Comparison

Iron vs FitNotes 2

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

Head to head
About

Iron

This free weightlifting tracker offers a clean interface for logging gym sessions. It includes smart features like automatic rest timers and PR recognition, with Apple Health integration and export options for your data.

Highlights
  • Workout logging
  • Apple Health integration
  • Automatic rest timer
  • PR recognition
  • Progress charts
  • Custom exercises
  • Data export
Features
Read full description

A modern and completely free weightlifting workout tracker. • Beautiful and simple user interface • Apple Health integration • Apple Watch companion app • Smart set completions • Automatic rest timer • Recognizes and highlights PRs • Well maintained library of built-in exercises • Create custom exercises • Charts to visualize your progress • Supports Imperial (lbs) and Metric (kg) • Siri Shortcuts - Privacy focused There are no analytics, no tracking, no 3rd party SDKs and no account. - Apple Health Iron logs your finished workouts in Apple Health and displays your bodyweight next to your previous workouts - No lock-in Export all of your workout data as plain text or JSON for manual editing or further analysis. Privacy Policy: https://iron.ka.codes/privacy.html Terms of Service: https://iron.ka.codes/tos.html The exercise images are from Everkinetic (license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en).

About

FitNotes 2

Log your gym workouts, track progress, and plan routines with this comprehensive fitness tracker. Features include personal record tracking, body measurements, and various timers. Analyze your performance with graphs and set personal exercise goals.

Highlights
  • Workout routine templates
  • Automatic personal record tracking
  • 1RM and percentage calculators
  • Body measurement tracking with Apple HealthKit integration
  • Progress analysis with graphs
  • Rest, EMOM, AMRAP, and Tabata timers
  • Customizable exercises and units
Features
Read full description

Keep track of your progress in the gym with a workout tracker and planner. • Based on the popular FitNotes app, the best workout planner app ever made on any platform • Routines: Save your workout routines as templates, log them to a workout • Personal Records are automatically tracked • 1RM, Percents Calculator • Plate Calculator with profiles per gym and multiple barbells • Body Tracker: Record your weight, body fat and any other measurement. Integrates with Apple HealthKit. • Goal Tracker: Set personal goals for exercises, such as a 1RM. • Graphs: Helps to analyze your progress and plan your programming • Rest Timer, EMOM, AMRAP and Tabata timers • Notifications: Be notified when the rest timer ends for your next set • Supports every kind of exercise: weight, reps, distance, time • Use built-in exercises or create your own • Mix pounds (lbs) and kilograms (kg) easily • Add notes to workouts, sets, templates and body measurements • Dark Mode • Apple Watch app • Apple Workout integration with or without Apple Watch • Share workouts as text or an image • Warmup sets • RPE, RIR • Attach images and videos • Import the original FitNotes database and FitNotes CSV files • Manual and automatic backups to iCloud • Export your workouts in a CSV • Export back to the original FitNotes. No lock-in. • No account required You can import CSVs from other fitness and workout log apps to bring your data over. The free version of FitNotes 2 can save up to 12 workouts. Delete older workouts to continue using for free. All features are available free, the number of workouts is the only restriction. To save more workouts, purchase FitNotes unlimited lifetime access or a subscription. Terms of Use: https://getfitnotes.com/termsofuse This app is not affiliated with other fitness apps. Purchase of FitNotes does not transfer to other platforms. FitNotes Changes: Version 14 - Batch import of templates - Option to show workout set completion times - Option to the % of Training Max that a workout set is - Option to show moving average on body measurement charts - Abbreviations recognized in exercise search - Improved workout CSV import/export for Hevy, FitBod and Strong, including RPE, RIR and warmup sets - Fixed swiping workouts on iOS 26 Version 13 - Option to show the Next Set on the lock screen timer - Up/down buttons to move selected workout exercises together Version 12 - Record training max history - Templates can program based on percentages of training max - Import workout text and JSON - Import HeavySet templates - Attach photos and videos to notes - Exercise video library - French translation Version 11 - Added a per-exercise option to exclude it from statistics and graphs - Mark favorite exercises and keep them at the top of the list - Can tap links in workout notes - Plate calculator follows the next set - Modify RPE and RIR from the watch - Fix template Share and Move options - Show newly created exercises even when 'Hide Unused Exercises' is on Version 10 - Ability to hide exercises Version 8 - Add option to skip the rest timer for the final set - Long press notes to show the menu - Update CSV format for the other FitNotes import Version 7 - Export and import templates - Added an option to copy previous sets when adding an exercise to a workout - Add 'Copy' to the long press menu on workout notes Version 5 - Add the rest timer to the lock screen. - Add 'By Year' to statistics time groupings - Add an option to double an exercise's weight when calculating volume. You can use this for unilateral or dumbbell exercises. - Add RPE and RIR to workout sets - Add custom rest times to a single workout set - Add an option to show the workout set notes without opening the notes screen - Flag sets as 'warmup'. Warmup sets are excluded from graphs, statistics and goals. - Fix the rest timer buttons not working after uses EMOM/AMRAP timers

