While many of the best fitness apps understandably want to appeal to a wide range of disciplines, some athletes are just looking to toss around heavy objects. If that sounds like you, the best weightlifting apps can provide the expert instruction, personalized programming, and motivation to reach your muscle-building goals. Whether you need your own personal trainer, an AI-powered workout plan, or just to keep track of all your reps, these apps are designed with weightlifters in mind.

BarBend’s roster of competitive weightlifters — including a USA Olympian — and certified personal trainers is uniquely positioned to offer up critiques of these strength-training apps. In short, we know how to spot a phony. These user-friendly apps might be a good fit for lifters looking for the complete personalized experience or simply a detailed workout log. Read on and check out what our team had to say about their time with the best weightlifting apps.

The 8 Best Weightlifting Apps of 2024

Best Weightlifting App Overall: Future

Best Weightlifting App for Beginners: Caliber

Best Budget Weightlifting App: BodyFit

Best Free Weightlifting App: Hevy

Best Weightlifting App for Powerlifters: JuggernautAI

Best Weightlifting App for Variety: Jefit

Best Weightlifting App for Experienced Weightlifters: Strong

Best Weightlifting App for Home Gyms: Ladder

How We Tested and Chose the Best Weightlifting Apps

The BarBend team of certified fitness professionals includes competitive weightlifters (including a member of the USA Olympic team), certified personal trainers, and gym owners. In short, we have the expertise to spot a quality weightlifting app. For each of the over 60 fitness apps we’ve tested, we assigned ratings of 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) across 13 categories, including ease of use, instruction, and progressive overload. 

For more information on how we test all our equipment, check out BarBend’s equipment testing methodology.

Ease of Use: Since there’s nothing worse than pausing a workout due to a clunky or glitchy app, we prioritized user-friendly options that we had no issues navigating on our iPhones and tablets. 

Periodized Programming: “I encourage consumers to look for weightlifting apps that offer periodized programming that runs in blocks and phases,” says our expert reviewer, Amanda Capritto. “For instance, you can run a 16-week program that has two eight-week phases, and in each eight-week phase there is a four-week block,” she says. “This style of training prioritizes progression while maintaining a prophylactic deload schedule. (Deloads are important to provide your body time to adapt to all of the training you have been doing.)”

Value: Whether you’re after the full personal training experience or just want to log your workouts, we only included apps that we think offer the value to get the best bang for your buck.

Level of Instruction: When putting our list together, we sought to include a range of apps, with some that offer individualized coaching and others that simply exist to help you track stats. The instruction in these apps earned the seal of approval from our team of certified fitness pros and competitive weightlifters.

Required Equipment: The apps we picked for our list cover a wide range of equipment demands. Whether you’ve got a single pair of dumbbells or a home gym tricked out with the best weight benches, plates, and racks, there’s an app on this list for you.

Best Weightlifting App Overall: Future

The Future app is the all-inclusive resort of weightlifting apps: personalized, challenging, motivating, and flexible. Several members of our team have used Future, including BarBend editorial member and competitive weightlifter Kate Meier, NASM-CPT, USAW-L1, CF-L1. “Future is just incredible. My schedule is super busy, so having a flexible plan (crafted by a certified trainer, no less) is a must,” she says.

After 30 days with his Future personal trainer, Jake Herod, NASM-CNC, rated both its setup and ease of use both 5 out of 5.

After completing the initial assessment, you’ll be “matched” with several personal trainers, but the choice is yours. First, pick a trainer that aligns with your preferences, goals, and fitness level. Whether you’ve stocked your home with one of the best squat racks and dumbbells or want to stick to bodyweight, your trainer will get to work creating a personalized training plan.

All our testers loved the messaging feature that essentially lets you text your trainer anytime within the app. Plus they can send video messages and you can schedule live video chats. Meier loved her trainer, rating Future’s interactive features 4 out of 5, only knocking a point because your trainer won’t be “live” with you during your workouts.

“Ok, ideally, my trainer would just be watching me during a workout to assess movements and correct my form,” she explains. “But I do love being able to send videos afterwards for review. Most programs can’t even do that. Plus, they respond super fast.”

