Comparison

MuscleLab vs Lifting Notepad

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

Head to head
About

MuscleLab

Features
Read full description

MuscleLab is a focused strength training tracker for people who want to train consistently and see real progress over time. Start from a saved template, generate a workout from exercises you practise, or begin with an empty session. Log sets as you train, then finish with a clear summary of volume, time, sets, muscles, and exercise changes. Built for gym training: • Workout templates you can repeat • Recommended workouts from practising exercises and training type • Fast set, rep, weight, and duration logging • Warm-ups, supersets, circuits, and drop sets • Finished workout summaries with volume, time, sets, and muscle coverage • Workout history, exercise stats, and exercise history • Body measurements and progress trends • Coach tools for client sessions, templates, history, progress, and notes MuscleLab is not a social fitness feed or a calorie tracker. It is a clear training log for people who want the next workout to be easier to start and easier to understand afterward. Log workouts. Repeat what works. See progress.

About

Lifting Notepad

Features
Read full description

Lifting Notepad is the fastest way to track your workouts. Just type — messy is fine. AI handles the rest. Write your workout in plain text, tap done, and watch AI instantly parse your exercises, sets, reps, and weights into structured data. No menus. No dropdowns. No friction between sets. FEATURES: • Freeform notepad — type however you want, AI figures it out • Slash commands — type /bench to instantly load exercises • Quick-tap buttons — one tap to add any exercise • Rest timer with background notifications • PR tracking — automatic personal record detection • Weekly volume charts — see your progress over time • 1RM calculator — estimate your one-rep max • Plate calculator — know which plates to load • Superset and warm-up set support • CSV/JSON export — your data is yours, always • Dark and light mode Built for lifters who want speed, not bloat. No social features. No gamification. Just you and the bar. Privacy Policy: https://lifting-notepad-api.vercel.app/#privacy Terms of Use: https://lifting-notepad-api.vercel.app/#terms

Screenshots

MuscleLab4 screens
Lifting Notepad4 screens

Verdict

The call

MuscleLab and Lifting Notepad 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 Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
MuscleLab versus Lifting Notepad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMuscleLabLifting Notepad
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeeklyWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB6 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperIlya ValasiukMICHAEL BENATAR

In-app purchases

None

MuscleLab

No in-app purchases

None

Lifting Notepad

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MuscleLab free?
MuscleLab is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Lifting Notepad free?
Lifting Notepad is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do MuscleLab or Lifting Notepad have ads?
Neither MuscleLab nor Lifting Notepad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MuscleLab or Lifting Notepad?
MuscleLab ships an update weekly, and Lifting Notepad weekly. Most recently, MuscleLab was updated on October 5, 2026 and Lifting Notepad on October 18, 2026.

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