Comparison

Heavy Protocol vs HiBar

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

Head to head
About

Heavy Protocol

Features
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BRIEF. INTENSE. INFREQUENT. Stop living in the gym. Start growing. THE PROBLEM Most training programs focus on volume—more sets, more days, more hours in the gym. But biologically, intensity and duration are inversely proportional. You can train hard, or you can train long. You cannot do both. THE SOLUTION Heavy Protocol is a precision tracker designed for High Intensity Training (HIT). It enforces the "One Set to Failure" philosophy, ensuring you stimulate maximum muscle growth with the minimum effective dose of exercise. KEY FEATURES: • THE 72-HOUR TIMER Growth happens when you rest, not when you train. The app tracks your recovery window and tells you exactly when your nervous system is recharged and ready for the next session. • FOCUS-FIRST LOGGING No clutter. See your previous lift, beat it, and get out. • SMART ROUTINES Includes the classic Ideal Routine (4-Day Split) and the advanced Consolidated Routine. • HEALTHKIT INTEGRATION Automatically closes your Activity Rings and saves workouts to Apple Health. • PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD Clear visual history ensures you are always beating your last log. • STRICT FORM GUIDE Built-in 4-2-4 cadence instructions and anatomy guides to ensure perfect execution. • PHILOSOPHY Training before you have fully recovered is like picking at a scab. It prevents healing. Heavy Protocol prevents overtraining by managing your frequency based on your intensity. • PRIVACY FIRST Your data stays with you. There is no usage tracking or any other data that leaves your device. Download Heavy Protocol today and master the logic of lifting.

About

HiBar

Features
Read full description

HiBar is the training companion for calisthenics and street-workout athletes. Track your progress, master your moves, and find the best bars near you — all in one app. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Log pull-ups, dips, muscle-ups, push-ups, and any exercise you train. Watch your strength climb over time with clean progress charts, and keep every personal record in one place. MASTER YOUR COMBOS Build your skill combos and log each attempt with a photo or video. Look back at your form, see how far you've come, and nail the moves you're chasing. DISCOVER WORKOUT SPOTS Find calisthenics parks and pull-up bars near you on the map. Add new spots for the community, attach photos, and check in when you train. MADE FOR THE BARS - Progress charts for every exercise - Combo tracking with photo & video - Map of community workout spots - Activity timeline and check-ins - Export your training data anytime - kg / lbs support

Screenshots

Heavy Protocol3 screens
HiBar3 screens

Verdict

The call

Heavy Protocol and HiBar are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Heavy Protocol ships an update every 8 days, HiBar weekly. The most recent releases landed on May 15, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Heavy Protocol versus HiBar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHeavy ProtocolHiBar
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 8 daysWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.616.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB87 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperGopalarathnam VenkatesanIvan Kosov

In-app purchases

None

Heavy Protocol

No in-app purchases

None

HiBar

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Heavy Protocol free?
Heavy Protocol is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HiBar free?
HiBar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Heavy Protocol or HiBar have ads?
Neither Heavy Protocol nor HiBar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Heavy Protocol or HiBar?
Heavy Protocol ships an update every 8 days, and HiBar weekly. Most recently, Heavy Protocol was updated on May 15, 2026 and HiBar on September 13, 2026.

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