Screenshots

Iron4 screens
FitNotes 24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Iron at 96% against FitNotes 2's 55%. Iron also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. FitNotes 2 sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Iron asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Iron holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 380 and 571 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of Iron's written reviews are positive against 55% of FitNotes 2's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Iron ships an update monthly, FitNotes 2 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Iron versus FitNotes 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterIronFitNotes 2
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (380 ratings) — better4.6 (571 ratings)
Positive reviews96.1% of reviews — better54.7% of reviews
Number of ratings380571 — better
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS13.1 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKarim Abou ZeidGinger Technologies Pte Ltd

Customer experience

Iron

All ratings231 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral1.7%
Negative2.6%
Written reviews102 reviews
Positive96.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.9%

FitNotes 2

All ratings559 ratings
Positive89.4%
Neutral2.7%
Negative7.9%
Written reviews148 reviews
Positive54.7%
Neutral6.8%
Negative38.5%

User reviews

Iron

From 380 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💰 Completely free with no ads or paywalls
  • 🎯 Simple and intuitive interface
  • 🔒 Open source and privacy-focused
  • ⚙️ Highly customizable exercises and workouts
  • 📊 Excellent progress tracking and history

Room to improve

  • ❌ Limited cardio and machine exercise options
  • 🐛 Apple Health integration crashes phone
  • ⌨️ Keyboard overlaps buttons in some cases
  • 🎯 Muscle group classification too broad for compound lifts
  • ⏰ Workout timer can be confusing with time vs. weight tracking

FitNotes 2

From 571 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great for tracking workouts
  • 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
  • 📊 Useful data visualization and progress tracking
  • ⌚ Apple Watch integration
  • 🔁 Ability to copy/modify previous workouts

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription/lifetime purchase
  • 🔒 Limited free version with paywall
  • 🔀 Inconsistent UI and functionality compared to Android version
  • 🐛 Bugs with exercise templates and timers
  • 🔗 Lack of syncing/linking between devices

Bugs and requests

Iron

Reported bugs

7 issues
  • Apple Health integration causes phone crashes
  • Keyboard overlaps other buttons
  • Completed workouts display inconsistently (red vs. green)
  • Workouts don't auto-finish after extended inactivity, causing inflated duration times
  • Unable to edit reps or weight in some cases
Show 2 more
  • Recent update changed tracking from sets/weight/reps to time-based system without option to revert
  • iOS 14 compatibility issues (older review)

Requested features

13 requests
  • Cardio workout tracking options
  • More gym machine varieties in exercise library
  • Granular muscle group breakdown (e.g., separate shoulder heads, traps)
  • Customizable rest timer settings for compound vs. accessory work
  • Additional set tags (Warmup, Giant, Super sets)
Show 8 more
  • Plate calculator and lb/kg conversion tool
  • Multi-stat tracking capability
  • Ability to track timed exercises better
  • Workout sharing functionality with friends
  • More audible rest timer notification
  • Donation option to support developer
  • Improved widget options
  • FAQ documentation

FitNotes 2

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Copy/paste of workouts not working as expected
  • Timer issues (e.g., defaulting to 2 mins)
  • Crashes when trying to add custom body tracker units
  • Inconsistent behavior when navigating between screens

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to create and use workout templates
  • More customization options (e.g., rest time, RPE/RIR tracking)
  • Apple Health/Fitness integration
  • Supersets/circuit training support
  • Improved data export/backup functionality

In-app purchases

None

Iron

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

FitNotes 2

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited Use$1.991 Month
  • Unlimited Use$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Forever$44.99

Questions

Is Iron free?
Iron is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FitNotes 2 free?
FitNotes 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Iron or FitNotes 2?
Iron is rated higher. Iron averages 4.8 out of 5 from 380 ratings, while FitNotes 2 averages 4.6 from 571 ratings.
Do Iron or FitNotes 2 have ads?
Neither Iron nor FitNotes 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Iron or FitNotes 2?
Iron ships an update monthly, and FitNotes 2 every 2 months. Most recently, Iron was updated on October 24, 2026 and FitNotes 2 on October 21, 2026.

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