Comparison

Five/Three/One vs Progressive 5

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

Head to head
About

Five/Three/One

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
Read full description

The latest app for weightlifters doing Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 program! Five/Three/One is a focused and intuitive app helping you achieve what really matters: Getting Stronger. No more bringing a crumbled workout sheet to the gym, no more messing around spreadsheets to update your weights. From calculating your cycles, to telling you what plates to put on the bar, Five/Three/One does it all. Features include: - Planning and scheduling your whole 5/3/1 cycle - Charting your progress - Rest timer with notifications - Automatic plating calculation - Calculating your next cycle based on your performance - Notes associated with each sets - Home screen widget showing your your current and upcoming workouts - Lbs/kg support Optional paid features: - Customize which plates you're using and change your barbell's weight - Customize templates assistance work and define your own exercises - Beyond 5/3/1 templates and options, from Joker Sets to FSL, Pyramid and much more! Integrates with Apple Health : The app saves the workouts you've performed as well as the calories you've burnt in Apple Health. As weightlifters doing 5/3/1 ourselves, we made the app we wanted after being dissatisfied with what was out there. More than just a glorified spreadsheet, we designed it to be focused on each task at hand. With even more great features in the pipeline, we're stoked to release the app for others to use and can't wait to hear your feedback! We use it, we love it, and we're sure you will too.

About

Progressive 5

This app guides users through the 5•3•1 strength training program, automatically calculating percentages and training maxes. It offers various templates and allows for customization of cycles and auxiliary sets, with optional in-app purchases for advanced logging and timers.

Highlights
  • Built-in 5•3•1 templates
  • Customizable training cycles
  • Minimalist and intuitive design
  • No account required for basic use
  • Smart rest timer (in-app purchase)
  • Workout logging and progress tracking (in-app purchase)
  • Plate calculator (in-app purchase)
Features
Read full description

Train with purpose using the proven 5•3•1 method. Progressive 5•3•1 is designed for lifters who want structured, sustainable strength gains without distractions. Whether you’re new to the 5•3•1 method or a longtime follower, this app helps you stay focused and make progress week after week. Key Features: • Built-in 5•3•1 Templates — Automatically calculates your percentages and training maxes. • Custom Cycles — Switch between 5s PRO, Boring But Big, First Set Last, and more. • Minimalist Design — Clean and intuitive, with nothing you don’t need. • No Account Required — Get started instantly without signing up or syncing. Upgrade When You’re Ready (In-App Purchase): • Smart Rest Timer — Auto-starts when your set is completed, remembers your preferred rest. • Log Workouts — Track sets, reps, and weights over time, keep notes , see progress over time. • Plate Calculator — Input what weights and bars you have, app tells you what to load. • Add Additional Lifts — Add other lifts besides the Big 4. • Add Auxiliary Sets — Add BBB, FSL, SSL, joker, pyramid, and drop sets. Why 5•3•1? Developed by Jim Wendler, the 5•3•1 method is one of the most respected strength programs in the world. It’s simple, effective, and built to last. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Five/Three/One4 screens
Progressive 54 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Five/Three/One at every 2 weeks against Progressive 5's every 8 months. Five/Three/One also leads on ratings volume (1.2K vs 2) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.0). On price, rating, 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. Five/Three/One sells 6 one-off in-app purchases and Progressive 5 sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Five/Three/One against 5.0 for Progressive 5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Five/Three/One has 1.2K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Five/Three/One ships an update every 2 weeks, Progressive 5 every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Five/Three/One versus Progressive 5: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFive/Three/OneProgressive 5
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (1.2K ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews78.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings1.2K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 8 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size37 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStrong Pigeon LLCFrancisco Alcala

Customer experience

Five/Three/One

All ratings1,218 ratings
Positive97.5%
Neutral2.0%
Negative0.6%
Written reviews133 reviews
Positive78.2%
Neutral9.0%
Negative12.8%

Progressive 5

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Five/Three/One

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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)

Progressive 5

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Five/Three/One

One-time6
  • Custom Weight Plates$2.99
  • Tip$4.99
  • Beyond 5/3/1 Pack$5.99
Show 3 more
  • Custom Assistance$8.99
  • Large Tip$9.99
  • Enormous Tip$24.99
5 purchases

Progressive 5

One-time5
  • Plate Calculator$0.99
  • Additional Sets$0.99
  • Additional Exercises$0.99
Show 2 more
  • Rest Timers$0.99
  • Workout Log$1.99

Questions

Is Five/Three/One free?
Five/Three/One is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Progressive 5 free?
Progressive 5 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Five/Three/One or Progressive 5?
Progressive 5 is rated higher. Five/Three/One averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Progressive 5 averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Five/Three/One or Progressive 5 have ads?
Neither Five/Three/One nor Progressive 5 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Five/Three/One or Progressive 5?
Five/Three/One ships an update every 2 weeks, and Progressive 5 every 8 months. Most recently, Five/Three/One was updated on October 16, 2026 and Progressive 5 on October 15, 2026.

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