Hevy vs Strong: Free Limits, Features and Switching
Choose Hevy if you want a lifting log with a social feed and four free routines. Choose Strong if you prefer its workout-log workflow and three free templates cover your plan. Both have more recording tools than a simple beginner-versus-advanced split suggests.
This comparison is published by Setgraph, a competing tracker. It uses official documentation, not measured speed tests. The useful differences are access limits, sharing preferences and the exact workflow you want. Images are illustrations, not Hevy or Strong app screenshots.
Feature | Hevy | Strong |
|---|---|---|
Free saved routines/templates | Four routines | Three templates |
Custom exercise limit | Seven free custom exercises | Custom exercises documented; confirm any feature-specific access in-app |
Chart/history distinction | Free stats window up to three months; stored workouts are not thereby deleted | PRO includes all charts; workout logging is a separate function |
Logging tools | Set types, RPE, supersets, notes and rest timer | Set options, RPE, supersets, notes and custom timers |
Export | Workout and measurement exports documented | CSV export on iOS and Android documented |
Switching from Strong | Direct English Strong CSV; kilograms; history only | Cannot reimport exported CSV into Strong |
Sources: Hevy free/PRO limits, Hevy logging, Strong templates and Strong export.
Hevy overview
Illustration, not a screenshot of a reviewed app.
Hevy combines a workout log with reusable routines and a social layer. Choose it if following friends or sharing sessions is useful to you, or if its layout fits the way you train.
What Hevy offers
Set-and-rep logging with notes, RPE and supersets
Reusable routines and custom exercises
Progress views alongside community features
Limits to know
The free plan caps routines and custom exercises and limits the stats viewing window. That does not mean older workout records are deleted. Hevy explains what remains when moving from Pro to free.
Strong app overview
Illustration, not a screenshot of a reviewed app.
Strong is worth comparing if you want a workout log centered on recording your own exercises and sets. It includes templates, set options, timers and history; those tools can serve different experience levels.
What Strong offers
Custom exercises, supersets and RPE recording
Reusable workout templates and custom timers
CSV export for keeping a separate record
Limits to know
Free template creation is limited to three. PRO adds unlimited templates and all charts, among other tools. Strong’s export help does not support describing ordinary CSV export as a paid-only feature.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Illustration, not a screenshot of a reviewed app.
Use the same familiar session in both apps if you want to compare their interfaces. This page has not timed either app.
Logging and customization
Both document tools for exercises, sets, supersets, notes and rest timing. If you use a particular set format, enter it in each app and reopen the saved session. Do not infer that one is unsuitable for advanced training merely from how minimal its screen looks.
Progress views
Compare the metric and time range you actually use. Hevy’s free stats range is distinct from retained workout history; Strong PRO includes all charts. Neither fact establishes that one app’s analysis is inherently deeper.
Reusable routines
A four-day template rotation may fit Hevy’s free four-routine allowance, while three templates cover many simpler rotations in Strong. Count the templates you need, including alternatives, before choosing a paid upgrade.
Timers and session flow
Both document rest timers. Try your usual rest setting and one superset, and decide which controls you prefer.
Apple Watch and wearables
Both advertise Apple Watch support. That does not guarantee identical watch-only workflows or support for another wearable. Check your model, operating system and the functions you need on the current app listing.
Poor-signal use and backup
If offline use matters, try starting, editing and saving a session without connectivity, then reconnect and check the record. A feature list is not a test of sync reliability on your device. Keep an independent export when offered.
Data export
Hevy documents workout and measurement exports; Strong documents CSV export on iOS and Android. An export is not automatically a restorable backup or a compatible import.
Free access and sharing
Use the documented free limits above and the terms displayed in the installed app. Hevy’s social features may appeal if you want a feed; workout sharing in another app is not necessarily the same thing. Review who can see a session before sharing it.
Moving from Strong to Hevy
Hevy’s official import instructions specify a direct CSV export from Strong, with Strong set to English and weight values in kilograms. The import moves workout history, not saved routines.
Keep an untouched copy of the original Strong export
Follow Hevy’s current unit and language requirements; do not assume a file containing pounds will convert automatically
In Hevy, use Profile → Settings → Export & Import Data → Import Data → Import Strong CSV
Compare several dates, exercises, set counts and weights before relying on the imported history
Recreate routines separately and retain your old records until you are satisfied
Strong says its exported CSV cannot be imported back into Strong. Do not delete old records on the assumption that the move is reversible in either direction.
For practical tips on structuring a plan, see our training and logging guides.
Which app fits your training style?
Powerlifting or bodybuilding: both can record lifting sets. Compare the specific set notation, history and metrics you use
Home training or a beginner plan: either can be a log; demonstrations do not replace learning safe technique
Conditioning: check the duration or distance entry you need instead of assuming a lifting log replaces a dedicated interval or GPS app
Training with a partner or coach: compare sharing controls and the information the other person needs; do not assume either consumer app is a complete coaching platform
A third option worth considering: Setgraph
Setgraph is our product and offers another exercise-history-focused workflow. Compare Setgraph features if that organization appeals to you, and check current feature access on your platform. We have not established a universal speed advantage or a Strong/Hevy import into Setgraph.
Practical recommendation
Try Hevy first if the social layer or four free routines solves a need. Stay with Strong if you already like its log and three templates are enough, or if its paid tools meet a specific requirement. If neither has a clear advantage for your use, there is little reason to migrate years of history just for a ranking.
FAQ
Can I use both during a comparison?
Yes, you can record a representative session in both to compare the workflow. You do not need to double-log indefinitely.
Which is better for Apple Watch?
Both advertise support. Try the actions you need on your exact watch and app version; no watch performance winner was tested for this comparison.
Can I move my history between them?
Hevy documents import from a direct English Strong CSV with kilogram weights, for history only. Strong says it cannot import its own exported files. Keep an original copy and verify the result before discarding anything.
Final verdict
Hevy’s social features and free routine allowance are concrete reasons to shortlist it. Strong remains a reasonable choice for someone who likes its log and template workflow. Both have substantial lifting-record tools; choose by the feature you will use, then test any migration before depending on it.
