Buzz
There are a variety of excellent apps to monitor your running mileage, with Strava being the go-to for cycling. However, when it comes to gym-based lifting, it's trickier to find the best option. Until recently, most apps were cumbersome and challenging to use. Today, however, only some have become easier to navigate.
Our Top Choice: Strong
Strong (available for free on iOS and Android) is the clear leader. It's straightforward to use, even when you're feeling worn out mid-workout. The free app allows you to create up to three different workouts and easily check off your sets as you complete them.
The app automatically fills in your previous weights and reps, so you don’t have to adjust numbers each time. It syncs with both Apple Health and Google Fit, meaning if you spend 45 minutes logging your workout, it will automatically count as a 45-minute strength session. Strong also tracks your personal bests and calculates your estimated one-rep max for each exercise based on the reps you perform. (For example, if you bench 90 pounds for five reps, it will estimate you could bench 100 pounds for a single rep.)
The pro version is great for frequent gym-goers. For $4.99/month or $29.99/year, you can save unlimited workouts. (I upgraded when I transitioned from a two-day routine to one with four different workouts.) You also get a plate calculator, which helps you figure out how many and what size plates to add to the bar to hit your target weight. (For a 90-pound bench, you’d add two 10-pound plates and a 2.5-pound plate to each side of a 45-pound bar.) The subscription also unlocks a calculator for warm-up sets, a body measurement tracker, and detailed analytics to track your progress.
Additional options
JeFit, available on iOS and Android, offers a free version with more advanced features available through a subscription ($6.99/month). It works seamlessly with the Apple Watch, making it our top choice if you prefer working out directly from your watch. It also includes an interval timer and a library of workout routines, so you can select a pre-made routine from the app rather than searching elsewhere.
SmartGym (available on iOS only) offers similar functionality to JeFit and Strong, with two subscription options priced at $6.99 or $9.99. It features HIIT timers, custom timers for rest periods, and can sync with both your Mac and Apple Watch.
Fitnotes (Android only) is a bit less polished than Strong and lacks some features, but it gets the job done without pressuring you into a subscription. However, there's a $2.99 paid version of the app that includes graphs to help you track your progress.
Progression (Android only) syncs all your data to Google Drive. The pro version, available for a one-time fee of $5.49, unlocks additional analytics.
Intensity (available on both Android and iOS) focuses on your total weight lifted for the day (by adding up all your lifts) and provides progress graphs. It includes popular workout programs like 5/3/1 and Stronglifts. The basic version is free, but you'll need a $3.99/month subscription to unlock extra features.
This post was originally published in December 2018 and later updated with additional information on March 15, 2021.
