Comparison

Forge 5/3/1 vs stronglifts

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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.

About

stronglifts

This app simplifies tracking your strength training progress with a clean interface. It automates weight increases, calculates warmups, and provides a rest timer to keep you focused on your lifts.

Highlights
  • Automated weight progression
  • Smart deloads for failed sets
  • Automatic warmup set calculation
  • Built-in rest timer
  • Visual plate calculator
  • Workout history and progress tracking
  • Apple Health integration
Features
Read full description

Track your Stronglifts 5×5 workouts with a clean, focused interface designed to keep you lifting — not tapping. SIMPLE & EFFECTIVE The Stronglifts 5×5 program alternates between two workouts (A and B) using five compound barbell exercises: Squat, Bench Press, Barbell Row, Overhead Press, and Deadlift. This app handles the programming so you can focus on your lifts. SMART PROGRESSION - Automatically increases weight after successful sets - Tracks consecutive failures and applies deloads when needed - Warmup sets calculated automatically based on your working weight DURING YOUR WORKOUT - Tap sets to log reps as you complete them - Built-in rest timer with automatic recommendations - Collapse completed exercises to stay focused on what's next - Visual plate calculator shows exactly which plates to load WORKOUT HISTORY - Review past workouts with completion status at a glance - Track your progress over time APPLE HEALTH INTEGRATION - Completed workouts saved to Apple Health as strength training sessions PLATE CALCULATOR - Standalone plate calculator for quick reference - Visual bar diagram with color-coded plates Built for lifters who want to get stronger without distractions.

Screenshots

Forge 5/3/14 screens
stronglifts4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: stronglifts at none against Forge 5/3/1's 1. stronglifts also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). Forge 5/3/1's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.2). On price, rating, ratings volume 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. Forge 5/3/1 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. stronglifts asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Forge 5/3/1 against 5.0 for stronglifts. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Forge 5/3/1 ships an update every 3 weeks, stronglifts every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Forge 5/3/1 versus stronglifts: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterForge 5/3/1stronglifts
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB3 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperMuscott Digital, LLCJeff Namkung

Customer experience

Forge 5/3/1

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

stronglifts

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Forge 5/3/1

One-time1
  • Premium Features$4.99
None

stronglifts

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Forge 5/3/1 free?
Forge 5/3/1 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is stronglifts free?
stronglifts is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Forge 5/3/1 or stronglifts?
Forge 5/3/1 and stronglifts are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Forge 5/3/1 or stronglifts have ads?
Neither Forge 5/3/1 nor stronglifts shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Forge 5/3/1 or stronglifts?
Forge 5/3/1 ships an update every 3 weeks, and stronglifts every 5 days. Most recently, Forge 5/3/1 was updated on October 30, 2026 and stronglifts on October 31, 2026.

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