Comparison

5/3/1 Workout logger vs Forge 5/3/1

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

5/3/1 Workout logger

This app helps lifters plan, log, and track their Jim Wendler 5/3/1 and Beyond 5/3/1 cycles. It automates complex calculations for weight and reps, tracks progress with charts, and includes features like a plate calculator and rest timer. Focus on your lifts without the guesswork.

Highlights
  • Automated 5/3/1 cycle management
  • Weight and rep calculation
  • Progress tracking charts
  • Plate calculator (plate math)
  • Rest timer
  • Supports major 5/3/1 templates
Features
Read full description

◘ The Ultimate Jim Wendler 5/3/1 Workout Calculator & Strength Logger Stop managing spreadsheets! Highly rated 4.8 stars by over 5,000 lifters, the 5/3/1 Log: Wendler Workout Tracker is the essential app for planning, logging, and tracking your entire Jim Wendler 5/3/1, Beyond 5/3/1, and all custom 531 cycles. Trust the tracker that handles all the complex calculations so you can focus on hitting new PRs. This app is designed for serious powerlifting and strength training progression, eliminating guesswork and ensuring you follow the principles of Progressive Overload. ◘ Master the Big Lifts & Lift with Structure Think of this app as your personal coach giving you the structure and accountability you need. With our 5/3/1 calculator, there is no guesswork: * Show Up, Open App, Lift: The workout structure is automatically laid out for you. * Track and progress on all four main lifts: Squats, Deadlift, Bench Press, and Overhead Press (OHP). * The app manages your 5/3/1 progression by automatically laying out the weights and reps for each workout day. ◘ Privacy-Focused & User-First We built this app to be a clean, focused workout logger with maximum privacy: * NO Subscription. * NO Registration Required. * NO Ads. * NO Selling Your Data. * NO Recurring or Hidden Costs. ◘ Intelligent 5/3/1 Calculator & Progression * Automatic 5/3/1 Cycle Management: Enter your estimated 1 Rep Max (1RM / E1RM) once and let the app manage your entire 4-week cycle progression. * Training Max Control: Easily configure your Training Max Percentage for precise weight calculation. * Plates Calculator (Plate Math Solved): See exactly which weight plates to load for every set. Supports Kg/Lb and configurable bar weights for your main lifts. * Progress Tracking: Visualize your gains with detailed progress charts for your current 1RM and tracked Bodyweight. ◘ All Major 5/3/1 Templates & Variations Supported We support every popular template from the Beyond 5/3/1 book and community, giving you infinite customization to achieve your goals, whether building strength or muscle mass. * Boring But Big (BBB) Sets: Full configuration of your percentages for your supplemental workThe Ultimate Jim Wendler 5/3/1 Workout Calculator & Strength Log * Stop managing spreadsheets! Highly rated 4.8 stars by over 5,000 lifters, the 5/3/1 Log: Wendler Workout Tracker is the essential app for planning, logging, and tracking your entire Jim Wendler 5/3/1, Beyond 5/3/1, and all custom 531 cycles. Trust the tracker that handles all the complex calculations so you can focus on hitting new PRs. * This app is designed for serious powerlifting and strength training progression, eliminating guesswork and ensuring you follow the principles of Progressive Overload. ◘ Seamless Gym Experience Warm-up Sets: Automatic calculation and logging of all required warm-up sets included. Rest Timer: Built-in timer with configurable lengths to maintain workout intensity. Apple Health Integration: Automatically push your completed workout data to Apple Health. ◘ Trial & Feature Unlock Information The app includes a generous 3-week trial period with all features available. At the end of the trial, a one-time purchase is required to permanently unlock: * "5/3/1 Pro" Feature: To continue logging the main 5/3/1 workouts. * "Assistance Workouts" Feature: To continue logging your supplemental assistance exercises. ◘ Important Disclaimer This app is an independent calculator and log. It is not affiliated with Mr. Jim Wendler (the creator of the 5/3/1 program). We highly recommend purchasing his official book(s) to fully understand the philosophy behind the program.

About

Forge 5/3/1

This powerlifting app helps users follow the Wendler 5/3/1 Boring But Big program with personalized workouts. It offers detailed tracking, history, and gym-ready features, with optional premium upgrades for advanced customization and data management.

