Short answer: pick Hevy if you want the most generous free version and a social feed; pick Strong if you want the fastest, most distraction-free logging and a one-time "forever" purchase. Both are excellent, both have a 4.9-star rating in the App Store, and both have full Apple Watch apps. The real differences are price, free version limits, and whether you want a social feed in your gym log.
Hevy vs Strong at a Glance
| Hevy | Strong | |
|---|---|---|
| Free version | Yes: unlimited workouts; limits on routines, custom exercises (7) and graph history | Yes: unlimited workouts, 3 custom routines |
| Monthly | $3.99 (older $2.99 plan also listed) | $4.99 |
| Yearly | $23.99 | $29.99 |
| Lifetime | $74.99 | $99.99 ("PRO Forever") |
| Apple Watch app | Yes, with routines and heart rate | Yes, works with or without your iPhone |
| Social feed | Yes | No |
| App Store rating | 4.9 (97K ratings) | 4.9 (109K ratings) |
US App Store prices, checked October 2026. Both apps also list some older, cheaper plans.
Strong App Review (2026)
Strong is a strength-training logging app built for precision, reliable data tracking, and speed. It helps users record sets, reps, weights, and rest times while offering export and backup options for long-term progress analysis.
What Strong Does Well
- Detailed logging & history: Precise tracking of sets, reps, weights, and rest times with editable workout history.
- Export & backup options: CSV exports and local backups that make third-party analysis easy.
- Minimal, fast UI: Clean interface optimized for quick entry between sets.
- Customization: Strong support for custom exercises, templates, and structured programs.
- Offline use: Core functionality works without internet access for privacy and reliability.
- Apple Watch: a fully featured watch app that logs workouts with or without your iPhone.
Potential Limitations
- Free version limit: unlimited workouts, but only 3 custom routines, which most people outgrow quickly.
- Social features: Less emphasis on community, sharing, or social discovery.
- No built-in programs: you build your own routines.
- Learning curve: Advanced features can be more than casual users need.
Who It’s Best For
- Lifters who track progress over months or years and want reliable, exportable data.
- Users who prefer offline use or local data storage for privacy.
- People following structured programs who need templates and periodization support.
- Data-oriented users who value performance metrics and trend analysis.
Hevy App Review (2026)
The Hevy app is one of the most popular gym workout tracking apps in 2026, built for lifters who want an easy, social, and data-rich way to track their strength progress. It’s free to start, supports unlimited workouts, has no ads, and has a surprisingly polished design. Here's our Hevy app review: what it really offers for gym-goers and weightlifters, and where it falls short.
What Hevy Does Well
- Easy workout tracking: Log exercises, sets, reps, and weights quickly — perfect for both beginners and experienced lifters.
- Clean, modern interface: The app’s layout is simple and intuitive, making it one of the best-looking fitness tracker apps on iOS and Android.
- Community and social feed: Hevy includes a built-in social network where users can post workouts, comment, and follow each other — a major edge over Strong.
- Free features: Most essential tools (custom exercises, progress charts, and rest timers) are included in the free version, which makes it appealing to budget-conscious users.
- Cloud sync & multi-device support: Hevy syncs your data across your devices through your Hevy account.
- Apple Watch: live-syncs with your phone, runs your routines on the watch, and tracks heart rate.
Where Hevy Falls Short
- Free version caps: Hevy's own site says the free version allows 7 custom exercises, and reviews report caps on routines and on how far back your graphs go.
- Upsells: There are no ads, but the app does push Hevy Pro.
- Account required: your workouts live in your Hevy account on their servers.
- Social fatigue: Some users love the community feed; others find it distracting and unnecessary for a pure weightlifting app.
Who It's Best For
Hevy is ideal for lifters who want to share their fitness progress publicly, people following structured programs who need templates and periodization support, and data-oriented users who value performance metrics and trend analysis. It's also perfect for those who appreciate a social fitness community with the ability to follow other users and discover new workouts, lifters who want automatic plate calculations to simplify weight loading, and anyone seeking a modern, visually appealing interface with smooth user experience.
Hevy Free vs Pro, and Strong Free vs PRO
Both apps let you log unlimited workouts for free, so the free versions are usable long term. The paid tiers mostly remove limits:
- Hevy Pro ($3.99/month, $23.99/year or $74.99 lifetime) unlocks unlimited routines, unlimited custom exercises and your full graph history.
- Strong PRO ($4.99/month, $29.99/year or $99.99 forever) removes the 3-routine limit and adds more charts and analysis.
On price alone, Hevy is cheaper at every tier. If you'll only ever run one or two routines, Strong's free version may be all you need.
