Best Strength Training Apps in 2026: Tested on Apple Watch, Hevy vs Strong vs Fitbod and More

Most Strength Training Apps Have the Same Problem

They only care about lifting.

Open any popular strength app and you'll find the same formula: pick a muscle group, follow a template, log your sets. It works well enough if your entire fitness identity begins and ends with the weight room. But for the growing number of people who want to be strong and fit - who run, do conditioning, play sport, or train for events like HYROX - pure strength apps feel incomplete.

The best strength training apps in 2026 do more than hand you a list of exercises. They programme intelligently, adapt to your progress, and fit into a broader fitness picture. Some do this through AI. Some do it through coaching. A few try to do it through sheer volume of content.

We tested the most popular strength training apps over several weeks each, evaluating them on programming quality, personalisation, progressive overload, ease of use, and whether they actually make you stronger. Here's what we found.

What Makes a Good Strength Training App?

Before the rankings, it's worth understanding what separates a good strength app from a glorified workout timer.

Progressive Overload

This is the single most important principle in strength training. If your app isn't systematically increasing load, volume, or intensity over time, it's not really training you. It's just giving you things to do. The best apps track your performance and adjust accordingly, whether that's adding weight to the bar, prescribing extra sets, or introducing harder variations.

Personalisation

A workout plan built for a 25-year-old gym regular with access to a fully equipped facility should look nothing like one built for a 40-year-old parent training three times a week with dumbbells at home. Good apps ask the right questions upfront and adapt over time. Great apps learn from every session you complete.

Programming Structure

Random workouts aren't training. They're exercise. Effective strength programming follows periodised blocks, balances muscle groups, manages fatigue, and builds toward specific outcomes. The best apps handle this behind the scenes so you don't need a sports science degree to train properly.

Exercise Instruction

Especially important for beginners, but useful at every level. Video demonstrations, form cues, and clear descriptions of each movement reduce injury risk and improve training quality. Apps that assume you already know what a Romanian deadlift is are excluding a huge audience.

Integration with the Rest of Your Life

Strength training doesn't exist in isolation. If you're also running, doing conditioning, playing sport, or recovering from a tough week, your strength programme should account for that. Most apps don't. The ones that do deliver significantly better results.

The Best Strength Training Apps - Ranked

1. Edge - Best for Strength Training as Part of a Complete Fitness Plan

Rating: 5/5

Edge takes a fundamentally different approach to strength training. Instead of treating lifting as a standalone activity, Edge programmes strength work as part of a personalised weekly plan that also includes running, conditioning, and recovery. This isn't a compromise - it's smarter programming.

Why? Because strength doesn't exist in a vacuum. Your squat performance on Thursday is affected by your run on Tuesday. Your upper body session on Monday should account for the conditioning workout on Wednesday. Edge handles all of this automatically, balancing training stress across the week so each session complements the others rather than competing with them.

Every plan is built individually based on your fitness level, available training days, equipment access, and goals. If you tell Edge you can train four days a week and want to build strength while improving your 5K time, it builds a plan that does both without overtraining you. If your goal is pure strength with minimal cardio, it adjusts accordingly.

The strength programming itself is genuinely good. Sessions follow progressive overload principles, target all major movement patterns, and adapt as you get stronger. You're not just repeating the same workout every week - the app builds in variation, deload periods, and progression that mirrors what a qualified coach would programme.

Speaking of coaches: Edge gives you 24/7 access to real human coaches. Not chatbots, not AI responses. Actual qualified coaches who can review your training, answer questions about technique, and adjust your programme when life gets in the way. For anyone who's ever wondered whether they're squatting deep enough or whether their programme needs changing, this is invaluable.

Apple Watch integration means you can follow guided workouts directly from your wrist during gym sessions - no need to keep checking your phone between sets.

