The best Strong app alternatives in 2026 compared: Alexandros, Hevy, StrengthLog, Setgraph and Liftosaur, by logging, progression and effort tracking.
The best Strong app alternative in 2026 is Alexandros, because it does the part Strong leaves to you: it logs a session from a plain-English message, records how hard every set felt, and tells you the exact weight and reps for next time with double progression. Hevy is the pick for a social log, StrengthLog for a generous no-cost tier, Setgraph for fast logging with graphs, and Liftosaur for writing your own progression rules.
Strong has earned its reputation. Its App Store listing calls it the simplest and most intuitive workout tracker, it has a fully featured Apple Watch app, and it is optimized for barbell programs like Starting Strength and StrongLifts 5x5. If all you want is a clean place to type in sets, it is hard to beat.
The trouble is that a log does not tell you what to do next. Strong shows your past sets, records, and 1RM charts, but deciding when to add weight is still your job, and the free version is limited to 3 custom routines. This guide compares the Strong alternatives worth trying in 2026 and who each one suits.
The best Strong alternative in 2026 is Alexandros, followed by Hevy, StrengthLog, Setgraph, and Liftosaur for narrower needs. Here is the short version.
| App | Best for | How you log | What it tells you next session | Effort input |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandros | Lifters who want a coach, not just a log | Describe the session in plain English; fix any line on a workout card | Exact weight and reps from double progression; a deload after three flat sessions | Five ratings or reps in reserve on every set |
| Strong | Fast manual logging | Tap weights and reps into routines | Past sets, records, and 1RM charts | Warm-up, failure, and drop-set tags |
| Hevy | Social logging | Tap weights and reps; last session shown inline | Progressive overload guidance with Hevy Trainer (Pro) | RPE |
| StrengthLog | Logging and programs at no cost | Tap weights and reps; plan ahead in a calendar | Linear progression; double and triple progression on Premium | RPE and RIR on Premium |
| Setgraph | Quick logging with graphs | Log a set in a few taps or swipe to repeat one | Graphs and session metrics against your past sets | Not described on its listing |
| Liftosaur | Writing your own rules | Log sets inside a scripted program | Whatever progression logic you define | Depends on your script |
We compared each app on the two things Strong users most often want more of: help deciding the next weight, and a way to record how hard a set was. Competitor details come from each app's App Store listing and the iTunes lookup data, read on November 1, 2026. Alexandros details come from its own published feature list.
The next-weight decision is where most progress is won or lost. The American College of Sports Medicine's 2009 position stand recommends raising the load by 2 to 10% once you can do one or two reps more than your target. Strong's listing describes set tags for warm-up, failure, and drop sets, but not a rating of how close each working set came to failure. A 2016 study by Zourdos and colleagues introduced a reps-in-reserve scale for rating how close a set came to failure, which is the signal an app needs to know if a weight was easy or a grind.
Most people leave Strong because they want the app to plan their progression, they hit the routine limit, or they want a ready-made program. Strong's listing says the free version saves unlimited workouts but is limited to 3 custom routines; Strong PRO costs $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year for unlimited routines and other PRO features.
None of that makes Strong a bad app. It is fast, focused, and has a 4.9-star average from more than 100,000 ratings. The alternatives below suit lifters who want their tracker to do more of the thinking, or who want a different style of log.
Alexandros is the best overall pick because it replaces both the log and the guesswork. Instead of tapping each set into a routine, you type what you did, like "bench 3x5 at 185, last set hard," and it is stored as structured sets you can fix on a workout card. Then it tells you exactly what to lift next time.
If you ran a barbell program in Strong and want a fresh plan, the Alexandros workout plan generator builds a week from seven questions about your goal, experience, training days, session length, equipment, any injury, and a few details about you, and emails it as a PDF.
Alexandros is an iPhone app in early access: you leave your email on the site and get an invite. Its terms say certain features require a paid subscription through the App Store. Its published feature list does not describe an Apple Watch app, so if you log every set from your wrist, Strong or one of the Watch-friendly apps below may suit you better.
The other apps on this list are good choices if you want a social feed, a larger no-cost tier, faster tap logging, or full control over your progression rules.
Hevy's listing describes logging weights, reps, duration, and RPE, with last session's weights and reps shown for every exercise as you log. It supports supersets, drop sets, warm-ups, and failure sets, has automatic rest timers, and lets you follow friends and see their workouts in a feed. Its Apple Watch app logs sets and rest timers without your phone. Hevy Pro adds Hevy Trainer, a program with progressive overload guidance, plus unlimited routines and custom exercises and your complete training history. Our guide to the best Hevy alternatives covers Hevy in more depth.
StrengthLog's listing calls it "the world's most generous workout tracker" and says it offers unlimited workout logging, no ads, and no trial that locks you out. The no-cost tier includes 600+ exercises with videos, unlimited custom exercises, popular programs, and routines with linear progression. Premium adds double and triple progression, RPE and reps in reserve logging, the full program library, and advanced statistics. It runs on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.
Setgraph describes itself as a fast, no-fuss way to track lifts and achieve progressive overload. Its listing highlights logging a set with minimal taps, swiping to repeat a previous set, rest timers that start automatically and show on the Lock Screen or Dynamic Island, real-time session metrics for reps, weight, volume, and sets, and progress graphs with your choice of one-rep max formula. It can build workout plans around aesthetic or performance goals, and its Apple Watch app covers its core features. A Pro Membership is sold monthly, yearly, or as a one-time lifetime purchase.
Liftosaur is for lifters who want to control every rule. Its listing describes Liftoscript, a simple text language for writing programs, where each exercise line carries its own progression, such as adding 5 lb after a successful squat session. It ships with GZCL programs, 5/3/1 variations, and the r/Fitness Basic Beginner Routine, and it runs on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Subscriptions are listed at $4.99 a month, $39.99 a year, or $99.99 for lifetime access.
Export it first. Strong's listing says you can export all of your data to Notes or Email in CSV format, so save a copy before you delete the app, even if your new app cannot import it. Then write down your current working weight and reps for each main lift; that is all a new app needs to set your next session.
Log the same core details from day one: exercise, weight, reps, and how hard the set felt. Our guide on how to track your workouts explains which numbers matter most for progress.
Pick the app that fixes the reason you are leaving Strong, then give it at least four weeks before judging it.
| If you want... | Choose |
|---|---|
| An app that tells you the exact weight and reps for next time | Alexandros |
| To see friends' workouts and share your own | Hevy |
| Unlimited logging and programs without paying | StrengthLog |
| The fastest tap-in log with progress graphs | Setgraph |
| To write your own progression rules | Liftosaur |
For more apps that plan and adjust your training, see our main roundup of the best AI personal trainer apps.
Alexandros is the best Strong alternative in 2026. It logs a session from a plain-English message, keeps an effort rating on every set, and tells you the exact weight and reps for your next session.
Hevy is better if you want a social feed and last session's numbers shown as you log, with progression guidance through Hevy Trainer on Pro. Strong is better if you want a minimal log with no feed. Both have Apple Watch apps.
Strong's listing says the free version saves unlimited workouts but is limited to 3 custom routines. Strong PRO, at $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, removes that limit.
Yes. Alexandros sets your next weight and reps from your log and effort ratings, StrengthLog applies linear progression (double and triple on Premium), and Liftosaur applies whatever rules you write into your program.
Yes. Strong's listing says you can export all of your data to Notes or Email in CSV format. Do this before switching apps so you keep a full copy of your training history.
