Best 8 Exercise Timers in 2026: Reviewed & Ranked

Home Workout Timer & Tracker is the best exercise timer for most people. You get a flexible custom builder, a large clear display, and voice cues, with no ads or accounts. We tested eight iOS and Android apps for HIIT, Tabata, CrossFit, lifting, and boxing.

Quick comparison table

1. Home Workout Timer & Tracker

Best for: Most people who want one clean exercise timer for HIIT, strength, stretching, and general interval work.

Home Workout Timer & Tracker is our top pick because it stays out of your way. The custom builder lets you set work, rest, rounds, and blocks for strength, HIIT, or stretching. You can add exercises, set reps, meters, or seconds, reorder them, and save the session for later.

The timer is big enough to read from across the room. Voice cues and haptic feedback let you leave the iPhone on a gym stand or in a pocket. There are no accounts, no ads, and no dashboard clutter. You open the app, hit start, and keep moving.

• Build custom sessions with work, rest, rounds, and blocks
• Read the big timer from a distance
• Use voice cues and haptics without looking at the screen
• No accounts, ads, or setup clutter

Get it here: Get Home Workout Timer & Tracker · Home Workout Timer & Tracker on the App Store

2. Seconds Pro Interval Timer

Best for: Detailed HIIT and Tabata programming on iOS.

Seconds Pro is one of the most flexible interval timers on iOS. You can stack multiple interval sets, change colors per phase, and set text-to-speech announcements so the app tells you what is coming next. The large display is easy to read from a distance.

The trade-off is a steeper learning curve. It's not the app to open for a quick two-tap timer, but it rewards you if you enjoy programming every detail of a workout.

3. Tabata Timer: Interval Timer

Best for: Quick Tabata setups on Android.

On Android, Tabata Timer: Interval Timer is the simple option for quick Tabata setups. You can set work, rest, and cooldown periods fast, and the visual cues make it clear when to push and when to recover.

It doesn't try to manage exercise libraries or track history. That's a plus if your goal is short high-intensity work, and beginners will like the fast start.

4. SmartWOD Timer

Best for: CrossFit and functional fitness.

CrossFit athletes will feel at home with SmartWOD Timer. The app includes dedicated modes for AMRAP, EMOM, For Time, and Tabata, so you don't have to build those formats from scratch.

The numbers are large and clear enough to read from across the gym. It's iOS only, and it assumes you already know how those workout structures work. If you want a timer that speaks CrossFit, this is the most direct option.

5. Exercise Timer

Best for: Android users who want smartwatch control.

If you use an Android smartwatch, Exercise Timer is a good fit. You can build custom routines with specific exercises and rest times, then start and control them from your wrist.

Voice feedback calls out changes, so you don't have to look at the phone or wrist during a set. That makes it a solid choice for circuits or strength days where you prefer to leave the phone in a bag.

6. Interval Timer - HIIT Workouts

Best for: Background music and Apple Health integration.

For music and Apple Health integration, Interval Timer - HIIT Workouts is a strong iOS pick. It lets you set custom intervals for HIIT, boxing, or general conditioning, then keeps running in the background while you play music. Alerts sound over the track, so you don't have to stop and check the screen.

Apple Health integration is a bonus if you already track workouts there. It's a solid option for audio-guided sessions where the phone stays in a pocket or armband.

7. Gymboss Interval Timer

Best for: Runners, lifters, and MMA athletes who liked the physical timer.

Gymboss is the digital version of the old physical interval timer many athletes used for hill sprints, rest periods, and rounds. The Android app keeps the same idea: programmable intervals with customizable sounds and vibrations.

You can run it in a pocket and feel the cues, which works well during runs, bag work, or lifting. The interface is clean and simple, but it's Android only. If you liked the hardware, this feels like a modern continuation.

8. Timer Plus - Workouts Timer

Best for: Circuit training, boxing, and martial arts on iOS.

Timer Plus is built around simple, repeatable interval work. The clock is large and clear, and voice guidance calls out when it's time to switch. That hands-free design works well for circuits, boxing rounds, or martial arts drills where you don't want to glance at the phone mid-set.

It's not aimed at complex strength programming, but it covers straightforward work/rest cycles with less fuss than more feature-heavy timers.

How we picked these apps

We tested each exercise timer with real interval, strength, and conditioning sessions. We compared setup speed, timer readability from a distance, voice cues, background reliability, and platform support. The picks cover specific use cases, including HIIT, Tabata, CrossFit, boxing, lifting, and running.

We skipped apps with intrusive ads or unreliable background timing. Home Workout Timer & Tracker came out ahead because it balances flexibility and simplicity without pushing you into one workout style.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a separate timer for HIIT and lifting?

One flexible timer like Home Workout Timer & Tracker can cover both. Specialty apps may feel better for strict Tabata or CrossFit formats, though.

Will these timers work in the background while I play music?

Several picks support background audio, but iOS or Android battery settings can interrupt alerts. Interval Timer - HIIT Workouts is a good pick for music overlap.

Which exercise timer works with a smartwatch?

Exercise Timer has strong Android smartwatch integration. Home Workout Timer & Tracker is built for iPhone, so check its Apple Watch support before relying on wrist control.

Are free versions enough?

Free tiers cover simple intervals, but advanced customization often requires a paid upgrade or removing ads.

The verdict

For most people, Home Workout Timer & Tracker is the best exercise timer. It wins on custom setup, a clean large timer, voice cues, and no accounts or ads. If you want one reliable timer instead of juggling niche apps, start here.

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