The 9 Best Stopwatches
Updated by · How we research
Nine handheld stopwatches compared on lap memory, readability and build, from gym timers to 500-lap coaching models. Our pick: Accusplit Pro Survivor A601X. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Any quartz stopwatch keeps time to a sliver of a second, so the real error is the thumb on the button, which lags by about two tenths. That's why track officials round hand times up to the next tenth. What matters more is the job, whether that's a coach timing a heat, a teacher running gym class or someone doing circuits.
Editor's Notes
October 23, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
The Accusplit Pro Survivor A601X takes the top spot. It's cheap, hard to break and quiet, its digits are big, and it has been hanging around coaches' necks for years. The Gymboss Interval Timer, the Marathon Adanac 8000 and the Seiko S141 stay, though the Seiko moves down because few families or schools need to spend that much.
The Rolilink Metal is gone, the Pgzsy Sport turned into a bulk pack, and we couldn't find anything solid on the Moiak SXJ504. We dropped the Ultrak 410 over buttons that break off, the Extech 365510 for its thin record, and the Learning Resources LER0808, which is a kids' classroom timer. New are the Ultrak 495 and Ultrak 496 for coaches, the Casio HS-70W, and two Pulivia models for tight budgets.
The most useful thing we read was the athletics rule for hand timing: hand times only count to a tenth of a second, rounded up. It shaped how we weighed hundredths, memory and buttons.
March 25, 2021:
Many of our existing selections managed to make it through this round of updates, but we did wind up letting go of a few choices. The Casio HS-80TW-1EF Digital, Dakota Digi and Marathon ST21103 Mechanical were all removed due to availability issues, although we were careful to replace the latter model with the Moiak SXJ504, ensuring that our list maintained a suitable option for the old-school, analog diehards among us.
We also added the Rolilink Metal to our list, because we liked the way that its stainless steel housing brought a bit of class to our rankings, and we gave the Gymboss Interval a bit of a boost, in terms of its placement, because we recognized what an indispensable tool a decent interval timer can be to a training athlete. The Pgzsy Sport – which we ranked as a pack of 12, but is also available in packs of six or two – may not be the most impressive option we included, in terms of its design or functionality, but we judged that its staggeringly low price still merited inclusion on our list, even if only for the benefit of schools and gyms who go through these things regularly.
Speaking of which, if you are investigating this purchase on behalf of a school, gym or similar institution, then a stopwatch might do you just fine, but you’ll likely also be interested in considering our list of CrossFit clocks.
January 15, 2020:
There are plenty of cheap stopwatches on the market, so we felt it was a smart idea to seek out some models by more reputable names in the timekeeping industry, some of which are also renowned watch manufacturers. The Seiko S141 300 Memory and the Casio HS-80TW-1EF Digital both come from companies with long histories in timekeeping, but the Seiko managed to edge out the Casio despite the former displaying to 1/1000th of a second rather than 1/100th. That's mainly because the Seiko offers a slightly more comprehensive readout for split lap comparison, and it can count for longer.
We also saw fit to add an analog option to the bunch, and there are few better in the business for this than the makers of the Marathon ST211003 Mechanical. It's a manual-wind option, but it certainly gets the job done. And to make room for all of these, we had to say goodbye to some of the lesser models from our previous list, including the Travelwey Digital and the Insten LCD, both of which had inferior build qualities and screens when compared to the other budget options that remained.
Special Honors
Marathon Mechanical Stopwatches For readers who want an analog stopwatch, Marathon still makes wind-up mechanical models with a sweep hand and a 60-minute register, including glow-in-the-dark dials. They cost far more than digital stopwatches and need winding, but they never need a battery. marathonwatch.com
One Split, Lap Memory Or Intervals
The Ultrak 495 holds 100 laps, the Seiko S141 holds 300 and the Ultrak 496 holds 500, and the better ones let you scroll back without stopping the clock.
Start with what you time. A one-split stopwatch starts, stops, freezes a split on screen and resets. That's all a gym class, a referee or a lone runner needs, and inexpensive models like the Pulivia YS-802 handle it.
