The Best Gym Timer App for iPhone: What to Look For
Short answer
The best gym timer app for lifting starts your rest the moment you log a set, shows the countdown on your Lock Screen and Apple Watch, and tells you when it's time for your next set without pausing your music. The iPhone's built-in Clock stopwatch and timer work, but you have to unlock, open, set, and reset them after every set. A dedicated rest timer like Between cuts that to one tap.
Why not just use the iPhone Clock app?
The Clock app is free and already on your phone, so it's where most lifters start. It works. It just asks a lot of you between sets.
With the Clock timer, every set looks like this: unlock your phone, open Clock, go to Timer, set the time, tap Start. When it goes off, stop the alarm, then do it all again after the next set. That's five or six taps per set. A 20-set workout means over 100 taps, and every unlock is a chance to open a message or start scrolling.
The stopwatch is worse for rest: it counts up, so it never tells you when your rest is over. You have to keep checking it.
What to look for in a gym timer app
These are the features that make a real difference on the gym floor:
- One tap to log a set and start the rest. No separate start button, no setting the time again.
- The countdown on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. You should see how long you have left without unlocking.
- Log your next set from the Lock Screen. Unlocking is where the distraction starts.
- An Apple Watch buzz when you're up. So your phone can stay in your bag or pocket.
- Alerts that play over your music. A short chime, not an alarm that stops your playlist.
- Custom rest times. 60 seconds for curls and 3 minutes for squats shouldn't take extra setup.
- A count-up after your rest ends. So you always know how long it's been.
- No ads. An ad between sets costs you the rest you were timing.
Nice extras: Siri support for when your hands are full, an interval mode for circuits, and a way to share one timer with a training partner.
Types of gym timer apps compared
| Type | Starts rest automatically | Lock Screen countdown | Tells you when rest is over | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone Clock stopwatch | No | No, it counts up | No | Timing a single effort |
| iPhone Clock timer | No | Yes | Yes, with an alarm | Occasional use |
| Interval timer apps | Runs a fixed program | Often | Yes | HIIT, circuits, Tabata |
| Workout logger apps | Often, after you log a set | Sometimes | Yes | Tracking weights and reps |
| Dedicated rest timers | Yes, when you log a set | Yes | Yes | Lifting with your phone away |
If you already track every weight and rep in a logging app, its built-in rest timer may be enough. If you want the fastest possible loop between sets and your phone out of your hands, a dedicated rest timer is the better fit.
How Between handles it
Between is a rest timer built for lifting. Here's how it covers the list above:
- Log set starts your rest. It's the only tap, and the button never moves, so your thumb always knows where it is.
- Your rest follows you to the Lock Screen, the Dynamic Island, and the Apple Watch Smart Stack. No watch app to install.
- Log your next set without unlocking, right from the Lock Screen.
- A buzz on your wrist 10 seconds before your next set, and again when you're up.
- A short chime plays over your music without pausing it. Or switch to vibration only, or silent.
- Pick your rest, anywhere from 5 seconds to 10 minutes. Keep up to five favorites on the main screen.
- When the rest runs out, the clock counts up from 0:00, captioned "Work", so you always know how long it's been.
- No ads, ever, and no account. Open it and log your first set.
It also has an interval timer for circuits, Siri support ("Log a set in Between"), and Train together, which keeps rests in sync with friends.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free gym timer app?
The iPhone Clock app is free and works if you don't mind setting the timer after every set. Between gives you your first 5 workouts free with every feature unlocked and no account, so you can try the full loop before deciding.
Can I use a stopwatch to time rest between sets?
You can, but a stopwatch counts up, so it never tells you when your rest is over. A countdown rest timer is easier: you pick the rest once, and it tells you when you're up. See stopwatch vs. rest timer for when each one makes sense.
Does Apple Watch have a rest timer?
Apple Watch has a Timer app you can set by hand. Between works differently: your rest shows in the Smart Stack with a Log set button, and your wrist buzzes when it's time for your next set, with no watch app to install.
Will a gym timer app stop my music?
The iPhone Clock timer plays an alarm you have to stop. Between plays a short chime over your music without pausing or lowering it, and you can switch to vibration only. Here's why some gym timers pause your music in the first place.
Does a gym timer app work without signal?
Between does. The timer runs on your phone, so a basement gym with no Wi-Fi or cell signal is fine. For what to check in any timer, see gym timers with no signal.