Why it works for strength training:

• Personalised programming that follows progressive overload principles
• Strength sessions designed to work alongside your running and conditioning - not against them
• 24/7 access to real coaches who can review form and adjust your plan
• Apple Watch guided workouts for hands-free gym sessions
• Adapts to your equipment - works for full gym, home setup, or minimal kit
• Built-in periodisation with deload weeks and training phase progression

What could be better: Edge doesn't have the massive exercise library that some pure strength apps offer. If you want 900+ exercise variations with detailed muscle activation maps, a dedicated lifting app like Fitbod or Hevy has more depth in that specific area. But if you want a programme that makes you stronger while keeping you fit overall, Edge is unmatched.

Try Edge free for 7 days

2. Fitbod - Best for AI-Powered Gym Workouts

Rating: 4.5/5

Fitbod is the most data-driven pure strength app on the market. Its AI analyses every set you log and adjusts future workouts based on your performance, recovery status, and muscle group balance. If you overtrained your chest last week, Fitbod will shift volume toward your back and legs. If your squat jumped 10kg, it recalculates your working weights across related movements.

The exercise library is enormous - over 900 movements with video demonstrations, muscle group tags, and difficulty ratings. For intermediate to advanced lifters who want granular control over their training, this depth is genuinely useful.

Setup is straightforward. You tell Fitbod your goals, available equipment, and training frequency, and it generates your first workout within minutes. Each session is different, which keeps training interesting but can feel inconsistent if you prefer following the same programme for several weeks.

What lifters will love:

• AI that genuinely learns from your performance data
• Massive exercise library with detailed form videos
• Muscle group balance tracking to prevent imbalances
• Equipment-aware programming for home or gym

What could be better: Fitbod is strength-only. If you also run, cycle, or do any conditioning, the app has no awareness of that training load. You're managing two separate worlds, which increases the risk of overtraining and makes programme design less efficient. The constantly changing workouts can also make it harder to track progressive overload on specific lifts over time.

Price: Free trial, then around 9.99/month

3. Hevy - Best Free Workout Tracker for Experienced Lifters

Rating: 4/5

Hevy has quietly become one of the most popular strength tracking apps, and for good reason. It's clean, fast, and genuinely useful for logging workouts and tracking progress over time. The free version covers everything most lifters need: exercise logging, progress charts, one-rep-max calculations, and routine templates.

The Pro version adds a Trainer feature that creates custom plans based on your goals, experience, and equipment. It's well-designed and follows solid programming principles. The exercise library is extensive, with clear demonstrations and muscle group breakdowns.

What makes Hevy stand out is its simplicity. There's no bloat, no unnecessary gamification, and no aggressive upselling. You open the app, start your workout, log your sets, and see your progress. For experienced lifters who know what they're doing and just need a reliable tracker, Hevy is excellent.

What lifters will love:

• Clean, fast interface with minimal friction
• Excellent progress tracking and analytics
• Generous free tier with no ads
• Community features for sharing and comparing workouts

What could be better: The free version is a tracker, not a coach. It doesn't tell you what to do or when to progress - you need to bring your own programming knowledge. The Pro Trainer feature addresses this but requires a subscription. Like Fitbod, Hevy has zero awareness of non-strength training, so runners and hybrid athletes are on their own for balancing workload.

Price: Free core features, Pro from 9.99/month

4. Strong - Best Simple Workout Logger

Rating: 4/5

Strong does one thing exceptionally well: it lets you log strength workouts quickly and efficiently. The interface is arguably the cleanest in the category. You create routines, hit start, and the app guides you through each exercise with rest timers, set tracking, and the option to view previous performance on each lift.

It's a favourite among powerlifters and bodybuilders who already have their own programming and just need a digital logbook. The charts and analytics are clear and useful, showing your progression on individual lifts over weeks and months.

What lifters will love:

• Fastest, cleanest logging experience available
• Excellent historical performance tracking
• Apple Watch app for quick logging between sets
• No unnecessary features or distractions

What could be better: Strong is purely a logger. It doesn't generate workouts, provide coaching, or adapt your programme. If you don't know what programme to follow, Strong won't help you decide. The free version limits you to a small number of saved routines.

