AI-generated strength training workouts that adapt to logged performance and available equipment
11 researched notes
StrongLifts
5x5 barbell strength training app built around a fixed beginner programme, sold as a subscription
As of 1 September 2026, StrongLifts is free to use. A workout tracker built specifically around the StrongLifts 5x5 barbell programme, a fixed five-exercise linear progression routine. Softwr lists it under Fitness. StrongLifts is available on iOS, Android.
Overview
What StrongLifts does
StrongLifts guides users through the 5x5 programme, five compound barbell lifts (squat, bench press, barbell row, overhead press, deadlift) done across two alternating workouts, with the app tracking weight, reps and automatically calculating progressive weight increases, plate loading and deload recommendations when a lift stalls. What distinguishes it is that it is not a general logging tool; it is built to run one specific, well-known beginner strength programme end to end, including built-in rest timers, form videos and warm-up set calculation specific to that method. Pricing is subscription-based, with a free tier offering limited programme access and a paid tier (historically around 4.99 to 9.99 USD a month or an annual equivalent, current pricing should be checked in-app) unlocking the full programme, custom plates and expanded logging history. Buyers are beginner to intermediate lifters specifically wanting to follow the 5x5 method rather than build a custom programme, which is the app's narrow but clear use case. The trade-off is that the programme itself has a natural end point (most lifters eventually stall and need to move to a different programme structure), at which point the app's core value proposition runs out even though the subscription continues billing unless cancelled.
What people use it for
- A beginner lifter wanting a structured, proven barbell programme rather than designing their own
- Someone wanting automatic weight progression calculated for them rather than manually tracking increases
- A lifter wanting a plate calculator to avoid mental maths loading a barbell
- Someone following 5x5 specifically who wants form videos built into the tracking app
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The honest half
Where it falls short
Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about StrongLifts.
- It is built around one specific programme, so once a lifter progresses beyond what 5x5 is designed for and stalls, the app's core structure no longer fits their needs and they typically need a different programme entirely.
- Full functionality requires a paid subscription, and the free tier is limited enough that serious use of the programme effectively requires paying.
- It offers little flexibility for customising exercises or set schemes compared with general-purpose workout loggers, since flexibility is not the point of the product.
- 5x5 as a method is not suited to every body or goal, for example it is not designed for hypertrophy-focused or advanced lifters, and the app does not steer users away from it once it stops being appropriate.
- Subscription billing continues after a user has outgrown the programme unless actively cancelled, which is a common pattern across fitness app subscriptions generally.
Pricing
What StrongLifts costs
Taken from the vendor's own pricing page. Prices move, so check before you buy.
Free
Free
- Limited programme access and logging
StrongLifts Premium
On request
- Full 5x5 programme access
- Custom plate settings
- Expanded workout history and stats
Capabilities
Features
5x5 programme tracking
Guided workouts following the specific StrongLifts 5x5 exercise and set structure
Automatic progression
Calculates weight increases after successful sets and deload after repeated failures
Plate calculator
Shows exactly which plates to load per side for the target weight
Rest timer
Built-in timer between sets tuned to the programme's prescribed rest periods
Form videos
Instructional videos for each of the five core lifts
Workout history
Logs and charts historical lift weights and progression over time
Answered, with sources
Questions people ask
Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.
Is StrongLifts free?
There is a free tier with limited access; full programme features require a paid subscription.
Is this the same as the Strong app?
No, Strong is a general-purpose workout logger for any routine; StrongLifts is built specifically around the 5x5 programme.
Who is 5x5 suited for?
Primarily beginner to early-intermediate lifters building a strength base; it is not designed as a long-term or advanced programme.
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Softwr does not host reviews and shows no star rating for StrongLifts, because a rating we did not collect is not ours to publish. What is here is the pricing and platform detail from the vendor’s own pages, limitations we could state concretely, and alternatives a reviewer confirmed people weigh against it. Tell us if any of it is wrong.
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Per user per monthAI-generated strength training workouts that adapt to logged performance and available equipment
Per user per month