Last updated: February 2026
Both Box Timer and Tabata Timer are popular interval timer apps. Here is an honest comparison to help you choose the right one for your training.
Box Timer is a free, ad-free timer with a gym-style digital display. It supports count up, count down, and interval timers with no limitations.
Tabata Timer: Interval Timer by Oleksandr Serhiienko offers Tabata and HIIT timers with image/GIF support for exercises and Apple Watch compatibility. The free version contains ads and limits saved workouts to 2.
| Box Timer | Tabata Timer | |
|---|---|---|
| Workouts AMRAP EMOM Tabata For Time Custom Intervals | Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes | No No Yes No Yes |
| Price | Free | Free & Paid $0.99–$7.99 |
| Ad free | Yes | Paid only |
| Saved workouts (free) | Unlimited | 2 |
| In-app purchases | None | Yes |
| Sound effects | Yes | Yes |
| Works with music | Yes | Yes |
| Exercise images/GIFs | No | Yes |
| Workout history | Yes | Yes |
| Landscape mode | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch | No | Yes |
| Languages | 6 | 3 |
| App Store rating | 4.9 stars | 4.9 stars |
Box Timer is the stronger choice for athletes whose training is not limited to Tabata. Tabata Timer: Interval Timer supports Tabata and custom intervals but does not include AMRAP, EMOM, or For Time — the three other core CrossFit WOD formats. If you do any variety of CrossFit or functional fitness programming, Box Timer handles the full range without requiring you to switch apps.
Box Timer is also completely free with no ads and unlimited saved workouts. Tabata Timer's free version limits saved workouts to two and shows ads. For athletes who pin and name their frequent WODs — a Tuesday AMRAP, a Thursday EMOM — hitting a two-workout save limit quickly becomes a friction point.
Tabata Timer: Interval Timer has a feature that Box Timer does not: per-exercise visual cues. You can attach images or GIFs to each interval, so the app shows you what movement to do while the timer runs. For athletes learning new movements or coaching small groups who need on-screen demonstration, this is a meaningful differentiator.
Apple Watch support is also worth noting for athletes who want wrist control during a workout. If you regularly train with your phone out of reach and rely on your Watch to monitor intervals, Tabata Timer's Watch app fills a gap that Box Timer does not currently cover.
Both apps are built for Tabata (8 rounds of 20 seconds work, 10 seconds rest). Here is how to set it up on each:
Box Timer
Tabata Timer
Tabata Timer's interval setup offers more visual richness. Box Timer is faster to configure when you do not need exercise visuals and just want the clock running.
Box Timer is fully free — no ads, no in-app purchases, and unlimited saved workouts from day one.
Tabata Timer's free version includes ads and limits saved workouts to two. In-app purchases remove ads and unlock additional features, with pricing ranging from $0.99 to $7.99. Check the App Store for current pricing, as these may change.
For CrossFit athletes and those who do any mix of WOD formats, Box Timer is the better all-round option. It supports more timer types, has no ads, and saves unlimited workouts at no cost.
Choose Tabata Timer if visual exercise cues are central to how you train or coach. The ability to attach a GIF to each interval — showing the movement while the clock runs — is a feature Box Timer does not have, and it adds real value for certain training contexts.
Related: Best Workout Timer Apps for iPhone in 2026 · Box Timer vs SmartWOD · Box Timer vs Interval Timer · Box Timer vs Seconds Pro · Box Timer vs Tabata Stopwatch Pro
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