Price: Free with limits, Pro from 4.99/month

5. Alpha Progression - Best for Hypertrophy and Muscle Building

Rating: 4/5

Alpha Progression is a German-built app that takes a seriously scientific approach to strength programming. It creates personalised training plans based on your goals, available equipment, and training frequency, with a particular focus on hypertrophy - building muscle size.

The app's standout feature is its volume and intensity management. It tracks your total weekly volume per muscle group and adjusts future sessions to hit evidence-based targets for muscle growth. For anyone specifically training for aesthetics or bodybuilding, this data-driven approach is hard to beat.

What lifters will love:

• Volume tracking per muscle group based on scientific literature
• Personalised plan generation with smart periodisation
• Detailed analytics and progression tracking
• Equipment-aware programming

What could be better: The interface can feel dense and data-heavy, which may overwhelm beginners. It's clearly built for people who already understand training concepts like RIR (reps in reserve) and volume landmarks. Not ideal if you're just starting out.

Price: Free trial, then from 9.99/month

6. Nike Training Club - Best Free Option

Rating: 3.5/5

Nike Training Club remains one of the most polished free fitness apps available. It offers a large library of strength workouts led by qualified coaches, with sessions ranging from 10 to 45 minutes across beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels.

The production quality is high and the instruction is clear. For someone who wants to be told exactly what to do and follow along with a video, NTC delivers. The variety is good too, covering bodyweight, dumbbell, and full-gym workouts.

What lifters will love:

• Completely free with no hidden paywalls
• High-quality video instruction from certified coaches
• Wide variety of strength workouts for all levels
• Goal-based filtering to find appropriate sessions

What could be better: NTC doesn't track progressive overload, doesn't personalise workouts based on your history, and doesn't build a structured programme that progresses over weeks. You're choosing individual workouts rather than following a periodised plan. Great for getting started, limited for long-term strength development.

Price: Free

7. StrongLifts 5x5 - Best for Absolute Beginners

Rating: 3.5/5

StrongLifts 5x5 is the simplest effective strength programme available. Three workouts per week, five compound lifts, five sets of five reps, adding 2.5kg each session. It's linear progression in its purest form, and it works remarkably well for beginners who have never touched a barbell.

The app handles programming automatically. You just show up, do the prescribed workout, and log your lifts. When you fail a weight three times, the app deloads for you. It's foolproof.

What lifters will love:

• Dead-simple programming that actually works for beginners
• Automatic progression and deload management
• Focus on compound movements that build real-world strength
• Free to use for the core programme

What could be better: StrongLifts has a shelf life. After 3-6 months, linear progression stalls and the app doesn't offer a meaningful next step. The exercise selection is also extremely narrow - just five barbell movements. Once you outgrow the novice phase, you'll need to move to a more sophisticated programme.

Price: Free core programme, premium features from 9.49/month

8. JEFIT - Best for Exercise Library and Community

Rating: 3/5

JEFIT's biggest asset is its enormous exercise database with over 1,400 movements, complete with animated demonstrations, muscle group maps, and difficulty ratings. For anyone building their own programme, having this reference library in your pocket is genuinely useful.

The community features are also strong. You can share workouts, follow other users' programmes, and participate in challenges. If social accountability helps you stay consistent, JEFIT provides that environment.

What lifters will love:

• Massive exercise library with detailed tutorials
• Community features for sharing and accountability
• Custom workout builder with flexible programming
• Progress tracking with body measurements

What could be better: JEFIT's interface feels dated compared to newer competitors. The app tries to do too many things and the experience can feel cluttered. Programming quality varies widely depending on what community templates you follow - there's no guarantee that a popular workout is actually well-designed.

