The 5 Best Gym Apps in 2026
Quick answer
Brolic Best overallThe best gym app for strength training is Brolic. It logs your lifts quickly, keeps every feature free, and ranks each lift against lifters in your country, city or weight class. If you want a free gym log on Android with a social feed, pick Hevy. If you want each session planned for you, pick Fitbod.
- Brolic turns every lift into a target by showing exactly what you need to pass the next lifter.
- Hevy and Strong are the best pure gym logs, both with Apple Watch apps for logging at the rack.
- Fitbod suits beginners who walk into the gym unsure which exercises to do.
- Peloton's strength classes bring instructor energy if you'd rather follow a coach than a log.
Our picks at a glance
| # | App | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Brolic |
Best overall |
| 2 | 
Hevy |
Best social gym log |
| 3 | 
Strong Workout Tracker |
Best distraction-free |
| 4 | 
Fitbod |
Best for beginners |
| 5 | 
Peloton |
Best for classes |
Walking into a gym without a plan is how sessions turn into wandering between machines. Walking in with a plan but no record is how lifts stall for months without you noticing. A gym app fixes both problems: it tells you what you are doing today and remembers what you did last time, so every session builds on the one before.
Strength training rewards consistency and small jumps in weight, so the best gym apps make progress visible. Some do it with charts and personal records, one does it with competition, and one does it with a coach's voice in your ear. All five below are built with lifting in mind, but they suit very different lifters.
-
1
Best overall
Brolic
Log your lifts and see where you rank on every one
0A fast lift logger where every exercise has a leaderboard, so each gym session has a clear number to chase.
Brolic gives strength training a scoreboard. Each lift has its own leaderboard, worldwide or narrowed to your country, city or weight class, and the app shows exactly what you need to lift to pass the next person. Comparing yourself with lifters your size, rather than the strongest people on the internet, makes the targets feel reachable. That is a strong reason to grind out one more rep.
On the gym floor, the logging is quick: pick a saved routine, log each set, and let the rest timer pace your breaks. Routines are unlimited and nothing sits behind a paywall. Other lifters can vote down suspicious lifts, so the boards stay more honest than most. The catch is that Brolic won't write your program for you, and it only runs on iPhone and iPad.
Good forCompetitive lifters who train harder with a number to beat
Watch out forYou plan your own program, and it's iPhone and iPad only
-
2
Best social gym log
Hevy
Free workout logger with a lifting community built in
0A quick, free gym log with a feed where you follow friends, compare sessions and copy their routines.
Hevy makes the gym social without slowing down your sets. You follow friends and training partners, see their workouts in a feed, and copy any routine you like into your own library. That is a handy way to try a new split or borrow a program from someone stronger than you. Logging stays fast, with previous numbers next to each set and charts for your personal records.
It works on iPhone, Android and the web, and the Apple Watch and Wear OS apps let you log at the rack without unlocking your phone. Workout logging is unlimited on the free plan. The catch is the cap on saved routines, which nudges regular lifters toward Hevy Pro, and like Brolic it records your training rather than planning it.
Good forLifters who train with friends or want to borrow proven routines
Watch out forFree plan caps saved routines, and you bring the program
-
3
Best distraction-free
Strong Workout Tracker
A fast, no-nonsense gym log for serious lifters
0A clean, fast gym log with a plate calculator, rest timer and excellent Apple Watch app, and no feed.
Strong is the gym app for lifters who know what they are doing and want the app to stay quiet. Open a routine, log your sets, and the rest timer and previous numbers keep you on track. The plate calculator tells you what to load on the bar, a small thing that saves real time on heavy days. Detailed charts show how each lift has moved over time.
Its Apple Watch app is one of the best for logging at the rack, and the app works offline, which helps in basement gyms with poor signal. There is no social feed, so nothing pulls you into scrolling between sets. The catch is the routine limit on the free plan. Regular lifters end up buying Strong PRO, as a subscription or a lifetime purchase.
Good forExperienced lifters who want a fast, private log and nothing else
Watch out forFree plan limits routines, so most regulars will pay
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4
Best for beginners
Fitbod
Personalized strength workouts that adapt as you train
0Plans every gym session around your equipment and recovery, then raises the weights as you get stronger.
Fitbod removes the hardest part of starting out in a gym: deciding what to do. You tell it what equipment is available, and it builds a workout around your recent training and muscle recovery, choosing exercises, sets and weights. As you log, it nudges weight and volume up, so beginners get steady progression without needing to understand programming first.
Video demos across the exercise library help with form on unfamiliar movements, and it supports Apple Watch. It also works at home if you tell it you have little or no equipment. The catch is cost: after the free trial you need a subscription. Logging is slower than in Brolic, Hevy or Strong, so experienced lifters with their own plan may find it gets in the way.
Good forGym beginners and busy lifters who want each session planned
Watch out forA subscription is required once the trial ends
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5
Best for classes
Peloton
Live and on-demand classes for cycling, running and strength
0Instructor-led strength classes, plus cycling and running, that you can follow without Peloton hardware.
Peloton is the pick for people who train better with a coach in their ear than with a log in their hand. Its app includes live and on-demand strength classes alongside cycling, running and yoga, led by instructors with real personality. You don't need Peloton equipment for most classes, so you can follow along in a gym, at home, or on any bike or treadmill.
Leaderboards and streaks add motivation, and the variety of class lengths and styles keeps your training from going stale. The catch for serious lifting is that classes set the pace, so tracking your own progressive overload is harder than in a dedicated log. It is also pricier than most fitness apps, and the best metrics are tied to Peloton's own bikes and treads.
Good forPeople who prefer instructor-led strength classes to lifting solo
Watch out forPricier than most apps, and weak for tracking heavy lifts
What should you look for in a gym app?
Start with the essentials for strength training: fast set logging, your previous numbers on screen, a rest timer, and a record of personal bests. A plate calculator and a watch app are welcome extras when you are moving between racks. Then read the free plan carefully. Some apps cap saved routines, which starts to matter once you have a split you repeat every week.
Then think about motivation, because the best gym app is the one you keep opening. Competitive lifters respond to Brolic's leaderboards. Social lifters like Hevy's feed. Beginners benefit from Fitbod planning each session, and class lovers stay consistent with Peloton's instructors. Pick for whatever gets you through the gym door on a tired evening, not for the longest feature list.
Should beginners use a gym app?
Yes. A gym app gives beginners two things that matter early: a plan to follow and a record of progress. If you don't have a program yet, Fitbod builds one for you and adjusts it as you go. If you already have one, a log like Brolic or Hevy makes sure each session builds on the last, which is how strength actually grows.
Compare the top picks
Brolic
9.4
vs
Hevy
9.1
Brolic
9.4
vs
Strong Workout Tracker
8.8
Hevy
9.1
vs
Strong Workout Tracker
8.8
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free gym app?
Brolic is the best free gym app, with unlimited routines, no ads and nothing locked. Hevy's free plan is also strong for logging, but it caps how many routines you can save.
Brolic or Hevy: which gym app is better?
Brolic is better if you're on iPhone and want competition, with leaderboards by country, city and weight class. Hevy is better if you need Android or Wear OS, or want a social feed for sharing routines with friends.
Is there a gym app that makes workouts for you?
Yes. Fitbod builds each strength workout from your equipment, recent training and muscle recovery, then adjusts the weights as you progress. It needs a subscription after the free trial.
Can I use the Peloton app at a regular gym?
Yes. Most Peloton app classes don't need Peloton hardware, so you can follow strength classes with gym equipment or ride along on any bike or treadmill.