A memory stopwatch saves every lap so you can read them back after the heat. That matters when you time several athletes at once or want a full set of splits after a meet. The Ultrak 495 holds 100 laps, the Seiko S141 holds 300 and the Ultrak 496 holds 500, and the better ones let you scroll back without stopping the clock. Specialist dealer Stopwatches.com calls the 495 its top memory model for track and swim. A three-line screen helps here too: you see the split, the lap and the running time together.
An interval timer is a different tool. The Gymboss repeats a work and rest cycle and beeps or vibrates at each change, which suits circuits and boxing rounds. It won't keep a list of laps.
If you want a classic analog dial, Marathon still makes wind-up mechanical stopwatches. They need winding and cost far more than a digital model, so they're for collectors and people who love the feel.
How Accurate Is A Hand-Held Stopwatch?
Accuracy is the wrong worry. A digital stopwatch counts the vibrations of a quartz crystal, and even cheap ones hold time far better than any mechanical one (Wikipedia: Stopwatch). The weak link is the person pressing the button. Human reaction time is about 0.2 seconds, and it varies from one press to the next.
Athletics rules reflect that. Hand times are only valid to a tenth of a second, and hundredths get rounded up, so 10.01 becomes 10.1. Statisticians add about 0.24 seconds to hand-timed 100- and 200-meter races, and about 0.14 seconds for 400 meters and up, before comparing them with electronic times. Records need fully automatic timing, started by the gun and read from a photo at the finish (Wikipedia: Fully automatic time).
So the hundredths on the screen are for comparing your own runs, not for official marks. You get the steadiest numbers when the same person times with the same watch, starting on the same cue each time. More memory and bigger buttons do more for good times than another decimal place.
Buttons, Batteries And Water
Buttons are the first thing to fail on a stopwatch, so they deserve the most attention. Look for separate start and reset buttons that you can press with a cold thumb or through gloves. The Accusplit Pro Survivor A601X uses switches the seller rates for a million presses. BarBend notes that it clicks instead of beeping, which helps in testing rooms and quiet halls.
Most stopwatches run on a coin or button cell. Lithium versions run for years, while the Gymboss uses a AAA. Keep spare button cells away from small children, since a swallowed cell can burn the throat or stomach within hours, and buy replacements in child-resistant packs.
"Water resistant" on a stopwatch usually means rain and sweat, not a dip in the pool. The Seiko S141 is one of the few with a swim rating printed on the case. Wipe a stopwatch dry after a wet session, and for young kids choose a lanyard with a breakaway clasp.
How we researched this
We compared 14 stopwatches and interval timers, read makers' pages and sellers' spec sheets for the nine picks, BarBend's stopwatch roundup and the athletics rules on hand timing, analyzed patterns in owner feedback, and checked every brand for recalls with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. We found no independent lab tests of stopwatch accuracy.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most accurate stopwatch?
Any quartz digital stopwatch is accurate to a tiny fraction of a second over a race. The person pressing the button adds about two tenths of a second, so steady technique matters far more than the brand.
Can I use a hand-held stopwatch for official times?
For practice and most school meets, yes. Athletics rules count hand times only to a tenth of a second, rounded up, and records need fully automatic timing.
Do I need a stopwatch with lap memory?
Only if you time several athletes at once or want to read splits back later. For a single runner or a gym class, a one-split stopwatch like the Accusplit Pro Survivor A601X is enough.
Is a phone stopwatch app good enough?
For casual timing, yes. A dedicated stopwatch has physical buttons you can press without looking, works with sweaty or gloved hands, and won't lock its screen mid-race.
What's the difference between an interval timer and a stopwatch?
A stopwatch measures how long something takes. An interval timer like the Gymboss Interval Timer counts down set work and rest periods and repeats them, with a beep or buzz at each change.
Are mechanical stopwatches better?
Not for accuracy. Quartz digital models keep better time. Mechanical stopwatches appeal for their dial and feel, need winding and cost far more.