After sessions, you can provide feedback to your Future personal trainer, which can help them make adjustments to your next workout.

Another of our testers highlighted the flexibility their trainer showed when their vacation took them away from their usual equipment. “To accommodate my travels, my coach gave me bodyweight workouts since I didn’t have any of my typical equipment with me,” they said, rating Future’s equipment demands 5 out of 5. “I enjoyed how simple it was to switch up my routine, and the communication between athlete and trainer is top notch.”

Read our full Future App Review.

Best Weightlifting App for Beginners: Caliber

The Caliber app offers different levels of membership based on where you are in your fitness journey. Before signing up for the Premium membership for $200 per month, our tester, a certified personal trainer, was impressed with the free version. “For being completely free forever, I thought the library of workouts was pretty robust,” they said. We like that newcomers to weightlifting will have the freedom to sniff around the no-cost version before committing to the group or one-on-one subscriptions.

The Caliber app.

If you do opt for the Premium version, you’ll match with several certified trainers and choose one based on your preferences and goals. Once you find a good fit, all that’s left to do is lace up your best weightlifting shoes and follow their lead. Our tester rated five categories 5 out of 5, including instruction and interactivity. “I liked how much communication you have with your prescribed coach, plus I found the video demos for each movement to be very well-done,” they noted. 

The Caliber app menu.

Our tester also thought that consistent communication is vital to keep beginners motivated. “You also get weekly asynchronous check-ins, which might be my favorite part of the app experience,” they said. “My coach would give me feedback along with incremental goals each week, which really kept me motivated.”

Screenshots of the Caliber app from a BarBend tester.

With several levels of membership, we found the pricing structure a bit confusing. After reaching out to customer service (whose quick and clear response earned them a 5 out of 5), we learned that the $200 monthly subscription requires a three-month commitment. However, as a personal trainer themselves, our tester thought all three levels deserved a 5 out of 5 for value.

“Personal training is not cheap, but especially for anyone struggling with accountability or motivation, it’s usually worth it,” they explained. “You don’t have to renew after months, so honestly, this is a good deal considering you also get general wellness advice, as well.”

Read our full Caliber Fitness App Review.

Best Budget Weightlifting App: BodyFit

With over 90 training programs crafted by top names in the industry — Jamie Eason, Kris Gethin, and Jim Stoppani, to name a few — our team thinks BodyFit is the best option for weightlifters on a budget. BarBend editorial member Ben Emminger says that, given the cost of pricier apps, that lineup is even more impressive. “With a roster this star-studded, you’d expect the cost to follow suit, but a monthly membership to BodyFit is just $6.99,” he said, rating BodyFit’s pricing 4.6 out of 5. “For reference, apps like iFIT and Juggernaut AI can cost you up to five times as much.”

He also thinks that the quality of instruction sets it apart from other low-cost weightlifting apps. “Having used BodyFit in the past, I can attest to its effectiveness in delivering worthwhile instruction,” he said, rating this category 5 out of 5. “I’ve found the multi-layered guidance (textual, auditory, and visual) for each prescribed exercise to be top notch.”

[Related: Best Workout Apps for Men]

With a database of over 3,500 exercises, you can have the app build workout routines for you based on your goals and available equipment, or craft one yourself. Another tester, a certified personal trainer, appreciated the wide range of required equipment. “Some movements might require a trip to the gym, but there are plenty that need minimal equipment or none at all.”

While our certified team is fluent in fitness, Emminger pointed out that some of the names of those exercises could cause confusion for beginner weightlifters. “There have been multiple instances where a certain exercise has been given a convoluted moniker, which can lead to some challenges when trying to follow along with a training session,” he said. 

At $6.99 per month, our other tester wasn’t expecting much by way of accountability, but only rated this area 1.5 out of 5 because they felt it was on par with even some free workout apps, like Nike Training Club. “Even when opting for the push notifications, they’re few and far between,” they noted.

