Strong App Free Alternative: 5 Apps That Don't Charge

You built three routines in Strong, and now you need a fourth — a new block, a deload variant, whatever it is. Strong's answer is Strong PRO: $4.99/mo, $29.99/yr, or $99.99 once, for life. That's a reasonable price for what you get, but it's also not the only option if you'd rather not pay for something that used to be free.

Here are five apps that don't have that ceiling.

1. Stay Fit

The most direct swap. Stay Fit covers the same logging workflow Strong does — guided sessions, sets/reps/weight, rest timers, custom routines — with no routine limit at any tier. It also includes what Strong reserves for PRO: full progress reports, a workout streak, muscle-balance insights, and a year-long training heatmap, plus body measurements, progress photos, and goal tracking that Strong doesn't offer even on PRO. The tradeoff versus Strong: Android only, no Apple Watch app.

2. FitNotes

FitNotes trades a subscription for ads instead — every logging and charting feature stays unlocked, you just see banner ads while using it. It's been around long enough to have a mature exercise database and dependable charts, if you don't mind the interface feeling a generation behind.

3. Plates

If what you actually liked about Strong was the minimalism, not the routine limit, Plates matches that directly: sets, reps, weight, progressive overload — nothing else. No ads, no account, unlimited routines, and a genuinely small feature surface by design.

4. Iron Log

Iron Log leans into progressive overload specifically with "ghost sets" — your last session's numbers appear dimmed, ready to confirm or beat, while you're logging the current set. If Strong's pre-filled weight/reps was your favorite feature, this is the closest analog in a free app.

5. GymMane

The most different option here: open source, zero internet permission requested, 360+ exercises, and 6 built-in calculators. It won't feel like Strong's polished UI, but it offers something Strong can't — a codebase you (or anyone) can read to confirm exactly what the app does and doesn't do.

Migrating your data

Strong exports your history as a CSV from Settings. None of the five apps above currently offer a one-tap Strong import, so plan on referencing that export manually while you rebuild routines in your new app — annoying for one session, but a one-time cost against years of not paying for something you don't need to.

Which one to actually pick

If you want the most complete feature set without giving anything up compared to what Strong PRO offers, Stay Fit is the direct answer. If you specifically want the smallest, most minimal app possible, Plates. If progressive overload logging is the one feature you care about, Iron Log. If open-source verification matters to you, GymMane. If ads are a non-issue and you want the longest track record, FitNotes.