Between vs. the iPhone Clock App for Rest Between Sets
Short answer
The iPhone Clock app is free and works for timing rest, but you set the timer by hand after every set and stop an alarm when it ends. Between starts your rest with one tap on Log set, lets you log your next set from the Lock Screen, plays a short chime over your music instead of an alarm, and buzzes your Apple Watch when you're up. If you time a few rests a week, Clock is fine. If you lift several times a week, the steps add up.
The short version
Clock's Timer and Stopwatch are general-purpose tools. They weren't designed around sets, so every rest means a few taps and an unlock. Between is designed around one loop: finish a set, tap once, put the phone down, get told when you're up.
Side-by-side comparison
| Between | iPhone Clock app | |
|---|---|---|
| Start a rest | Tap Log set | Unlock, open Clock, set the time, tap Start |
| When the rest ends | Short chime over your music, and a buzz | Alarm sound you stop by hand |
| Lock Screen and Dynamic Island | Yes, with a Log set button | Yes, countdown shown |
| Log your next set without unlocking | Yes | No |
| Warning before rest ends | Yes, 10 seconds before | No |
| Counts your set after rest ends | Yes, from 0:00 | No |
| Saved rest times | Up to five on one screen | Recent timers list |
| Set count | Yes | No |
| Intervals | Yes | No |
| Cost | First 5 workouts free with everything on (pricing) | Free, built in |
Where the Clock app is the better choice
- It's free and already installed. Nothing to download.
- You rarely time rest. For an occasional workout, setting a timer by hand is no big deal.
- You rest by feel and only want a stopwatch to check how long it's been. See stopwatch vs. rest timer.
Where Between is the better choice
- Fewer taps, every set. One tap instead of an unlock and four or five taps. Over a 20-set workout that's a real difference.
- Less scrolling. Each unlock is a chance to open a message or a feed. With Between, you log your next set from the Lock Screen and see how much rest is left on the Dynamic Island or your watch.
- Your music keeps playing. A short chime instead of an alarm to stop.
- A heads-up. Your watch buzzes 10 seconds before your next set, then again when you're up.
- It counts your sets and, when the rest runs out, counts your set up from 0:00.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the iPhone timer for rest between sets?
Yes. Set it in the Clock app before each rest. It works, but you'll set, start and stop it after every set, and the alarm interrupts your music.
Does the iPhone timer show on the Lock Screen?
Yes. A running Clock timer shows its countdown on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island. You can't start the next rest from there, though. Between adds a Log set button right on the Lock Screen.
Is there a free gym timer on iPhone?
The built-in Clock app is free. Between gives you your first 5 workouts free with every feature on and no account, so you can try it before deciding.