Updated June 2026 · MyoAmigo Blog
Strong vs Hevy (2026)
If you're looking for a lifting app and the search results keep surfacing Strong and Hevy, you're seeing two legitimate contenders. Both have been refined through years of use (or significant early traction), both have loyal followings, and neither pretends to be something it isn't. The honest question is which one fits your actual needs.
The shape of each app
Strong is the iOS veteran. It arrived when the smartphone logging space was already crowded, and it won trust by being relentlessly simple: a blank template, a stopwatch, and a plate calculator. The watch app is polished and responsive. The free tier lets you create a limited number of routines; a subscription unlocks the full set. If your phone is iOS only and you want a logbook that gets out of your way, Strong has a decade of evidence behind it.
Hevy is the modern challenger. It launched into a market where features mattered more, and it responded by being generous: a free tier with few restrictions, cross-platform access (iOS, Android, web), and a social dimension—you follow friends, see their workouts, and build a small community inside the app. It has a watch app, analytics behind a subscription tier, and the same chart-but-don't-judge philosophy as Strong. If you want the app with the lowest friction to try and the broadest device support, Hevy made that bet deliberately.
Head-to-head comparison
| Strong | Hevy | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iOS, Apple Watch | iOS, Android, web, Apple Watch |
| Free tier | Limited routines; upgrade for full access | Few limits; most features included |
| Logging speed | Designed for one-tap entry | Quick input, competitive |
| Apple Watch app | Full native experience | Present and functional |
| Social features | None | Follow friends, see workouts, feed |
| Analytics approach | Charts; logbook philosophy | Charts; logbook philosophy |
| Data export | Yes, CSV | Yes, CSV |
Where each excels
Strong's strength is consistency. Every interaction feels polished. The plate calculator is a reference implementation—you tell it how much to load and it tells you which plates go on which side, without fuss. The watch app is native and fast; if you're someone who logs from the wrist, you'll feel the difference. The iOS ecosystem is its home turf, and Strong knows it.
Hevy's advantage is breadth. If you're on Android or want to train with friends on different phones, Hevy works. The social feed is a real differentiator—seeing your friends' sessions creates a lightweight accountability loop that Strong doesn't offer. The free tier is genuinely permissive; you can train at your real strength level without hitting a paywall immediately. As of this writing, Hevy's onboarding is also approachable for people new to structured lifting.
What neither does
Both apps are logbooks with charts. Neither generates training plans based on your goal, your experience, and how much time you have. Neither watches for stalls and suggests a concrete next step (lighter weight, higher reps, deload). Neither lets you plug your own AI assistant into your training data—you're locked into the app's own (modest) analysis layer, if it has one. Neither knows what equipment your gym has, so neither can adjust recommendations to what's actually available.
This isn't a knock against them—they've each chosen a lane. But it's what separates them from the emerging category.
The third option: MyoAmigo
If you're reading this far and thinking "I want planning, not just logging," or "I want to use Claude or ChatGPT to adjust my routine," you're looking at a different class of app. MyoAmigo is in pre-launch (email waitlist at the bottom of this site), and it's built for the parts Strong and Hevy deliberately didn't tackle.
MyoAmigo generates training plans from first principles: your goal, your schedule, your experience level, and your available equipment. It watches for stalls—not with guesswork, but with a concrete prescription (closer to failure, a back-off block, or a deload cycle). It's built on MCP (Model Context Protocol), which means you can connect Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini directly to your training history and ask your own AI to create or adjust a routine. The app works fully offline, syncs optionally, and exports your data anytime. On the watch, you get per-set heart rate. Geofencing can surface your session when you walk into the gym.
If you're deciding between Strong and Hevy right now, either is a solid choice for logging. If you want the layer neither of them builds, the waitlist is at the bottom of this page.
For more depth, see MyoAmigo vs Strong and MyoAmigo vs Hevy. Or jump to features and how the AI works.
FAQ
Is Strong or Hevy better for Apple Watch?
Strong has the more native and responsive watch app. If you log most of your sessions from the wrist, Strong's polish will be noticeable. Hevy's watch app works, but Strong was designed for it from the start.
Can I switch between Strong and Hevy?
Both export CSV, so you can move your lift history from one to the other. You won't lose your logbook, but you'll need to rebuild any routines from scratch. The data is yours to move.
Is there a completely free option?
Hevy's free tier is more generous—you can train without hitting the paywall quickly. Strong's free tier limits the number of routines you can create. Both have paid upgrades. MyoAmigo is pre-launch; it's built to work fully without an account, and pricing will be announced at launch.