Comparison

SimpleLifts vs GymBro Workout Tracker

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

Head to head
About

SimpleLifts

Features
Read full description

Log your lifts. Track your runs. Sync your devices. SimpleLifts is a privacy-first gym and run tracker for iPhone and Apple Watch — with no account, no ads, and no servers. Built for people who want a clean, fast workout log without giving up control of their data. WHAT YOU CAN DO • One-tap set logging — weight, reps, perceived effort, all from the watch or phone • Apple Watch companion — start a workout from your wrist, with live heart rate and calories captured through HealthKit • Outdoor runs — GPS route, pace, distance, and elevation, alongside your lifts in the same app • Indoor runs — log treadmill sessions by distance, speed, and time • Templates and programs — save your routines, build multi-day splits, run them in sequence • Exercise library — hundreds of bundled exercises with images, plus your own custom ones • Apple Health integration — completed workouts save to Apple Health and contribute to your Activity rings • Widgets and complications — see your last workout and weekly volume at a glance on your home screen and Watch face • Share extension — paste a workout from any app (Notes, Messages, the web) and SimpleLifts parses it into structured sets PRIVACY BY DEFAULT SimpleLifts has no backend server. Your workouts live on your device and — if you choose — sync to your other devices through your own iCloud account, never through us. We don't collect personal information, we don't run analytics, and we don't sell data. • No account or sign-up required • No ads, no in-app purchases, no subscriptions • No analytics SDKs or tracking • Location used only during outdoor runs (when in use, never in the background) • Optional Notion sync — connect a Notion database to mirror workouts there if you keep a training journal in Notion ICLOUD SYNC Your lifts, templates, history, and exercise library sync between your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch via Apple's CloudKit framework. It's the same mechanism Notes and Reminders use — your data never touches a SimpleLifts server, because there is no SimpleLifts server. APPLE WATCH The Watch app is a fully native watchOS companion. Start a workout from your wrist, log sets via the digital crown or on-screen buttons, capture heart rate and active energy through HealthKit, and review your last session — all without your phone nearby. Outdoor runs use the Watch's built-in GPS. ON-DEVICE INTELLIGENCE Where SimpleLifts uses AI — for example, parsing a workout you share into the app from another source — it runs on Apple's on-device Foundation Models framework. No workout text is ever sent to a cloud AI service. (Requires iOS 26 or later on a device with Apple Intelligence enabled.) FREE, FOREVER SimpleLifts is free. There are no ads, no in-app purchases, and no premium tiers. If you'd like to support development, the best way is to leave a review and tell a friend. QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK? Email azeltzdev@gmail.com — we read everything.

About

GymBro Workout Tracker

Features
Read full description

GymBro is your companion for strength training. Plan your week, record every set in seconds, and see real progress over time. TRAIN WITH STRUCTURE • Follow ready-made programs or build your own • Record sets, reps, rest, and how each session felt • A weekly schedule that helps you stay consistent • An exercise library with clear guidance and your personal history • Body measurements and progress photos START IN MINUTES Pick a GymBro program and begin today, or create a routine that fits your life. No complicated setup. OPTIONAL COACH Train on your own, or connect with a coach who assigns programs, reviews your sessions, and messages you in the app. WHY GYMBRO • Free for athletes • Keep going even without a signal — your session is saved • English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese Whether you're new to the gym or chasing your next personal best, GymBro helps you train with purpose and see the results add up.

Screenshots

SimpleLifts4 screens
GymBro Workout Tracker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: GymBro Workout Tracker at every 3 weeks against SimpleLifts's every 2 months. GymBro Workout Tracker also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

SimpleLifts ships an update every 2 months, GymBro Workout Tracker every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
SimpleLifts versus GymBro Workout Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSimpleLiftsGymBro Workout Tracker
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size96 MB84 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAmir ZeltzerNicolas Devanthery

In-app purchases

None

SimpleLifts

No in-app purchases

None

GymBro Workout Tracker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SimpleLifts free?
SimpleLifts is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is GymBro Workout Tracker free?
GymBro Workout Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SimpleLifts or GymBro Workout Tracker have ads?
Neither SimpleLifts nor GymBro Workout Tracker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SimpleLifts or GymBro Workout Tracker?
SimpleLifts ships an update every 2 months, and GymBro Workout Tracker every 3 weeks. Most recently, SimpleLifts was updated on October 12, 2026 and GymBro Workout Tracker on October 20, 2026.

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