7 best strength training apps, tested by us

For anyone building their own programme, having this reference library in your pocket is genuinely useful. 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. 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.

Best Workout Tracking App For Muscle Gain

These plans start at four weeks, and the setup process easily earned a 5 out of 5 from our tester, a certified personal trainer. Type in a few data points and, boom, you have your personalized plan,” said our tester. For a fitness app to make money, it generally has to appeal to a wide user base. “One of my favorite apps for advanced lifters is JuggernautAI, which offers somewhat personalized programming suited to individuals who are comfortable and confident lifting weights,” she explains.

Head Down Eyes Forward – Lunch Break Version

Ladder also provides a chat and feedback feature, integration with your music, and progress tracking. By offering these flexible options, we aim to ensure that managing your subscription is as user-friendly and convenient as possible. Stay current with professional video breakdowns of trending exercises, lifting mistakes, and advanced biomechanics topics added every week.

Best Workout Subscription Apps for Strength Training 2025

Resistance bands are the second most-useful tool in any home gym, second to dumbbells, but much easier to store. This one from MyProtein comes in several resistances and is even more budget-friendly, making it the perfect workout companion for those short on space or anyone preferring not to have dumbbells at home.

Protect your tablet at the gym with our Galaxy Tab cases built for durability and easy viewing so you can follow along with any workout app without worry. A bigger screen makes it way easier to follow exercise demos, and having the right accessories keeps your devices safe and charged. Your setup will depend on whether you like iOS or Android, but both have good options for gym use.

Best For Yoga: YogaRenew

Or crush a quick ab burner with Luke Zocchi’s 28 Days of Core session. Don’t forget that investing in your health and fitness can have long-term benefits, including for your wallet. Many Centr members have come to us with concerns such as high blood pressure or lower back pain, then gone on to receive a clean bill of health from their doctor.

Is 30 minutes of strength training a day enough?

You’re not wondering, “What weight did I use for incline dumbbell last week? Later, I upgraded to the Pro version (about $3–4/month), enabling even more customization. It unlocked personal notes, measurement history, extended stats, and unlimited custom exercises. Few apps strike the right balance between simplicity, functionality, and community like Hevy, which consistently delivers an efficient and user-friendly experience. For muscle gain, it won’t give you the volume or isolation work of a hypertrophy-focused program, but it lays a strong foundation. In my own time, I cycle through hypertrophy blocks and Olympic lifts, then swap in strongman prep depending on what my current goals are.

• However, users should note that certain features may require subscription fees in order to utilize all features available to them.
• The app handles the math, so you’re not stuck guessing when to go heavier.
• You communicate with them via text and video, and they monitor your progress through your Apple Watch.
• Your body adapts to exercise quickly, so to continue gaining mass you need a muscle-building program that uses progressive overload.
• Our experts found that workout apps range from $10 to $35 per month.
• When it first launched, you had to have a Watch to use Fitness Plus, but Apple removed the restriction in 2022.

The Best Home Workout Apps: Frequently Asked Questions

From competitive powerlifting to off-season conditioning and functional fitness—find the expert plan that fits your needs in minutes. When my Android phone broke a few years ago, I switched to an iPhone. I stuck with it because Apple is really good at making everything work together. And that’s the case with Apple Fitness+, which integrates nicely with the Fitness and Health apps and your AirPods.

Best workout app for beginners

You can also choose to blend bodyweight moves with resistance and add an app-led warm-up or cool-down to your session, which makes the app entirely customisable to your needs. That said, no app can correct your form in real time or spot subtle technique issues. For beginners or those returning from injury, working with a trainer, at least occasionally, is the best option. For many lifters, especially those with basic form and discipline in place, apps can effectively replace personal trainers.

A good fit will feel realistic to stick with most days of the week, not just exciting for the first few workouts. Our team underwent hands-on testing of each app’s setup, usability, workout quality, and overall value, with a special focus on how well they support consistency over time. We looked for apps that are not only effective, but realistic to stick with for different lifestyles and fitness levels.

Alpha Progression – Best for Hypertrophy and Muscle Building

I’ve done regular strength sessions and a home Pilates workout with the Les Mills app, and I truly believe it’s the best catch-all for this type of training. The instructors are personalities themselves, the workouts are challenging (without being impossible to do), and easy to follow along with. One of the best strength training apps can help you make the most of this important exercise, whether you’re brand new to lifting weights or you want to create a routine at home. For beginners, apps like StrongLifts 5×5, BoostCamp, or Hevy offer simple, structured programs that build confidence and consistency. They’re easy to follow and focus on foundational lifts, which are essential early on. The app doesn’t offer much in terms of variation, and advanced lifters will likely outgrow the linear progression model.

With several levels of membership, we found the pricing structure a bit confusing. After reaching out to customer service (whose quick and clear response earned them a 5 out of 5), we learned that the $200 monthly subscription requires a three-month commitment. However, as a personal trainer themselves, our tester thought all three levels deserved a 5 out of 5 for value. But as you need a subscription for most, you don’t want to join loads and spend hundreds of dollars each month.

That makes it easier to build balanced routines and understand what you’re actually working. Most top apps include progression schemes that bump up your weights over time. The app handles the math, so you’re not stuck guessing when to go heavier. Strong tracks your volume and shows you detailed charts for each muscle group, so you can spot any weak links.

The Best Workout Apps for Men to Build Muscle

Consider us your personal spotter – we’ve answered some of the most common questions for you here. Sign up for free and get instant access to all of Heather’s latest programs and workouts. You’ll madmuscles review also get access to her learning guides and hundreds of recipes to support all aspects of your training. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced exerciser, there is no one correct way to exercise.