Workout app comparison: Hevy, Strong, Fitbod, Arestis
You log your sessions in your phone's notes app, in a spreadsheet or in a paper workout log, and you're looking for something better. The problem is that every app on the market looks free at first, and the limits only show up after a few weeks.
This page lists what each app really lets you do without paying.
I build Arestis, so I'm not a neutral party. That's why I give verifiable figures, and why I also say when the others are the better choice.
Prices and limits change regularly. Always check the app's store page before committing.
The comparison
| Free version | Hevy | Strong | Fitbod | Arestis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logged sessions | unlimited | unlimited | 7-day trial | unlimited |
| Routines / programs | 4 | 3 | none | unlimited |
| Custom exercises | 7 | unlimited | none | unlimited |
| Progress charts | 3 months | paid | none | unlimited |
| Session history | full | full | none | full |
| Body measurements | paid | paid | no | included |
| Data export | paid | paid | no | included |
| Subscription price | $2.99/month | $4.99/month | $15.99/month | none today |
Fitbod has no permanent free version. Once the 7-day trial ends, the app stops working: nothing in its column is available without paying.
App by app
Hevy
The market leader, and deservedly so. A polished design, a complete exercise library, and a social side that motivates without getting in the way. If you're hesitating, it's an excellent choice.
What to know about the free version: it's capped at 4 routines, 7 custom exercises and, above all, 3 months of progress charts. That last limit is the one most people hit first. Important detail: your sessions aren't deleted after 90 days, it's the advanced analysis charts that shrink to a rolling window.
Exporting your data as CSV requires the Pro subscription.
If you plan to use it for more than three years, the $74.99 lifetime plan is one of the best deals in the category.
Choose Hevy if you want a mature app with an active community, and paying once doesn't bother you.Strong
The most minimalist app on the market, and the fastest for logging a set. A very complete exercise library, a well-made Apple Watch app, and an interface that puts nothing between you and your session.
The main limit is stricter than elsewhere: the free version is capped at 3 routines, which blocks a push pull legs split as soon as you add a fourth day. And above all, no progress chart is available without going Pro. Your history is kept, but you can't visualize it.
Choose Strong if you want the fastest possible logger and don't care about statistics.Fitbod
It's not the same category. Fitbod builds your program for you, based on your history, your equipment and your recovery. The other three record what you decided to do.
There's no permanent free version: the 7-day trial ends and the app stops generating workouts. It's also the most expensive of the selection, with a price increase in 2026 (previously $12.99/month).
Choose Fitbod if you don't know what to do at the gym and want someone to decide for you.Arestis (my app)
I built it because I had been logging my sessions in a spreadsheet for years and none of the apps I tried really suited me. Either too cluttered, or statistics behind a subscription, or a history cut off after a few months.
Today, everything in the table above is available without paying: unlimited sessions, full history, charts, routines, body measurements and data export.
The rest timer rings even with the screen locked and the phone on silent, which is exactly the situation at the gym.
What Arestis doesn't have today: no Apple Watch app, no automatic program generation, no social features. The app is recent and under active development.
Choose Arestis if you want to log your sessions and track your progress, with everything in the table above available at no cost today.How to choose
Ask yourself three questions.
How many routines do you need? If you rotate through more than three or four programs, the free versions of Hevy and Strong will hold you back.
Do you want to see your progress over the long term? If so, Hevy's three-month window or Strong's paid charts will become a problem.
Do you want to be told what to do? If so, look at Fitbod. Otherwise, a logger is enough.
There's no wrong choice in this list. There are different limits, and they don't show up at download time.
If your main question is what to write down during your sessions, the workout log guide answers it, whichever app you pick. And to know what to do with that data, see how to track your progress.
Arestis has no ads, and it's available in English and French.
On iPhone and Android. Your data belongs to you and can be exported anytime.
Try ArestisA question or a disagreement with this comparison? Write to me: contact@arestis.com