# Trybe vs James Smith Academy

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Trybe | James Smith Academy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (723 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trybe-workout-programs-and-log/id1100080003/reviews) | [4.8 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/james-smith-academy/id1449052977/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **723** | 93 |
| Positive reviews | **76.6% of reviews** | 75.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 64 MB | 82 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [trybe, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1100080002) | [Affordable Online Coaching Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449052976) |

## What reviewers say

### Trybe

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/trybe-workout-programs-and-log/id1100080003)

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.

**Highlights:** Workout programs by fitness creators, Exercise demonstration videos, Convenient timers with sound, Downloadable content, Fitness goal tracking

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

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Elevate Shred Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Tao Physique Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Minus The Gym Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| MickiPhit Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Calisthenics Tokyo Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Movement Flow Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Bodyweight Warrior Monthly | $22.95 | per month |
| Movement Journey Monthly | $24.49 | per month |
| Minus The Gym 6 Month | $74.99 | per 6 months |
| Tao Physique 6 Months | $74.99 | per 6 months |
| Bodyweight Warrior 6 Months | $100.00 | per 6 months |
| Movement Journey 6 Month | $129.99 | per 6 months |
| Tao Physique Annual | $134.99 | per year |
| Bodyweight Warrior Annual | $180.99 | per year |
| Movement Journey Annual | $204.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great workouts and UX
- 👍 Efficient and well-balanced
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 👍 Practical and helpful
- 👍 Challenging yet fun

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Lagging and glitchy performance
- 🐛 Inconsistent timers and transitions
- 🐛 Lack of background music/sound
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs when switching apps
- 🐛 Difficulty navigating and setting up

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- Ability to adjust work/rest timers
- Option to create custom workouts
- Background audio playback
- Apple Watch integration
- More comprehensive workout programs


### James Smith Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/james-smith-academy/id1449052977)

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.

**Highlights:** Educational and instructional videos, Personalized exercise programs, Daily workouts, Recipe library and meal planner, Trainer support, Progress tracking, Three-month challenges

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Base Plan | $9.99 | per month |
| Standard Plan | $10.99 | per month |
| Premium Plan - Subscription | $89.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and effective
- 🚀 Easy to navigate app
- 💪 Helpful and responsive coaches
- 🔍 Detailed video guides
- 🧠 Informative educational content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and stability issues
- 🔌 Connectivity problems when switching apps
- 🤖 Impersonal automated coaching
- 💸 Expensive premium subscription
- 🌱 Lack of vegan/vegetarian meal options

**Reported bugs**

- Workout progress not saving properly
- Inability to update weights and reps
- Onboarding process issues

**Requested features**

- Apple Watch integration
- Ability to filter workouts by equipment
- More personalized nutrition and meal planning


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Trybe free?

Trybe is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is James Smith Academy free?

James Smith Academy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Trybe or James Smith Academy?

Trybe and James Smith Academy are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 723 and 93 ratings respectively.

### Do Trybe or James Smith Academy have ads?

Neither Trybe nor James Smith Academy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Trybe or James Smith Academy?

Trybe ships an update every 6 weeks, and James Smith Academy every 5 days. Most recently, Trybe was updated on October 20, 2026 and James Smith Academy on October 15, 2026.

---

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