# Progressive vs Compound Theory

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Progressive at none against Compound Theory's 3. Compound Theory's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Compound Theory sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Progressive asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Progressive against 5.0 for Compound Theory. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Progressive ships an update weekly, Compound Theory every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Progressive | Compound Theory |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/progressive-workout-tracker/id6756984064/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compound-theory-lifting/id6762104851/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 7 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Vignesh Iyer](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864051146) | [Shane Young](https://appshunter.io/developer/1892931800) |

## What reviewers say

### Progressive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/progressive-workout-tracker/id6756984064)

This app helps you track your strength training progress with a focus on progressive overload. It allows you to log sets, reps, and weight, visualize trends, and maintain clarity during workouts. Built for consistent, trustworthy progress.

**Highlights:** Progressive overload tracking, Log sets, reps, and weight, Exercise history review, Track top set weight, volume, reps, Visualize strength trends, iCloud data sync

**In-app purchases:** none


### Compound Theory

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/compound-theory-lifting/id6762104851)

This strength training tracker offers a vast library of proven workout programs and allows users to build their own custom routines. It provides insights into muscle recovery, strength standards, and integrates with Apple Health for a comprehensive view of fitness progress.

**Highlights:** Extensive library of pre-built strength programs, Customizable workout routine builder, Muscle recovery tracking with visual indicators, Strength standards comparison, Apple Health integration for recovery insights, One-tap set completion and auto-progression, Apple Watch workout tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Compound Theory Pro | $3.99 | per month |
| Compound Theory Pro | $29.99 | per year |
| Compound Theory Pro | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Progressive free?

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

### Is Compound Theory free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Progressive or Compound Theory?

Progressive and Compound Theory are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Progressive or Compound Theory have ads?

Neither Progressive nor Compound Theory shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Progressive or Compound Theory?

Progressive ships an update weekly, and Compound Theory every 4 days. Most recently, Progressive was updated on October 4, 2026 and Compound Theory on October 14, 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.*