Hevy vs Strong on Apple Watch
Both have real Apple Watch apps, not just companions. Strong's watch app is fully featured and can log a workout with or without your iPhone nearby. Hevy's watch app live-syncs with the phone, runs your routines, tracks heart rate and has complications. If you want to leave your phone in the locker, check that the app you pick can start a workout from the watch alone; Strong explicitly can.
The Better Alternative to Hevy and Strong: GymGod
Hevy and Strong are great at recording what you did. Neither one tells you what to do next. We built GymGod to do both: it logs as fast as Strong, then puts your last numbers on screen, calculates your next weight, and coaches you from your own history, so every workout moves you forward. Switching takes minutes: import your Strong or Hevy history and keep every PR.
What Makes GymGod Different
- AI coach that builds your routine: a routine made for you in a few taps that stays consistent, so you progressively overload instead of starting over. It runs privately on your iPhone.
- Your last workout on screen: the moment you start an exercise, your last weights, reps and goals appear, so you always know what to beat.
- Auto-progression: your next weight is already calculated from what you actually lifted. Neither Hevy nor Strong does this.
- 9 proven programs (5/3/1, nSuns, PPL and more) with progression and rest times built in, or build your own.
- PRs caught automatically, plus a recap after every workout showing where you improved.
- Apple Watch, Dynamic Island and Siri Shortcuts, so your workout is always one glance away.
- No account: your data syncs through your own iCloud, and you can export a Strong-format CSV anytime.
- Import your history from Strong or Hevy and keep every PR.
Hevy vs Strong vs GymGod
| Feature | GymGod | Strong | Hevy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in programs | 9 proven programs | None (you build them) | Mostly community-shared routines |
| Auto-progression | Yes | No | No |
| Social feed | No | No | Yes |
| Apple Watch app | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free version | First 3 workouts free | Unlimited workouts, 3 routines | Unlimited workouts, limited routines |
| Price | $3.99/month, $24.99/year, $59.99 lifetime | $4.99/month, $29.99/year, $99.99 forever | $3.99/month, $23.99/year, $74.99 lifetime |

User interface & ease of use
Strong adopts a minimal, productivity-first layout: quick reps and weight entry, clear rest timers, and concise histories. Hevy leans into a friendlier design with images, swipeable cards, and easy social sharing. If you prefer tapping numbers fast between sets, Strong is slightly faster. If you want onboarding, templates, and community encouragement, Hevy feels more modern.
Exercise library & customization
Both Strong and Hevy include extensive exercise libraries and allow custom exercises (Hevy's free version caps custom exercises at 7). Strong is known for precise exercise variants and templates for structured strength programs; Hevy makes supersets, circuits and bodyweight moves easy to add. If you run highly structured programs, Strong's customization is more granular.
Data, exports, & privacy
Strong has long offered CSV export, and its format has become the standard other apps import. Hevy keeps your data in your Hevy account and also supports exports. Both can sync with Apple Health. If you might switch apps later, export your history every few months either way.
Which should you pick?
- Choose GymGod if: you want to get stronger, not just keep records. You get proven programs, an AI coach, your last workout on screen and automatic progression, with a lifetime price ($59.99) lower than Hevy's or Strong's.
- Choose Hevy if: a social feed matters more to you than progression.
- Choose Strong if: you only want a plain log and already know your next weights.
Final Verdict
Hevy vs Strong is close: Hevy wins on price and free features, Strong on speed and focus. But both are just logs; it's still on you to work out what to lift next. GymGod does that for you, with auto-progression, an AI coach and your last workout on screen, and its $59.99 lifetime price beats both. Your first 3 workouts are free, and you can import your Hevy or Strong history to try it today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hevy or Strong better?
Hevy is better if you want a generous free version, a lower price and a social feed. Strong is better if you want fast, distraction-free logging and a one-time purchase. Both are rated 4.9 in the App Store.
Is Hevy free?
Yes. Hevy's free version logs unlimited workouts with no ads, but limits routines, custom exercises (7) and graph history. Hevy Pro costs $3.99 a month, $23.99 a year or $74.99 once.
Is the Strong app free?
Strong's free version saves unlimited workouts but limits you to 3 custom routines. Strong PRO costs $4.99 a month, $29.99 a year or $99.99 forever.
Do Hevy and Strong work on Apple Watch?
Yes. Both have full Apple Watch apps. Strong's can log a workout with or without your iPhone; Hevy's live-syncs with your phone, runs your routines and tracks heart rate.
Can I move my workouts from Strong to Hevy (or to another app)?
Usually, yes. Strong exports a CSV that many apps can import, and GymGod imports history from both Strong and Hevy.