Comparison

LiftStrong vs 5x5

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

Head to head
About

LiftStrong

This app guides users through a proven strength training program, automatically adjusting weights and exercises. It tracks progress, calculates personal records, and offers social features to connect with friends. Enjoy a full-featured, ad-free experience with cloud backup and offline functionality.

Highlights
  • 5x5 strength program guidance
  • Automatic weight progression and deloads
  • Comprehensive exercise tracking and charts
  • Personal record detection and 1RM calculation
  • Rest timer with background operation
  • Social features for training buddies
  • Apple Health integration
Features
Read full description

LiftStrong is the free barbell workout tracker built around the proven 5x5 strength programme. It handles everything — which exercises to do, how much weight to lift, when to increase, and when to deload. You just show up and lift. THE 5x5 PROGRAMME The most effective beginner and intermediate strength programme, proven since the 1960s. Three workouts per week, five compound exercises, progressive overload built in. LiftStrong alternates between Workout A (Squat, Bench Press, Barbell Row) and Workout B (Squat, Overhead Press, Deadlift) automatically. SMART PROGRESSION Complete all your reps? The weight goes up next session — +2.5kg for upper body, +5kg for deadlift. Fail three times in a row? The app deloads by 10% so you recover and rebuild. No thinking required. TRACK EVERYTHING Progress charts for every exercise — tap data points for exact values All exercises on one combined chart with colour-coded lines Personal records detected and celebrated automatically Estimated 1RM calculated from your working sets Bodyweight tracking with trends Shareable monthly recap cards REST TIMER 3-minute countdown with beep alert. When it expires, switches to counting up so you know exactly how long you've been resting. Continues running in the background. Resets automatically when you log the next set. COMMUNITY Pair with up to 5 training buddies Compare progress side-by-side Nudge inactive friends back to the gym Real-time buddy chat with workout sharing Leaderboards: weekly volume, all-time, and streak Monthly challenges with Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers 23 achievement badges across volume, consistency, strength, and social categories HEALTH INTEGRATION Syncs workouts and bodyweight to Apple Health automatically when enabled. Your strength training sessions appear alongside all your other fitness data. ADDITIONAL FEATURES Warmup calculator with progressive sets Plate calculator — shows exactly what to load Dark mode optimised for gym use kg and lb unit switching CSV data export Cloud backup with free account Works completely offline Smart workout reminders based on your training schedule NO PAYWALL Every feature is free. No subscription. No "upgrade to unlock". No ads. Just a workout tracker that does its job. Download LiftStrong and start getting stronger today.

About

5x5

Read full description

5x5 FiveByFive is a no-nonsense strength training tracker built around the proven 5×5 barbell method: five sets of five reps on the core compound lifts, adding weight every session. Open the app, see exactly what to lift today, tap a dot for each set you complete, and let the rest timer count you down. When you finish, 5x5 bumps your weights for next time automatically — and backs off intelligently when you stall. CORE LIFTS, DONE RIGHT • Squat, bench press, barbell row, overhead press, deadlift • Automatic linear progression — weights go up when you succeed • Smart auto-deload after repeated misses, so you never get stuck FAST IN-WORKOUT LOGGING • Tap to log each set — missed a rep? Tap again to drop the count • Add extra sets on the fly • Adjust your working weight mid-session • Full-screen rest timer with a Live Activity on your Lock Screen BUILD YOUR OWN PLANS • Run the classic 5×5 A/B routine or create custom plans • Edit sets, reps, and exercises to fit your training • Schedule workout reminders so you never skip a day TRACK YOUR PROGRESS • Complete history of every session • Progress dashboard for each lift • Plate calculator shows exactly what to load on the bar • Syncs completed workouts to Apple Health PRIVATE BY DESIGN • All your data stays on your device • No account, no ads, no tracking Whether you're starting your first barbell program or running a tried-and-tested 5×5, this app keeps it simple: show up, lift, add weight, repeat.

Screenshots

LiftStrong4 screens
5x54 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: LiftStrong at every 2 days against 5x5's weekly. LiftStrong also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LiftStrong ships an update every 2 days, 5x5 weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
LiftStrong versus 5x5: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLiftStrong5x5
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB2 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperJohn FitchettFrancesco Carrer

In-app purchases

None

LiftStrong

No in-app purchases

None

5x5

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is LiftStrong free?
LiftStrong is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is 5x5 free?
5x5 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do LiftStrong or 5x5 have ads?
Neither LiftStrong nor 5x5 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LiftStrong or 5x5?
LiftStrong ships an update every 2 days, and 5x5 weekly. Most recently, LiftStrong was updated on October 14, 2026 and 5x5 on October 6, 2026.

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