Comparison · updated August 27, 2026
The best 5x5 apps in 2026
Six ways to run a StrongLifts-style 5x5 program, compared honestly: what each costs, what the free tiers actually include, and who each one suits.
Full disclosure: we build Lift5x5, one of the apps in this comparison. To keep this useful anyway, every claim about a competitor is verifiable (prices are from their store listings, dated above), we list what each app does better than ours, and the verdicts point different lifters to different apps — including away from us.
At a glance
| Lift5x5 | StrongLifts | Boostcamp | Hevy | Strong | Sheet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5x5 auto-progression | ✓ Free | ✓ Paid | ✓ Free | Manual | Manual | Built into sheet |
| Automatic deloads | ✓ Free | ✓ Paid | Program-dependent | — | — | Rules printed |
| Plate calculator | ✓ Free | Paid | ✓ Free | — | — | — |
| Rest timer | ✓ Free | Paid | ✓ Free | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Workout history + export | ✓ Free | Paid | ✓ / no export | ✓ / Pro | ✓ | It is the sheet |
| Madcow / intermediate path | Pro | ✓ Paid | ✓ Free | Manual | Manual | Separate sheet |
| Apple Watch app | — | ✓ | — | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Exercise videos | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Import from StrongLifts | ✓ Free | n/a | — | — | — | — |
"Paid" = requires the app's subscription or one-time purchase. Verified August 27, 2026; store pricing changes — check the listings before deciding.
1. Lift5x5
Free · optional Pro subscription or lifetimePurpose-built 5x5 automation, free where it counts
Where it shines
- The whole 5x5 engine is free: automatic progression, deloads after repeated fails, warmup sets, plate calculator, rest timer, full history and CSV export
- Knows the program — it decides your next weights so you never do gym math mid-session
- Imports your complete StrongLifts history from a CSV in one step
- Pro adds a coach layer: progress forecasts, plateau warnings, per-lift custom progression (increments, deload rules, sets×reps), Madcow 5x5, and anonymous leaderboards
Where it falls short
- No Apple Watch app yet
- No exercise video library — it links out to written form guides
- Only runs 5x5-family programs; it is not a general workout logger
Verdict: Best if you want to run 5x5 or Madcow and have the thinking done for you — without paying for the basics.
Get Lift5x5 free →2. StrongLifts (official)
$11.99/mo · $59.99/yr · $199.99 lifetime (US App Store, August 2026)The original brand, now subscription-required
Where it shines
- The most polished brand in the niche, with nearly two decades of history
- Excellent Apple Watch app — log entire workouts from your wrist
- Video and text form instruction for 100+ exercises
- Flexible scheduling (2–6 workouts per week) and a custom program builder on Pro
Where it falls short
- No permanent free tier: after the 7-day trial the whole app requires a subscription
- No blog-style education or data on the open web anymore; most guidance lives inside the app
- A recurring pattern in recent Play Store reviews (we read the 150 newest in July 2026; a large majority of the low-star ones repeat it): logged history described as locked behind the subscription, and buyers of the discontinued "Lifetime Power Pack" reporting their one-time purchase was no longer honored after the subscription switch
Verdict: Best if you live on your Apple Watch and want the biggest brand, and the subscription cost doesn’t bother you.
3. Boostcamp
Free programs · optional Pro subscriptionFree program library that runs 5x5 among 130+ others
Where it shines
- Runs a StrongLifts-style 5x5 as a free community program with automatic weight progression — the closest free alternative to a dedicated 5x5 app
- Huge library of free coach-designed programs (GZCLP, 5/3/1 variants, Madcow and more), so you can change programs without changing apps
- Plate calculator, auto-starting rest timer, warmup templates and form videos included on the free tier
Where it falls short
- A generalist by design: 5x5 is one community program among thousands, so how faithfully deload rules and program details run depends on the program version you pick
- No Apple Watch app, and no built-in CSV export of your history (a third-party browser extension exists)
- No import from the StrongLifts app — you start your history from zero
Verdict: Best if you want free 5x5 automation today but expect to hop between many different programs later — a library, not a specialist.
