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If you lift weights regularly, you’ve probably narrowed your workout-log app choice down to two names: Strong and Hevy. Both are built specifically for strength training (not general fitness tracking), both have loyal followings, and both get real search interest from lifters trying to decide between them — but they’re built around different priorities, and the right pick depends more on your platform and how you like to train than on which app is “better” in the abstract.
Strong: built for fast, no-friction logging
Strong (by Bandual, on iOS and Android) is built around one core job: getting a set logged in as few taps as possible during a workout. Its plate calculator instantly tells you which plates to load for a target weight, its rest timer is tightly integrated into the set-logging flow, and its Apple Watch app lets you log an entire session from your wrist without touching your phone — genuinely useful if you don’t want your phone out on the gym floor.
Strong tracks the fundamentals well: one-rep-max estimates, volume trends over time, and body measurements. What it doesn’t try to be is a social network or a workout-plan marketplace — there’s no feed, no following other lifters, no built-in coach-designed programs beyond a small set of templates. It’s a log, not a community.
Pricing: Free tier covers basic logging with a short history limit; Strong Pro unlocks full history, custom exercises, and Apple Watch/Health integration for around $30/year (check current pricing in-app, as it does change).
Hevy: built for cross-platform use and structure
Hevy takes a broader approach. It runs equally well on iOS and Android (Strong’s Android version has historically lagged its iOS app in features), syncs seamlessly across devices, and adds a social layer — a feed where you can follow other lifters, share workouts, and see what routines people you follow are running. For lifters who train with friends or like public accountability, that’s a real differentiator Strong doesn’t offer.
Hevy also leans harder into structured programming: a larger built-in library of routine templates (some contributed by coaches and creators), the ability to import and follow multi-week programs, and solid Garmin integration alongside Apple Watch support. Its plate calculator and rest-timer flow are close to Strong’s in practice, so the core logging experience doesn’t feel like a downgrade if you switch.
Pricing: Free tier is genuinely usable long-term (unlike some competitors’ free tiers, it isn’t crippled to the point of being unusable); Hevy Pro adds advanced analytics, plate calculator customization, and template access for around $35/year (again, verify current pricing before buying — subscription apps adjust these regularly).
Advanced training features: supersets, RPE, and progress tracking
Beyond basic set logging, the two apps handle advanced training techniques differently. Strong supports supersets and drop-sets directly in its logging flow, and its warm-up-set handling (auto-suggesting warm-up weights based on your working set) is one of its most-praised small details among powerlifters and bodybuilders who warm up methodically. It also tracks RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) as an optional field per set, which matters if you train with an RPE-based program rather than a fixed percentage-based one.
Hevy matches superset support and adds RPE tracking as well, but its edge here is in the data visualization layer — muscle-group volume charts that show which body parts you’re over- or under-training over a rolling window, and body-measurement + progress-photo tracking built into the same app rather than requiring a separate one. If you like seeing a visual breakdown of training balance across muscle groups rather than just per-exercise charts, Hevy’s dashboards go further than Strong’s.
Both apps let you create fully custom exercises if something you do isn’t in their libraries (unusual machines, unilateral variations, etc.), and both support supersets, drop-sets, and rest-pause sets natively rather than requiring a workaround.
Head-to-head comparison
| Factor | Strong | Hevy |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iOS, Android (iOS-first feature rollout) | iOS, Android (feature parity) |
| Social feed / following other lifters | No | Yes |
| Plate calculator | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Watch app | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin integration | Limited | Yes |
| Built-in routine/program library | Small, basic | Larger, includes creator-contributed programs |
| Free tier usability | Limited history | Usable long-term |
| Approx. annual price (Pro) | ~$30/year | ~$35/year |
| Best for | Solo lifters who want the fastest possible logging | Lifters who want structure, programs, or social accountability |
Which one should you actually pick?
If you’re an iPhone-and-Apple-Watch lifter who trains alone, wants to log a set in two taps, and doesn’t care about a social feed, Strong’s tighter, faster logging flow is hard to beat — it’s built by people who clearly lift and log every session themselves. If you’re on Android, want to follow a structured program without hunting one down separately, train with friends, or use a Garmin instead of an Apple Watch, Hevy’s broader feature set and genuine cross-platform parity make it the more future-proof choice.
Neither app requires an expensive Pro subscription to be useful for your first few months — both free tiers are enough to figure out whether the logging flow fits how you actually train. Start with whichever matches your phone/watch ecosystem, run it for a month, and only pay for Pro once you know you’ll stick with the app itself.
Check current gym accessories (lifting straps, chalk, plate collars) on Amazon
Verdict
For pure logging speed on Apple hardware: Strong. For cross-platform flexibility, built-in programs, and social accountability: Hevy. Both are legitimate, actively-maintained apps built specifically for strength training rather than repurposed general fitness trackers — you won’t go wrong with either, but the platform and structure questions above should make the choice obvious for most lifters.
FAQ
Is Strong or Hevy better for beginners?
Hevy’s larger library of built-in routine templates gives beginners more structure out of the box; Strong assumes you already have a program in mind and just want to log it quickly.
Can I import my workout history if I switch apps?
Both apps support CSV export of your logged data, but neither has a one-click import from the other — switching means starting a fresh log, though your PR history can be manually re-entered from an export.
Do either of these apps work offline, like at a gym with no signal?
Yes, both log workouts locally and sync once you’re back online, so a spotty gym Wi-Fi signal won’t interrupt a session.
Is the free tier of either app enough long-term?
Hevy’s free tier is more usable long-term since it doesn’t cap history as aggressively; Strong’s free tier is fine for trying the app but most regular users upgrade to Pro within a few months for full history access.
