Comparison

FitNotes vs Barbell App

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

Head to head
About

FitNotes

This app simplifies tracking weightlifting and cardio workouts. Create multi-day routines with auto-incrementing exercises and manage complex CrossFit WODs. Ideal for all fitness levels to stay organized and monitor progress towards goals.

Highlights
  • Weightlifting workout tracking
  • Cardio exercise tracking
  • Multi-day workout creation
  • Auto-incrementing exercises
  • CrossFit WOD management
  • Progress monitoring
Features
Read full description

Track your workouts. See your progress. Know what to do next. FitNotes makes it easy to log strength training and cardio, organize your routines, and follow your progress over time. Whether you're starting your first routine or refining an established training plan, keep your workouts and results together in one place. TRAIN YOUR WAY Create routines that span multiple days, organize exercises into supersets, and build workouts of the day for CrossFit-style training. Set progression rules to adjust your targets for future workouts as you progress. LOG THE DETAILS THAT MATTER Record sets, reps, weight, time, and distance. Track warm-up sets, add notes, and use rest timers to stay focused between sets. Review previous sessions when planning your next workout. SEE WHAT YOU ACHIEVED Finish each workout with a summary of new personal records, goal progress, and training volume compared with your previous session. Get suggestions for next time that take your progression rules into account. FOLLOW YOUR PROGRESS Explore your training history with charts and a workout calendar. Set exercise goals and track body measurements over time, without needing to enter a measurement every session. KEEP YOUR TRAINING ORGANIZED Customize exercises, equipment, and categories to match the way you train. Export workout logs as CSV, import compatible CSV files, and create backups of your FitNotes data. From your first set to your next personal best, FitNotes helps you keep track of the work you put in. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Barbell App

Easily log and track your weightlifting or CrossFit workouts with a simple interface. Quickly create custom routines by typing or pasting, and generate workouts based on your goals. Ideal for serious gym-goers focused on progress.

Highlights
  • Effortless workout logging
  • Copy-paste workout routines
  • AI workout generation
  • Percentage tracking for weightlifters
  • CrossFit AMRAP support
  • Customizable exercise input
Features
Read full description

This workout tracker app is not like all the other apps. You can easily write or copy and paste a workout and that's it. Without the tedious process that other apps have to add or create workouts. For weightlifters, Crossfitters, or any gym goer. Keeping track of your workouts is the key to progress. What makes this app different is how easy it is to write or create a workout. Most apps complicate this process by adding many steps. For example: select from a list of exercises; if your exercise is not on the list you need to create it. Then you need to add each set and repetitions and most don't include percentages. If you find a workout you like online you can easily copy and paste it—no need to go too many steps to add your workouts. If you don't know what workout to do you can ask it to create a workout. If you are a weightlifter following periodized programs then this is the only app out there that easily tracks and calculates percentages. Example workout: Backsquat 3 set of 5 reps at 80% increasing 5% each set of my max of 200 pounds. Example CrossFit workout: AMRAP 15: 10 burpees, 10 sit-ups, 10 air squats. Example prompt: Generate a workout for the upper body. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

FitNotes4 screens
Barbell App4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Barbell App at 100% against FitNotes's 59%. Barbell App also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). FitNotes's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (1.5K vs 4). 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. FitNotes sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Barbell App sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

FitNotes holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: FitNotes has 1.5K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 59% of FitNotes's written reviews are positive against 100% of Barbell App's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FitNotes ships an update every 5 days, Barbell App every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
FitNotes versus Barbell App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFitNotesBarbell App
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (1.5K ratings) — better4.3 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews59.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.5K — better4
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 6 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size28 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEvgeny UralskyAndreina Friedman

Customer experience

FitNotes

All ratings1,480 ratings
Positive86.9%
Neutral4.3%
Negative8.8%
Written reviews375 reviews
Positive59.5%
Neutral10.1%
Negative30.4%

Barbell App

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

FitNotes

Subscriptions2
  • FitNotes PRO (1 Month)$0.991 Month
  • FitNotes PRO (1 Year)$4.991 Year
One-time1
  • FitNotes PRO$9.99
1 purchases

Barbell App

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Features14 Days trial$3.991 Month

Questions

Is FitNotes free?
FitNotes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Barbell App free?
Barbell App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, FitNotes or Barbell App?
FitNotes is rated higher. FitNotes averages 4.5 out of 5 from 1.5K ratings, while Barbell App averages 4.3 from 4 ratings.
Do FitNotes or Barbell App have ads?
Neither FitNotes nor Barbell App shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FitNotes or Barbell App?
FitNotes ships an update every 5 days, and Barbell App every 6 weeks. Most recently, FitNotes was updated on October 17, 2026 and Barbell App on October 2, 2026.

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