# Boostcamp vs Essential Gyms

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Essential Gyms at none against Boostcamp's 24. Essential Gyms also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0.0 vs 15.1). Boostcamp's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 19 months) and ratings volume (11K vs 1). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Boostcamp sells 20 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Essential Gyms asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Boostcamp against 5.0 for Essential Gyms. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Boostcamp has 11K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Boostcamp ships an update fortnightly, Essential Gyms every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Boostcamp | Essential Gyms |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boostcamp-workout-tracker/id1529354455/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-gyms/id6692630373/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 60.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 19 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#131** | — |
| Size | 293 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.0.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BPM Health Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1529354457) | [Samuel Pitcairn](https://appshunter.io/developer/1769012699) |

## What reviewers say

### Boostcamp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boostcamp-workout-tracker/id1529354455)

**Currently charting:** #131 Top Grossing · Health & Fitness, #205 Top Free · Health & Fitness (US App Store)

This app offers a vast library of structured strength training and muscle-building programs, including popular routines like nSuns and Reddit PPL. It provides tools for tracking workouts, monitoring progress, and even building custom plans. The app is designed to eliminate guesswork and provide proven methods for achieving fitness goals.

**Highlights:** 130+ expert-designed programs, 10,000+ community-shared routines, Full workout logging with RPE/1RM, Auto-progression for weights, Muscle volume tracking, Custom program builder

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (20)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Boostcamp Pro | $11.99 | per month |
| Boostcamp Pro | $14.99 | per month |
| Boostcamp Pro | $14.99 | per month |
| Boostcamp Pro | $14.99 | per month |
| Limited-Time Offer | $48.99 | per year |
| Boostcamp Pro | $59.99 | per year |
| Boostcamp Pro | $59.99 | per year |
| Boostcamp Pro | $59.99 | per year |
| Boostcamp Pro | $59.99 | per year |
| Boostcamp Pro | $69.99 | per year |
| Boostcamp Pro | $79.99 | per year |
| Boostcamp Pro | $79.99 | per year |
| Boostcamp Pro | $119.99 | per year |
| Coffee | $0.99 | one-time |
| Lunch | $4.99 | one-time |
| Access to Coach's Program | $9.99 | one-time |
| Program Donation | $19.99 | one-time |
| Access to Coach's Program | $24.99 | one-time |
| Access to Coach's Program | $39.99 | one-time |
| Access to Coach's Program | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Detailed workout programs
- 💪 Helps build consistency
- 🎯 Tracks progress effectively
- 🧠 Knowledgeable coaches

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Key features locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔄 Aggressive subscription prompts
- ⚠️ Requires stable internet connection
- 🕰️ Rest timer not always reliable

**Reported bugs**

- Workouts not saving properly
- Inability to reorder exercises
- Crashing and loading issues
- Inconsistent exercise tracking

**Requested features**

- Offline mode for workouts
- Apple Watch integration
- More customization options
- Improved exercise video demonstrations
- Ability to create and share custom programs


### Essential Gyms

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/essential-gyms/id6692630373)

Access personalized workout plans and nutrition guidance from certified trainers. Improve sports performance with expert coaching and utilize state-of-the-art gym equipment for your fitness journey.

**Highlights:** Personalized workout plans, Nutrition and lifestyle guidance, Sports performance training, State-of-the-art gym equipment, Certified personal trainers

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Boostcamp free?

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

### Is Essential Gyms free?

Essential Gyms is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Boostcamp or Essential Gyms?

Essential Gyms is rated higher. Boostcamp averages 4.9 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Essential Gyms averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Boostcamp or Essential Gyms have ads?

Boostcamp shows ads; Essential Gyms does not.

### Which is updated more often, Boostcamp or Essential Gyms?

Boostcamp ships an update fortnightly, and Essential Gyms every 19 months. Most recently, Boostcamp was updated on October 22, 2026 and Essential Gyms on October 16, 2026.

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