Comparison

Strength Direct vs XCal Tracker

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

Head to head
About

Strength Direct

This app offers a straightforward and private way to log gym workouts, track progress with insightful data, and generate AI-ready summaries. It's designed for consistency and real improvement without ads or distractions.

Highlights
  • Fast and effortless set/rep logging
  • Actionable progress insights and trends
  • AI-ready training data summaries
  • 100% private, data stays on device
  • Lightweight and reliable offline functionality
  • Minimalist design for focus
Features
Read full description

Focus on your lifting. Free forever. No ads. No subscriptions. No tracking. No account required. Works offline. Strength Direct is a gym workout tracker with the tools you need to train consistently: previous-workout comparisons, reusable routines, automatic rest timers, and clear progress charts. PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF See your previous weights and reps beside each set, so you know what to aim for today. Build your own workout templates, start with Push, Pull, or Full Body routines, or repeat a workout from your history. YOUR ROUTINE. YOUR WAY. Choose built-in exercises or create your own. Organize supersets, warm-ups, and drop sets. Add notes, technique reminders, and optional reps in reserve. Track weights and reps, bodyweight exercises, timed holds, cardio, and loaded carries. REST WITHOUT WATCHING THE CLOCK Enable automatic rest timers for working sets and supersets. For supersets, the countdown starts after you log a working set on the final exercise. Customize rest times for each exercise, follow the countdown on your Lock Screen or Dynamic Island on supported devices, and enable notifications for an alert when it’s time for your next set. SEE YOUR WORK PAY OFF Track your training volume and estimated one-rep max over time with clear progress charts. Review individual exercises, strength trends, logged cardio, and body weight. Browse your workout calendar and edit past entries when needed. KEEP CONTROL OF YOUR DATA Your workout history is stored locally. Back up and restore your workout data. For another perspective on your training, copy a structured summary into your preferred AI assistant for feedback. You choose what to share. Log your next workout. Keep progressing.

About

XCal Tracker

Read full description

Calorie tracking, finally simple. Most calorie apps feel like work. Endless menus, barcode scans, serving sizes. XCal works the way you think! Just type what you ate. "Two slices of salami pizza" "A bowl of oatmeal with blueberries" "Big mac and fries" That's it. Our AI instantly calculates the calories and macros, right next to your entry. No searching a database. No guessing portion codes. Just write, and you're done. A food diary that actually feels like a diary. Your meals appear as a clean, minimal list; like a notepad, not a spreadsheet. Tap any entry to reveal protein, sugar, fiber, and more. Clean. Fast. Out of your way. Snap it, don't type it. In a rush? Upload a photo of your meal and the AI figures out the rest. Understand your habits, not just your calories. See how your intake shifts across the week. Discover which days you tend to overeat, what foods you reach for most, and whether you're hitting your goal. Set your goal, track your progress. Define your daily calorie target and watch your totals build naturally throughout the day -- no complicated setup required. XCal is for people who want to be aware of what they eat without turning it into a second job.

Screenshots

Strength Direct4 screens
XCal Tracker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Strength Direct at none against XCal Tracker's shown. XCal Tracker's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Strength Direct versus XCal Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStrength DirectXCal Tracker
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (111 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews97.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings111 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 9 days—
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB40 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperArnaud FloesserEric Losskamp

In-app purchases

None

Strength Direct

No in-app purchases

None

XCal Tracker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Strength Direct free?
Strength Direct is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is XCal Tracker free?
XCal Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Strength Direct or XCal Tracker have ads?
XCal Tracker shows ads; Strength Direct does not.

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