NOVA vs Ironbook
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
NOVA
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NOVA: Timer Beautifully simple. Effortlessly precise. Designed from the ground up to eliminate distraction, NOVA redefines how you interact with time. Wrapped in a subtle space-inspired aesthetic and built as a screen-on experience, it transforms your device into an ambient, visually captivating timepiece that looks striking on any desk or stand. Minimal by design No complicated menus. No unnecessary clutter. Absolutely no ads. Just a clean, celestial interface that serves as a visual anchor while you work, study, or relax. Crafted for complete control - Tutorial: Learn how to use the buttons with the simple app tutorial on launch. - Multi gesture start button: Tap start, tap pause, tap resume, swipe right over the button to reveal stop, then tap to stop. - Custom Presets: Tap a preset for instant focus, or long-press to easily create your own. - Custom clock: Choose from Classic or Glass and choose your colour, or simply match wallpaper. - Orbit Intervals: Track orbits clearly displayed as numbers directly underneath the timer. - Collections: Pick from a selection of images as your background - Add your photo: Use your own image as a background - Remembers Your Setup: Automatically saves all your chosen preferences so NOVA is always ready when you are. - Countdown and Stopwatch: Choose which way you want your. timer to work. Tailor your environment Toggle features on or off with a single tap to fit your exact flow, or long press for more detailed precise options. - Noise: Custom audio alerts and notifications. - Orbit: Interval tracking indicators. - Vibrate: Tactile haptic feedback. - Animate: Fluid visual movement, sound effects, and celebratory confetti - or switch them off for total static minimalism. Key Features: - Ambient Space Design: Built to remain on screen as a stunning, functional timepiece. - Volume: Lowers the volume of background audio so you can hear the countdown and success prompts - Zero Distractions: No ads, no popups, and no tracking clutter. Just a beautiful experience. - Customise: Make it your NOVA Time, elevated. Experience NOVA today.
Ironbook
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Ironbook is a workout log with the look of a gym blackboard: chalk on iron, tape, gold for records. The whole point of a training log is knowing what you did last time while you stand at the bar. Ironbook puts that number next to every set, runs your rest timer on the Lock Screen, and draws the line going up. FREE, FOREVER ⢠Unlimited workouts, templates and history ⢠Every set shows last session's weight and reps; tick a set and it copies them if you left them blank ⢠Rest timer on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island, with a buzz when it's time ⢠A new challenge every month, with a gold medal when you finish it ⢠Warm-up sets worked out for you: empty bar, 40, 60 and 80 percent ⢠1RM calculator with every percentage worked out, and plate maths with the bar drawn per side, in kg or lb ⢠Notes on any lift, and last time's note shown when you do it again ⢠A weekly goal, a week streak, and one free streak shield every month ⢠A finish screen that calls out every PR ⢠Your top three records, the small week widget, Lock Screen widgets and a Control Center button ⢠Siri and Shortcuts: "Start my workout in Ironbook", "How is my week in Ironbook" IRONBOOK PRO, A ONE-TIME UNLOCK ⢠Progress: estimated one-rep max over time, PR sessions in gold, heaviest set per session, weekly volume ⢠The whole records wall, and every session of every lift ⢠Program library: 5x5, push pull legs, upper lower, three-day full body and dumbbells only ⢠Save workouts to Apple Health ⢠The bigger week widget with your latest PR and what's next ⢠CSV export of every set IRONBOOK PLUS, MONTHLY OR YEARLY Everything in Pro, and: ⢠Muscle balance: working sets per muscle each week against the 10 to 20 set guide, and the lifts climbing fastest ⢠A monthly refill on the 1st: 1 Next Block, 3 PR posters and 2 Week Shields ⢠Every tape colour and PR Fireworks, while you subscribe ⢠iCloud backup of your whole log, so a new phone picks up where you left off ⢠A shareable poster for every challenge medal Already own Pro? You keep it. Plus only adds the monthly extras on top. LITTLE EXTRAS ⢠Next Block: four weeks of a template with a target on every lift, worked out from your own best numbers. Volume, build, heavy, deload ⢠PR Posters: a gold chalkboard poster of a new PR, three to a pack ⢠Week Shield and Shield Pack: keep your streak after a short week ⢠Tape colours, each with a matching app icon: Cobalt, Volt, Rose and Bone ⢠PR Fireworks over every new best PRICES AND SUBSCRIPTION TERMS Logging is free. Pro is $4.99 once. Ironbook Plus is $2.99 a month or $14.99 a year, and the yearly plan starts with a 1-week free trial for new subscribers. Extras are $0.99 (Shield Pack $1.99). Prices are in US dollars and may differ in your country. Payment is charged to your Apple ID when you confirm the purchase, or when a free trial ends. A subscription renews automatically unless it is cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for the renewal within the 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings > your name > Subscriptions. Any unused part of a free trial ends when you buy a subscription. Bought Ironbook before it went free? Pro is already yours. kg or lb. No account, no ads, no tracking. Your log stays on your phone (and in your own iCloud, with Plus). Terms of Use (Apple standard EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://tensorust.com/apps/ironbook/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NOVA at none against Ironbook's 10. On price, update cadence, ads 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
Both are free to download. Ironbook sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. NOVA asks for nothing beyond the download.
NOVA ships an update every 3 days, Ironbook every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.
| Parameter | NOVA | Ironbook |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days ā better | Every 5 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No ā better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 70 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Robert Dowling | Matthew Busel |
In-app purchases
NOVA
No in-app purchases
Ironbook
- Ironbook Plus Monthly$2.991 Month
- Ironbook Plus Yearly7 Days trial$14.991 Year
- PR Posters x3$0.99
- Cobalt Tape$0.99
- Week Shield$0.99
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- Volt Tape$0.99
- Rose Tape$0.99
- Bone Tape$0.99
- PR Fireworks$0.99
- Shield Pack x3$1.99









