Comparison

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan vs 1st Phorm

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

Head to head
About

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan

This app guides you through a proven barbell strength training program with no guesswork. It plans every exercise, set, and weight for you, allowing you to focus on lifting and see consistent progress. Ideal for beginners or those returning to strength training.

Highlights
  • Proven 3x/week strength program
  • Automated progression
  • Guided workouts with timers
  • Progress charts
  • Simple interface
Features
Read full description

Get stronger with the world’s simplest, most proven barbell program: the 5×5 workout. No guesswork. Just follow along and see real results, in just 3 workouts a week. StrongLifts is made for lifters starting or returning to barbell strength training. The app removes all confusion and complexity by guiding you through every 5×5 workout. It plans every exercise, set, and weight so you always know exactly what to do. The time-tested 5×5 workout gets you stronger, week after week. No experience needed. ▸ Proven 3×/week strength program: Structured workouts, all planned for you. ▸ No guesswork: Fully automated progression for consistent strength gains. ▸ Just follow along: Simple interface with timers. Focus on lifting, not fiddling. ▸ Stay motivated. See your strength go up every week with clear progress charts. ▸ Easy to stick with. Simple, guided 3×/week program. No decisions, just results. Over 3 million lifters worldwide have started or restarted their strength journey with StrongLifts since 2007. The app has been featured and reviewed in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. StrongLifts is the best strength app, with more than 200,000 five-star reviews worldwide. StrongLifts is built on the classic 5×5 workout made famous by legends like Reg Park, Bill Starr, and Glenn Pendlay. For more than 70 years, the 5×5 workout has been proven to get new and returning lifters stronger, quickly and safely. Download StrongLifts today and join millions getting stronger. StrongLifts is free to download, but requires a subscription to use. All new users get a 7-day free trial for the yearly plan. Monthly and quarterly plans are also available without a free trial. Subscription renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of each period. Manage or cancel your subscription any time in your App Store account settings. https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

1st Phorm

This app offers personalized fitness and nutrition plans, including custom workouts and simple meal tracking. It connects users with certified coaches for guidance and accountability, alongside educational content and community support to achieve lasting results.

Highlights
  • Personalized nutrition tracking
  • Workouts for all levels
  • 1-on-1 coaching
  • Custom goal setting
  • Step & hydration tracking
  • Daily education & live sessions
  • Transformation challenges
Features
Read full description

Achieve Your Fitness Goals with the 1st Phorm App The 1st Phorm App combines custom workouts, simple nutrition tracking, and 1-on-1 coaching to help you get real, lasting results — no matter where you're starting from. What You Get: Personalized Nutrition Tracking — Log meals in seconds with barcode scanning, snap a photo of your plate, or use voice-to-text to describe what you're eating and let the app calculate your nutrition automatically. Track calories, macros, and water, and get recommendations tailored to your goals. Workouts for Every Level — Choose from programs designed for all fitness levels, including at-home options that require zero equipment. 1-on-1 Coaching — Get matched with a Certified Personal Trainer or Registered Dietitian who provides ongoing feedback, accountability, and guidance so you never have to guess what's next. Custom Goal Setting & Habit Tracking — Set daily targets for steps, water, sleep, macros, and more. Track your consistency with progress dashboards that keep you motivated. Step & Hydration Tracking — Syncs with Apple Health to track daily steps, and helps you stay on top of water intake with reminders and logging. Daily Education & Live Sessions — Learn from fitness experts through live Q&As and on-demand lessons covering nutrition, training, and mindset. Transformation Challenges — Compete in quarterly challenges for cash prizes and exclusive gear while building habits that stick. Community & Accountability — Join a community of motivated people, share your wins, and stay accountable through group challenges and message boards. Supplement Recommendations — Get custom product suggestions integrated directly with 1st Phorm's trusted lineup to support your goals. Why hundreds of thousands of users trust 1st Phorm: The app doesn't just tell you what to do — it shows you how, with real coaching and a real community behind you. Download the 1st Phorm App today and take the first step. Use of this app is subject to Apple's Standard End User License Agreement: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan4 screens
1st Phorm4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan at 77K against 1st Phorm's 5.8K. 1st Phorm's advantage is review sentiment (71% vs 63%) and iOS requirement (15.5 vs 18.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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. Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and 1st Phorm sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan has 77K ratings behind it against 5.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 63% of Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan's written reviews are positive against 71% of 1st Phorm's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan ships an update every 2 weeks, 1st Phorm every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan versus 1st Phorm: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan1st Phorm
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (77K ratings) — better4.7 (5.8K ratings)
Positive reviews62.6% of reviews71.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings77K — better5.8K
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#180#74 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size172 MB55 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperStrongLiftsFirst Phorm

