Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced lifter, finding an app that simplifies tracking workouts and progress is crucial. Our guide jumps straight into showcasing the best weight training apps, breaks down what makes them stand out, and helps you pinpoint which one aligns with your fitness goals. From understanding key features to weighing costs versus benefits, this article covers everything you need to make an informed decision. BetterMe is our pick for the best workout app overall because it has a great variety of workout modalities, including plenty of strength training. We also love that the app offers an onboarding quiz, guided plans, and daily checklists remove decision fatigue, making it easier for beginners and busy users to stay consistent with their strength programs.
Best Weightlifting App for Bodybuilders:
Years later, I logged back on and I’m pleased to say, the app is as good as ever – with some impressive new updates. Astrologer Kirsty Gallagher explores key astrological transits and themes, meditations, practices and crystals to help navigate the weeks ahead. I’m the consumer tech and electronics editor at Forbes Vetted, and I’ve been covering tech for over six years.
Find your coach
Interested in Pilates as a go-to fitness discipline for your home workouts? Dan Bracaglia is the Tom’s Guide editorial lead for all things smartwatches, fitness trackers and outdoor gear. With 15 years of experience as a consumer technology journalist testing everything from Oura Rings to instant cameras, Dan is deeply passionate about helping readers save money and make informed purchasing decisions. In the past year alone, Dan has assessed major product releases from the likes of Apple, Garmin, Google, Samsung, Polar and many others. The Amazfit Band 7 is a $50 fitness tracker that promises many unimeal reviews of the marquee features found in more premium wearables but at a fraction of the price. It has blood oxygen (SpO2) readings, stress monitoring, high heart rate alerts and fairly in-depth sleep tracking reports.
Our tester notes that he asked the app to provide details, and it only suggested taking 5 minutes to warm up and 5 minutes to cool down — nothing more in terms of recommended stretches, movements, or even tempo. “Regardless, it is a very useful workout app and it does make sense as long as the goals are set to an honest and logical intent,” they add. You don’t need the best squat rack or a bevy of kettlebells and free weights at your disposal, your coach can prescribe bodyweight exercises if you’re limited on training gear. Garmin’s top fitness-tracking devices also tend to look like smartwatches while our favorite Fitbits are more streamlined for easy-wearing.
Weight Lifting Tracking Features:
Before joining Men’s Health, he served as a sports columnist and tech columnist for the New York Daily News. We’re not exaggerating when we say this is the most rugged fitness tracker we have tested. The Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED is packed with technology and has a thick face made for trail hikes, rock climbing, and even swimming (it’s water rated up to 100 meters). According to Men’s Health contributor Korin Miller, this Garmin can take a beating. “I accidentally banged it into several doorways and even scraped it against a kettlebell during a clumsy gym moment—it still looks brand new,” Miller says. “There’s a reason professionals are always at the top of the list for exercise resources—because we can actually use the training tools and [unpack] what they can do for you,” she says.
Strong
There’s also no message board for community encouragement, and no leaderboard for motivational purposes. These resources turn what could be a cold AI-powered app into more of an information hub, which is why we gave the app another 5 out of 5 for its user interface. After 30 days with his Future personal trainer, Jake Herod, NASM-CNC, rated both its setup and ease of use 5 out of 5. This article has been reviewed by Amanda Capritto, CPT, CES, CNC, CF-L1, CSNC, a certified personal trainer and CrossFit Level-1 instructor.
The data it can track is also ever-expanding, including menstrual and ovulation tracking enhancements and blood panel partnerships announced late last year. I also loved that the smart ring tracked physical activity like housework which contributed to my overall daily activity stats. A few apps still offer one-time purchase options, though this model is dying. Subscriptions ensure ongoing development and server costs, but they add up over time. Setgraph’s Pro tier ($4.99/month) falls here, offering excellent value for serious lifters who need unlimited tracking without breaking the bank. While most strength-focused apps struggle with CrossFit’s complexity, some like JEFIT allow custom workout types.
Benefits of Using a Weightlifting App
You can also get detailed analytics to help you evaluate your progress and improve your performance. Plus, the app has a friendly interface and a vibrant community of users that are always willing to help. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced lifter, GymWorkout is the best gym tracker app to help you stay on top of your game. Jefit is designed for gym enthusiasts and weightlifters who appreciate structure and detail in their training.
Accountability
This creates a motivating environment that really helps keep you excited about exercising and lifting weights. Android users have full access to all seven apps on this list — Hevy, Strong, Fitbod, Caliber, JuggernautAI, WeGLOW, and Nike Training Club are all available on the Google Play Store. The functionality gap between iOS and Android versions is minimal for most apps.
Best Weightlifting Apps for Strength Training 2024 – Tried & Tested
- Different fitness apps can vary in price, depending on the membership you choose and the amount of first-person coaching.
- Strong is our top pick for athletes that have sweat their way through more than a few of the best weightlifting belts.
- But if you’re going hard on the trails, there’s no better wrist partner.
- One of the smart rings I tested, the Ultrahuman Ring Air, didn’t quite meet the requirements for my updated list due to a major issue that can’t be easily overlooked.
- Strong has earned its reputation as one of the most popular workout tracker apps, and for good reason.
- We like that newcomers to weightlifting will have the freedom to sniff around the no-cost version before committing to the group or one-on-one subscriptions.
“You may not always have access to the same gym, e.g., when you are traveling,” she says. If you don’t mind training solo, TR[Ai]NER likely has everything you need. Otherwise, its lack of accountability features may be a downside, which is why it earned a 1 out of 5 for accountability. We’re unable to offer personal health advice, but we’ve partnered with JustAnswer who offers on-demand doctors to answer your medical questions 24/7.
For Lifters, By Lifters
To measure how easy each tracker was to use, I started by timing how long the initial unboxing and setup took, taking note of any roadblocks. (For example, the Fitbit Charge 6 was quick to set up but required a hard reset before it would sync with my phone.) But the true test was how easy it was for me to learn to use the app and features of each tracker. If I had gotten the hang of things by the time I was wearing it at the gym—and didn’t need to look up how to sift through different activity options and start, stop and pause my workout—I deemed it easy to use.
Start Strong: Weightlifting Tips for Beginners
Optical heart rate sensors have become the standard in wearable fitness, but not all PPG (photoplethysmography) arrays process the same signal-to-noise ratio. Whether you are a daily runner, a HIIT practitioner, or a recovery-focused athlete, the accuracy of your wrist-based HR directly impacts how you interpret training load, sleep stages, and caloric burn. Most apps retain your data but limit access to it—you can view recent workouts but not your full history. Before subscribing, check the app’s data retention policy and whether you can export your complete history. Apps that offer data export give you insurance against losing years of training records.
If you’re looking for the best weightlifting app, look no further than Dr. Muscle. That is like a pro sports or olympic athlete personal trainer would take charge of you and would never have a bad day. If all you need is a gym log, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best weightlifting tracker apps to help you log your workouts, track your progress, and get the most out of your fitness routine.