Price: Free with ads, Elite from 6.99/month

How We Tested These Apps

Every app was evaluated against five criteria specifically relevant to strength training:

1. Programming Quality - Does the app follow evidence-based strength training principles? We assessed whether programmes included progressive overload, appropriate volume management, exercise variety, and periodisation.

2. Personalisation - Does the app adapt to your level, equipment, and goals? We tested how each app adjusted to different user profiles and whether it learned from completed sessions.

3. Progressive Overload Implementation - Does the app systematically make you stronger? We tracked whether prescribed loads, volumes, and intensities increased appropriately over time.

4. Ease of Use - Can you start a workout without friction? We timed how long it took to get from opening the app to completing a first session, and assessed the day-to-day logging experience.

5. Coaching and Support - Is help available when you need it? We evaluated exercise instruction quality, form guidance, and access to real coaching support.

Why Strength Training Alone Isn't Enough

Here's something the pure strength apps won't tell you: getting stronger in isolation has diminishing returns for most people.

Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine consistently shows that combining resistance training with cardiovascular exercise produces better health outcomes than either modality alone. Stronger muscles are only useful if you have the cardiovascular system to support them. A big squat means less if you can't walk up four flights of stairs without getting winded.

For most people - not competitive powerlifters, not bodybuilders, but regular humans who want to be fit and capable - the ideal training programme includes strength, conditioning, and some form of cardiovascular work. The challenge is programming all of these together without overtraining or underrecovering.

This is where apps like Edge have a genuine structural advantage. Because Edge programmes strength alongside running and conditioning, it manages the total training load across your week. Your Monday squat session accounts for your Wednesday run. Your Friday conditioning doesn't undermine your Saturday deadlift. Everything works together instead of competing.

Pure strength apps can't do this. They see your lifting and nothing else. If you add running on top without adjusting your strength volume, you're flying blind on recovery.

Common Questions About Strength Training Apps

Do I need a gym to use a strength training app?

Not necessarily. Several apps on this list - including Edge, Fitbod, and Nike Training Club - offer programmes designed for home workouts with minimal equipment. A pair of dumbbells and a resistance band can go a surprisingly long way. That said, if your goal is serious strength development, access to a barbell and squat rack will accelerate your progress.

Can beginners use these apps safely?

Yes, but choose carefully. Apps with detailed exercise demonstrations and guided programming - like Edge, Fitbod, and StrongLifts - are better for beginners than pure trackers like Strong or Hevy. If you're genuinely new to lifting, consider starting with an app that includes coaching support so you can get feedback on your form.

How often should I strength train?

For most people, two to four strength sessions per week is optimal. Research shows that training each major muscle group twice per week produces better results than once per week. More isn't always better - recovery matters as much as the training itself.

Should I combine strength training with cardio?

For overall health and fitness, absolutely. The evidence is clear that combining resistance training with cardiovascular exercise produces better outcomes than either alone. The key is programming them together intelligently so they complement rather than compete. An app like Edge handles this automatically; with other apps, you'll need to manage the balance yourself.

Are paid strength apps worth the money?

It depends on what you're getting. A free tracker is fine if you already know how to programme your own training. But if you want personalised programming, coaching support, and intelligent progression, paid apps deliver significantly more value. The cost of a good strength app is typically less than a single session with a personal trainer.

The Bottom Line

The best strength training app for you depends on what strength training means in the context of your life.

If strength is your only focus and you want deep, data-driven gym programming, Fitbod or Alpha Progression will serve you well. If you want a simple, no-frills tracker, Strong or Hevy are hard to beat. If you're just getting started, StrongLifts or Nike Training Club will give you a solid foundation.

But if you want to get stronger as part of becoming genuinely fitter - if you also run, do conditioning, train for events, or simply want a programme that treats your body as a complete system rather than a collection of muscle groups - Edge is built for exactly that. It's the only app that programmes strength, running, and conditioning together, with real coaches backing you up.

Your muscles don't train in isolation. Your app shouldn't either.

Try Edge free for 7 days