Best Free Weightlifting App: Hevy

Many of the best personal training apps offer free versions to give lifters a taste of their premium offerings, but our tester, a USA Olympic weightlifter, thinks Hevy’s has a lot to offer. “The major difference between the free and PRO version is the number of custom exercises and routines you can save,” they explained. With the free version, you can create and save up to seven custom exercises and four workout routines. “You would also get a few more measurements with the paid version, but I like that the free level keeps track of your weight and waist size.”

The hundreds of exercises in its library feature video demonstrations, but it was the social component of the app that had our tester raving about Hevy. “Lifting alone can be a little isolating, so being able to connect with other athletes is a big deal,” they said. 

This aspect is crucial for motivation and earned the app a 4.5 out of 5 for interactivity. “It feels like its own social network. You can share workouts and videos, plus like and follow other users,” added our tester.

Hevy’s easy breezy setup also earned a 5 out of 5. “It’s super simple. Just make an account, create a profile, and start logging workouts,” they said. Even if you only used it as a dedicated workout logbook, our tester thinks you’re getting a lot for your $0-per-month commitment. During setup, you can even sync it up with many of the best fitness trackers, like Apple Watch or Garmin. “Essentially, this is a solid workout tracker with a big community. I honestly think there’s enough in the free version to not even need the $3-per-month level.”

The variety of exercises also means the type of equipment you’ll need will vary. Our tester rated this category a 3 out of 5, but appreciated the focus on weight training. “The equipment you need depends on the kind of workouts you want to do. A lot of the exercises need some kind of weight, but it actually has a bunch of cardio, HIIT, and bodyweight movements, as well, so it’s a solid app for home workouts.”

Best Weightlifting App for Powerlifters: JuggernautAI

For a fitness app to make money, it generally has to appeal to a wide user base. Since many of the best online workout programs are focused on cardio, bodyweight, or beginner weightlifting, BarBend expert reviewer Amanda Capritto appreciates the powerlifting and bodybuilding focus of JuggernautAI. “One of my favorite apps for advanced lifters is JuggernautAI, which offers somewhat personalized programming suited to individuals who are comfortable and confident lifting weights,” she explains.

After feeding this AI-powered app details like your current training load, frequency, and fitness goals, you’ll receive an individualized program. These plans start at four weeks, and the setup process easily earned a 5 out of 5 from our tester, a certified personal trainer. “It was a super easy process. Type in a few data points and, boom, you have your personalized plan,” said our tester. 

Using the Juggernaut AI app.

Once they got rolling, our tester was blown away by just how responsive the AI was to their feedback. “It’s insanely impressive,” they said. “It feels very personal compared to apps that just have on-demand workouts with no individualization.” Before every workout, you can also provide a “readiness rating” based on how you slept, how sore you feel, and even what you’ve eaten that day. 

Our tester even explained that the more the AI “gets to know you,” the more customized your program can be. “It continues to adapt over time, so the longer you use the app and the more diligently you input data, the smarter and more personalized your program will become,” they said. While, of course, a glistening home gym replete with the best power racks, benches, and plates would be ideal, they also noted its flexibility in required equipment, rating that category a 4 out of 5.

While both accountability and instruction scored 3.5 out of 5, our tester says JuggernautAI is well worth the $35 per month. “They don’t match up to what a live trainer offers, but in terms of value, Juggernaut AI is simply phenomenal for $35 a month,” they said, rating its value 5 out of 5. “It’s like getting the insights of a real coach for next to nothing.”

Best Weightlifting App for Variety: Jefit

If you’re looking to mix up your training a bit, the variety offered by Jefit’s library of 1,400 exercises is great for learning new movements. BarBend editorial member and competitive weightlifter Kate Meier highlighted the diversity of training when she explored the app herself. “Honestly, this library is one of the most comprehensive I’ve seen. I searched “snatch” and 15 different variations came back,” she said. “Jefit is not meant for personal training, but for variety, this is the ticket.”

[Related: Best Online Personal Trainers]

The video demonstrations for each movement were enough to earn the app’s instruction a rating of 4 out of 5 from Meier, even without the personal training component. “Obviously, you won’t get any form correction from the videos,” she said. “But they do offer a personal training tier that starts at $80 a month — still not bad.”

