Hangboard timer vs Hold Strong
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Hangboard timer
This app provides a customizable timer for hangboard training routines. Set your hang, rest, repetition, and recovery times to optimize your climbing workouts. Easily pause and resume your session with a simple screen press.
- Customizable hang time
- Adjustable rest time
- Set repetitions
- Define recovery time
- Simple pause/resume function
- Unlimited cycles
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A simple to use hangboard timer app for climbers. Used for regular hangboard routines where you need hang time, rest time, repetitions and recovery time. Once started you can perform as many cycles as you want. Before starting the routine you can of course set hang time, rest time, repetitions and recovery time. For pause/resume, simply press screen.
Hold Strong
Build strength with static holds like dead hangs and planks using a precision timer and smart tracking. Offers a 30-day challenge with progressive daily plans and integrates with Apple Watch for hands-free workouts. No equipment is needed for these effective, joint-friendly exercises.
- Precision timing with tension-arc progress ring
- Smart progress tracking and personal best logging
- Apple Watch companion app with haptic feedback
- Voice control for hands-free operation
- Motion detection to automatically stop timers
- 30-day progressive workout challenges
- Syncs with Apple Health
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Build unbreakable strength with dead hangs, planks, and wall sits. Hold Strong combines precision timing with smart tracking and Apple Watch integration — zero equipment needed. "Isometric exercise training is the most effective mode for reducing both systolic and diastolic blood pressure." — British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2023 WHY ISOMETRIC TRAINING Static holds are among the most effective and underrated training methods in exercise science. They activate up to 95% of muscle fibres, reduce systolic blood pressure by an average of 8.2 mmHg, and build functional strength with zero joint impact. No gym, no weights, no special clothing. Five minutes a day is all it takes. 30-DAY CHALLENGE Pick any exercise, set your current best and a 30-day goal, and Hold Strong builds a progressive daily plan that ramps up gradually. Track your streak, hit each day's target, and earn your completion badge. The first 7 days are free — unlock the full 30 days with Premium. PRECISION TIMER A tension-arc progress ring at 60fps with tenth-of-a-second precision. Hit your target and the ring turns gold — Overtime Mode keeps you pushing beyond your goal. PROGRESS TRACKING Personal records logged automatically. Weekly charts reveal your strength gains over time. Personal bests are celebrated when you hit them. APPLE WATCH A full-featured companion app. Track holds from your wrist with haptic feedback and real-time coaching — no phone required mid-set. VOICE CONTROL Completely hands-free. Say "start", "stop", or "next exercise". Over 200 motivational messages tailored to each exercise keep you going through tough holds. MOTION DETECTION Keep your phone in your pocket. Hold Strong uses the accelerometer to detect the moment you drop from the bar, stand from a wall sit, or break your plank — and stops the timer automatically. FREE EXERCISES Dead Hang, Plank, and Wall Sit — the three most effective isometric exercises, free forever. PREMIUM EXERCISES Unlock unlimited custom exercises with Premium. SIRI SHORTCUTS & NFC AUTOMATION Add Hold Strong to the Shortcuts app and say "Hey Siri, start my plank." Automate with NFC tags — tap your mat to launch instantly. APPLE HEALTH Every workout syncs to Apple Health automatically. SIMPLE PRICING Free to use. Upgrade once — no subscription, no recurring charges. Unlock unlimited exercises, 30-day challenges, 4-week chart history, detailed statistics, and Siri Shortcuts and support development
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Hold Strong at 100% against Hangboard timer's 50%. Hold Strong also leads on price (Free vs $0.99) and rating (4.8 vs 3.3). Hangboard timer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). On ratings volume, ads and device support 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
Hold Strong is free to download; Hangboard timer costs $0.99 up front. Hold Strong sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Hangboard timer asks for nothing beyond the download.
Hold Strong holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Hangboard timer's written reviews are positive against 100% of Hold Strong's.
Hangboard timer ships an update every 10 months, Hold Strong every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and July 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Hangboard timer | Hold Strong |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.3 (4 ratings) | 4.8 (5 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 5 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 81 MB | 497 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mats Eriksson | Peter Ong |
Customer experience
Hangboard timer
Hold Strong
In-app purchases
Hangboard timer
No in-app purchases
Hold Strong
- Hold Strong: Train Smarter$7.99









