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Fitness · head to head

Hevy vs Sleep Cycle

Hevy logo

Hevy

Fitness

Workout tracker and gym log

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sleep Cycle logo

Sleep Cycle

Fitness

Phone based sleep tracking app that uses the microphone or accelerometer to detect sleep phases and wake you in a light sleep window

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Hevy free tier severely limited to 4 routines and 7 custom exercises, requiring Pro subscription for most users; Sleep Cycle sleep stage detection is inferred from sound and motion rather than measured with dedicated physiological sensors, so accuracy is lower than a ring or watch based tracker like Oura.
  • They diverge on capability: Hevy covers Workout tracking, Sleep Cycle covers Sound and motion sleep analysis.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Hevy and Sleep Cycle actually diverge.

Attributes where Hevy and Sleep Cycle differ
AttributeHevySleep Cycle
Pricing modelUnknownFree with a Premium subscription
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, Apple Watch, WearOSiOS, Android
Founded2019Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Fitness).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Hevy

  • Workout tracking
  • Social feed
  • Progress photos
  • Personal records
  • Exercise library
  • Apple Health
  • Google Fit
  • Apple Watch

Only in Sleep Cycle

  • Sound and motion sleep analysis
  • Smart alarm
  • Sleep quality trends
  • Snore and sleep talk recording
  • Sleep aid sounds and stories
  • Apple Health and wearable integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Hevy

  • Workout trackingnot Sleep Cycle
  • Nutrition managementnot Sleep Cycle
  • Health monitoringnot Sleep Cycle
  • Fitness coachingnot Sleep Cycle
  • Wellness improvementnot Sleep Cycle

Sleep Cycle

  • Someone who wants sleep tracking without buying a ring or watch, using a phone they already ownnot Hevy
  • A person who struggles with grogginess from alarms and wants to be woken during a light sleep window insteadnot Hevy
  • Someone who wants to check whether they snore or talk in their sleep, which requires the Premium subscriptionnot Hevy
  • A buyer comparing upfront cost against Oura or a smartwatch before deciding whether hardware-free tracking is good enoughnot Hevy

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Hevy

  • Free tier severely limited to 4 routines and 7 custom exercises, requiring Pro subscription for most users
  • Strava integration is one-way only, preventing synchronization of Strava activities back into Hevy
  • Social features are basic compared to dedicated social fitness communities, limited to workout feeds and comments
  • No built-in nutrition or diet tracking, complementary to but separate from full fitness platforms
  • Limited coaching and AI programming features compared to alternatives like Fitbod or Boostcamp

Sleep Cycle

  • Sleep stage detection is inferred from sound and motion rather than measured with dedicated physiological sensors, so accuracy is lower than a ring or watch based tracker like Oura.
  • The app needs to run overnight with the microphone active or the phone on the mattress, which raises its own privacy consideration for anyone uncomfortable with a phone microphone recording an entire room overnight.
  • Most of the features that make the sleep data actionable, detailed trends and snore analysis, are behind the Premium subscription rather than included free.
  • Battery drain overnight from continuous microphone or motion sensing is a real practical issue for anyone who also wants to use the phone as a normal alarm without charging it.
  • Detection can be disrupted by a shared bed, a partners movement or snoring, or ambient household noise, all of which reduce accuracy for the primary user.

Pricing, plan by plan

Hevy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited workout logging
    • Full exercise library (200+ videos)
    • Progress charts and personal records
  • Pro$2.99/month
    • All Free features
    • Unlimited routines
    • Unlimited custom exercises

Sleep Cycle

Free
  • Sleep Cycle Premium$39.99/year
    • Basic sleep tracking and the smart alarm are free, no hardware required
    • Premium unlocks detailed trends, snore recording playback and most sleep sounds
    • Annual Premium commonly around $39.99, with a higher effective rate if billed monthly

Which should you pick?

Choose Hevy if

  • You need workout tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Apple Watch, WearOS.
  • You also want social feed.
Hevy review

Choose Sleep Cycle if

  • You need sound and motion sleep analysis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want smart alarm.
Sleep Cycle review

Questions people ask

Is Hevy or Sleep Cycle better?
Neither clearly leads. Hevy starts at Free and Sleep Cycle at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Hevy or Sleep Cycle?
Hevy starts at Free and Sleep Cycle at Free.
Does Hevy or Sleep Cycle run on more platforms?
Hevy runs on iOS, Android, Web, Apple Watch, WearOS. Sleep Cycle runs on iOS, Android.
Can I use Hevy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Hevy best used for?
Hevy is most often used for workout tracking, nutrition management, health monitoring, fitness coaching. Of those, workout tracking and nutrition management are not what Sleep Cycle is typically brought in for.
What can Hevy do that Sleep Cycle cannot?
Hevy covers Workout tracking, Social feed, Progress photos, Personal records. Sleep Cycle covers Sound and motion sleep analysis, Smart alarm, Sleep quality trends, Snore and sleep talk recording.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Hevy: Is Hevy completely free or does it have a paid tier?

Hevy has a free tier and a paid Pro tier. The free version includes unlimited workout logging and access to the full exercise library but is limited to 4 routines, 7 custom exercises, and 3 months of data history. Hevy Pro costs $2.99 per month, $23.99 per year, or $74.99 lifetime and removes these limits while adding advanced analytics and custom routine sharing.

Source
Sleep Cycle: Do I need to buy any hardware for Sleep Cycle?

No. It uses your phones microphone or accelerometer, placed on the nightstand or mattress, with no separate device to buy.

Hevy: What features does Hevy include for workout logging and progress tracking?

Hevy provides automatic rest timers, RPE tracking, one-rep max calculations, exercise performance charts, body measurement tracking, progress photos, and an exercise library with over 200 exercise videos. The app supports warmup calculators, drop sets, failure tracking, and note-taking on workouts.

Source
Sleep Cycle: Is Sleep Cycle free?

Basic tracking and the smart alarm are free. Detailed trends, snore recording and most sleep sounds require Sleep Cycle Premium.

Hevy: Does Hevy work on Apple Watch and other devices?

Yes, Hevy is available on iOS and Android phones and tablets. It also supports Apple Watch and WearOS for basic workout logging and tracking. Additionally, Hevy has a web/desktop version for managing routines and viewing progress data.

Source
Sleep Cycle: How accurate is phone based sleep tracking compared with a ring or watch?

Less accurate, since it infers sleep stages from sound and motion rather than measuring heart rate or temperature directly, which dedicated wearables like Oura do.

Hevy: What integrations does Hevy support?

Hevy integrates with Apple Health to sync your workouts and fitness data. It also supports Strava integration, though the sync is one-way only: Hevy can send workouts to Strava, but Strava workouts will not be reflected back in Hevy.

Source
Hevy: Can I share workouts and interact with other users in Hevy?

Yes, Hevy has social features including the ability to follow other athletes, view their workouts, like and comment on workouts, and save routines created by other users. The app maintains a social feed and leaderboard features, though these are more limited compared to dedicated social fitness platforms.

Source
Hevy: Does Hevy have an offline mode for gym workouts?

While Hevy is primarily a cloud-based app, the search results do not provide explicit documentation about offline logging capabilities. The app requires syncing to log workouts and access progress data.

Source
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