# Virgin Active SA vs Strove

Virgin Active SA and Strove both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 98% of Strove's written reviews are positive against 6% of Virgin Active SA's. Strove also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Virgin Active SA's advantage is ratings volume (740 vs 6). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Virgin Active SA against 4.8 for Strove. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Virgin Active SA has 740 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 6% of Virgin Active SA's written reviews are positive against 98% of Strove's.

Virgin Active SA ships an update every 2 months, Strove weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Virgin Active SA | Strove |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (740 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virgin-active-sa/id1022763576/reviews) | [4.8 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strove/id1529460652/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **740** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 5.8% of reviews | **98.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 325 MB | 127 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Virgin Active South Africa](https://appshunter.io/developer/978000637) | [Strove Ventures](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529460654) |

## What reviewers say

### Virgin Active SA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virgin-active-sa/id1022763576)

This app rewards you for achieving personal wellness goals with exclusive partner offers. Access on-demand classes, book club sessions up to 8 days ahead, and use your digital card for club entry. It's designed to support your progress with guidance and tangible benefits.

**Highlights:** Real rewards from partners, Book club classes up to 8 days in advance, Digital access card for club entry, On-demand classes for anytime training, Personalized wellness guidance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Clean and convenient layout
- 💡 Digital membership card functionality
- 🎯 Well-thought-out design approach

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent login failures and authentication errors
- ⚠️ Rewards system doesn't work reliably
- 🐢 Extremely slow app performance
- ❌ Gym session tracking not registering
- 🔄 Inconsistent functionality across devices

**Reported bugs**

- Login error messages with no resolution
- Password reset emails delayed or not received
- App freezes during booking attempts
- Gym attendance not logged for rewards
- Rewards expiring before being credited

**Requested features**

- Apple Wallet integration for digital card
- Apple Watch device support
- Graphical display of visit statistics per month
- Bike assignment visibility for spinning bookings
- Club entry button on home page


### Strove

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strove/id1529460652)

This app helps you build healthier habits for improved physical and mental wellbeing. It rewards your daily activities with coins that unlock real-world benefits. Connect your existing health apps and devices for automatic tracking and join team challenges for motivation.

**Highlights:** Activity tracking for rewards, Connects with health apps/devices, Team challenges and leaderboards, Guided meditations and workouts, Progress streaks and points, Rewards for self-care

**Features:** Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🏆 Motivates users to be active
- 🎁 Offers rewards and discounts
- 🤝 Fosters community and competition
- 🧘‍♀️ Includes mindfulness and wellness content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🏃‍♂️ Primarily focused on running/cardio
- 🏋️ Strength training content feels neglected

**Requested features**

- More diverse workout options, especially for strength training
- Allow manual Strava entries for treadmill walks


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Virgin Active SA free?

Virgin Active SA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Strove free?

Strove is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Virgin Active SA or Strove?

Virgin Active SA and Strove are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 740 and 6 ratings respectively.

### Do Virgin Active SA or Strove have ads?

Neither Virgin Active SA nor Strove shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Virgin Active SA or Strove?

Virgin Active SA ships an update every 2 months, and Strove weekly. Most recently, Virgin Active SA was updated on September 7, 2026 and Strove on September 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*