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Best Free Strength Training Apps in 2026
Updated
Almost every workout app calls itself free. The real question is what the free tier actually does, and where the paywall sits once you train seriously. Here is how they compare for lifters who train for strength.
What "free" really means in workout apps
Most strength apps run a freemium model. You get a capable free logbook, then pay to unlock unlimited routines, full history, advanced analytics, or programming. That is a fair deal, and several free tiers are genuinely good. The catch is that the features serious lifters want most, structured programming and progression, are usually the ones behind the upgrade. So "free" can mean very different things depending on how you train.
The short list
| App | Free tier is best for | Where it charges |
|---|---|---|
| Ægir Iron | Strength-sport athletes who want full programming and analytics free | Coaches who run a roster; optional AI Assistant Coach add-on |
| Hevy | Fast, polished everyday logging | Pro unlocks unlimited routines and full history |
| Strong | Simple, reliable set tracking | Pro unlocks unlimited custom workouts and extras |
| Boostcamp | Running well-known free program templates | Pro: unlimited custom programs and advanced analytics |
Free tiers and pricing reflect public information at the time of writing and change often. Check each app for the latest. Competitor details checked October 2026. Hevy, Strong, Boostcamp and Strava are trademarks of their respective owners. Ægir Iron is not affiliated with or endorsed by them.
Ægir Iron
Built specifically for strength sports. Individual lifters get the full platform free with no time limit and no card: RPE and percentage-of-1RM programming, real Cycle, Block, Week, Day periodization, auto-progression, meet planning, competition scoring (Wilks, DOTS, IPF GL, Sinclair), load and intensity analytics (ACWR with an EWMA companion, % of 1RM zones, make rate), Strava sharing with an auto muscle map, and a library of nearly 1,000 movements, nearly all with a form guide, muscle mapping, and an animated demo. Only coaches who manage a roster pay, and the athletes they coach train free too. The one paid extra for solo lifters is the optional AI Assistant Coach, an add-on from $4.99 per month. If you want structure rather than just a logbook, this is the free option built for you.
Hevy
One of the most popular loggers for good reason. It is fast, clean, and pleasant, with a large exercise library and good video demos. The free tier covers everyday logging well. Pro unlocks unlimited routines, full history, and more custom exercises. A great pick if a smooth logbook is mostly what you want.
Strong
A long-standing, no-nonsense tracker that does the basics reliably. The free version handles set logging cleanly, with Pro adding unlimited custom workouts and extra features. Good if you value simplicity over deep programming.
Boostcamp
Known for offering popular free program templates you can follow as written, which is handy if you just want a proven plan. Boostcamp Pro adds unlimited custom programs, advanced analytics and exclusive coach-written programs.
Why Ægir Iron stays free for solo lifters
The model behind Ægir Iron (also written Aegir Iron) is simple: individual training is free, forever, with every core feature included; only the optional AI Assistant Coach is a paid add-on. Ægir Iron only charges coaches for the roster tools that run a coaching business, and athletes on a coach's roster also train free. That means a powerlifter, weightlifter, or strongman competitor can run a fully periodized program, loaded by RPE or percentages, with meet planning and never hit a paywall. For most lifters, that is the difference between a free logbook and a free training system.
What the free tier includes
Every item below is free for an individual lifter, on iPhone, Android and the web.
- PR tracking for every exercise. Each save checks your sets against your all-time best at every rep count from 1 to 15, accessories included, so a set of 5 also counts toward your 4, 3, 2 and 1 rep bests. Warm-up sets and missed lifts never count, and carries and cardio get time and distance records.
- Estimated 1RM. Every set of up to 10 reps gets one, worked out from your RPE when you rate the set 7 or higher and from the Epley formula otherwise. A training max can follow it automatically.
- Percentage programming. Write any session as a percentage of a max, and the weights update when the max changes.
- Programs. More than 70 prebuilt programs load in a couple of taps, including 5/3/1, GZCLP, nSuns, the Texas Method, PHAT and PHUL, and a Program Wizard builds one around your days, equipment and experience.
- A rest timer. It starts when you check off a set. On iPhone it keeps running on the Lock Screen, in the Dynamic Island and on Apple Watch.
- Offline logging and backup. With no signal the app saves your sets on the phone and syncs them when you reconnect. Your history is stored in your account, and you can export all of it to Excel.
Questions
What is the best free strength training app?
It depends on what you need. For a fast, polished workout log, Hevy and Strong are excellent. For structured strength-sport programming (periodization, percentage of 1RM, meet planning) that stays free for individual lifters, Ægir Iron gives you the full platform with no paywall for solo training.
Are free workout apps actually free?
Most use a freemium model: a usable free tier plus a paid upgrade for advanced features, unlimited routines, or full history. Ægir Iron is different for solo lifters: the entire platform is free with no time limit and no card required. Only coaches who run a roster pay, and the optional AI Assistant Coach is a separate paid add-on from $4.99 per month.
Which free app is best for powerlifting and weightlifting?
Ægir Iron is purpose-built for strength sports and free for individual lifters. It includes RPE and percentage-of-1RM programming, Cycle/Block/Week/Day periodization, meet planning, and competition scoring with Wilks, DOTS, IPF GL, and Sinclair.
Which free app tracks PRs and estimated 1RM?
Ægir Iron tracks a PR at every rep count from 1 to 15 for every lift you log, and gives every set of up to 10 reps an estimated 1RM, from your RPE when you rate the set 7 or higher and from the Epley formula otherwise. Both are free for individual lifters, with no cap on history.
Is there a free workout app with a rest timer that works offline?
Yes. Ægir Iron's rest timer starts when you check off a set, and on iPhone it keeps counting on the Lock Screen and Apple Watch. With no signal the app saves your sets on the phone and syncs them when you reconnect. It is free for individual lifters. It does not pair exercises into supersets: each exercise is its own row, done in the order on screen.