STRNTH vs Hevy: which is better for structured strength training?

Hevy is one of the most downloaded workout trackers. It has a clean interface, a large exercise library and a social feed that lets you follow other lifters. For many people it is the first app they try and the one they stick with.

STRNTH takes a different approach. Instead of starting with session logging and adding features on top, it is built around training blocks: multi-week programmes with planned progression, deload weeks and age-aware recovery. The coaching layer comes first. The logging is designed to feed it.

Here is how they actually compare.

What Hevy does well

Hevy is excellent at the basics. Logging a set is fast. The exercise library is large and well-organised. The interface is clean enough that you can get in and out of the app quickly during a session.

The social feed is one of Hevy's standout features. You can follow other lifters, see their workouts and compare performance on shared exercises. If you train in a community and want that social layer, Hevy handles it well.

The free tier is genuinely useful. You get full session logging, a decent history view and access to community features without paying.

Where Hevy falls short

Hevy is strong on recording training. It is less opinionated about how your training should be structured over time.

There is no built-in periodisation. There is no concept of training blocks that get harder and then back off. You can create routines and follow them, but the app does not manage volume or intensity across weeks. That decision stays with you.

There is no recovery tracking. If you trained hard yesterday and you are not sure whether to train again today, Hevy does not help you answer that question.

There is no age-aware logic. The app treats a 25-year-old and a 48-year-old identically. For lifters whose recovery is longer and whose volume tolerance is different, that matters.

There is no HIIT module. If you want to add interval cardio to your training week, you need a separate app.

The coaching layer is limited. Hevy shows your history through charts (including a muscle distribution view and a monthly report) but it does not actively flag stalled lifts, send you a personalised weekly summary or tell you what to change in response to your training data. The interpretation is left to you.

What STRNTH does well

STRNTH is built around the idea that lifters need a coaching system, not just a logbook.

The programme library gives you structured 4, 8 and 12-week plans with planned intensity phases, deload weeks and automatic weight progression. You pick a programme and the app manages the structure from week one to the final session.

The STRNTH Index gives you a single overall strength score that climbs session by session. It moves through five tiers (Foundation, Developing, Solid, Strong, Elite) and updates after every workout. That number becomes the metric you track.

The coaching tab surfaces plateau detection, muscle balance analysis, recovery signals and weekly AI-generated summaries. Every Monday a personalised coaching message appears: what went well, where you are trending, what to focus on this week.

Age-aware programming is built into every programme. Recovery time, training volume and intensity are all scaled based on your age. Lifters in their 40s are not given the same plan as lifters in their 20s.

The recovery system gives you green, amber and red signals based on your actual training data. Amber on a Wednesday after two hard sessions means the app has looked at your history and is telling you to ease off.

HIIT training is in the same app. Six modalities, heart rate zones, Bluetooth device support and a custom editor, all connected to the same coaching layer.

Where STRNTH falls short

STRNTH does not have a social feed. There is no following other lifters, no shared leaderboards and no community challenges. The Locker Room lets you browse and share programmes, but it is not a social network.

The app is newer than Hevy. The user base is smaller and there is less community content to browse. If a large social lifting community is important to you, Hevy currently has the advantage.

Which should you choose?

Choose Hevy if:

• You want simple, frictionless session logging
• The social layer and following other lifters matters to you
• You already have a coach or a programme and just need a reliable logbook
• A generous free tier is the priority

Choose STRNTH if:

• You want structured multi-week programmes with built-in progression and deloads
• You are in your 30s, 40s or beyond and want age-aware training
• You want a coaching layer that tells you when to push, when to ease off and when your programme is working
• You want HIIT training in the same app without switching tools
• You want a single score (the STRNTH Index) that shows your overall strength improving over time

Both apps log workouts well. The difference is what happens between sessions. Hevy records your history. STRNTH coaches you based on it. For a broader comparison across more apps, see our best workout tracker guide.