Forge 5/3/1 vs Kreuzheben
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Forge 5/3/1
This powerlifting app helps users follow the Wendler 5/3/1 Boring But Big program with personalized workouts. It offers detailed tracking, history, and gym-ready features, with optional premium upgrades for advanced customization and data management.
- Personalized 5/3/1 BBB workouts
- Classic Wendler progression
- Log sets, reps, and weights
- Volume and estimated 1RM tracking
- Offline functionality
- Plate calculator
- Customizable training percentages
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Forge 531 is your powerlifting companion for Wendler 5/3/1 Boring But Big—built for lifters who want precision, customization, and privacy. No ads-driven onboarding and no required account. PROGRAM & WORKOUTS (included) • Enter one-rep maxes for squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead press—Forge generates personalized 5/3/1 BBB sessions from your training maxes • Classic Wendler progression with Boring But Big assistance work • Four-week cycles including deload; intuitive week navigation and cycle management • Metric or imperial units—switch anytime in Settings TRACKING & HISTORY (included) • Log sets, reps, and weights for every workout • Volume totals (weight × reps) • Estimated 1RM from AMRAP sets (Brzycki) • Full history with analytics so you can see progress over time GYM-READY DESIGN (included) • Optional keep screen awake during sessions • Dark theme suited to dim floors • Fast movement between weeks and workout detail PRIVACY & SIMPLICITY (included) • No account—ever. Nothing to register; nothing you must log into later • Your data stays on your device—not tied to a Forge cloud profile • Works offline for everyday training PREMIUM — SMART PLATES & LOADS (14-day free trial, then one-time purchase — no subscription) • Plate calculator — visual plate combinations for any target weight • Plate settings — barbell weight and inventory that match your gym • Full calculator access lines up with your metric/imperial choice once Premium is active PREMIUM — TRAINING CONTROL (same trial / purchase model) • Training max % adjustments — tune percentages off Wendler defaults • Progressions customization — adjust weekly progression percentages • Warm-up sets — bar-only and configurable percentage warm-ups before working sets (deload options in Settings) PREMIUM — DATA PORTABILITY (Not included in the free trial — unlocks with Premium purchase) • Import/export — backup and restore workout history via CSV HOW PREMIUM WORKS New users receive a 14-day trial for most Premium features listed above.** Import/export requires a Premium purchase and is not part of the trial.** After the trial ends, Premium remains available as a one-time purchase—no subscription.
Kreuzheben
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Minimalist strength training tracker for serious lifters. Free to download — no ads, no account, no subscription. SIMPLE BY DESIGN Track your workouts without distractions. No social features, no bloated dashboards. Just the essentials. FREE FOREVER - 10/6/3 rep schemes for structured progression - Free mode for custom training - Full training history with edit, search & share - Personal records automatically tracked - Bodyweight exercises with optional added weight - Body weight tracking with trend indicator - Timer for timed exercises (planks, dead hangs) - Siri shortcuts for hands-free logging - Export & import for backup KREUZHEBEN PRO — ONE-TIME PURCHASE - Proven training programs: Wendler 5/3/1, nSuns 5/3/1 LP, 5×5, GZCL - Automatic Training Max progression and AMRAP sets - Detailed statistics: trends and progression per exercise - AI-powered training analysis Buy once, keep forever. No subscription. Ever. Bought Kreuzheben when it was a paid app? Pro is already included for you — for free. YOUR DATA, YOUR DEVICE - All data stored locally on your device - No account required - No cloud sync, no data collection AVAILABLE IN 21 LANGUAGES English, German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Swedish, Turkish, Russian, Ukrainian, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Thai, Vietnamese. Built in Munich by a lifter, for lifters.
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Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Forge 5/3/1 at 15.0 against Kreuzheben's 17.6. 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
Both are free to download. Forge 5/3/1 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Kreuzheben sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Forge 5/3/1 ships an update every 3 weeks, Kreuzheben every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Forge 5/3/1 | Kreuzheben |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 25 MB | 2 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Muscott Digital, LLC | Samuel Zimmermann |
In-app purchases
Forge 5/3/1
- Premium Features$4.99
Kreuzheben
- Kreuzheben Pro$3.99
Questions
Is Forge 5/3/1 free?
Is Kreuzheben free?
Do Forge 5/3/1 or Kreuzheben have ads?
Which is updated more often, Forge 5/3/1 or Kreuzheben?
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