Comparison

Pencil Workout Log vs SweatDiary

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

Head to head
About

Pencil Workout Log

Features
Read full description

Pencil - the workout log that keeps up Track strength, cardio, yoga, and stretching. Plan your week, follow your progress, and stay organized — with no required account, no ads, and no unnecessary noise. Pencil’s core features work offline, so your workout never depends on your connection. Built for the way you actually train Pencil doesn’t force you into a rigid start-and-stop flow. Build or import a plan, add exercises as you go, log what matters to you, and see how your training develops over time. Plan your entire training week • View your Training Calendar by month, week, or agenda • Create one-time workouts or plans that repeat daily, weekly, every other week, or monthly • Connect Apple Calendar on your terms, or keep plans entirely in Pencil • Get reminders and mark workouts complete, moved, or skipped Fast, flexible workout logging • Log individual sets for standard, bodyweight, pyramid, drop set, static, and cardio exercises • Track reps, weight, time, and distance without breaking your flow • Add an exercise to your current session without changing the original plan • Use tags, notes, favorites, and search to find exercises and history • Use the built-in stopwatch with countdown, delayed start, and lap times Strength, yoga, and stretching in one place • Search 873 strength and stretching exercises with images, instructions, and muscle filters • Explore 48 curated yoga poses and 123 stretching exercises • Get moving with 16 ready-made yoga and stretching routines • Follow a guided player with time, progress, what’s next, and clear controls • See which muscles an exercise or entire plan targets Progress you can put to work • See your activity heatmap, training rhythm, current streak, and completion rate • Follow charts, tables, tonnage, and total weight lifted over time • Test or estimate your RM with guided strength testing • Review one unified activity history without counting the same workout twice • Export CSV data and create or restore JSON backups On iPhone, Apple Watch, and your Home Screen • Log from Apple Watch and keep data in sync through iCloud • Follow active workouts with Live Activities and Dynamic Island • See upcoming plans and training status in widgets • Open Quick Log from Spotlight and Shortcuts • Connect Apple Health for activity data, time in daylight, and Training Readiness Free and Pro Free is ideal for a fast, focused workout log with up to 2 active training plans. Pencil Pro unlocks unlimited plans, advanced mode, iCloud sync, Apple Watch sync, exercise images, and advanced planning tools. Make Pencil yours with light, dark, or system appearance, multiple accent colors, and two display styles. The app supports 28 languages, including English, Norwegian, German, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Japanese. Log fast. Stay organized. Make progress that lasts. Terms and Privacy: Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://pencilapp.no/privacy.html

About

SweatDiary

Features
Read full description

Sweat Diary is a fast, distraction-free workout journal for your iPhone and Mac. Log your workouts, jot down notes, and find them later — no dashboards, no gamification, no clutter. • Log any workout in seconds - gym, running, cycling, rowing, kitesurfing, hiking, or your own custom type • Free-text notes for every entry - capture the details that matter to you • Attach photos to your sessions • See all your activities on a map • Full-text search to find any past workout instantly • Synch between Mac and iPhone via iCloud • Import via HealthKit on iPhone • Weekly activity strip and stats to stay aware without obsessing

Screenshots

Pencil Workout Log4 screens
SweatDiary3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SweatDiary at none against Pencil Workout Log's 2. On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Pencil Workout Log sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. SweatDiary asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pencil Workout Log ships an update weekly, SweatDiary every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
Pencil Workout Log versus SweatDiary: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPencil Workout LogSweatDiary
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, Mac
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size208 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRobin Alexander LaumbChristoph Werner

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Pencil Workout Log

Subscriptions2
  • Pencil Pro (Månedlig)$2.991 Month
  • Pencil Pro (Årlig)$89.991 Year
None

SweatDiary

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Pencil Workout Log free?
Pencil Workout Log is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SweatDiary free?
SweatDiary is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Pencil Workout Log or SweatDiary have ads?
Neither Pencil Workout Log nor SweatDiary shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pencil Workout Log or SweatDiary?
Pencil Workout Log ships an update weekly, and SweatDiary every 4 days. Most recently, Pencil Workout Log was updated on October 19, 2026 and SweatDiary on October 13, 2026.

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