Comparison

Interval Timer vs BUSHIDO Timer

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

Head to head
About

Interval Timer

Features
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Whether you're settling in to focus or about to move, this is one interval timer for both. Switch between Focus mode and Workout mode with a single tap, and each one greets you with its own timing defaults, color, and wording. In Focus mode the work phase is called "Focus"; in Workout mode it's "Work." Breaks are called "Breathe" and "Long Break" — no mechanical countdown language, just a bit of warmth while you push through. ā–  Who it's for - Anyone using the Pomodoro Technique to focus on study or work - Anyone timing HIIT or Tabata-style workouts - Anyone who needs phase changes to actually reach them while the phone is locked - Anyone tired of timer apps buried in ads ā–  Free features - Pomodoro preset (25 min work / 5 min break, 15 min long break every 4 sets, 8 sets total) - HIIT preset (fully customizable duration and set count) - Custom work time, rest time, and set count - Start, Pause, Reset, Skip - Sound + haptic + notification on every phase change — arrives even when the screen is locked - Save 1 custom preset - Screen stays awake while the timer runs - Session summary screen after the final set - Available in Japanese, English, and Simplified Chinese ā–  Pro features (one-time purchase, no subscription) - Unlimited custom presets - History & Stats (today / this week / all-time focus totals, a 7-day chart, and a session log) - Focus BGM (16 tracks to choose from, continuous play and volume control) - No ads - Restore Purchases supported Timing is calculated from elapsed seconds since start, not a countdown that decrements — so coming back from the background or a locked screen never leaves the display out of sync.

About

BUSHIDO Timer

Features
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A training timer with its own war drums. Interval timer for Tabata, HIIT, boxing rounds and strength sets — plus a 25/5 focus timer — scored with original Japanese-style music built right in. No ads. No subscription. Works offline. BUSHIDO Timer counts your rounds with taiko, bell and gong, and plays original war-drum and phonk tracks made for training. Prefer your own playlist? Keep Spotify or Apple Music playing — BUSHIDO only adds the cues on top. FIVE WAYS TO TRAIN • ē–¾ TABATA — 20 sec all-out, 10 sec rest, 8 rounds • 烈 HIIT — 40 sec work, 20 sec rest, 10 rounds • 闘 ROUNDS — 3-minute rounds with 1 minute between, for boxing, kickboxing, MMA and sparring • 鍛 SETS — no clock on the lift: tap when your set is done, then a 60-sec rest, 5 sets • 禅 ZEN — 25 min focus, 5 min break, 4 rounds, with calm deep-focus music for work or study Change the seconds, rounds and get-ready time of each one. Each workout remembers its own settings, and you can reset to the defaults any time. MUSIC THAT FIGHTS WITH YOU • 40 original tracks free: 32 war-drum & phonk tracks for training, 8 deep-focus tracks for ZEN • BUILT-IN plays our tracks. MY MUSIC keeps your Spotify or Apple Music playing and lays the cues on top. OFF gives you cues only • Taiko starts the round, the bell calls rest, beeps count the last 3 seconds, the gong ends it • Music dips for a moment on each cue so you always hear it — adjust cue and music volume separately CUES YOU CAN'T MISS • Keeps counting with the screen locked • Live Activity on the lock screen and in the Dynamic Island shows the round and the countdown • Big controls that are easy to hit with sweaty hands: START, PAUSE, SKIP, RESET APPLE WATCH • Runs on its own on your wrist • Haptics: a strong double tap for GO, a soft tap for rest, clicks in the last 3 seconds • Heart rate on screen, keeps running with your wrist down, saves each session as a workout in Apple Health • Uses the numbers you set on your iPhone and keeps its own streak RECORD & STREAK • Calendar marks each day with the kanji of what you trained • Day streak, sessions and minutes at a glance • Home Screen widgets: streak and today (small), this week plus one-tap TABATA / HIIT / ROUNDS (medium) MUSIC PACKS — BUY ONCE Every feature and 40 tracks are free. Want more music? • TRAINING PACK Vol.1 — 20 more war-drum & phonk tracks for TABATA, HIIT, ROUNDS and SETS • FOCUS PACK Vol.1 — 5 more deep-focus tracks for ZEN Buy once and it's yours forever. Every track is bundled in the app and plays offline. No ads. No subscription. PRIVACY No account, no sign-in. Your records and settings stay on your device. We don't collect any data, and there are no ads or tracking. On Apple Watch, heart rate is shown on screen and workouts are saved to Apple Health only — never sent to us. REQUIREMENTS iPhone with iOS 18 or later. Apple Watch app requires watchOS 11 or later. Live Activity in the Dynamic Island on supported iPhone models. The way of the warrior starts with round one.

Screenshots

Interval Timer4 screens
BUSHIDO Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: BUSHIDO Timer at none against Interval Timer's shown. BUSHIDO Timer also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 9 days). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

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

Both are free to download. Interval Timer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and BUSHIDO Timer sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Interval Timer ships an update every 9 days, BUSHIDO Timer every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
Interval Timer versus BUSHIDO Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInterval TimerBUSHIDO Timer
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB201 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKatsunobu SunagawaMASAHIRO YAMAMOTO

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Interval Timer

One-time1
  • Interval Timer Pro$1.99
2 purchases

BUSHIDO Timer

One-time2
  • FOCUS PACK Vol.1$1.99
  • TRAINING PACK Vol.1$2.99

Questions

Is Interval Timer free?
Interval Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is BUSHIDO Timer free?
BUSHIDO Timer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Interval Timer or BUSHIDO Timer have ads?
Interval Timer shows ads; BUSHIDO Timer does not.
Which is updated more often, Interval Timer or BUSHIDO Timer?
Interval Timer ships an update every 9 days, and BUSHIDO Timer every 3 days. Most recently, Interval Timer was updated on October 4, 2026 and BUSHIDO Timer on October 10, 2026.

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