Customer experience

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan

All ratings76,863 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral1.1%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews1,428 reviews
Positive62.6%
Neutral3.9%
Negative33.5%

1st Phorm

All ratings5,753 ratings
Positive90.8%
Neutral2.4%
Negative6.8%
Written reviews311 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral8.4%
Negative20.3%

User reviews

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan

From 77K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💪 Effective strength-building program
  • 📈 Tracks progress and helps with consistency
  • 🤖 Automatic weight progression and plate calculation
  • ⏱️ Convenient timer and rest period tracking
  • 📚 Helpful exercise form videos

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and syncing issues
  • 💰 Subscription model can be expensive for some
  • 🔒 Limited customization options in free version
  • ⚠️ Weights may not be accurate for all users
  • 🕰️ Workouts can be time-consuming for some

1st Phorm

From 5.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💪 Life changing
  • 👍 User friendly
  • 🤝 Great community and support
  • 🧠 Comprehensive education and guidance
  • 🔑 Personalized coaching and accountability

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and glitchy
  • 📤 Difficulty inputting and saving food items
  • 🤖 Impersonal and automated coaching responses
  • 💰 Recent price increases
  • 🚫 Lack of free version options

Bugs and requests

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Workout data loss and reset issues
  • Inconsistent Apple Watch connectivity
  • Inability to edit or delete custom exercises

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to customize core exercises
  • Menstrual cycle tracking and programming
  • More pre-built program options
  • Integration with other fitness apps and devices
  • Recommended meal plans and nutrition guidance

1st Phorm

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Workouts not loading properly
  • Food and weight data disappearing
  • Login and account issues after updates
  • Inconsistent step tracking

Requested features

5 requests
  • Calendar view to manage workouts
  • Apple Health integration
  • Customizable workout plans
  • Improved food database and barcode scanning
  • Ability to adjust macros in meal plans

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan

Subscriptions6
  • Pro Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Pro Monthly2 variants$11.991 Month
  • Pro Quarterly2 variants$29.993 Months
Show 3 more
  • Pro Yearly$59.991 Year
  • Pro Yearly1 Year trial$59.991 Year
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year
One-time2
  • StrongLifts Pro 5 Years$199.99
  • StrongLifts Pro 5 Years$239.99
4 purchases

1st Phorm

Subscriptions4
  • Standard: Monthly Subscription$9.991 Month
  • Premium: Monthly Subscription$29.991 Month
  • Standard: Yearly Subscription$79.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Premium: Yearly Subscription$179.991 Year

Questions

Is Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan free?
Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is 1st Phorm free?
1st Phorm is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan or 1st Phorm?
Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan is rated higher. Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan averages 4.9 out of 5 from 77K ratings, while 1st Phorm averages 4.7 from 5.8K ratings.
Do Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan or 1st Phorm have ads?
Neither Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan nor 1st Phorm shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan or 1st Phorm?
Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan ships an update every 2 weeks, and 1st Phorm every 3 weeks. Most recently, Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan was updated on November 5, 2026 and 1st Phorm on November 3, 2026.
Which is more popular, Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan or 1st Phorm?
Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan currently peaks at #180 in the App Store charts, and 1st Phorm at #74. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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