Forge 5/3/1 vs 531 Workout Tracker
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.
531 Workout Tracker
This app automates the calculation and tracking of your 5/3/1 strength training program. It generates full training cycles, logs sets with AMRAP tracking, and provides progress insights. Your data stays private and works offline.
- Automated 5/3/1 cycle generation
- One-tap set logging with AMRAP tracking
- Automatic rest timer
- Plate calculator
- Smart training max suggestions
- Deload recommendations
- Estimated 1RM charts
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Your entire 5/3/1 program, calculated for you. Enter your lifts once and 531 Workout Tracker builds your full training cycle - every warm-up, working set and AMRAP target, using the proven 5/3/1 progression. Ditch the spreadsheets and stop doing math in the gym. TRAIN • Complete training cycles generated from your training maxes for squat, bench press, deadlift and overhead press • Multi-cycle program blocks: 5s PRO leaders, 7th Week deload, PR-sets anchor, and a TM test that sets up your next block - with Boring But Big, Boring But Strong and First Set Last presets • Templates: Basic 5/3/1, 5/3/1 for Beginners, Boring But Big, Boring But Strong, First Set Last, Second Set Last, Upper/Lower • Customise supplemental work, PR sets vs 5s PRO, 5/3/1 or 3/5/1 week order, joker sets and assistance exercises IN THE GYM • One-tap set logging with AMRAP rep tracking • Automatic rest timer between sets • Plate calculator - tap any weight to see exactly what to load per side PROGRESS • Smart training max suggestions from your TM tests and AMRAP sets - including when a TM should come down • Deloads recommended at the right time, so you progress without burning out • Estimated 1RM charts for all four main lifts • PRs detected automatically from every AMRAP set • Strength standards by bodyweight and age • Bodyweight tracking PRIVATE BY DESIGN You don't need to create an account. The app works offline. Your data stays on your phone, with one-tap backup and restore. Try your first 2 weeks of training for free, then unlock the full program with Pro - monthly, annual, or one-time lifetime purchase. Get stronger with 5/3/1. Download and start your first cycle in under two minutes. 531 Workout Tracker is an independent tracking tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Jim Wendler. 5/3/1 is his creation - to understand the philosophy behind the program, we highly recommend his books, especially "5/3/1 Forever" and "Beyond 5/3/1". Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Forge 5/3/1 at 100% against 531 Workout Tracker's 0%. Forge 5/3/1 also leads on rating (5.0 vs 1.0) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). 531 Workout Tracker's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ratings volume, 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 531 Workout Tracker sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Forge 5/3/1 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Forge 5/3/1's written reviews are positive against 0% of 531 Workout Tracker's.
Forge 5/3/1 ships an update every 3 weeks, 531 Workout Tracker every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Forge 5/3/1 | 531 Workout Tracker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 26 MB | 42 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Dev IT Digital LLC | Zub Technologies |
Customer experience
Forge 5/3/1
531 Workout Tracker
In-app purchases
Forge 5/3/1
- Premium Features$4.99
531 Workout Tracker
- Pro Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
- Pro Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- Pro Lifetime$59.99
Questions
Is Forge 5/3/1 free?
Is 531 Workout Tracker free?
Which has better reviews, Forge 5/3/1 or 531 Workout Tracker?
Do Forge 5/3/1 or 531 Workout Tracker have ads?
Which is updated more often, Forge 5/3/1 or 531 Workout Tracker?
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