Hevy vs Strong 2026: No Competing Apps Wrote This

If you’ve searched “Hevy vs Strong” today, you’ve already read at least one comparison written by an app that wants you to download neither — they want you to download theirs instead.

That matters. You’re going to invest months of workout data into whichever app you pick. Choosing the wrong one means hitting a paywalled wall you didn’t expect, or paying for a premium tier you don’t need.

Short answer: Download Hevy if you’re a beginner or want social accountability. Download Strong if you already have your program, hate social feeds, or want to buy it once and forget about pricing forever. Start free in both cases, and don’t pay for Pro until you actually hit the limits — which we’ll spell out exactly.

Here’s why that’s the honest answer, what those limits actually are, and when both apps lose to a spreadsheet.

The Problem With Every Other Hevy vs Strong Comparison

Every single top-ranking comparison you’ll find is written by a competing app maker.

GymGod, PRPath, Find Your Edge, Smart Rabbit, and 12Reps — the five pages Google serves you first — are all workout apps themselves. Each article ends with a call to download the author’s own app. None of them benefit financially from honestly recommending Hevy or Strong.

That’s not neutral research. That’s competitive marketing dressed up as a review. The fitness industry has always been great at selling you advice that happens to serve the seller. App comparison content is just the newest version of it.

We don’t have an app to sell you. So here’s the actual comparison.

Hevy vs Strong: Quick Comparison

(Pricing as of March 2026 — verify current figures at hevy.com/pricing and strongapp.io before purchasing)

A few things jump out here. Hevy’s free tier is generous in breadth — you get a massive exercise library, social features, and Apple Watch sync at no cost. The catch is the 3-month history cap, which you won’t feel for 90 days.

Strong’s free tier is generous in depth — unlimited history from day one, no paywall. The catch is the hard 3-routine cap, which you’ll hit immediately if you run anything more than a simple alternating A/B program.

One more thing: Strong’s lifetime license math only makes sense if you keep the app for 2+ years. At $99.99 vs. ~$4.99/month, you break even around month 20. If you’ve been lifting consistently for years and expect to continue, it’s a good deal. Hevy has no comparable lifetime option.

Hevy: The Free Tier That Actually Feels Free

Hevy’s free tier is, genuinely, free in a way that most fitness apps aren’t.

You get unlimited workout logging, 1,000+ exercises with instructional animations, a social feed (optional), and Apple Watch sync — with no ads. One user on MyFitnessPal’s community summed it up well: “Hevy checked most of the boxes for me as someone new to being a regular lifter. I love that I can use it on my watch and the watch interface is straightforward and simple.” (chris_in_cal, community.myfitnesspal.com)

The real friction point is the 3-month analytics history wall. After 90 days, your progress trends disappear behind the Pro paywall. You can still log workouts, but you can’t see how your squat has improved over six months without upgrading. It’s the sneakiest free-tier limit in the category — specifically designed to hit right when you’ve built enough data to care about it.

The social feed is worth mentioning because it gets mixed reactions. It’s opt-in in practice — you can use Hevy without engaging with it at all. But for complete beginners who train alone, seeing that other regular people are also doing 3×5 squats on a Tuesday can be genuinely motivating. The fitness industry would sell you a $150/year AI coach for that same accountability hit. Hevy does it for free.

One honest caveat: Hevy is actively developed, which means new features land regularly. It also means bugs. Timer issues and black screen crashes are the most commonly cited frustrations in App Store reviews, per an independent Hevy review at dr-muscle.com. None of them are dealbreakers, but they’re real.

Best for: beginners who want template programs to follow, Apple Watch users, anyone who benefits from social accountability, and budget-conscious lifters who can live with a 3-month history cap for now.

Strong: The No-BS Logger That Serious Lifters Trust

Strong is older, more minimalist, and has a dedicated following among experienced lifters for one reason: it’s just fast.

The free tier gives you unlimited history from day one. Every workout you’ve ever logged is always visible, fully searchable, no paywall. That’s a real structural advantage over Hevy, and it’s the main reason lifters who’ve been tracking for years tend to prefer it.

The hard limit is the 3-routine cap. If you’re running a basic beginner program — two alternating workouts, maybe three — you’re fine. If you run a 4-day push/pull/legs split, you hit the wall immediately. Strong Pro unlocks unlimited routines, advanced charts, and a plate calculator that tells you exactly which plates to load for a given weight. Worth having if you need it; not worth paying for if you don’t.

The no-social-feed design is a feature, not an oversight. Strong doesn’t want to be a fitness social network. It’s a private notebook for your lifts. For users who find the fitness-social complex exhausting — the influencer workouts, the unsolicited form checks, the “you got this!” strangers — this is exactly the right call.

The $99.99 lifetime license is genuinely good value for the right person: someone who’s been lifting for years, knows their program cold, and wants to stop thinking about subscription pricing forever. At ~$4.99/month, you break even in about 20 months. After that, you’re ahead.

Best for: intermediate and advanced lifters with a set program, privacy-focused users, Android users who want reliable cross-platform performance, and anyone who wants to buy it once and forget about it.

When Both Apps Lose to a Notes App

Here’s something the app comparison articles won’t tell you: if you’re running a free beginner program, a spreadsheet might be all you need.

