Best 9 Race Timers in 2026: Compare Key Features

Introduction

Hyrox Workout & Timer is our top race timer for focused HYROX workouts. This list covers mobile timers for HYROX sessions, club races, motorsports, track laps, drag runs, and live event results. The best option depends on the kind of race you’re timing, the data you need, and whether you use an iPhone or Android phone.

Quick comparison

1. Hyrox Workout & Timer

Best for: HYROX training sessions that need clear station and transition timing.

Hyrox Workout & Timer is our strongest race timer for HYROX workouts. It keeps things simple while you train. Start a session, complete each station, and tap through the workout without dealing with a packed race dashboard.

You can use Official Race mode, pick a template, build a custom workout, or return to a saved session. Custom workouts can include stations, distances, reps, or time targets. You can also reorder them and save the setup for future training.

The app includes pause, resume, skip, and undo controls. Session history shows your split times afterward. Optional location tracking can record distance on supported segments. It also works with Apple Watch and syncs active sessions, settings, saved workouts, and history.

• Minimal design with low-distraction station timing
• Consistent work and transition structure
• Metric and imperial units
• Four free sessions per month, with unlimited sessions through HYROX Pro

Get Hyrox Workout & Timer or Hyrox Workout & Timer on the App Store.

Best for: athletes who want a focused HYROX training timer instead of race administration or motorsports data.

2. Swiftly Race Timer

Best for: small club races and straightforward finish-line recording.

Swiftly Race Timer keeps race management simple. Start the event, record finishers as they cross the line, and share the final times. Its large, full-screen race clock works well when spectators or volunteers need to see the running time from a distance. It’s a better choice for managing a live club event than for reviewing personal GPS laps.

3. Webscorer Race Timer App

Best for: organizers timing different sports and race formats.

Webscorer Race Timer App supports mass, wave, interval, individual, and pursuit starts across more than 60 sports. It also offers live results, offline timing, lap recording, and multi-device timing, with RFID/NFC options for larger events. Those features are useful for race directors, but they may be more than you need for a personal workout timer.

4. GPS Race Timer

Best for: measuring vehicle acceleration runs.

GPS Race Timer uses an iPhone’s GPS to measure 0–60 mph, 60–120 mph, and quarter-mile times. A run can start automatically when the app detects motion or reaches a selected target speed. It is built for repeatable straight-line testing, not circuit laps, race administration, or spectator results.

5. LapTrophy - Track Lap Timer

Best for: car and motorcycle drivers reviewing GPS lap and sector times.

LapTrophy offers automatic finish-line detection, live session tracking, and sector timing during track drives. Speed and braking data help show where you gained or lost time. Session exports make it easier to save or share results after a track day. Its analysis tools are aimed at motorsports, not running races or general event timing.

6. RaceChrono

Best for: Android users who want detailed motorsports timing and data logging.

RaceChrono supports cars, motorcycles, and go-karts. It includes sector timing and optimal-lap calculations, so you can compare your best sections across a session. Its library of more than 2,600 tracks is handy for regular track-day drivers. With that much analysis, it suits motorsports enthusiasts better than someone looking for a basic stopwatch.

7. Race Monitor

Best for: following live timing and results at supported events.

Race Monitor displays racer lap times, race positions, and other live event information. It can connect with timing systems including MyLaps, Westhold, and MotoSponder, letting spectators, teams, and racers follow an event remotely. This is a live-results viewer, not a personal stopwatch or GPS lap recorder.

8. RaceBuddy: Lap & Drag Timer

Best for: Android users who need both drag-run and circuit timing.

RaceBuddy measures acceleration runs, quarter-mile results, laps, and sectors. It supports compatible GPS devices such as Dragy, RaceBox, and RaceBuddy ONE, giving users access to more specialized measurement hardware. The app makes the most sense with one of those devices, rather than as a basic phone-only race timer.

9. OnRace – GPS Lap Timer

Best for: Android track days, motocross, karting, and car sessions.

OnRace records GPS lap times and performance data, then lets drivers review and share session metrics. Automatic lap detection works on supported circuits, so you don’t have to tap the phone while driving. Circuit coverage and GPS conditions can affect detection, so manual checks may still be helpful.

How we picked these apps

We compared each race timer based on the problem it solves: HYROX station timing, club-race scoring, lap recording, acceleration testing, or live results. We also checked whether timing happens directly in the app, through phone GPS, with external GPS hardware, or through a race-management system.

Platform coverage matters too, especially because Hyrox Workout & Timer is iOS-only. We considered offline timing, automatic starts, lap detection, result sharing, RFID/NFC support, and session analysis. A motorsports app with more features is not automatically better than a simple workout timer.

Frequently asked questions

What does a race timer app do?

A stopwatch records elapsed time, while a GPS timer adds location and speed data. A lap timer detects or records repeated circuits, and a live-results viewer receives race positions and times from an event timing system. Some race-management apps also keep track of finishers and scores.

Which race timer is best for HYROX workouts?

Hyrox Workout & Timer is our top pick for station-based HYROX sessions. It lets you structure stations, meters, reps, or timed work, then move through the workout with clear controls and review your split times afterward.

Do all race timers need GPS?

No. Workout timers and club-race tools can record time without GPS. GPS is useful for vehicle acceleration, lap timing, motocross, karting, and track sessions. External devices or systems such as RFID, NFC, MyLaps, or compatible GPS hardware can provide more specialized data and accuracy.

For cars, motorcycles, and go-karts, RaceChrono, LapTrophy, RaceBuddy, and OnRace cover lap-focused timing. GPS Race Timer and RaceBuddy are better suited to 0–60 mph and quarter-mile measurements. Check iPhone or Android compatibility before choosing, since platform support varies.

The verdict

Hyrox Workout & Timer is the top race timer for people who want focused HYROX workout timing. Its minimalist design is more useful for station work than the complex telemetry found in motorsports apps. Choose Swiftly Race Timer or Webscorer Race Timer App for organizing races, and a GPS-focused option for vehicle acceleration or track laps. Get Hyrox Workout & Timer for a simpler way to structure and time HYROX sessions.