progressive overloading vs HeavyMuscle
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
progressive overloading
Read full descriptionHide full description
Train smarter. Get stronger. Stay consistent. This app helps you track your workouts, understand your progress, and build real strength over time ā without complicated setup. Whether your goal is to lift heavier, stay consistent, or simply understand how your training is evolving, everything you need is in one place. Key features ⢠Exercise progression See how each exercise improves over time with clear, easy-to-read charts. ⢠Personal records (PRs) Track and break your personal bests for every lift. ⢠Streaks & consistency tracking Build workout streaks and stay motivated to train regularly. ⢠Monthly and weekly trends Spot your progress patterns and understand how your training changes over time. ⢠Side-by-side comparisons Compare the same exercises across different time ranges and instantly see the difference. ⢠Muscle group insights Understand which muscle groups you are training and keep your workouts balanced. Built for lifters who care about real progress, not just logging workouts. Simple. Fast. Focused on results.
HeavyMuscle
Read full descriptionHide full description
Most gym apps just record what you already did. HeavyMuscle is the workout tracker & gym log that tells you what to do next ā and does the thinking for you. An AI coach in two modes builds your weight lifting plan from a single sentence and reshapes each session around your injuries, equipment and recovery. Before you touch the bar, it shows the plates to load, generates your warm-up sets and pre-fills every set with your last numbers. Automatic PR detection and an estimated-1RM curve tell you the moment you get stronger. 873 animated exercises, a real rest timer and a recovery body map, in 6 languages. Create unlimited routines, log unlimited workouts, all offline from the first second. AI COACH ⢠Two modes: Conversation for questions and adjustments, and Builder to generate a full workout plan from scratch. ⢠Generates a full workout from a single sentence ("30 min chest workout without barbell"). ⢠Snap a photo of a gym machine and it finds the matching exercise. ⢠Adapts today's training to your injuries, available equipment and experience level. ⢠Reviews your last session or the full week and gives objective feedback. WORKOUT LOG ⢠Every set pre-filled with your last weight and reps ā your previous numbers are right there at the rack. ⢠Plate calculator: see exactly which plates to load per side, for barbells and dumbbells. ⢠Time-based exercises: cardio, planks and circuits (AMRAP / for time) with a built-in timer. ⢠Warm-up sets generated automatically, ramped to your working weight. ⢠Rest timer with 3-2-1 beeps, vibration and a screen that stays on. ⢠Warmup, drop-set, failure and cluster sets, plus supersets. ⢠Quick Start, unlimited workout templates and retroactive logging. ⢠Share a session as a post-ready image card (volume, sets, muscles). EFFORT & PROGRESSION (RPE/RIR) ⢠Rate how hard each set felt ā RPE or reps in reserve, one tap after the set. ⢠Next time, the workout planner suggests the weight: up when it felt easy, down when it was a grind ā always weights you can actually load. PROGRESS & RECORDS ⢠Automatic PR detection with a record badge the moment you beat a best. ⢠Estimated-1RM curve per exercise to see your strength trending over time. ⢠Progress photos: capture, import and compare with a before/after slider. EXERCISE LIBRARY ⢠873 exercises with animated demonstrations, target muscles, equipment and difficulty. ⢠Mark favourite and avoided exercises ā the AI Coach factors them in. HISTORY & ANALYTICS ⢠Recovery body map (front/back): see what's fatigued, recovering or ready to train. ⢠Weekly volume per muscle as a body heatmap or ranked chart, with low/optimal/high zones. FULL PROFILE ⢠Body measurements with dated history and goals ā set a target and watch the gap close. ⢠Water tracking: daily hydration goal, one-tap logging and reminders. ⢠10 injury zones with automatic exercise filtering. ⢠Builder that respects your equipment, goal and experience level. APPLE WATCH ⢠Your workout mirrors to your wrist ā check off each set with a tap, pre-filled with your last numbers. ⢠Adjust weight and reps with the Digital Crown; rest counts down with 3-2-1 haptics. ⢠Live heart rate and calories, with a summary when you finish. Requires a paired iPhone. PRIVACY & OFFLINE ⢠Works fully offline in anonymous mode: nothing leaves your phone until you sign in. ⢠Optional Apple, Google or e-mail login syncs your gym log to the cloud. LANGUAGES ⢠English, Portuguese (BR), Spanish, German, French and Italian. Whether you train for bodybuilding, powerlifting, strength training or hypertrophy, HeavyMuscle is the gym tracker that turns effort into progress. Privacy and subscription terms: https://heavymuscle.app/privacy/#subscription Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: progressive overloading at none against HeavyMuscle's 3. progressive overloading also leads on ads (none vs shown). HeavyMuscle's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. HeavyMuscle sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. progressive overloading asks for nothing beyond the download.
progressive overloading ships an update every 3 weeks, HeavyMuscle every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | progressive overloading | HeavyMuscle |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 4 days ā better |
| Ads | No ā better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No ā better | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch ā better |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 41 MB | 86 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Habibullah Yousofi | Flavio Lima |
In-app purchases
progressive overloading
No in-app purchases
HeavyMuscle
- HeavyMuscle Pro Monthly$3.991 Month
- HeavyMuscle Annual Pro$22.991 Year
- HeavyMuscle Pro Lifetime$149.99
Questions
Is progressive overloading free?
Is HeavyMuscle free?
Do progressive overloading or HeavyMuscle have ads?
Which is updated more often, progressive overloading or HeavyMuscle?
Other comparisons















