How to make a workout timer app for iOS
What a workout timer app needs
- Configurable intervals for work and rest, with rounds and sets, covering HIIT, Tabata, and EMOM styles
- Saved workout presets you can start with one tap
- Audio countdowns and haptic cues so you do not need to watch the screen
- A background audio session and a Live Activity so timing continues when the screen is locked
- A clear active view with the current interval, round, and time remaining
- An optional Apple Watch companion and a way to keep the screen awake
Accurate, hands-free timing is the product. If the cues drift or stop when the screen locks, the app is not usable in a real workout.
How to build it with AppFlight
Describe it in plain English, for example: "An interval workout timer where I set work and rest durations, the number of rounds, and optional warmup and cooldown. Save presets like Tabata and a custom HIIT. During a workout it shows the current interval and round, counts down with voice and a beep, vibrates between intervals, and keeps running when the screen is locked." AppFlight plans the screens, generates native SwiftUI, configures the background audio and a Live Activity, and launches it in a live simulator so you can run an interval set immediately. You iterate by asking for changes in plain language.
Monetization for a workout timer app
Two models fit this category. A one-time in-app purchase to unlock the full app suits people who dislike subscriptions for a simple tool. A subscription works when you add ongoing value such as unlimited presets, advanced interval types, an Apple Watch app, and themes. A RevenueCat paywall handles both the one-time unlock and the subscription. One consideration specific to this niche: an Apple Watch companion is a strong selling point but adds real work to keep the phone and watch in sync, so plan for it rather than bolting it on late.
Shipping it to the App Store
When the app is ready, AppFlight signs the build, uploads to TestFlight so you can run a real workout on your own device, then submits to the App Store with metadata and screenshots from the simulator. If Apple rejects the build, AppFlight reads the reason, fixes the issue, and resubmits. Apple reviews every app, so a submission is not the same as an approval, but the whole pipeline runs without you opening Xcode.
FAQ
Do I need to code to make a workout timer app?
No. You describe the app in plain English and AppFlight generates native Swift and SwiftUI, including the interval logic and the cues.
Will the timer keep running with the screen off?
Yes, with the right setup. AppFlight can configure background audio and a Live Activity so the timer keeps cueing intervals while the screen is locked or you are in another app.
How do workout timer apps make money?
Both a one-time unlock and a subscription work. The subscription usually adds unlimited presets, advanced interval types, and an Apple Watch app, handled by a RevenueCat paywall.