At $12.99 per month, the “Elite” membership unlocks some advanced metric tracking, plus you can build workout routines with cues that pop up during training. Meier noted how helpful this would be in the heat of a workout when she rated its ease of use 4 out of 5. “As you lift, you’ll have a visual to refer to if you need a reminder or are confused about technique,” she said. “It’s also very intuitive. You can log reps and weight as you go, too.”

While the extensive library and structured programs earned Jefit a 4 out of 5 for value, Meier pointed out that the interactivity is next to none. “Unless you hire a personal trainer through the app, there’s really no interaction,” she said, rating this area a 2 out of 5. “I don’t think it’s really meant for that kind of coaching, though.”

Best Weightlifting App for Experienced Weightlifters: Strong

For experienced weightlifters, keeping track of the details — weights, reps, measurements, etc. — is a crucial element of continuing to get stronger and staying ready for competitions. Strong is our top pick for athletes that have sweat their way through more than a few of the best weightlifting belts. Our tester, an Olympic weightlifter, credits the in-depth tracking capabilities of apps like Strong with maintaining their level of readiness and motivation.

“This is essentially a workout and metrics tracker, but one of the simple features that is actually great for long-time lifters is that it highlights personal records,” they said. “After so many years of competing, little things like that help keep me motivated.” 

The simplicity of the app is what made it stand out to our tester, who noted that while it lags behind other options in terms of instruction, that may not matter much to experienced weightlifters. 

“Aside from the animations for the movements, there’s really not much instruction,” they said, rating this category 3 out of 5. “That may not be great for beginners, but for advanced lifters who are already familiar with most of these movements, I don’t think that’s a big deal.”

Along with tracking individual workouts, you’ll also be able to save “routines” that help save some of the tedium of entering your data. “The free version only lets you save three routines, so it might be worth the subscription just to help keep track of full powerlifting or bodybuilding programs,” our tester explained. 

With the paid version, you’ll also get access to more detailed measurements, like neck, biceps, and shoulders. Overall, we think Strong makes a solid case to become your weightlifting database.

Best Weightlifting App for Home Gyms: Ladder

After building out your dream home gym, you might need a virtual hand in getting the most out of it. That’s where Ladder comes in. Our tester, a certified personal trainer, loves that the programming — a 5 out of 5 — follows the muscle-building principles of progressive overload.

“After using it for a few months, Ladder’s calling card is their programs. They all follow a series schedule, which are designed to promote strength gains in about five to six weeks,” they explained. Ladder’s adherence to progressive overload itself earned a 5 out of 5 from our tester, who highlighted the gradual increase in intensity throughout their program.

Whether your space is decked out with the best home gym equipment or you’re limited to a few sets of kettlebells and dumbbells, the equipment required in these workouts is flexible. “The coaches are really clear about alternate options for equipment,” they said, rating Ladder’s equipment demands 4 out of 5. “For instance, for deadlifts you could swap out a barbell for dumbbells and vice versa.”

In their kettlebell program, however, our tester noted that their background in fitness came in handy. “The coaching is great overall,” they said, scoring the instruction 4 out of 5. “But I feel like someone new to weightlifting may struggle without feedback.” Subscriptions start at $29.99, but you can also connect with an individual coach for $44.99 per month.

We think Ladder may also be ideal for those with busy schedules, as our tester explained. “Look, I have three kids. I don’t always have the time or energy to program my own workouts,” they said. “That’s a big draw of this app for me. It’s great for taking the guesswork out of creating my own plan.” That convenience was the main factor in their 5 out of 5 rating for value.

Benefits of Weightlifting Apps

As our expert reviewer Amanda Capritto points out, these options can offer the motivation and instruction to help athletes work a variety of different muscle groups. “Individuals who want to get stronger and/or build muscle will benefit from a weightlifting app, especially people who struggle to stick to a plan.” From Romanian deadlifts to biceps curls, these apps also offer visual demonstrations and cues to help refine your technique.

Expert Instruction: The experts available on these apps include certified instructors and trainers that our own certified team members say have the experience to help you reach your goals. From weekly messages to live video chats, connecting with expert instructors can help you learn new movements and stick with your program.

