Comparison

Split Workouts vs Compound Theory

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Split Workouts

Track high-density workouts with timed blocks to push your limits. This app helps you work harder and faster towards your fitness goals, potentially cutting workout time in half. It offers guided timers, easy rep tracking, and performance charts.

Highlights
  • Guided timer for high-density workouts
  • Fast and easy reps tracking
  • Customizable workouts
  • Performance charts
  • Detailed history
  • Apple Health integration
Features
Read full description

GET STRONGER. GET LEANER. IN HALF THE TIME Split Workouts is the only app built specifically for high density training — including EDT (Escalating Density Training) — where you race the clock in timed blocks to move faster, work harder, and get more done in less time. Beyond the muscle-building benefits, high density workouts also deliver: - Higher VO2 max - Better cardiovascular health - Greater fat burning from the sustained high-intensity effort BUILT FOR THE WAY YOU ACTUALLY TRAIN: - Guided timer designed specifically for high density workouts - Fast, frictionless rep logging so you never lose focus mid-set - Fully customizable workouts, exercises, and settings - 10 ready-to-go exercises, plus unlimited custom ones - Performance charts for every single exercise - Detailed workout history - Apple Health integration WHY TACK WITH SPLIT WORKOUTS? - It knows what you did last - It tells you what to do next - It shows you exactly how far you've come If you're serious about getting stronger and leaner, faster — Split Workouts is the app that keeps you accountable to it, workout after workout.

About

Compound Theory

This strength training tracker offers a vast library of proven workout programs and allows users to build their own custom routines. It provides insights into muscle recovery, strength standards, and integrates with Apple Health for a comprehensive view of fitness progress.

Highlights
  • Extensive library of pre-built strength programs
  • Customizable workout routine builder
  • Muscle recovery tracking with visual indicators
  • Strength standards comparison
  • Apple Health integration for recovery insights
  • One-tap set completion and auto-progression
  • Apple Watch workout tracking
Features
Read full description

Compound Theory is a no-nonsense strength training tracker built for lifters who already know what they're doing, and the ones who want to. PROVEN PROGRAMS, BUILT IN Linear: StrongLifts 5×5, Starting Strength, Greyskull LP, GZCLP, Reddit PPL, Reddit Basic 3×5. Intermediate: Madcow 5×5, Texas Method. Peaking: Candito 6 Week, Juggernaut Method 2.0. Full 5/3/1 family: Original, BBB, FSL, SSL, Triumvirate, Monolith, Leader/Anchor, Beginner, 2 day Minimalist. Power/hypertrophy: PHUL, PHAT, nSuns 4 Day, Jacked & Tan 2.0, Powerbuilding Template, Juggernaut Base. Not sure where to start? The Find Your Program quiz picks the best match for your goal, experience, and schedule in under a minute. MUSCLE FRESHNESS Every exercise row carries a recovery dot, green, yellow, or red, so you know which movement patterns are ready for another hard session. Tap in for a per pattern recovery bar, last loaded time, and the workouts that contributed. STRENGTH STANDARDS See where your Squat, Bench, Deadlift, and Overhead Press rank against the rest of the lifting population, adjusted for your bodyweight, age, and sex. Per lift progress bars show how far you are from Intermediate, Advanced, or Elite. RECOVERY INSIGHTS Connect Apple Health and the app watches your HRV, sleep, and recent training load. When recovery looks reduced, a banner on Home suggests a lighter day. Every past alert stays in Progress so you can scroll back through the data that drove every recommendation. LIFT, LOG, DONE One tap set completion with a crisp haptic click. Auto calculated warmups. Plate math that respects the plates you actually own. Rest timer that auto starts when you finish a set. Weight auto progresses after every workout. Supersets drawn as paired cards with rest pause timer behavior. BUILD YOUR OWN Have a program the presets don't cover? Custom Programs now lets you design anything from a flat StrongLifts-style linear plan to a multi-week wave with per-set percentages of your training max, AMRAP markers, and auto TM advancement on 5+ rep finishers. Nest LEVIASUNS, an nSuns variant, or your own coach's block in minutes. Export the whole program (or a program + history bundle) as a single .ironprog file, share it, and import on another device without losing a set. BODYWEIGHT, DONE RIGHT Pull ups and dips accept signed weights (+25 for a belt plate, −40 for band assistance) and factor your real bodyweight into total volume. Push ups and planks just track reps. WATCH + HEALTH Track workouts on Apple Watch: start a set on your wrist, see the rest timer tick down, end the workout without pulling out your phone. Optional auto RPE suggestion from heart rate recovery (beta). Workouts sync to Apple Health as strength training sessions. Body weight, heart rate, and calories flow both ways. STREAK THAT UNDERSTANDS YOUR SCHEDULE A 3×/week program means Tuesday is a rest day, not a gap. Your streak only breaks when you miss a scheduled session. iCLOUD SYNC + IMPORT Your workouts live on every device signed into your iCloud account. Coming from StrongLifts, Strong, or a spreadsheet? One tap CSV import brings years of workouts with you. MAKE IT YOURS Seven themes. 29 app icons including Terminal, Space, Matrix, Holographic, Neon, Gold, Carbon Fiber, Blueprint, and more. WHAT YOU WON'T FIND No social feed. No trainer DMs. No push notifications begging you to open the app. No dark pattern paywalls gating basic set tracking. Pro unlocks advanced analytics (Muscle Freshness, Strength Standards, Recovery Insights), every program template, premium themes, and alternate icons. Available as a monthly or yearly subscription, or as a one-time lifetime unlock. Built for the barbell. Designed for the people who lift it. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://compoundtheory.x90sky.sh/privacy

Screenshots

Split Workouts4 screens
Compound Theory4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Compound Theory at 100% against Split Workouts's 55%. Compound Theory also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.4) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). Split Workouts's advantage is ratings volume (11 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Split Workouts sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Compound Theory sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Compound Theory holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Split Workouts has 11 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Split Workouts's written reviews are positive against 100% of Compound Theory's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Split Workouts ships an update every 3 weeks, Compound Theory every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Split Workouts versus Compound Theory: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSplit WorkoutsCompound Theory
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.4 (11 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews54.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings11 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBanti, IncShane Young

Customer experience

Split Workouts

All ratings11 ratings
Positive45.5%
Neutral27.3%
Negative27.3%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive54.5%
Neutral18.2%
Negative27.3%

Compound Theory

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Split Workouts

One-time1
  • Unlock Features$0.99
3 purchases

Compound Theory

Subscriptions2
  • Compound Theory Pro7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Compound Theory Pro7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Compound Theory Pro$99.99

Questions

Is Split Workouts free?
Split Workouts is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Compound Theory free?
Compound Theory is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Split Workouts or Compound Theory?
Compound Theory is rated higher. Split Workouts averages 3.4 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Compound Theory averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Split Workouts or Compound Theory have ads?
Neither Split Workouts nor Compound Theory shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Split Workouts or Compound Theory?
Split Workouts ships an update every 3 weeks, and Compound Theory every 4 days. Most recently, Split Workouts was updated on September 24, 2026 and Compound Theory on September 29, 2026.

Other comparisons