Trybe vs James Smith Academy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Trybe
Access world-class training programs developed by fitness creators and coaches. Follow easy-to-understand workouts with built-in timers and demonstration videos to stay motivated and achieve your fitness goals.
- Workout programs by fitness creators
- Exercise demonstration videos
- Convenient timers with sound
- Downloadable content
- Fitness goal tracking
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Trybe allows you to train with your favorite fitness creators and coaches. Our creators develop workouts that are easy to follow and keep you motivated. You get a workout program designed by expert coaches so you know exactly what to do to reach your goal. Our app also comes with convenient features to make training easier, like: - Exercise demonstration videos - Convenient timers with sound - Downloadable content to save on data usage - And much more Get in better shape and download Trybe now. By using the app you agree to our Terms of Use: https://trybe.do/terms
James Smith Academy
Access a comprehensive fitness education platform with personalized workout plans, instructional videos, and nutritional guidance. Track your progress, connect with trainers, and join challenges to achieve and maintain your health goals.
- Educational and instructional videos
- Personalized exercise programs
- Daily workouts
- Recipe library and meal planner
- Trainer support
- Progress tracking
- Three-month challenges
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The James Smith Academy (JSA) is where quality online coaching meets affordability. The JSA aims to educate its members in fitness and provide them with all the tools necessary to reach and sustain their fitness goals. Features (depending on your membership type) include hundreds of educational and instructional videos, personalised exercise programs, daily workouts, a Daily Step Count (which integrates with the Health app to access your daily steps, if you choose), hundreds of recipes, a meal planner, trainer support, progress tracking, and three-month challenges. The James Smith Academy is free to download. Our free trial, which begins when you create an account with us, does not expire and does not require a purchase to activate. If you would like to access content and features which are not available on the free trial, you must upgrade to a paid subscription. You may pay for a subscription using In-App Purchase found on the pricing page of the app. The James Smith Academy subscription automatically renews monthly (at the price depending on your location) unless it is canceled at least 24h before the current period ends. Your Apple ID will be charged for renewal within 24h prior to the end of the current period. You can manage or turn off auto-renew by going to your Account Settings on the App Store after purchase. Read our terms of service here: https://www.jamessmithacademy.com/terms/ Read our privacy policy here: https://www.jamessmithacademy.com/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: James Smith Academy at every 5 days against Trybe's every 6 weeks. Trybe's advantage is ratings volume (723 vs 93). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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
Both are free to download. Trybe sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and James Smith Academy sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Trybe against 4.8 for James Smith Academy. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Trybe has 723 ratings behind it against 93, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 77% and 76% positive.
Trybe ships an update every 6 weeks, James Smith Academy every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Trybe | James Smith Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (723 ratings) | 4.8 (93 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 76.6% of reviews — better | 75.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 723 — better | 93 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 64 MB | 82 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | trybe, Inc. | Affordable Online Coaching Pty Ltd |
Customer experience
Trybe
James Smith Academy
User reviews
Trybe
From 723 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Great workouts and UX
- 👍 Efficient and well-balanced
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 👍 Practical and helpful
- 👍 Challenging yet fun
Room to improve
- 🐛 Lagging and glitchy performance
- 🐛 Inconsistent timers and transitions
- 🐛 Lack of background music/sound
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs when switching apps
- 🐛 Difficulty navigating and setting up
James Smith Academy
From 93 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Simple and effective
- 🚀 Easy to navigate app
- 💪 Helpful and responsive coaches
- 🔍 Detailed video guides
- 🧠 Informative educational content
Room to improve
- 🐛 App crashes and stability issues
- 🔌 Connectivity problems when switching apps
- 🤖 Impersonal automated coaching
- 💸 Expensive premium subscription
- 🌱 Lack of vegan/vegetarian meal options
Bugs and requests
Trybe
Reported bugs
4 issues- Inability to log in or navigate
- Workouts not saving or syncing properly
- Freezing and crashing on iOS 11+
- Inconsistent video loading and playback
Requested features
7 requests- Ability to adjust work/rest timers
- Option to create custom workouts
- Background audio playback
- Apple Watch integration
- More comprehensive workout programs
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- Detailed exercise instructions and demos
- Tracking for weights and progression
James Smith Academy
Reported bugs
3 issues- Workout progress not saving properly
- Inability to update weights and reps
- Onboarding process issues
Requested features
3 requests- Apple Watch integration
- Ability to filter workouts by equipment
- More personalized nutrition and meal planning
In-app purchases
Trybe
- Elevate Shred Monthly$6.991 Month
- Tao Physique Monthly$14.991 Month
- Minus The Gym Monthly$14.991 Month
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- MickiPhit Monthly$19.991 Month
- Calisthenics Tokyo Monthly7 Days trial$19.991 Month
- Movement Flow Monthly7 Days trial$19.991 Month
- Bodyweight Warrior Monthly7 Days trial$22.951 Month
- Movement Journey Monthly$24.491 Month
- Minus The Gym 6 Month$74.996 Months
- Tao Physique 6 Months$74.996 Months
- Bodyweight Warrior 6 Months7 Days trial$100.006 Months
- Movement Journey 6 Month$129.996 Months
- Tao Physique Annual$134.991 Year
- Bodyweight Warrior Annual7 Days trial$180.991 Year
- Movement Journey Annual$204.991 Year
James Smith Academy
- Base Plan$9.991 Month
- Standard Plan$10.991 Month
- Premium Plan - Subscription$89.991 Month
Questions
Is Trybe free?
Is James Smith Academy free?
Which has better reviews, Trybe or James Smith Academy?
Do Trybe or James Smith Academy have ads?
Which is updated more often, Trybe or James Smith Academy?
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