4. Hevy
Free tier with limits · Pro subscriptionExcellent general logger you configure yourself
Where it shines
- Beautiful, fast general-purpose workout tracker with a big exercise library
- Social feed — follow friends and see their sessions
- Handles any program, not just 5x5
Where it falls short
- You have to build 5x5 as routines yourself and change the weights manually
- No automatic progression or deload logic — the program lives in your head, the app just records it
- Free tier caps how many routines you can save
Verdict: Best if you want one logger for everything and don’t mind managing 5x5 progression manually.
5. Strong
Free tier with limits · Pro subscriptionThe veteran general logger
Where it shines
- Mature, reliable tracker with years of refinement
- Great data export and history views
- Apple Watch support
Where it falls short
- Same 5x5 limitation as Hevy: no program intelligence, you manage weights and deloads yourself
- Free tier limits saved routines
- Development pace has slowed compared to newer apps
Verdict: Best if you already use Strong for other training and just want to record 5x5 sessions in it.
6. A spreadsheet
FreeFree forever, zero convenience
Where it shines
- Costs nothing and you control everything
- Works on any device, forever
- Our free generator builds one with your starting weights and progression already filled in
Where it falls short
- No rest timer, no plate math, no warmup calculation at the gym
- Progression and deloads are on you to track honestly
- Easy to abandon — nothing reminds you or shows your streak
Verdict: Best if you refuse to have your phone out at the gym. Grab our free 5x5 spreadsheet generator and go.
Free 5x5 spreadsheet generator →How we compared
- StrongLifts, Hevy, Strong and the spreadsheet were used through real 5x5 sessions — set logging, progression, deload handling, plate math at the bar. Boostcamp's row is based on its store listings, vendor feature pages and current reviews (verified August 27, 2026), not our own gym sessions yet.
- Prices and feature gating verified on the US store listings, August 27, 2026. Subscriptions change; re-check before buying.
- "Free" means usable for the complete program without paying — not a time-limited trial.
- We weight 5x5-specific intelligence (progression, deloads, warmups, plate math) over general logging features, because that's what this page is for.
Common questions
What is the best app for StrongLifts 5x5? +
It depends what you pay for. The official StrongLifts app has the strongest brand and a great Apple Watch app, but the whole app requires a subscription after the trial. Lift5x5 runs the same 5x5 program with automatic progression, deloads, warmups and a free plate calculator at no cost, with an optional Pro tier for coaching features. Boostcamp runs a community 5x5 with auto-progression free inside its big program library. General loggers like Hevy and Strong record 5x5 fine but leave the progression math to you.
Is there a completely free 5x5 app? +
Two, honestly. Lift5x5 is free for the complete 5x5 workflow: the program, automatic weight progression, deload logic, plate calculator, rest timer, history and CSV export, with no ads. Boostcamp also runs a community StrongLifts-style 5x5 with auto-progression for free, inside a general program library. The difference is depth vs breadth: Lift5x5 is built around this one program (program-aware deloads, warmup math, StrongLifts import, coaching), Boostcamp gives you thousands of programs at a shallower per-program level.
Can I switch from the StrongLifts app without losing my history? +
Yes. Export your data as CSV from the StrongLifts app, then import it in Lift5x5 (Settings → Import). Your full workout history, working weights and progress transfer in about a minute.
Do I even need an app for 5x5? +
No — the program ran on paper for decades. An app removes the friction: it calculates warmups and plate loading, times your rest, and applies progression and deload rules automatically. If you prefer paper or a sheet, our free spreadsheet generator builds a personalized 5x5 plan you can print.
Which 5x5 apps sync with Apple Health or Health Connect? +
The official StrongLifts app syncs with Apple Health and has a full Apple Watch app. Lift5x5 syncs workouts and body weight with Apple Health on iOS and Health Connect on Android (which feeds Samsung Health, Fitbit and others) — both optional and off by default. General loggers like Hevy and Strong also offer Apple Health sync on their paid or free tiers respectively.
Try the free one first
Lift5x5 runs the complete program — progression, deloads, warmups, plate math — for free, no ads. If it's not for you, this page isn't going anywhere.
Get Lift5x5 freeDeeper comparisons
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