BareStrength vs Safe Journal
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
BareStrength
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The bodyweight workout you won't quit. Three exercises. Two sets each. Ten minutes. Three times a week. At home, no gym, no equipment (pull-up bar optional). BareStrength is the minimum effective dose of bodyweight strength training — so short you have zero excuses not to show up. 7-day free trial, then $4.99/month or $39.99/year. No account, no ads, no upsells, no hidden premium tier. HOW IT WORKS Every session is the same: squat, push, pull. Three compound movements that have built real strength for thousands of people. No variation, no surprises, no decisions. • 3 exercises per session — no fluff • 2 sets each — one build-up set at 70%, then one all-out working set to technical failure • ~10 minutes per workout • 3 times per week — recovery is built in One all-out set per exercise. No mental arithmetic about pacing. Just show up and give it everything on your working set. BUILT-IN PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD You can't plateau. Hit your target reps on your working set and the app advances you to a harder exercise automatically. Exercises across 3 movement patterns, organized into progressive ladders from beginner to advanced. Beat your last rep count → target goes up by one. Reach 8 reps on your working set → advance to a harder exercise. One Strength Level — one number that tracks your progress across all movements, and it only goes up. NO GYM. NO EQUIPMENT. NO EXCUSES. Start with your body and the floor. Add a pull-up bar later to unlock the full pulling progression. Train anywhere: bedroom, hotel room, park. WHY IT WORKS Inspired by the most peer-reviewed bodyweight program and proven strength programs like StrongLifts and r/bodyweightfitness — adapted for busy people who want results, not routines. • Progressive overload — the only proven driver of strength gains • Minimum effective dose — one all-out working set, 3× per week is all you need • Recovery built in — muscle grows between workouts, not during them Subscription Info BareStrength is $4.99/month or $39.99/year, with a 7-day free trial on both plans. Auto-renewable — your subscription will automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in iPhone Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://barestrength.app/privacy
Safe Journal
This app provides a secure and private space for daily writing, mood tracking, and self-reflection. It offers gentle prompts and tools to help you understand your emotional patterns and personal growth. Optional AI features can provide deeper insights and summaries of your entries.
- Distraction-free writing space
- Mood and emotion picker
- Gentle journaling prompts
- Reflection toolkit
- Pattern analysis over time
- Optional AI insights and summaries
- Passcode and device encryption
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Safe Journal is a private space to write, notice how you feel, and reflect at your own pace. Open the app and start writing - no account needed. Your entries are protected by a passcode and encrypted on your device. Free journaling is stored locally on your device, with optional account backup. Write freely • A calm, distraction-free space to journal • Name how you feel with a simple mood picker - or use the emotions wheel when a feeling is harder to pin down • Gentle prompts for when you're not sure where to start • A Toolkit of prompts, values exercises, and reflection tools Notice your patterns • Look back on past entries and moods over time • Keep track of thoughts, themes, values, and moments you want to remember • See how your emotions and reflections change over time Safe Journal Plus: optional AI Safe Journal Plus adds AI features that work only when you choose to use them: • Finish an entry and get reflection prompts based on what you just wrote • Discover insights into the values and themes showing up across your writing • Create time-capsule summaries that gather a month of entries into a few thoughtful lines • Generate a Therapist Session Summary when you want help bringing patterns from your journal into a conversation AI never runs in the background, and free journaling never uses AI. Your privacy • No ads. We don't sell your data. No tracking across other apps or websites. • Entries are protected by your passcode and encrypted on your device. • Optional account backup lets you restore your journal on a new device. • You're always in control - back up, restore, or delete anytime. Whether you write every day or once in a while, Safe Journal is here when you need it. Questions? hello@safejournal.com Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://safejournal.com/pages/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Safe Journal at every 6 days against BareStrength's fortnightly. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. BareStrength sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Safe Journal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
BareStrength ships an update fortnightly, Safe Journal every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | BareStrength | Safe Journal |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 6 — better |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 42 MB | 31 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Damian Janzi | Safe Journal LLC |
In-app purchases
BareStrength
- Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Safe Journal
- Plus (Monthly)$6.991 Month
- Plus (Yearly)7 Days trial$49.991 Year









