Strong vs Hevy (2026): Which Workout Tracker Should You Use?
Hevy and Strong are the two best pure workout loggers on iOS and Android. Hevy has the better free tier, the lower price, and a social feed; Strong is the older, simpler, more polished logger. But both record your training. Neither tells you if it’s working. That last question is the one Taper (our app) was built to answer.
What’s the difference between Strong and Hevy?
Strong and Hevy solve the same problem with different personalities. Strong, first released in 2011, is the minimalist veteran: fast set entry, plate calculator, warm-up calculator, Apple Watch app, and per-exercise records, with no social layer at all. Hevy is the modern challenger: the same core logging plus a free tier you can actually live on, routine sharing, and a feed where friends see and like your workouts. Both sync with Apple Health, both run on iOS, Android, and Apple Watch, and both export your data as CSV.
How much do Strong and Hevy cost in 2026?
Hevy is cheaper at every commitment level, and its free tier is roomier. Taper is priced with Strong, with a longer trial in place of a free tier.
| Strong | Hevy | Taper (ours) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 3 routines | 4 routines, 7 custom exercises | 30-day full trial |
| Monthly | $4.99 | ~$2.99 (varies) | $4.99 |
| Annual | $29.99 | $23.99 | $29.99 |
| Lifetime | $99.99 | $74.99 | $99 |
| Social feed | No | Yes | No (private by design) |
| Apple Watch | Yes | Yes | Not yet |
| CSV export | Yes | Yes | Yes, plus imports both |
| Tells you if it’s working | No | No | Yes, graded verdict |
Prices are US App Store figures as of July 2026 and can change or vary by region.
Which has the better free tier?
Hevy wins the free tier, and it isn’t close. Four routines and seven custom exercises cover a typical program; many lifters never pay Hevy anything. Strong’s three-routine cap works for a single program but pinches as soon as you run variations. If you want a capable logger for $0, choose Hevy.
Which is better for serious, long-term lifters?
Strong’s refinement shows with years of data: its exercise records, 1RM estimates, and interface speed are tuned for people who log four or more sessions a week and never miss. But “serious” cuts both ways: serious lifters also accumulate exactly the multi-year history that exposes both apps’ shared limitation. They store your history; they don’t interpret it.
Do Strong or Hevy tell you if you’re building muscle?
No. Answering that question is Taper’s job, not theirs. Strong and Hevy show per-exercise estimated 1RM curves, which measure single lifts, not you: they can’t say whether your chest as a whole is progressing, and they can’t connect a rising scale to a rising waist to tell you your “bulk” is mostly fat. Your weight, your waist, and your strength live in three separate charts in both apps, and the reading of them is left entirely to you. Taper reads the three together, issues one graded verdict (Lean Bulk, Clean Cut, Losing Muscle), and grades every muscle, not just every lift.
Is Taper better than Strong or Hevy?
Not at everything, and we’re the ones saying it (Taper is our app). Strong and Hevy have Apple Watch apps, years of polish, and (in Hevy’s case) a social feed; Taper has none of those yet. On the logging itself it’s a wash: the core loop of fast set entry, supersets, drop sets, rest timers, and the plate calculator is at parity, and Taper’s logger adds two things the others don’t: your next rep and weight targets computed into every set row, and a Live Activity that runs the whole rest timer from the Lock Screen. Where Taper is categorically different is analysis: the graded verdict, per-muscle progress, and fair PR comparisons none of the loggers attempt. It imports your complete Strong or Hevy history in seconds, with per-import revert, so trying it costs nothing but curiosity. If you just want the best pure logger, take Hevy for the free tier or Strong for the polish.
How do I switch between Strong and Hevy?
Both apps export complete CSV files, and each can import the other’s. (And if you’re weighing the wider field beyond these two, our best bodybuilding apps roundup covers what five years of app-hopping actually taught.) Our step-by-step guides cover both directions: how to export your Strong data and how to export your Hevy data, and if you’re leaving either app entirely, we keep dedicated guides to the best Strong alternatives and Hevy alternatives. Keep the CSV; it’s your training history’s insurance policy, and any serious tracker (including Taper) can ingest it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Strong or Hevy free?
Both have free tiers. Hevy's free plan includes unlimited workout logging with 4 routines and 7 custom exercises. Strong's free plan is more restrictive, capping saved routines at 3. Both apps put their full feature set behind a Pro subscription.
How much does Strong Pro cost in 2026?
Strong Pro costs $4.99/month, $29.99/year, or $99.99 for lifetime access, with a $19.99 six-month option. Pricing is the same on iOS and Android.
How much does Hevy Pro cost in 2026?
Hevy Pro costs $23.99/year, with monthly and lifetime options that vary somewhat by region and platform. It is consistently the cheaper of the two on an annual basis.
What's the best alternative to Strong and Hevy?
It depends on what's missing for you. If you want social features on a budget, Hevy already wins. If what's missing is analysis (knowing whether you're gaining muscle or fat), Taper (our app) reads weight, waist, and strength together and grades the answer, and it imports your full Strong or Hevy history with revert.
Can I switch from Strong to Hevy without losing my workout history?
Yes. Strong exports your full history as a CSV file, and Hevy can import it. The reverse also works. Taper imports both formats in one tap, including measurement history.
Do Strong or Hevy work on Apple Watch?
Yes. Both Strong and Hevy have Apple Watch apps that log sets and run rest timers from the wrist. Both also sync with Apple Health. Taper does not have a Watch app yet.
Which app is better for beginners?
Hevy, narrowly. Its free tier is roomier, its interface is friendlier, and its social feed adds accountability. Strong's strength is refined simplicity, which experienced lifters tend to prefer.
Do Strong or Hevy track body measurements?
Both log body weight and basic measurements, but neither interprets them. They chart weight as a line; they don't combine it with waist or strength trends to tell you whether the weight you're gaining is muscle or fat. That interpretation is Taper's entire job.