Hevy and Strong are the two best workout-logging apps in 2026, but they are not interchangeable. Pick Hevy if you want a social feed, full Android parity, a $74.99 lifetime license, and a polished free tier. Pick Strong if you live on Apple Watch, want a private logbook, and prefer paying $29.99 per year for a simpler, faster-feeling interface. For most lifters in 2026, Hevy wins on value and feature breadth.
Last reviewed: May 2026
Search "hevy vs strong app" on Google and the top five results are written by people who sell workout apps. Setgraph, GymGod, and SensAI all rank in the top five, and each one quietly recommends a different "better alternative" by the bottom of the article. It is a SERP full of conflicted comparisons.
We do not sell a workout app. We read the Hevy and Strong public docs, the App Store reviews, the threads on r/fitness and r/homegym, and we made a call. This post is the version of "hevy vs strong" we wish we had found when we were trying to choose. It includes a 15-row feature matrix, a 10-year cost projection with break-even math, and a decision tree by lifter type at the end.
The 30-second verdict: who each app is for
Hevy is the app you pick if you want the modern package: clean UI, full Android parity, a social feed if you want one (ignorable if you do not), advanced features like RIR tracking and supersets handled cleanly, and a one-time $74.99 lifetime license option that pays itself off in roughly 2.5 years versus Strong's annual subscription. The free tier is also genuinely useful, not a crippled demo.
Strong is the app you pick if you have been using it since 2015 and your muscle memory does not want to move, if you log workouts primarily from an Apple Watch (where Strong has a documented edge), or if you actively dislike social features and want a quiet, private logbook. Strong is simpler. That is its strength and, depending on what you want, also its ceiling.
How we compared these (no fake bench testing)
We did not run a stopwatch in a gym. We are not pretending to. What this post is based on:
- The official Hevy and Strong pricing pages and feature docs, read in May 2026.
- App Store and Google Play review samples (most-helpful + most-recent, both stars, both apps).
- r/fitness, r/homegym, r/weightroom, and r/xxfitness threads from the last 18 months where users compared the two by name.
- AITB editorial judgment on workout-app UX, having reviewed eight fitness logging apps for the best AI workout app post and the best fitness apps for strength training roundup.
Where we say "users report" or "reviewers consistently note," that is what those public sources say, not our own bench test.
Pricing math: $74.99 lifetime vs $29.99 per year
This is where the comparison gets concrete. As of May 2026:
Hevy Pro: $4.99/month, $39.99/year, or $74.99 lifetime (one-time). Free tier is generous.
Strong Pro: $4.99/month or $29.99/year. No lifetime option. Free tier is more limited (4 routines max, no advanced features).
The break-even on Hevy's lifetime license vs Strong's annual subscription is roughly 2.5 years. If you plan to be lifting (and logging) for more than two and a half years, Hevy lifetime is cheaper than Strong forever.
10-year cost projection
| Year | Hevy lifetime (paid once) | Hevy annual | Strong annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $74.99 | $39.99 | $29.99 |
| 2 | $74.99 | $79.98 | $59.98 |
| 3 | $74.99 | $119.97 | $89.97 |
| 5 | $74.99 | $199.95 | $149.95 |
| 7 | $74.99 | $279.93 | $209.93 |
| 10 | $74.99 | $399.90 | $299.90 |
Over 10 years, Hevy lifetime is $74.99 total. Strong on the annual plan is $299.90. That is a $224.91 difference, or roughly 4x cheaper across a decade.
The counter-argument: if you genuinely will not stick with lifting past 18 months, Strong annual is the cheapest option short-term ($29.99 vs $39.99 vs $74.99). For people who have been training for 5+ years already and intend to keep going, Hevy lifetime is the obvious math.
Free tier: what you actually get without paying
This is underrated. Most people will use the free tier first.
Hevy free: unlimited workouts, unlimited routines, custom exercises, body measurements, social feed access, basic charts, and PR tracking. The limits are mostly on exports (no CSV on free) and advanced analytics. Reviewers on r/fitness regularly say "the free tier is enough for 90% of lifters."
Strong free: capped at 4 custom routines, no supersets, no plate calculator, no Apple Watch app on free (Watch support requires Pro). The free tier reads as a demo.
If your plan is "free until I am sure I will stick with it," Hevy is the more honest free tier. Strong's free tier nudges you to upgrade fast.
Logging speed: taps per set
The number-one thing a workout app has to be good at is logging a set without breaking your rest pace. Both apps do this well, but in different ways.
Hevy: tap exercise > previous weight and reps prefilled > tap to confirm or edit > tick. App Store reviews consistently call it "fast" and "clean." The previous-set prefill is the time-saver.
Strong: similar flow, slightly fewer animations, which some Strong loyalists explicitly say they prefer ("Hevy has too much going on, Strong just gets out of the way"). Strong has had the prefill behavior longer and it is rock-solid.
The honest take from reading hundreds of reviews: both are fast enough that the speed difference is preference, not performance. If you have used Strong for years, Hevy will feel slightly busier. If you start fresh with Hevy, Strong will feel slightly sparse.
Android parity: the gap
This is one of the most cited differences in r/homegym and r/Android threads.
Hevy launched cross-platform from day one and treats Android as a first-class citizen. Updates ship to iOS and Android together. Reviews on Google Play average 4.7 stars (May 2026) with consistent praise for stability.
Strong started as iOS-only and added Android later. Reviewers on Google Play repeatedly note that the Android version lags behind iOS on features and on bug fixes. Sample comments include "Android version still missing the supersets UI improvements iOS got last year" and "Apple Watch sync works flawlessly but the Android Wear support is barebones." Strong's Google Play rating is lower than its App Store rating.
