Hevy vs Strong (2026): Which Gym App Fits You?
TL;DR
Hevy vs Strong: pick Hevy if you want a generous starter plan and a large, active community. Pick Strong if you want a minimalist, no-frills log. Both are excellent, well loved loggers, and the real difference comes down to flexibility versus simplicity.
Used by lifters following PPL, 5x5, upper/lower, and more.
Hevy vs Strong: Which Is Better in 2026?
Hevy vs Strong in one line: choose Hevy if you want a generous free tier and the lowest long-term price; choose Strong if you want a minimalist, no-frills logger.
Hevy vs Strong comes down to two great trackers built for different lifters. Hevy wins if you want a generous free tier and the lowest long-term price at $74.99 lifetime. Strong wins if you want a stripped-back, minimalist interface with nothing extra in the way. Both are rated 4.9 on the App Store, both are ad-free, and both let you export your data. The real choice is whether you value Hevy's larger community or Strong's tight, no-frills focus.
Hevy and Strong are both fast, native iPhone trackers built for lifters chasing progressive overload. They are two of the highest-rated fitness apps on the App Store, and choosing between them is less about quality and more about which workflow fits your gym routine.
Hevy vs Strong at a Glance
| Feature | Hevy | Strong |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Clean, generous free logging | Minimalist, no-frills tracking |
| Logging | Tap to log, automatic rest timer, live PR alerts | Tap to log, automatic rest timer, plate calculator |
| Programs & Routines | Routine builder with supersets and sharing | Routine builder, 3 free routines |
| Progress Tracking | Estimated 1RM, PRs, progress charts | Estimated 1RM, PRs, progress charts |
| Coaching | Hevy Trainer: algorithm-built program, auto-progresses weight (Pro) | No built-in program builder, fully manual |
| Your Data | CSV export, 3-month history cap on the free plan | CSV export, unlimited free history |
| Pricing From | $2.99/mo, $74.99 lifetime (Sep 2026) | $4.99/mo, $99.99 lifetime (Sep 2026) |
| Rating | 4.9 from about 95,000 ratings (Sep 2026) | 4.9 from about 109,000 ratings (Sep 2026) |
What Is Hevy?
Hevy is one of the most loved workout trackers on the App Store, rated 4.9 from about 95,000 ratings as of September 2026. It pairs a clean, fast logger with a real web app and Android support, so you can plan a routine on a laptop and log it on your phone. Its free tier is generous: 4 routines and up to 7 custom exercises at no cost, with a 3-month window on progress graphs. Many lifters also use Hevy's active social feed to follow friends and share workouts.
Hevy Key Features
- Fast set logging: A 400-plus exercise library with photos and an automatic rest timer.
- Hevy Trainer: An algorithm builds a program from your goals and gear, then auto-progresses your weight each session (Pro, launched February 2026).
- Supersets: Combine two or more exercises into a single circuit.
- Cross-platform: iPhone, iPad, Android, and a web app for desktop planning.
- Apple Watch app: Live sync between phone and wrist during a workout.
Hevy Pricing
- Free: 4 routines, up to 7 custom exercises, 3 months of progress-graph history
- Pro: $2.99/month, $23.99/year, or $74.99 once for lifetime access (as of September 2026), which also unlocks Hevy Trainer
What Is Strong?
Strong is a fast, minimalist workout tracker rated 4.9 from about 109,000 ratings as of September 2026. It strips logging down to the essentials: start a workout, tap to log a set, and move on, with no social feed or clutter. Its Apple Watch app is one of the most complete on the market, with live-sync logging so you can log full sets from your wrist. Strong also builds a plate calculator into every working set, so you always know what to load.
Strong Key Features
- Minimalist logging: A clean interface tuned for fast set entry.
- Apple Watch app: Live-sync logging from the wrist during a workout.
- Plate calculator: Shows exactly which plates to load on each side (Pro).
- Warm-up calculator and RPE: Suggests warm-up sets and tracks effort per set.
- Progress charts and PRs: Track strength trends and personal records over time.
Strong Pricing
- Free: unlimited workouts logged, 3 custom routines
- PRO: $4.99/month, $29.99/year, or $99.99 once for lifetime access (as of September 2026)
Head-to-Head Comparison
Logging Speed and Friction
Both apps log a set in a tap or two, and neither wastes your time. Strong is marginally leaner, since its interface has fewer screens between you and the next set. Hevy is close behind, with a slightly richer interface that still logs a set in seconds. Both include an automatic rest timer, so neither needs a separate stopwatch.
Best pick here: Strong if you want a minimalist, no-frills screen with nothing extra in the way.
Routines, Programs, and Auto-Progression
Hevy has the more automated program builder of the two. Hevy Trainer asks about your goals and equipment, builds a full program, and auto-progresses your working weights each session, though Hevy itself calls this an algorithm rather than AI. Strong covers routines well too, with supersets and a warm-up calculator, but caps free users at 3 saved routines before you need Pro.
Best pick here: Hevy if you want a program that auto-progresses your weight for you.
Progressive Overload and Progress Tracking
This is close to a tie. Both show estimated 1RM, PRs, and progress charts, which is the main reason lifters use either app. If you want to check your own 1RM math by hand, our 1RM calculator uses the same Epley and Brzycki formulas both apps rely on. Neither app has a meaningful edge in raw tracking depth.
