Comparison

Routine vs Iron Diary

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

Head to head
About

Routine

Easily log and track your gym workouts with this intuitive fitness app. Create custom routines, monitor progress with advanced stats and graphs, and utilize features like an auto rest timer and warm-up set generator. It supports various exercise types and integrates with Apple Watch and Apple Health.

Highlights
  • Intuitive workout logging interface
  • Create custom strength and cardio routines
  • Log workouts with Apple Watch
  • Advanced progress tracking with graphs
  • Auto rest timer and warm-up set generator
  • Support for various exercise types
  • iCloud data backup and Apple Health sync
Features
Read full description

Routine is the most intuitive tool for logging and tracking workouts. Built with a user-centered design to help you approach your workout goals with a plan and produce the best possible results at the gym. If you are a powerlifter, a runner, or just looking to build strength Routine will help you stay on track. You can easily create progressive barbell routines such as those you would find in StrongLifts 5x5, but with Gym Logger you can easily customize exercise sets and reps to create your own variations of workouts. FEATURES: • The most intuitive interface of any fitness app • Choose from a variety of strength and cardio exercises and create your own exercises. • Use your Apple Watch to log workouts. Workout seamlessly with or without your iPhone. • Create your own workouts and setup a schedule to receive reminders. • Coaching cues for all exercises with new exercises added on request. • Advanced stats show your progress over time. • Auto Rest Timer allows you to keep track of breaks. Customizable for every exercise! • Support many exercise types including Cardio, Weighted body weight, Assisted body weight, duration and reps only. • Mark sets as warm up, 1 rep max, failure or drop sets • Track your progress with graphs for Volume, Sets, Reps, Toughest sets, and 1RM Progression. • Automatically back up your data on iCloud! • Support for Apple Health allows you to track calories burned and sync workouts with Activity App • Warm Up Set generator tells you which weights to warm up with. Customizable by training type. • Support for Imperial (lbs) and Metric (kg) weights, or a combination of both • Add notes to workouts and exercise groups • Share workouts with friends! Terms of use: http://gymloggerapp.com/terms Privacy policy: http://gymloggerapp.com/privacy

About

Iron Diary

Read full description

Iron Diary is a workout log built for lifters and runners who hate clutter. Track every set, every rep, every run — then watch your body actually change. STRENGTH TIER SYSTEM Every muscle gets a tier: Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Elite. Bench, squat, deadlift, OHP, row, plus 30+ other lifts including dumbbell variants. Calibrated against published strength standards. Tap any muscle to see your last PR, a 90-day score sparkline, weekly volume, time-to-next-tier estimate, and exercises you haven't tried yet. IRON DIARY WRAPPED A story-style monthly recap of your training — total volume, biggest PRs, muscles that leveled up, longest streak, and a tier card to share. Auto-prompts at the start of each month. Save and post to TikTok or Instagram. RUNNING + GPS Log runs with live GPS tracking — distance, pace, duration. Cardio lives alongside strength so your whole week is in one app. PROGRESSION Compare your starting body to today. See which muscles leveled up. Watch your strength score climb week by week. WORKOUT CONTAINERS Workouts are persistent — Push Day, Pull Day, Legs — not single dated sessions. Open one, log your sets, close it. The next time you do Push Day, your last weights and reps are right there. No clutter, no calendar gymnastics. EXTRAS • Recovery silhouette — see which muscles are still fatigued • 11 themes including pure black OLED • Rest timer with optional chime • Plate calculator • Body weight + measurement tracking • Warmup sets, supersets, drop sets • JSON export and import for full data portability • Norwegian and English number formats PRIVACY All your training data stays on your phone. No tracking, no ads. Local-first by design. Built solo by a lifter, for the gym floor.

Screenshots

Routine4 screens
Iron Diary4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Iron Diary at none against Routine's 3. Iron Diary also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Routine's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 days). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Routine sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Iron Diary asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Routine ships an update every 2 days, Iron Diary every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Routine versus Iron Diary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRoutineIron Diary
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (116 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews23.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings116 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterEvery 6 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size65 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEye of the Tiger TechnologiesEven Kofoed

Bugs and requests

Routine

Reported bugs

16 issues
  • App crashes during workouts
  • App erases workout progress
  • Lost all history after app update
  • Workout data deleted after update
  • Cannot save workouts
Show 11 more
  • App crashes when adding new exercises
  • Timer stops working randomly
  • Rest timer does not alert
  • Apple Watch app crashes
  • Health integration shows zero calories
  • Workout data lost after reinstall
  • App crashes after iOS update
  • App crashes when creating custom workouts
  • Workouts disappear when reordering
  • App crashes when adding new exercises
  • Workout is cancelled when trying to save

Requested features

8 requests
  • Manually add exercises not listed
  • Update exercise list
  • Change bar charts to line graphs
  • Create folders for routines
  • Fix Apple Watch integration
Show 3 more
  • Improve Health integration
  • Add dark mode
  • More frequent updates

Iron Diary

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Routine

Subscriptions2
  • Lift Plan Pro Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Lift Plan Pro Annual7 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • Full Version$4.99
None

Iron Diary

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Routine free?
Routine is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Iron Diary free?
Iron Diary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Routine or Iron Diary have ads?
Neither Routine nor Iron Diary shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Routine or Iron Diary?
Routine ships an update every 2 days, and Iron Diary every 6 days. Most recently, Routine was updated on October 16, 2026 and Iron Diary on October 4, 2026.

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