# GymBook ・ Strength Training vs Iron

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Iron at none against GymBook ・ Strength Training's 13. Iron also leads on iOS requirement (13.1 vs 16.4). GymBook ・ Strength Training's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and ratings volume (2.4K vs 380). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GymBook ・ Strength Training sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Iron asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for GymBook ・ Strength Training against 4.8 for Iron. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GymBook ・ Strength Training has 2.4K ratings behind it against 380, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 95% of GymBook ・ Strength Training's written reviews are positive against 96% of Iron's.

GymBook ・ Strength Training ships an update weekly, Iron monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GymBook ・ Strength Training | Iron |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (2.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gymbook-strength-training/id650113307/reviews) | **[4.8 (380 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iron-workout-tracker/id1479893244/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.4K** | 380 |
| Positive reviews | 94.6% of reviews | **96.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 393 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **13.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Appwise GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/646751787) | [Karim Abou Zeid](https://appshunter.io/developer/1447254629) |

## What reviewers say

### GymBook ・ Strength Training

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gymbook-strength-training/id650113307)

Create, log, and analyze your gym workouts with this comprehensive fitness app. It offers custom exercise creation, detailed logging, and insightful performance analytics with interactive graphs. Track progress, sync data, and time your rests efficiently.

**Highlights:** Create custom workouts and exercises, Log sets, weight, and reps, Track workout progress with graphs, Adjustable rest timer, Sync data with Health app and Strava, Body measurement tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GymBook Pro · Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| GymBook Pro · Yearly | $8.99 | per year |
| Timer+ | $3.99 | one-time |
| Themes | $3.99 | one-time |
| Export | $3.99 | one-time |
| Assistant | $3.99 | one-time |
| Cloud | $3.99 | one-time |
| Bronze ・ Package | $5.99 | one-time |
| +Exercises ・ Feature | $5.99 | one-time |
| Silver ・ Package | $6.99 | one-time |
| Gold ・ Package | $12.99 | one-time |
| Platinum ・ Package | $17.99 | one-time |
| GymBook Pro · Lifetime | $22.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💪 Excellent workout tracking
- 🔓 No subscription, one-time purchase
- 👍 Simple and intuitive interface
- 📊 Comprehensive data and progress tracking
- 🤖 Seamless Apple Watch integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Cumbersome weight/rep selection
- 📚 Limited exercise catalog (some missing)
- 🔀 Difficulty switching between workouts
- 📈 Confusing progress graph visualizations
- 🔍 Lack of search/filter options for exercises

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional syncing issues with Apple Watch
- Workout data sometimes recorded on wrong day

**Requested features**

- Add ability to copy/duplicate workouts
- Implement calendar view for workout history
- Allow manual entry of weights/reps instead of scrolling
- Integrate body measurement tracking and progress graphs
- Add more pre-made workout templates and routines


### Iron

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iron-workout-tracker/id1479893244)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Siri integration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💰 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

**What reviewers complain about**

- ❌ 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- 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)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GymBook ・ Strength Training free?

GymBook ・ Strength Training is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Iron free?

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

### Which has better reviews, GymBook ・ Strength Training or Iron?

Iron is rated higher. GymBook ・ Strength Training averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.4K ratings, while Iron averages 4.8 from 380 ratings.

### Do GymBook ・ Strength Training or Iron have ads?

Neither GymBook ・ Strength Training nor Iron shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GymBook ・ Strength Training or Iron?

GymBook ・ Strength Training ships an update weekly, and Iron monthly. Most recently, GymBook ・ Strength Training was updated on October 26, 2026 and Iron on October 24, 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.*