# 531 Strength vs Five/Three/One

The clearest difference is ads: Five/Three/One at none against 531 Strength's shown. Five/Three/One also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). 531 Strength's advantage is review sentiment (94% vs 78%) and ratings volume (12K vs 1.2K). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 531 Strength sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Five/Three/One sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for 531 Strength against 4.9 for Five/Three/One. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 531 Strength has 12K ratings behind it against 1.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 94% of 531 Strength's written reviews are positive against 78% of Five/Three/One's.

531 Strength ships an update every 2 months, Five/Three/One every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 531 Strength | Five/Three/One |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/531-strength/id1062989244/reviews)** | [4.9 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fivethreeone-531-workouts/id1560266240/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **12K** | 1.2K |
| Positive reviews | **93.8% of reviews** | 78.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 28 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Henrik Jachobsen](https://appshunter.io/developer/497731838) | [Strong Pigeon LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1560266242) |

## What reviewers say

### 531 Strength

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/531-strength/id1062989244)

This app simplifies tracking your progress on the 5/3/1 strength training program. It calculates and displays weights, reps, and sets based on your one-rep max, allowing you to easily plan and execute your workouts. Rounding options help match available gym plates.

**Highlights:** Calculate 5/3/1 weights, Track 1RM for exercises, View cycle step weights, Round weights to available plates, Full overview of weights, reps, sets

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Additional exercises | $1.99 | one-time |
| Adjustable set | $1.99 | one-time |
| Plate calculator | $1.99 | one-time |
| Progress log | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Simple and efficient
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 💪 Helps with strength gains
- 🔧 Customizable features
- ⏱️ Convenient timer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔢 Inaccurate percentage calculations
- 🗓️ Lack of ability to plan future workouts
- 📋 Limited exercise tracking
- 💰 Paid features not worth the cost

**Reported bugs**

- Rest timer stops when app is backgrounded
- Plate calculator not flexible enough

**Requested features**

- Ability to adjust training max separately from 1RM
- Option to track rep PRs and estimated 1RM
- Accessory exercise tracking and planning
- Sync progress across devices


### Five/Three/One

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fivethreeone-531-workouts/id1560266240)

This app helps weightlifters follow Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program by automating cycle calculations, plate suggestions, and progress tracking. It eliminates the need for paper logs or spreadsheets, focusing on strength gains. Features include rest timers, workout scheduling, and Apple Health integration.

**Highlights:** 5/3/1 cycle planning and scheduling, Progress charting, Rest timer with notifications, Automatic plate calculation, Next cycle calculation based on performance, Home screen widget, Apple Health integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Custom Weight Plates | $2.99 | one-time |
| Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Beyond 5/3/1 Pack | $5.99 | one-time |
| Custom Assistance | $8.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Enormous Tip | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💻 Excellent app for 5/3/1 programming
- 📊 Provides great tracking and progress monitoring
- 🔢 Automatic weight and plate calculations
- ⏱️ Built-in rest timers and workout flow
- 🎨 Clean and intuitive user interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🗓️ Rigid scheduling and inability to reschedule missed workouts
- 🔒 Limited customization options for assistance exercises
- 🔀 Difficulty in reordering or supersetting exercises
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and data loss issues
- ⚠️ Lack of Apple Watch integration

**Reported bugs**

- Workout data occasionally lost or not syncing properly
- Calendar and scheduling issues when trying to reschedule missed workouts
- Plate calculation bugs leading to incorrect weight displays
- Occasional app freezes and crashes

**Requested features**

- Allow more flexibility in scheduling and rescheduling workouts
- Provide customization options for assistance exercises
- Implement superset and out-of-order exercise completion
- Add support for Apple Watch integration
- Incorporate additional 5/3/1 program variations (e.g., Bodybuilder, Monolith)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 531 Strength free?

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

### Is Five/Three/One free?

Five/Three/One is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, 531 Strength or Five/Three/One?

531 Strength is rated higher. 531 Strength averages 4.9 out of 5 from 12K ratings, while Five/Three/One averages 4.9 from 1.2K ratings.

### Do 531 Strength or Five/Three/One have ads?

531 Strength shows ads; Five/Three/One does not.

### Which is updated more often, 531 Strength or Five/Three/One?

531 Strength ships an update every 2 months, and Five/Three/One every 2 weeks. Most recently, 531 Strength was updated on September 30, 2026 and Five/Three/One on September 29, 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.*