Comparison

Hold Strong vs DFND

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

About

DFND

This app offers a personal self-defense training system focused on practical skills for real-world situations. It provides step-by-step videos, progress tracking, and motivational tools to build confidence and fitness.

Highlights
  • Step-by-step training videos
  • Real-world self-defense techniques
  • Progress tracking and skill unlocking
  • Daily streaks and rewards
  • Live events and private lessons
  • Adaptive training for all levels
Features
Read full description

DFND is your personal self-defence training system, designed to help you build confidence, fitness, and the ability to protect yourself in real-world situations. Developed by experienced martial arts instructors, DFND goes beyond sport or competition - it focuses on practical skills you can apply in everyday life. With DFND you can: - Access step-by-step training videos anytime, anywhere - Learn proven self-defense techniques for real-world scenarios - Track your progress and unlock new skills as you train - Stay motivated with daily streaks and rewards - Join live events and private lessons for deeper learning Whether you’re just starting out or already experienced in martial arts, DFND adapts to your level. Train at your own pace, improve your fitness, and develop the mindset and skills to stay safe and confident. Download DFND today and take the first step toward becoming stronger, safer, and more resilient. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.dfndapp.com/terms.aspx

Screenshots

Hold Strong4 screens
DFND1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DFND at 100% against Hold Strong's 33%. DFND also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Hold Strong's advantage is ratings volume (4 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Hold Strong sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and DFND sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

DFND holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of Hold Strong's written reviews are positive against 100% of DFND's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hold Strong ships an update fortnightly, DFND monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Hold Strong versus DFND: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHold StrongDFND
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (4 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings4 — better1
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size497 MB78 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPeter OngDFND PTY LTD

Customer experience

Hold Strong

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral33.3%
Negative33.3%

DFND

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Hold Strong

One-time1
  • Hold Strong: Train Smarter$7.99
1 purchases

DFND

Subscriptions1
  • DFND Monthly Subscription$19.991 Month

Questions

Is Hold Strong free?
Hold Strong is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DFND free?
DFND is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hold Strong or DFND?
DFND is rated higher. Hold Strong averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while DFND averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Hold Strong or DFND have ads?
Neither Hold Strong nor DFND shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hold Strong or DFND?
Hold Strong ships an update fortnightly, and DFND monthly. Most recently, Hold Strong was updated on November 8, 2026 and DFND on November 5, 2026.

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