Comparison

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan vs PlotGainz

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

PlotGainz

This app helps users track their fitness progress by logging sets, reps, and weight. It features intuitive charts to visualize strength gains, a smart rest timer, and customizable exercise tracking. Unlock advanced features like a dark theme and ad-free experience with a Pro subscription.

Highlights
  • Track sets, reps, and weight
  • Visualize strength gains with charts
  • Smart rest timer with background support
  • Customizable exercises
  • Workout consistency heatmaps
  • Light and Dark mode support
Read full description

Take your fitness journey to the next level with PlotGainz. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro, PlotGainz helps you track every set, rep, and pound to ensure you're constantly improving. MASTER PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD See exactly how you're improving over time. Track max weight, total volume, and lbs/rep to ensure you're always pushing harder. Our intuitive charts and stats make it easy to visualize your strength gains. SLEEK & POWERFUL DESIGN A beautiful, modern interface that adapts to your style with full Light and Dark mode support. Designed for speed and ease of use in the gym, so you can focus on your workout, not your phone. SMART REST TIMER Never lose track of your rest periods. The built-in timer features a unique heartbeat animation and keeps you on pace, even when the app is in the background. COMPREHENSIVE TRACKING Custom Exercises: Create and customize your own exercises to fit your routine. Detailed Metrics: Track weight, reps, duration, distance, calories, and more. Session Management: Plan your workouts and track today's session with ease. VISUALIZE YOUR CONSISTENCY Stay motivated with interactive charts and activity heatmaps that show your workout consistency at a glance. PLOTGAINZ PRO Unlock the full potential of PlotGainz with a Pro subscription: Exclusive sleek Dark Theme Ad-free experience Support future development Download PlotGainz today and start plotting your gains!

Screenshots

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan4 screens
PlotGainz4 screens

Verdict

The call

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan and PlotGainz both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of PlotGainz's written reviews are positive against 63% of Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan's. Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan's advantage is ratings volume (77K vs 3). 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 12 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and PlotGainz sells 2 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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan against 5.0 for PlotGainz. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan has 77K ratings behind it against 3, 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 PlotGainz's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan ships an update fortnightly, PlotGainz every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan versus PlotGainz: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStronglifts 5x5 Workout PlanPlotGainz
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (77K ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews62.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings77K — better3
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.017.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size172 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStrongLiftsJohn Pavlovich Korchemniy

Customer experience

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan

All ratings76,825 ratings
Positive97.6%
Neutral1.1%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews1,428 reviews
Positive62.6%
Neutral3.9%
Negative33.5%

PlotGainz

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

PlotGainz

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

12 purchases

Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan

Subscriptions7
  • Pro Weekly2 variants$4.997 Days
  • Pro Monthly2 variants$11.991 Month
  • Pro Quarterly2 variants$29.993 Months
Show 4 more
  • Pro Yearly$59.991 Year
  • Pro Yearly1 Year trial$59.991 Year
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Pro Quarterly$99.993 Months
One-time5
  • StrongLifts Pro 5 Years$199.99
  • Pro Lifetime$199.99
  • StrongLifts Pro 5 Years$239.99
Show 2 more
  • Pro Family Lifetime$299.99
  • Pro Family Lifetime Upgrade$299.99
2 purchases

PlotGainz

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$3.991 Month
  • Yearly$24.991 Year

Questions

Is Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan free?
Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PlotGainz free?
PlotGainz is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan or PlotGainz?
PlotGainz is rated higher. Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan averages 4.9 out of 5 from 77K ratings, while PlotGainz averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan or PlotGainz have ads?
Neither Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan nor PlotGainz shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan or PlotGainz?
Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan ships an update fortnightly, and PlotGainz every 10 days. Most recently, Stronglifts 5x5 Workout Plan was updated on October 22, 2026 and PlotGainz on October 1, 2026.

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