Last updated: February 2026
Both Box Timer and Interval Timer are popular workout timer apps. Here is an honest comparison to help you choose the right one for your training.
Box Timer is designed to look and feel like the large wall clock at a gym. It is completely free with no ads or limitations.
Interval Timer - HIIT Workouts by Float Tech focuses on HIIT training with drag-to-set intervals and voice guides. The free version is limited to one workout per day — unlimited use requires a subscription.
| Box Timer | Interval Timer | |
|---|---|---|
| Workouts AMRAP EMOM Tabata For Time Custom Intervals | Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes | No No Yes No Yes |
| Price | Free | Free & Paid $1.99/mo or $19.99 lifetime |
| Usage limits (free) | Unlimited | 1 workout/day |
| Ad free | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | None | Yes |
| Sound effects | Yes | Yes |
| Voice guides | No | Yes |
| Works with music | Yes | Yes |
| Workout history | Yes | Yes |
| Landscape mode | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch | No | No |
| Languages | 6 | 22 |
| App Store rating | 4.9 stars | 4.8 stars |
Box Timer is the clear choice for CrossFit athletes and anyone whose training goes beyond pure HIIT circuits. Interval Timer - HIIT Workouts does not support AMRAP, EMOM, or For Time — three of the four core CrossFit WOD formats. If you regularly do AMRAPs with a time cap, EMOM work on the minute, or timed workouts where you run the clock up, Box Timer is the only option here that handles all of them natively.
Box Timer is also unlimited. There are no daily caps, no subscription prompts, and no paywalls between you and your next workout. Athletes who train more than once a day — two-a-days, morning conditioning plus evening lifting — will never hit a limit.
Interval Timer - HIIT Workouts by Float Tech is a strong option if your training is primarily Tabata and custom HIIT circuits and you want voice coaching. The app calls out round transitions verbally ("Work!" / "Rest!") which can be useful when your eyes are on a barbell or a yoga mat rather than a screen. It also supports 22 languages, significantly more than Box Timer's six.
If you only train once a day and the one-workout-per-day free limit is enough for your schedule, Interval Timer's free tier is functional. For anyone who wants unlimited use, the paid subscription ($1.99/month or $19.99 lifetime) removes that restriction.
Both apps support Tabata (8 rounds of 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest). Here is how you set it up on each:
Box Timer
Interval Timer
Interval Timer's drag-to-set interface is visually intuitive for first use. Box Timer's approach is slightly faster once you know it, and settings persist across sessions — useful for repeating the same WOD.
Box Timer is fully free — no ads, no subscription, no daily limits, no in-app purchases. Every feature is available from the moment you open the app.
Interval Timer's free tier caps usage at one workout per day. The premium subscription removes this restriction and adds additional features. As of early 2026, pricing is $1.99/month or $19.99 for a lifetime unlock — verify in the App Store for current pricing.
If you do any CrossFit-style training — AMRAP, EMOM, For Time — Box Timer is the better app. Interval Timer simply does not support those formats, which makes it a partial solution for most functional fitness athletes.
If you are a dedicated HIIT or Tabata athlete who trains once a day and values voice coaching over WOD format breadth, Interval Timer is genuinely worth considering. The voice guides add real value when you are mid-workout and cannot look at your screen.
Related: Best Workout Timer Apps for iPhone in 2026 · Box Timer vs SmartWOD · Box Timer vs Seconds Pro · Box Timer vs Tabata Timer · Box Timer vs Tabata Stopwatch Pro
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