Starting Strength, StrongLifts 5x5, and Reddit’s Basic Beginner Routine all have official spreadsheets designed specifically for tracking those programs. They’re free, they’re yours forever, and they don’t have a 3-month history wall or a 3-routine cap. Your data doesn’t disappear if the app company pivots or gets acquired.

Neither Hevy nor Strong tells you what to lift. They are digital notebooks. A physical notebook works too.

The case for the apps over a spreadsheet is real, though: automatic progress charts, per-exercise history at a single tap, Apple Watch logging without unlocking your phone, and rest timers. If you’re doing multiple exercises with complex progressions across multiple rep schemes, the app wins on convenience.

The case for the spreadsheet: your data is 100% yours forever, zero subscription risk, works on any device, no bugs. If you’re running a linear progression for your first six months, the StrongLifts spreadsheet will outlast most apps.

One more thing: if what you actually want is an app that generates your program and coaches your form, neither Hevy nor Strong does that. That’s a different category entirely — check our breakdown of the best AI personal trainer apps if that’s what you’re after. And if you want to track macros alongside your lifts, that’s a different decision too.

The fitness industry will always find new ways to sell you a tool that’s supposed to solve consistency. Hevy and Strong don’t claim to do that. They’re notebooks. That’s honest, and that’s worth something.

Our Take: Which One Should You Download?

Default pick: Hevy. For most people, especially beginners, the free tier is more practically usable. The exercise library includes instructional animations that genuinely help people who don’t yet know correct form. The social option adds accountability without forcing it. Apple Watch integration is strong. And you’ve got 3 full months before any paywall affects your daily experience.

Strong wins when: you already have your program locked in, you run 3 or fewer routines, you find social feeds annoying, you’re on Android and want a no-frills experience, or you want to buy it once and never think about pricing again.

When to pay for Hevy Pro: only after 3 months, when the analytics history wall actually hits you. Don’t pay before you feel the limit.

When to pay for Strong Pro: only if you need more than 3 routines, or if you specifically want the plate calculator and advanced charts. If the free tier covers your program, it’s a genuinely complete experience for experienced lifters.

Honest take: neither app is worth $60–120/year for most people using it just to log workouts. Start free. Use the app every week. If a limit genuinely blocks you after 3 months, then decide.

On Reddit, the mental model people bring to this comparison consistently breaks down the same way: Strong for speed and privacy, Hevy for social features and beginner-friendliness. That tracks with our read. Neither is wrong.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hevy or Strong better for a complete beginner with no programming knowledge?

Hevy, and it’s not close. The exercise library includes instructional animations, there are beginner program templates built in, and the social feed (optional) shows you what other real people are actually doing. Strong is excellent, but it assumes you already know your program. Neither app designs a program for you — if you want that, you need an AI trainer app or a free program like StrongLifts 5x5 to start.

Which workout tracker has the best free plan — Hevy or Strong?

Depends which limit you hit first. Hevy’s free plan is better in breadth: the daily experience is fully featured, with animations, social, and Apple Watch sync. Strong’s free plan is better in depth: unlimited all-time history with no paywall. If you’ll run more than 3 routines, Hevy’s free tier is more flexible. If you want to see all your history without ever paying, Strong wins.

Does Hevy’s social feed actually help with motivation or is it just noise?

Community sentiment is genuinely split. Beginners and people who train alone tend to find it motivating — especially if they follow friends who also lift. Experienced lifters who already have training partners or community elsewhere tend to ignore it or turn it off. The key thing: you can use Hevy without engaging with the feed at all. It won’t force you into the social experience.

Is Strong worth paying for if you already know your program?

Maybe — but only if you need more than 3 routines. If you run a 2-day or 3-day split and the free tier covers your routines, there’s no urgent reason to upgrade. The $99.99 lifetime license becomes genuinely good value if you’re confident you’ll keep lifting for the next 2+ years and want to stop thinking about subscription pricing entirely.

How do Hevy and Strong compare to just using a spreadsheet?

For a known program, a spreadsheet is genuinely competitive. The apps win on automatic charting, Apple Watch logging, per-exercise history at a tap, and rest timers. The spreadsheet wins on data ownership — it’s yours forever, no subscription risk, no app abandonment. If you’re running StrongLifts 5x5 or Starting Strength, the official spreadsheets for those programs are excellent starting points.

Can you export your data if you want to switch apps later?

Strong has data export built in. Hevy’s CSV export reportedly requires a Pro subscription on some accounts — confirm this before committing months of data to the free tier. The advice: test the export feature in the first week so you know the option actually works before your data becomes irreplaceable.

Download One Today, Not Both Forever

Hevy for beginners and social learners. Strong for experienced lifters with a set program who want a one-time purchase and zero distractions.

Download Hevy first — the free tier is genuinely usable for 3 months before any wall appears. If the social features annoy you or you already know your program inside-out, switch to Strong. Start free either way, and don’t hand over your credit card until a specific limit actually blocks you.

The fitness industry will always find new ways to sell you things you don’t need — an AI coach, a macro tracker, a personalized motivation plan. Hevy and Strong are just notebooks. Use them like notebooks, and they’re worth every penny of the free tier.