Signing up for a free Nike Membership unlocks the entire NTC library, which is seamlessly integrated into the Nike ecosystem via its mobile apps. The interface is polished, intuitive, and easy to navigate, allowing users to filter workouts by muscle group, equipment, or duration. While it tracks completed workouts, it lacks the detailed progression analytics and weight tracking features found in more specialized strength training apps. Although weightlifting apps can save you money from a gym membership or personal training costs, they can still vary in price. Typically, the more input you have from an online coach, the more the app can cost.
Training For Every Body and Mind
Lifting weights isn’t just about building bigger muscles for better selfies. Research shows resistance training supports improved bone density1, metabolism2, and longevity3. For weight-loss-focused strength training, Fitbod and Caliber are again the top picks — but for different users. Fitbod works well when you want AI to vary your sessions and prevent adaptation plateaus. Caliber’s structured programs work well when you want a defined weekly cadence and video form guidance while you’re still learning movements. Caliber’s free tier delivers structured, video-guided strength programs at no cost — a feature combination that rivals paid apps charging $10–$15 per month.
Best For Multi-Sport Tracking: Strava
Join the Stronglifts community to get free access to all the spreadsheets for every Stronglifts program. This addition is meant to support members who are training for a race, as well as those who enjoy lifting for fitness or strength. “They now have tools that meet them where they actually are, and this is only the beginning,” Salazar adds. The developer, Ladder Technologies, Inc., indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. Ladder also provides a chat and feedback feature, integration with your music, and progress tracking. Master how to do hack squats with our 2026 guide on proper form, machine setup, and tips to build stronger quads while staying injury-free.
Day Hypertrophy Workout Plan
Otherwise known as progressive overload, to get stronger or build muscle, you’ll need to make your workouts harder so your body is forced to adapt to the stressor. Along with follow-along video workouts, the app offers a selection of ‘How To’ demonstrations. These cover techniques to start weightlifting for beginners – like deadlifts, squats, and overhead presses, along with guides on using the equipment in the gym. Here, I also found the largest collection of bodyweight-only moves out of all the apps. If you’re looking to do strength training at home for beginners, this could be the best place to start.
Equipment Demands
Led by Ukrainian Olympic weightlifter Oleksiy Torokhtiy, this introductory program to competition lifts consists of four weekly sessions—two focusing on the snatch and two on clean and jerks. While JuggernautAI’s programming and emphasis on progressive overload are great for powerlifting, this app does not offer as much workout variety as others on this list. We only rated it a 3 out of 5 in this category, as it caters mostly to a specific style of training.
- Caliber uses research-backed data to create workouts that follow progressive overload, a common principle in strength training to ensure progress over time.
- Strong’s user interface is minimalist and highly praised for its usability during a workout, allowing for quick entries without distraction.
- Zing Coach distinguishes itself as one of the best workout apps for muscle gain by leveraging AI for deeply personalized training.
- Most of the apps in this list will require you to have a set of good dumbbells at least – kettlebells and resistance bands will also help.
- Strength training every day may be a little excessive for most people.
- Depending on the plan you choose, you’ll get unlimited chat (you can message your therapist any time and they will answer within one business day), plus live video or phone sessions that you can schedule in advance.
It’s certainly not bad in this regard, but Anthony only rated it a 3 out of 5 for accountability. “There’s some basics like a community feed and the ability to message friends, but you don’t have a personal coach who will follow up on you to track progress,” he says. Anthony adds that while strength training is a main focus of the app, there are many yoga and mobility classes available, as well. This can provide some much-needed balance in your workout routine, especially if you want to keep your joints feeling limber for the long haul. The Training Intent Filter — the three-question framework that routes users to the correct app category before they compare individual options — is the tool this guide introduces because no competitor offers it.
A new era of circuit training: How modern circuits can elevate your routine
But if these aren’t quite right for you either, we’ve rounded up the best workout apps for a range of training styles and budgets to get you started. No matter your fitness journey, if you’re planning on weight training, then the bare minimum demands for equipment will be weights. The kind of weights can vary though—free weights, Olympic barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, slam balls, and even resistance bands. Here are a few other apps that are worth noting, but still didn’t make our top picks. GGR Senior Staff Writer Caine Wilkes, OLY, CNC, USAW-L1, rates Hevy a 4 out of 5 for workout variety, noting that you can add or create your own routines and custom exercises. However, the free version limits you to seven exercises and four routines.
Fitbod Limitations
If you’re looking to build strength along with endurance, Goruck Training offers plans inspired by military training methodologies, ensuring a full-body workout. The Torokhtiy Weightlifting Program is different from other apps, so it’s difficult to make a true apples-to-apples comparison. Here’s a look at the cost and “trial period” compared to the average training platform. Although weightlifting is the main goal, many programs offer specific circuits tailored to goals, such as building strength, functional fitness, mobility, powerlifting, or competitive lifting. If you are on the hunt for a free workout tracker, Hevy enables users to create routines, monitor progress with exercise charts and personal records, make exercise-specific notes, and connect with other users.
Nike Training Club: Your Holistic Training Guide
Cluttered interfaces don’t make for a relaxing experience,” she says. We talk about physical health a lot, but mental health is just as important. Talkspace gives you easy access to therapists via text and video, and it’s pretty reasonably priced.
Best Free Weightlifting App: Hevy
Also, consider the time of year and your upcoming schedule before you commit. I bought my annual Pro plan at the start of summer, not realizing I’d be traveling nonstop — so I barely used it for the first couple of months. Once the chaos died down, though, I got hooked and started using it almost daily. Nike Run Club also integrates with your music, tracks stats and progress, and AI fitness app has its in-app challenges. However, the partnership didn’t last and the workouts were removed from Netflix in March 2024, according to What’s on Netflix. The Netflix and Nike deal was meant to see if Netflix could compete with Peloton for streaming workouts, but it seems the company didn’t want to progress any further.
Top 12 Muscle-Building Apps Comparison
The app features a clean interface with a strong community element, allowing you to follow friends and share progress. The AI coach is the core of the experience, asking for feedback after each workout to tailor the next session’s difficulty. While it has a strong foundation in bodyweight and HIIT, its weight-based journeys are comprehensive and effectively apply progressive overload principles. A free version offers access to a library of individual workouts, but the real power is unlocked with the paid Coach subscription.
TrainHeroic unifies your tools, tracking, and communication into a single command center—giving you the professional infrastructure to guide your athletes without the spreadsheet headaches. See and track your progress over time with streaks and personal bests. We blend exercise science with flexible time options that fit your life.
WH editors and our trusted Strength In Diversity (SID) trainers are constantly testing and trying new fitness apps throughout the year, so we polled them about their most-used and most-loved platforms. The apps on this list represent the ones that fast-tracked strength and performance gains, were user-friendly, and really delivered on the user experience, and kept us returning to our workout plan. Consider these picks the ones we will never delete (even if we are running low on storage!).
