Comparison

Alpha Progression Gym Tracker vs Variable Resistance Training

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

Head to head
About

Alpha Progression Gym Tracker

This app helps you maximize muscle gains and track your fitness progress with personalized workout plans and advanced progression recommendations. It features a vast exercise database, workout tracking tools, and insights to optimize your strength training journey.

Highlights
  • Customized muscle building workout plans
  • Progression recommendations for weight and reps
  • Workout tracker with rep and weight log
  • Extensive exercise database with videos
  • Graphs and insights for workout analysis
  • Comprehensive periodization tools
  • Shareable workout plans
Features
Read full description

Stop guessing. Pro builds your plan and recommends weight and reps for every set, adapting to how strong you are today. Free logging, no account. 14-day free trial. Alpha Progression tells you exactly what to lift. Every set, every workout. Build your plan in a minute, then follow weight and rep recommendations that adapt to how strong you are today. Most gym apps only record what you did. Alpha Progression plans what you should do next: a science-based training plan built for your goal, your experience and your equipment, and a progression recommendation for every single set. App of the Day on the App Store, twice. 4.9 stars from 40,000+ lifters. 25 million workouts logged. YOUR PLAN, GENERATED Pick your goal, the days you can train, how long you have and which muscles to prioritize. The plan generator builds a complete plan around the equipment in your gym: split, exercises, sets and rep ranges. Beginners and advanced lifters get fundamentally different plans, because they need different things. Every detail stays editable, or build your own plan from scratch. Need just one session? The workout generator creates a one-off workout whenever you want. A RECOMMENDATION FOR EVERY SET Before each set, the app shows the weight and reps to go for, based on your previous workouts and what you have already done today. Recommendations shift from set to set because fatigue is real: set 3 is not set 1. Keep hitting them and they keep climbing. Progressive overload without spreadsheets or guesswork. LOG FAST, STAY IN THE ZONE Weight, reps and RIR in two taps, with your notes and your last sets in view. Rest timer as a Live Activity, so the countdown and your next set sit on the lock screen and in the Dynamic Island. Supersets, dropsets, bodyweight, assisted and timed exercises. Works fully offline. 795 EXERCISES, REAL VIDEOS Every exercise filmed in a real gym with certified trainers. No stock footage, no animations. Setup, execution and cues for each one, plus an exercise evaluation of how well it builds muscle. Filter by muscle, equipment and compound vs isolation. Missing an exercise? Add your own, with a photo from your library or the camera, or copy an existing one as a starting point. SEE WHAT IMPROVED After every workout you see every record you beat: weight, reps, volume, estimated 1RM and 10RM, best per muscle group. Charts for strength, volume, sets per muscle, workouts per week, bodyweight and measurements. Streaks and achievements keep you showing up. AND MORE Warm-up calculator: warm-up sets are added automatically, scaled to the exercise, your first working set and the weights you have. Plate calculator: exactly which plates to load, or the closest weight below if your plates don't add up. Multiple gyms, each with its own equipment and weights; switch with one tap and your recommendations adjust. Periodization and deloads: ramp sets and effort (RIR) week by week and schedule deloads. Share plans with friends or coaching clients. Export everything as CSV. kg and lb, even mixed. An optional account syncs all your devices. Syncs with Apple Health. FREE VS PRO Free: unlimited workout logging, all 795 exercise videos, your own plans, measurements, rest timer, records, achievements, plan sharing and CSV export. No ads. No account required. Pro: plan generator and workout generator, progression recommendations, charts, multiple gyms, periodization and deloads, plate calculator, warm-up calculator, exercise evaluations and images for custom exercises. 14-day free trial on the yearly plan. Built by lifters: certified trainers with bodybuilding experience who train with the app every week. Questions? info@alphaprogression.com Terms of service: https://alphaprogression.com/terms Privacy policy: https://alphaprogression.com/privacy

About

Variable Resistance Training

This app offers advanced tracking for resistance band workouts, automatically calculating resistance and progression based on your saved equipment. It also supports tracking weights and calisthenics, providing detailed analytics and a video library for exercise demonstrations.

Highlights
  • Automatic band resistance calculation
  • Dynamic resistance progression generation
  • Weight and calisthenics tracking
  • Full video exercise library
  • Detailed analytics and progress charts
  • Customizable rest timer
  • Superset functionality
Features
Read full description