Highlights
  • Personalized 5/3/1 BBB workouts
  • Classic Wendler progression
  • Log sets, reps, and weights
  • Volume and estimated 1RM tracking
  • Offline functionality
  • Plate calculator
  • Customizable training percentages
Features
Read full description

Forge 531 is your powerlifting companion for Wendler 5/3/1 Boring But Big—built for lifters who want precision, customization, and privacy. No ads-driven onboarding and no required account. PROGRAM & WORKOUTS (included) • Enter one-rep maxes for squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press—Forge generates personalized 5/3/1 BBB sessions from your training maxes • Classic Wendler progression with Boring But Big assistance work • Four-week cycles including deload; intuitive week navigation and cycle management • Metric or imperial units—switch anytime in Settings TRACKING & HISTORY (included) • Log sets, reps, and weights for every workout • Volume totals (weight × reps) • Estimated 1RM from AMRAP sets (Brzycki) • Full history with analytics so you can see progress over time GYM-READY DESIGN (included) • Optional keep screen awake during sessions • Dark theme suited to dim floors • Fast movement between weeks and workout detail PRIVACY & SIMPLICITY (included) • No account—ever. Nothing to register; nothing you must log into later • Your data stays on your device—not tied to a Forge cloud profile • Works offline for everyday training PREMIUM — SMART PLATES & LOADS (14-day free trial, then one-time purchase — no subscription) • Plate calculator — visual plate combinations for any target weight • Plate settings — barbell weight and inventory that match your gym • Full calculator access lines up with your metric/imperial choice once Premium is active PREMIUM — TRAINING CONTROL (same trial / purchase model) • Training max % adjustments — tune percentages off Wendler defaults • Progressions customization — adjust weekly progression percentages • Warm-up sets — bar-only and configurable percentage warm-ups before working sets (deload options in Settings) PREMIUM — DATA PORTABILITY (Not included in the free trial — unlocks with Premium purchase) • Import/export — backup and restore workout history via CSV HOW PREMIUM WORKS New users receive a 14-day trial for most Premium features listed above.** Import/export requires a Premium purchase and is not part of the trial.** After the trial ends, Premium remains available as a one-time purchase—no subscription.

Screenshots

5/3/1 Workout logger4 screens
Forge 5/3/14 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: 5/3/1 Workout logger at 3.2K against Forge 5/3/1's 1. Forge 5/3/1's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 75%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. 5/3/1 Workout logger sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Forge 5/3/1 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Forge 5/3/1 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 5/3/1 Workout logger has 3.2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of 5/3/1 Workout logger's written reviews are positive against 100% of Forge 5/3/1's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

5/3/1 Workout logger ships an update every 5 weeks, Forge 5/3/1 every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and August 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
5/3/1 Workout logger versus Forge 5/3/1: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter5/3/1 Workout loggerForge 5/3/1
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (3.2K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3.2K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB26 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperSeetha ThangarasaDev IT Digital LLC

Customer experience

5/3/1 Workout logger

All ratings3,211 ratings
Positive96.0%
Neutral2.6%
Negative1.5%
Written reviews157 reviews
Positive75.2%
Neutral9.6%
Negative15.3%

Forge 5/3/1

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

5/3/1 Workout logger

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes when adding accessory exercises
  • Weights not calculated correctly for main lifts
  • Workout data not saving properly
  • Apple Watch app not functioning as expected

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add more assistance exercise options
  • Allow resetting of cycles and training maxes
  • Improve Apple Watch integration and sync
  • Add ability to view and edit past workout notes
  • Implement more 5/3/1 program variations
Show 1 more
  • Improve data backup and restore functionality

Forge 5/3/1

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

5/3/1 Workout logger

One-time3
  • Assistance workouts$3.99
  • Apple Watch support$3.99
  • 5/3/1 pro$9.99
1 purchases

Forge 5/3/1

One-time1
  • Premium Features$4.99

Questions

Is 5/3/1 Workout logger free?
5/3/1 Workout logger is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Forge 5/3/1 free?
Forge 5/3/1 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, 5/3/1 Workout logger or Forge 5/3/1?
Forge 5/3/1 is rated higher. 5/3/1 Workout logger averages 4.8 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings, while Forge 5/3/1 averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do 5/3/1 Workout logger or Forge 5/3/1 have ads?
Neither 5/3/1 Workout logger nor Forge 5/3/1 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, 5/3/1 Workout logger or Forge 5/3/1?
5/3/1 Workout logger ships an update every 5 weeks, and Forge 5/3/1 every 3 weeks. Most recently, 5/3/1 Workout logger was updated on September 23, 2026 and Forge 5/3/1 on August 9, 2026.

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