Side-by-side
| Need | Iris | Spreadsheet |
|---|---|---|
| Log a dose quickly | Built around medication, dose label, cadence, and recent dose context | Possible, but depends on your template and discipline |
| Track symptoms | Designed for side effects, notes, daily signals, and visit questions | Flexible columns, but slower on a phone |
| Prepare for a visit | Visit Prep groups recent changes and questions | Requires filtering, sorting, and manual summary work |
| Privacy | Designed local-first for the core tracker | Depends on the spreadsheet provider and sharing settings |
| Analysis | Focused app views and planned premium reports | Strong if you build formulas and charts yourself |
When a spreadsheet is enough
A spreadsheet may be enough if you only need a custom log and you are comfortable maintaining your own rows, formulas, and privacy settings. It can also be useful for people who want to export and analyze everything themselves.
When Iris is cleaner
Iris is cleaner when tracking is a repeated mobile habit: logging a dose, saving a symptom, adding a note, reviewing recent changes, and preparing a few questions before the next appointment.
Medical boundary
Neither Iris nor a spreadsheet should be used to self-adjust medication. Treatment decisions belong with a licensed clinician.