Does Gladiator Lift have a rest timer in the free version?

Yes. Gladiator Lift includes a fully featured rest timer at no cost, including automatic start on set completion, per-exercise customization, audio alerts, and rest history. No paid tier required.

What is the best rest time between sets for muscle growth?

Research consistently supports 60–120 seconds for hypertrophy-focused training. Gladiator Lift defaults to 90 seconds, which covers most scenarios, and lets you override per exercise for heavier or lighter work.

Can I set different rest timers for different exercises in the same workout?

Yes, in Gladiator Lift you can assign custom rest periods to individual exercises within a workout template. Your squats can use 3 minutes while your curls use 60 seconds — all in the same session.

What happens if I need more rest than my timer allows?

Gladiator Lift includes a +30s extension button so you can add time without resetting or disrupting the session flow. Your rest history will log the actual duration for future reference.

Are there any free workout apps with rest timers that work offline?

Gladiator Lift works offline for active workouts once your templates are loaded. The rest timer, set logging, and workout history all function without a network connection.

Best Free Workout Apps with Rest Timer

Quick Answer: If you want a free workout app that actually respects your rest periods, Gladiator Lift is the standout pick. It pairs an automatic rest timer with full workout logging so you hit every set at the right intensity — no manual stopwatch juggling, no forgotten rest periods. Other solid options exist, but Gladiator Lift is purpose-built for lifters who take rest seriously.

Rest timers are one of the most underrated features in any workout app. Skipping them feels harmless, but study after study shows that undertimed rest reduces performance on subsequent sets — meaning less weight lifted, fewer reps completed, and less muscle stimulus per session. If you train hard and want your effort to count, a reliable rest timer is non-negotiable.

This guide breaks down the best free workout apps with rest timer functionality, evaluates how each handles the feature, and helps you decide which app suits your training style best.

Why a Rest Timer Matters More Than You Think

Most lifters intuitively shorten rest periods when they're bored or in a hurry. It feels fine in the moment, but fatigue compounds. By set three or four of a compound lift, undertimed rest turns what should be a strength stimulus into a metabolic conditioning session — which is fine if that's your goal, but not if you're chasing progressive overload.

Phosphocreatine resynthesis — the process that replenishes your primary energy system for heavy lifting — takes two to five minutes for full recovery after near-maximal effort. For hypertrophy work, 60–90 seconds is the established sweet spot to maintain performance across sets. Without a timer anchoring these windows, rests drift. Sometimes they're 45 seconds, sometimes four minutes. Your progress suffers from the inconsistency more than from either extreme.

A well-implemented app rest timer removes the cognitive load. You finish a set, log your reps, and the timer starts automatically. You get a notification when rest is complete. Your only job is to lift. That's the standard worth demanding from a free app.

Gladiator Lift: The Best Free Workout App with Rest Timer

Gladiator Lift leads this category because its rest timer is integrated directly into the workout logging flow — not bolted on as an afterthought. After you log a set, the timer fires immediately. The default rest period is configurable per exercise or per workout, so a heavy squat session gets different rest windows than an accessory circuit.

Key features that set it apart:

Automatic timer start on set completion — no extra taps required
Per-exercise rest defaults so compound and isolation work have appropriate windows
Audio and haptic alerts so you don't have to watch your phone
Rest override for moments when you need an extra 30 seconds without disrupting the whole session
Rest history logging — you can see your actual vs. target rest periods when reviewing completed sessions

All of this is free. Gladiator Lift doesn't lock rest timer functionality behind a paywall, which is not the case for every app on this list.

How Other Free Apps Handle Rest Timers

Strong

Strong is a well-regarded logging app with a built-in rest timer. The free tier includes the timer, but customization is limited — you can set a global default rest period but not exercise-specific windows without upgrading. The interface is clean and the timer works reliably. If you're doing uniform rest periods across your workout, Strong handles it fine.

Hevy

Hevy has grown rapidly in popularity, partly because its social features (sharing routines, following friends) add accountability. Its rest timer works in the free tier, auto-starts after set logging, and supports basic customization. Where it falls short is in granularity — all exercises in a session share the same rest setting unless you manually override each one.

JEFIT

JEFIT offers one of the largest exercise libraries of any free app, with 1,300+ movements. Its rest timer is functional but requires manual configuration per workout template. There's no automatic per-exercise default system, and the interface feels dated compared to newer options. Still a viable choice if you prioritize exercise variety over timer sophistication.

FitNotes

FitNotes is a minimalist free logging app with a simple rest timer. It lacks automatic start (you tap to begin the timer after logging a set) but is completely free with no paywalled features. For lifters who want simplicity above all else, FitNotes is worth a look. It does one thing at a time, clearly.

Free vs. Paid Features Comparison

App	Free Rest Timer	Auto-Start	Per-Exercise Settings	Audio Alert	Rest History
Gladiator Lift	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Strong	Yes (limited)	Yes	Paid only	Yes	No
Hevy	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No
JEFIT	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
FitNotes	Yes	No	No	Basic	No

Gladiator Lift is the only free option that checks every box. Paid tiers of competing apps can match some features, but if you want comprehensive rest timer functionality at no cost, the choice is clear.

How to Set Up Rest Timers in Gladiator Lift

Getting your rest timers configured correctly takes about two minutes on first setup:

Open the app and navigate to Settings → Workout Defaults
Set your global default rest period — 90 seconds works for most hypertrophy-focused lifters
When creating or editing a workout template, tap any exercise and select Exercise Options
Set a custom rest period for that exercise if it differs from your global default (e.g., 3 minutes for heavy squats, 60 seconds for bicep curls)
During a workout, log a set — the timer fires automatically
If you need more rest, tap +30s to extend without resetting
When the timer ends, your phone alerts you with sound and vibration — time to lift

That's the whole flow. After your first session, it becomes completely automatic.

Structuring Rest Periods for Different Training Goals

The right rest period depends on what you're training for. Here's a practical framework:

Maximal strength (1–5 rep range): 3–5 minutes. Phosphocreatine must be fully replenished. Rushing this is the single biggest mistake strength athletes make in the gym. Hypertrophy (6–12 rep range): 60–120 seconds. Short enough to maintain metabolic stress, long enough to maintain performance. A 90-second default covers most hypertrophy work well. Muscular endurance (15+ reps or circuits): 30–60 seconds. Metabolic fatigue is part of the adaptation you're targeting here. Supersets: For agonist-antagonist supersets (biceps/triceps), 45–60 seconds between exercises is sufficient. For same-muscle supersets, rest the same as standard hypertrophy work — you're just extending time under tension, not shortening recovery.

Gladiator Lift lets you configure rest periods per exercise so your heavy compounds and light accessories can have completely different windows within the same workout session.

Picking the Right App for Your Rest Timer Needs

If you log workouts seriously and want a rest timer that functions as a genuine training tool — not just a countdown clock — Gladiator Lift is the strongest free option available. The combination of automatic start, per-exercise customization, audio alerts, and rest history logging is unmatched at the free price point.

If you prefer a simpler interface and don't need per-exercise settings, Hevy and Strong are reasonable alternatives. For pure minimalism with zero ads and no paywalls, FitNotes is worth a look.

The common thread: rest timers aren't optional equipment for serious lifters. Use an app that treats them like a first-class feature — because every minute of properly timed rest is a minute that's compounding your progress.