The most advanced resistance band training app is here. Track bands, weights, calisthenics, and sliding bench trainers - all in one app with an intuitive, user-friendly interface. Automatically calculate band resistance and generate a resistance progression based on your saved equipment. Train smarter, see real progress, and stay consistent every session. Unlike generic fitness apps, Variable Resistance Training is the only app that combines true VRT tracking with weights, calisthenics, and sliding bench trainers, making it a complete solution for all strength and bodyweight training. Revolutionary Automatic Band Progression: - Add your bands (or any combination) to your Saved Equipment List - The app automatically generates a dynamic progression list from lowest to highest resistance, showing exact band or stacked band combinations for each resistance level - Band prestretch values are automatically calculated based on your equipment dimensions, giving you an additional difficulty indicator - Tap + / - during your workout and the app instantly updates resistance and selects the correct band or stacked combination, removing all guesswork - Works with any bands - Flexible, intuitive design makes adding/removing exercises, sets, and progression adjustments effortless Track Weights, Calisthenics, & Sliding Bench Trainers: - Standard bodyweight exercises (no equipment needed) - Assisted calisthenics using bands for support - Weighted exercises alongside your VRT workouts - Sliding bench trainers including level and added resistance Other Key Features: - Band Video Library – Clear demonstrations for VRT exercises - Robust Equipment Library – Pre-loaded with data from leading band systems, fully compatible with any resistance band or product - Custom Exercises & Programs – Build your own routines or adapt existing ones easily - Advanced Logging – Track sets, reps, RPE, resistance levels, and workout history - Customizable Rest Timer – Set and adjust rest periods for each exercise or set, with flexible options to match your workout pace - Detailed Analytics – See progress charts and track performance over time - Supports All Training Styles – Resistance bands, weights, calisthenics, and sliding bench trainers - Smarter Progression – Measure your true training load, remove guesswork, and make consistent gains - Superset Functionality – Link exercises and autoatically switch between them for seemless set tracking - Extremely User-Friendly UI – Effortlessly navigate workouts, progressions, exercises, and sets with flexible controls Why choose Variable Resistance Training? - Only app with true prestretch-based resistance tracking - Only app with automatic band progression from saved equipment - Only app that tracks bands, weights, calisthenics, and sliding bench trainers - Only app that combines powerful features with an extremely user-friendly, flexible interface for effortless tracking Whether your goal is building muscle, improving mobility, or training at home, Variable Resistance Training gives you the most versatile, accurate, and complete strength tracking system available for training with various modalities. Note: A subscription is required to continue using Variable Resistance Training after your 1-month free trial. Terms of Service: https://vrt-app.com/terms-of-service/ Privacy Policy: https://vrt-app.com/privacy-policy/ https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Alpha Progression Gym Tracker4 screens
Variable Resistance Training4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Alpha Progression Gym Tracker at 4.9 against Variable Resistance Training's 4.0. Alpha Progression Gym Tracker also leads on ratings volume (2.2K vs 4). 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. Alpha Progression Gym Tracker sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month and Variable Resistance Training sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Alpha Progression Gym Tracker holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Alpha Progression Gym Tracker has 2.2K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Alpha Progression Gym Tracker ships an update weekly, Variable Resistance Training every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Alpha Progression Gym Tracker versus Variable Resistance Training: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAlpha Progression Gym TrackerVariable Resistance Training
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (2.2K ratings) — better4.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews92.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.2K — better4
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 6 days — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size156 MB97 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperAlpha Progression GmbHAndrew Soumbos

Customer experience

Alpha Progression Gym Tracker

All ratings2,209 ratings
Positive98.4%
Neutral0.8%
Negative0.8%
Written reviews551 reviews
Positive92.2%
Neutral3.8%
Negative4.0%

Variable Resistance Training

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

Bugs and requests

Alpha Progression Gym Tracker

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Issues with logging and tracking sets and reps
  • App freezing or crashing during workouts
  • Problems with syncing data across devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add ability to track cardio and other fitness activities
  • Implement social features to share workouts and connect with others
  • Allow for more customization of workout plans and exercises
  • Integrate with other fitness apps and devices (e.g., Strava, Apple Health)

Variable Resistance Training

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Alpha Progression Gym Tracker

Subscriptions6
  • Monthly plan for best results7 Days trial$12.991 Month
  • Monthly plan for best results$12.991 Month
  • Monthly plan [Legacy]1 Month trial$24.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Yearly plan for best results14 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Yearly plan for best results7 Days trial$79.991 Year
  • Yearly plan [Legacy]1 Month trial$99.991 Year
3 purchases

Variable Resistance Training

Subscriptions2
  • VRT Monthly1 Month trial$3.991 Month
  • VRT Annual1 Month trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • VRT Lifetime Pro$149.99

Questions

Is Alpha Progression Gym Tracker free?
Alpha Progression Gym Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Variable Resistance Training free?
Variable Resistance Training is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Alpha Progression Gym Tracker or Variable Resistance Training?
Alpha Progression Gym Tracker is rated higher. Alpha Progression Gym Tracker averages 4.9 out of 5 from 2.2K ratings, while Variable Resistance Training averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Alpha Progression Gym Tracker or Variable Resistance Training have ads?
Both Alpha Progression Gym Tracker and Variable Resistance Training show ads.
Which is updated more often, Alpha Progression Gym Tracker or Variable Resistance Training?
Alpha Progression Gym Tracker ships an update weekly, and Variable Resistance Training every 6 days. Most recently, Alpha Progression Gym Tracker was updated on October 13, 2026 and Variable Resistance Training on October 10, 2026.

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