're running, doing HIIT, Tabata, or any other interval-based workout, Session lets you build fully customized sessions: number of reps, duration of each phase, type of effort (sprint, recovery, endurance, exercise, prep). WHY SESSION? 100% custom sessions β€” create as many phases as you want, in whatever order you want Real-time visual timeline β€” see exactly where you are in your session at a glance Customizable alerts β€” sound, vibration, or voice guidance to stay focused without looking at your screen Works with locked screen β€” start your session, pocket your phone, go Music-friendly β€” alerts play clearly even over your playlist No sign-up required β€” open the app and start, no account needed Free, no ads, no in-app purchases WHO IS IT FOR? Runners, athletes in physical training, interval trainers, HIIT and Tabata practitioners, or anyone who needs a reliable, simple interval timer. Your data stays on your phone. No account, no ad tracking. Your sport. Your pace. Your Session.

About

Shift

Features
Read full description

Shift is an interval timer made as simple as possible (but not any simpler). Set up in seconds: β€’ Work β€’ Rest β€’ Repeat How long you exercise – how long you recover – how many rounds. That’s all. Tap Start and Shift takes it from there. Finished workouts stay in History, so your last workout can be your next preset. Load it and go. A few essentials: β€’ Voice cues or simple tones that don’t lower your music β€’ Keeps time in the background β€’ A Live Activity on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island β€’ A workout display you can turn sideways β€’ Made for iPhone and iPad Completely free. No ads, no paywall, no subscriptions. No accounts, analytics or tracking. Your workouts stay on your device.

Screenshots

Session4 screens
Shift4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Session at 15.6 against Shift's 26. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
Session versus Shift: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSessionShift
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 daysEvery 4 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 β€” better26
Further details β€” not scored
Size38 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVincent DOLLOJorick van Meijeren

In-app purchases

None

Session

No in-app purchases

None

Shift

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Session free?
Session is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shift free?
Shift is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Session or Shift have ads?
Neither Session nor Shift shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Session or Shift?
Session ships an update every 4 days, and Shift every 4 days. Most recently, Session was updated on September 19, 2026 and Shift on September 12, 2026.

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