Convenience: With professional instruction and video demonstrations in your pocket, it’s hard to beat the convenience of these apps. Compared to the logistics of hiring a personal trainer, these apps make lifting weights more accessible.

Motivation: As Capritto notes, the individual attention of a trainer, along with the routines created by these apps, can help you stay the course. “Subscribing to an app, especially one that offers access to a real personal trainer, can keep you motivated and disciplined,” she says.

Value: “Weightlifting apps provide a form of structure and accountability, and they are inexpensive compared to hiring an in-person trainer or coach,” Capritto explains.

Strength Training: “Weightlifting apps offer programming specifically for strength training,” Capritto says. “Although weightlifting purists may quip that ‘weightlifting’ only refers to the sport of Olympic weightlifting (and they’d technically be right), the breadth of what we know as weightlifting apps available today cater to every type of lifting, from bodybuilding to powerlifting to general strength training.”

How Much Do Weightlifting Apps Cost?

Most weightlifting apps offer subscription levels, as well as free versions. Some feature individualized coaching or advanced metric tracking. Whether you’ve just started creating fitness goals or are preparing for your next competition, check out our chart to see how much these options cost.

What to Consider Before Buying Weightlifting Apps

Before committing to a new weightlifting app, there are few key factors to consider, like the equipment you have on hand, how much accountability you may need, and the types of workouts you want to take on. Also consider how much you can spend monthly to secure access to the type of training you’re after.

Adjustability and Equipment Demands

As our expert reviewer Amanda Capritto points out, take stock of the equipment you own or can access at your gym before subscribing to an app. “You may not always have access to the same gym, e.g., when you are traveling,” she says. 

BarBend’s Jake Herod bench pressing a barbell in the gym.

Not every workout should require the best bumper plates or a full squat rack. “Does the app allow for alternate exercise selection so you can still work out and log your session? Not all apps do, but it’s a key feature in my opinion.”

Progressive Overload 

According to one study, “Progressive overload is a principle of resistance training exercise program design that typically relies on increasing load to increase neuromuscular demand to facilitate further adaptations.” (1) As the research supporting the principles of progressive overload grows, Capritto is convinced that apps designed around this method are uniquely effective for increasing strength. 

BarBend’s Jake Herod performing the dumbbell bench press.

“The key thing here is that your volume progresses over time during the program, with deload periods scheduled in,” she explains. “I believe progressive overload programming is the best way to reach any fitness goal, but especially for strength training.” Take a look at some examples of the programming each app provides before making your decision.

Accountability 

From warmup to cooldown, some of these apps let you connect virtual with a real trainer who is with you every step of the way. Capritto recommends being honest with yourself whether you might need individual attention or just some reminders here and there to keep you on track. “Is there any form of accountability within the app, or are you on your own to complete your workouts? Some people prefer the latter, but many people like to have an element of accountability, such as push notifications reminding them to work out or community groups they can be active in.”

Exercise Selection

Newcomers to weightlifting should consider prioritizing an app that features visual demonstrations of the exercises they’ll be performing. Whether you have your own rig or just just snagged a pair of the best dumbbells, Capritto says to make sure the app’s library of exercises matches your intended training. 

Our BarBend tester using the Life Fitness G7

“Whether you are training for powerlifting, bodybuilding, Olympic weightlifting, or general fitness, exercise selection is incredibly important,” she explains. “You’ll want to be certain before subscribing to an app that the exercise selection offered in the programming aligns with your desired outcomes.”

Best Weightlifting Apps FAQs

References

Plotkin, D., Coleman, M., Van Every, D., Maldonado, J., Oberlin, D., Israetel, M., Feather, J., Alto, A., Vigotsky, A. D., & Schoenfeld, B. J. (2022). Progressive overload without progressing load? The effects of load or repetition progression on muscular adaptations. PeerJ, 10, e14142.

Campos, G. E., Luecke, T. J., Wendeln, H. K., Toma, K., Hagerman, F. C., Murray, T. F., Ragg, K. E., Ratamess, N. A., Kraemer, W. J., & Staron, R. S. (2002). Muscular adaptations in response to three different resistance-training regimens: specificity of repetition maximum training zones. European journal of applied physiology, 88(1-2), 50–60.

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