If you are on Android, Hevy is the lower-risk choice in 2026. If you are on iOS, the gap closes considerably and other factors matter more.
Apple Watch logging: Strong's documented strength
Credit where credit is due. Strong's Apple Watch app is one of the most-praised features in its review corpus. Reviewers say things like "I log my entire workout from my wrist, never pull out my phone" and "the Watch app is the reason I have not switched to Hevy."
Hevy does have an Apple Watch companion app, and it has improved through 2025, but App Store reviews still position Strong's Watch experience as more polished. For Apple Watch power users, this is a genuine reason to pick Strong over Hevy in 2026.
If you do not own an Apple Watch, this section does not apply to you, and the rest of the comparison favors Hevy.
Supersets, drop sets, RIR/RPE workflows
Advanced programming features matter for intermediate-to-advanced lifters.
Hevy: supersets are first-class (tap to link exercises into a circuit, the app handles the rest timer accordingly). Drop sets are supported. RIR (Reps in Reserve) and RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) can be logged per set. Custom rest timers per exercise.
Strong: supersets are supported but reviewers describe the UI as "older" and "less intuitive than Hevy's." Drop sets work. RPE tracking is available on Pro. The advanced-programming features are all there, just less smoothly presented.
For someone running a structured hypertrophy or strength program (5/3/1, RP, GZCL, Push-Pull-Legs with RIR targets), Hevy's modern handling of these features will feel less friction. For someone doing simple linear progression and just wanting a logbook, Strong's simpler approach is fine.
Social feed (Hevy) vs private logging (Strong)
This is the most visible philosophical difference between the two apps.
Hevy has a social feed. You can follow friends, see their workouts, like and comment. You can also turn it off entirely and use Hevy as a pure logbook. The social side is opt-in by behavior; you do not have to engage with it.
Strong has no social feed. It is private by design. Your workouts are yours alone unless you screenshot and share them.
Reading reviews, this splits cleanly:
- Lifters who want accountability, community, or to share PRs love the Hevy feed.
- Lifters who think workout apps should be solo tools find the feed irritating or unnecessary.
If you fall into the second camp, Strong is the more comfortable choice. If you are in the first camp or are indifferent, Hevy gives you the option without forcing it.
Data, charts, PR tracking, CSV export
Both apps track personal records and offer progress charts. Differences:
Hevy: 1RM estimates per lift, volume charts, frequency heatmap, muscle-group distribution, body measurement charts. CSV export is Pro-only. Reviewers consistently call the charts "well-designed."
Strong: 1RM estimates, volume and intensity charts, PR tracking, body measurements. CSV export is Pro-only. The charts are functional but less visually polished than Hevy's, per common review feedback.
For data exporters who want to pull workouts into Google Sheets or a spreadsheet (we have written about this in our AI fitness coaching guide), both apps deliver the CSV. Hevy's export schema is slightly cleaner and easier to pivot, per developer comments on r/fitness.
15-row feature matrix
| Feature | Hevy | Strong |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier (workouts) | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Free tier (custom routines) | Unlimited | 4 max |
| Monthly Pro | $4.99 | $4.99 |
| Annual Pro | $39.99 | $29.99 |
| Lifetime license | $74.99 one-time | Not offered |
| iOS app rating (May 2026) | 4.9 | 4.8 |
| Android app rating (May 2026) | 4.7 | 4.3 |
| Apple Watch app | Yes (good) | Yes (excellent) |
| Supersets | Polished UI | Supported, older UI |
| Drop sets | Yes | Yes |
| RIR / RPE logging | Yes (per set) | Yes (Pro) |
| Social feed | Yes (ignorable) | No |
| Custom exercises | Yes (free) | Yes (Pro) |
| CSV export | Pro only | Pro only |
| Cross-platform sync | iOS + Android + Web | iOS + Android (iOS-first) |
Where each one falls short (honest section)
Where Hevy falls short:
- The social feed, even if ignorable, is something a chunk of lifters fundamentally do not want in their gym app. If that is you, Hevy will always feel slightly cluttered.
- Apple Watch experience is good but not as refined as Strong's.
- Some users find the visual design "too colorful" or "too polished," preferring Strong's quieter aesthetic.
Where Strong falls short:
- Android parity is the loudest complaint in its review corpus and has been for years.
- No lifetime license option means you are paying yearly forever.
- The advanced-programming UI (supersets, drop sets) is functional but feels dated next to Hevy's.
- Slower release cadence; reviewers note that requested features can sit in "we hear you" for a long time.
Neither app has a fatal flaw. They have personalities, and the right pick depends on which personality fits yours.
Decision tree by lifter type
You are on Android -> Hevy. The parity gap is the dealbreaker. This is the strongest single recommendation in this post.
You live on Apple Watch and log primarily from your wrist -> Strong. The Watch app is the best in the category, full stop.
You want a social/accountability feed -> Hevy. Strong does not have one and is not adding one.
You actively do not want a social feed and consider it bloat -> Strong. Or Hevy with the feed tab ignored, but if the existence of the feed bothers you, pick Strong.
You plan to log workouts for 3+ years and want to stop paying -> Hevy lifetime ($74.99). Math is decisive.
You are trying a workout app for the first time and not sure you will stick -> Hevy free tier. It is the more honest free experience.
You are a long-time Strong user with years of data and no specific complaint -> Stay on Strong. Migration is possible (both apps support CSV import) but not free of friction, and if Strong is working for you, the upgrade pressure is small.
You run structured hypertrophy programs with RIR/RPE per set -> Hevy. The advanced-logging UI is smoother.
You want the simplest possible logbook with no extra surface area -> Strong. Its simplicity is a feature.
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