Best pick here: Either app if progress tracking is your main priority, since both do it well.
Training Tools and Extras
Strong builds a plate calculator into every working set and suggests warm-up sets with RPE tracking, giving a heavy lift more structure before you touch the bar. Hevy leans on superset support instead, letting you combine two or more exercises into a single circuit.
Best pick here: Strong if you want a plate calculator and warm-up suggestions built into every session.
Pricing and Value
Hevy is the cheaper option long term. Hevy Pro is $2.99 a month, $23.99 a year, or $74.99 once for lifetime access. Strong PRO is $4.99 a month, $29.99 a year, or $99.99 once for lifetime access, all as of September 2026. Hevy's lifetime plan costs about $25 less than Strong's.
Best pick here: Hevy if the lowest long-term cost matters most to you.
Data Ownership and Export
Both apps let you export your data, which already puts them ahead of trackers that lock your history away. Strong's free plan keeps unlimited workouts with no history cap. Hevy's free plan caps progress-graph history at 3 months, then unlocks all of it on Pro.
Best pick here: Strong if you want unlimited free history with no time cap.
Who Should Choose Hevy?
- You want a generous free tier with 4 routines and custom exercises
- You want live PR alerts as you train
- You want the lowest long-term price at $74.99 lifetime
- You value Hevy's active social feed for following friends and sharing workouts
- You want a program that auto-progresses your weight for you
Who Should Choose Strong?
- You want a minimalist tracker that stays out of your way
- You want unlimited free workout history with no time cap
- You want warm-up sets suggested automatically before your working sets
- You are fine with 3 free routines or paying for PRO
For a broader ranking beyond these two, see our best workout tracker apps for iPhone guide. If Hevy is your benchmark and you want to see more options like it, our Hevy alternatives roundup covers the wider field.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hevy better than Strong?
It depends on what you want from a tracker. Hevy is the better pick if you want a generous free tier and the lowest long-term price at $74.99 lifetime. Strong is the better pick if you want a minimalist, no-frills interface with nothing extra in the way. Both are rated 4.9 on the App Store and both are excellent loggers, so the choice comes down to whether you value Hevy's flexibility or Strong's focused simplicity.
Can I use Hevy and Strong together?
Yes, at least while you decide. Both apps let you export your workout data, so you can try one and switch to the other without losing your history. A common approach is to log in your current app while testing the other for a couple of weeks, then export and commit to one. Hevy caps free history at 3 months before Pro unlocks the rest, while Strong keeps your full log free from day one. Most lifters settle on a single main tracker after a short trial, once they know which workflow fits their gym routine.
Which is cheaper, Hevy or Strong?
Hevy is cheaper, especially over the long run. Hevy Pro is $2.99 a month, $23.99 a year, or $74.99 once for lifetime access. Strong PRO is $4.99 a month, $29.99 a year, or $99.99 once for lifetime access. Over several years, Hevy's lifetime plan costs about $25 less than Strong's. Both also have solid free tiers, though Strong caps free users at 3 routines while Hevy allows 4 routines plus a handful of custom exercises. For pure value, Hevy is the cheaper choice, though the gap is smaller than it first looks.
Is there a better alternative to both Hevy and Strong?
Hevy and Strong are both excellent loggers. PR Streak is worth a look if you want to log sets by speaking them out loud, a coach that explains your next set, or to bring your Strong or Hevy history with you. The AI coach builds you a starting plan and explains its next-set ideas as you train. You can bring your workout history from Strong or Hevy into PR Streak through CSV import, so switching does not mean starting from zero. If you simply want a proven free logger today, Hevy remains a safe first pick.
Which app has better progress charts, Hevy or Strong?
This is close to a tie. Hevy and Strong each show estimated 1RM, PRs and progress charts for every exercise, so neither has a meaningful edge in raw tracking depth. If you want to check your own 1RM by hand, our 1RM calculator uses the same Epley and Brzycki formulas both apps rely on. The real difference between Hevy and Strong comes down to free tier size and interface style rather than progress tracking.
Where PR Streak Fits
Hevy and Strong are both excellent, well loved trackers, and most lifters will be happy with either one. PR Streak is worth a look if you want a couple of things neither one offers today.
Say your set out loud and PR Streak logs it, for example "three sets of ten at one eighty five." Answer a few questions and the AI coach builds a starting plan around your gear and goal, then gives you a next-set idea with a short reason why. You always decide whether to use its suggestions.
Switching from Strong or Hevy? PR Streak imports your workout history through CSV import and matches exercise names automatically, so you are not starting from zero. Build your own routines and add your own exercises, and share a clean workout card to your Instagram Story or send a link to any workout. It is private by default, with no feed. You can get PR Streak on the App Store to see if it fits your routine.
PR Streak - the workout tracker that coaches you.
- ✓An AI coach that builds your plan around your gear & goals.
- ✓Hands-free voice logging, plus progress, est. 1RM & PRs.
- ✓Built so you never lose a workout. Switch from Strong or Hevy in minutes.
Hevy vs Strong: Which Should You Pick?
Hevy is the better all-around choice for most lifters. It pairs clean logging with a generous free tier and the lowest long-term price at $74.99 lifetime. If you want one safe recommendation, start with Hevy.
Strong is the pick for lifters who want a minimalist, no-frills tracker with nothing extra in the way. Both apps are rated 4.9 on the App Store, and either one will serve you well for years of progressive overload.
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