# 5x5 Workout vs Five/Three/One

5x5 Workout and Five/Three/One both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 78% of Five/Three/One's written reviews are positive against 53% of 5x5 Workout's. Five/Three/One also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 5x5 Workout sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month 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 — 4.7 for 5x5 Workout against 4.8 for Five/Three/One. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 53% of 5x5 Workout's written reviews are positive against 78% of Five/Three/One's.

5x5 Workout ships an update every 2 months, Five/Three/One every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 5x5 Workout | Five/Three/One |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/5x5-workout-zen-labs/id1359084503/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fivethreeone-531-workouts/id1560266240/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 1.5K |
| Positive reviews | 52.8% of reviews | **78.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 203 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zen Labs](https://appshunter.io/developer/485971738) | [Strong Pigeon LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1560266242) |

## What reviewers say

### 5x5 Workout

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/5x5-workout-zen-labs/id1359084503)

This app simplifies strength training for beginners by focusing on essential compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses. It offers a proven program that guides users through workouts, automatically calculates weights, and tracks progress. Get started with a free trial and build strength efficiently.

**Highlights:** Beginner-friendly strength program, Focus on compound movements, Automatic weight and rep calculation, Progress tracking graphs, Warm-up calculator, HealthKit integration

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Zen Unlimited Pass Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Zen Power Playlist 3 Months | $29.99 | per 3 months |
| Zen unlimited pass annual | $74.99 | per year |
| Pro Features | $8.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Concise and well-designed app
- 🚀 Accountability and precision
- 💪 Helps achieve fitness goals

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔧 Limited customization options
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 💰 Forced subscription model

**Reported bugs**

- Settings cannot be changed
- Lost progress due to app crashes
- Paid features not unlocking properly

**Requested features**

- Allow changing weight for individual sets
- Add a lower body/core focused workout
- Include dumbbell exercises


### 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 5x5 Workout free?

5x5 Workout 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, 5x5 Workout or Five/Three/One?

Five/Three/One is rated higher. 5x5 Workout averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Five/Three/One averages 4.8 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do 5x5 Workout or Five/Three/One have ads?

Neither 5x5 Workout nor Five/Three/One shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 5x5 Workout or Five/Three/One?

5x5 Workout ships an update every 2 months, and Five/Three/One every 2 weeks. Most recently, 5x5 Workout was updated on November 6, 2026 and Five/Three/One on November 7, 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.*
