# Starting Strength (Legacy) vs StrongFirst

The clearest difference is price: StrongFirst at Free against Starting Strength (Legacy)'s $14.99. Starting Strength (Legacy)'s advantage is rating (4.8 vs 3.6) and ratings volume (2.6K vs 28). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

StrongFirst is free to download; Starting Strength (Legacy) costs $14.99 up front. Starting Strength (Legacy) sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per 3 months and StrongFirst sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Starting Strength (Legacy) holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Starting Strength (Legacy) has 2.6K ratings behind it against 28, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of Starting Strength (Legacy)'s written reviews are positive against 84% of StrongFirst's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Starting Strength (Legacy) ships an update every 5 weeks, StrongFirst every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Starting Strength (Legacy) | StrongFirst |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starting-strength-legacy/id1008697836/reviews)** | [3.6 (28 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strongfirst/id6451005125/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.6K** | 28 |
| Positive reviews | 82.9% of reviews | **84.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 239 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Shabu Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1008697835) | [StrongFirst](https://appshunter.io/developer/1696194292) |

## What reviewers say

### Starting Strength (Legacy)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starting-strength-legacy/id1008697836)

This app guides beginners through a proven strength training program with detailed instructions, video demonstrations, and interactive logging. It simplifies tracking progress and calculating weights for exercises like squats, presses, and deadlifts.

**Highlights:** Beginner barbell exercise instructions, Novice strength training program guidance, Interactive workout logging, Warmup and workset weight calculator, Exercise video and photo instructions, Cloud sync for training data, Customizable progression

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 Months Pro | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Pro Quaterly | $19.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual Pro | $39.99 | per year |
| Single Form Check | $24.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Pro Forever | $59.99 | one-time |
| 3 x Form Checks | $69.99 | one-time |
| 10 Form Checks | $209.99 | one-time |
| 20 x Form Checks | $399.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful for tracking progress
- 💡 Includes book excerpts and videos
- 🔒 Stable and reliable
- 🚀 Calculates warmup sets and plate loading

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🐛 Glitchy graphics and UI issues
- 🔒 Lacks customization options
- 🔒 Limited to the novice linear progression program
- 🔒 No ability to modify exercises or programming

**Reported bugs**

- Frequent crashes and freezes
- Issues with timer functionality
- Problems with weight and plate tracking
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
- Bugs when switching between exercises

**Requested features**

- Add ability to modify exercises and programming
- Implement advanced programming options beyond novice linear progression
- Improve stability and reduce crashes
- Add Apple Health integration
- Enhance UI and user experience


### StrongFirst

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/strongfirst/id6451005125)

This fitness app offers personalized strength training programs using kettlebells, barbells, and bodyweight. It provides expert guidance with video demonstrations, progress tracking, and a supportive community. Access educational content to deepen your understanding of strength and conditioning.

**Highlights:** Personalized training programs, Expert guidance with video demonstrations, Progress tracking, Variety of exercises (kettlebell, barbell, bodyweight), Flexible scheduling, Community support, Educational articles and tips

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StrongFirst App Premium | $19.99 | per month |
| StrongFirst App Premium | $156.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Starting Strength (Legacy) free?

Starting Strength (Legacy) costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is StrongFirst free?

StrongFirst is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Starting Strength (Legacy) or StrongFirst?

Starting Strength (Legacy) is rated higher. Starting Strength (Legacy) averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.6K ratings, while StrongFirst averages 3.6 from 28 ratings.

### Do Starting Strength (Legacy) or StrongFirst have ads?

Neither Starting Strength (Legacy) nor StrongFirst shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Starting Strength (Legacy) or StrongFirst?

Starting Strength (Legacy) ships an update every 5 weeks, and StrongFirst every 3 weeks. Most recently, Starting Strength (Legacy) was updated on October 26, 2026 and StrongFirst on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*