Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan vs Thrive by Katie
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Proven 3x/week strength program
- Automated progression
- Guided workouts with timers
- Progress charts
- Simple interface
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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/
Thrive by Katie
This app offers a comprehensive women's fitness and wellness experience with diverse workout programs, simple nutrition guidance, and an exclusive community for support. It caters to various fitness levels and goals, including prenatal and postnatal care, with effective and efficient routines.
- Pilates, strength, and weight loss programs
- Prenatal & postnatal workouts
- Home & gym workout options
- Video demonstrations
- Activity & progress tracking
- Healthy recipes with macronutrient breakdowns
- Exclusive community support
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Thrive is more than just a workout app—it’s a women’s fitness and wellness community designed to help you become the strongest, healthiest, and most confident version of yourself. Whether you’re into Pilates, strength training, weight loss workouts, or prenatal/postnatal fitness, there’s a program built just for you. You don’t need to spend hours in the gym—every workout is designed to be effective, efficient, and empowering so you can train with confidence and see real results. Workouts for Every Woman - Pilates, Strength Training & Weight Loss Programs to fit your goals - Prenatal & Postnatal Workouts for pregnancy & postpartum recovery - Home & Gym Workouts – Choose what fits your lifestyle - Daily Workout Categories (Upper Body, Lower Body, Abs, No Equipment & More) - Full Video Demonstrations to take the guesswork out of your training - Activity & Progress Tracking to stay motivated Nutrition & Healthy Eating Made Simple - Easy, Delicious Recipes with step-by-step instructions - Macronutrient Breakdowns to support your goals - Daily Featured Meal to keep healthy eating fun and exciting Thrive’s Exclusive Community – Your Support System - Ask questions & connect with Katie and other members - Share your progress, workouts & favorite recipes - Learn from expert guides on fitness, nutrition & wellness topics Ready to Start Your Journey? Join thousands of women worldwide who are thriving! Get started with a 7-day free trial and unlock full access to workouts, meal plans & community support. Download Thrive by Katie today and take the first step toward becoming your best self! Monthly Premium membership is an auto-renewal monthly subscription for $14.99 Yearly Premium membership is an auto-renewal yearly subscription for $114.99. Payment is handled by your iTunes Account. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Terms of Use: https://thrive.web.app/terms_and_conditions Privacy Policy: https://thrive.web.app/privacy_policy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan at free with in-app purchases against Thrive by Katie's subscription. Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan also leads on ratings volume (77K vs 432). Thrive by Katie's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 63%) and iOS requirement (15.0 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
Both are free to download. Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Thrive by Katie sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $12.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan against 4.9 for Thrive by Katie. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan has 77K ratings behind it against 432, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan's written reviews are positive against 100% of Thrive by Katie's.
Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan ships an update every 2 weeks, Thrive by Katie weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan | Thrive by Katie |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (77K ratings) | 4.9 (432 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 62.6% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 77K — better | 432 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 172 MB | 417 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | StrongLifts | Katharine Yovin |
Customer experience
Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan
Thrive by Katie
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
Thrive by Katie
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan
- Pro Weekly2 variants$4.997 Days
- Pro Monthly2 variants$11.991 Month
- Pro Quarterly2 variants$29.993 Months
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- Pro Yearly$59.991 Year
- Pro Yearly1 Year trial$59.991 Year
- Pro Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year
- Pro Quarterly$99.993 Months
- StrongLifts Pro 5 Years$199.99
- Pro Lifetime$199.99
- StrongLifts Pro 5 Years$239.99
Show 2 moreShow fewer
- Pro Family Lifetime$299.99
- Pro Family Lifetime Upgrade$299.99
Thrive by Katie
- Monthly Subscription$12.991 Month
- Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$24.991 Month
- Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$34.991 Month
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Yearly Subscription$114.991 Year
- Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$189.991 Year
- Annual Subscription7 Days trial$229.991 Year
Questions
Is Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan free?
Is Thrive by Katie free?
Which has better reviews, Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan or Thrive by Katie?
Do Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan or Thrive by Katie have ads?
Which is updated more often, Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan or Thrive by Katie?
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