What Makes Hevy Popular
Hevy has grown fast—10 million+ users according to their marketing. They've invested heavily in content marketing (those workout split guides you see everywhere) and built a strong community angle into their app.
What Hevy does well:
- Social features — Follow friends, share workouts, compare progress.
- Content marketing — Extensive blog with workout split guides.
- Routine planner — Build and schedule workout templates.
- Cross-platform — iOS, Android, and web access.
- HevyGPT — AI-powered features (new addition).
These features make Hevy appealing for lifters who want a community experience and enjoy the social aspect of training. But not everyone wants that.
Why Some Lifters Want an Alternative
Hevy's strengths are also its weaknesses—depending on what you want from a workout tracker.
Social Features Can Be Distracting
When you open Hevy, you might see friend activity, workout comparisons, and community content. For some, this is motivation. For others, it's noise that pulls focus away from the actual training.
Gainz Pro has no social features. You open it, you log, you train. The focus is entirely on your workout and your progress.
Progressive Overload Isn't the Focus
Hevy tracks your history, but progressive overload isn't its core positioning. The app is designed to be "easy to stay consistent"—a different goal than "help you progressively overload."
Gainz Pro was built around one idea: show you exactly what you need to beat, every set, automatically. Progressive overload is the default mode.
Content Marketing vs. Deep Training Science
Hevy's blog has extensive workout split content, but it's relatively surface-level—SEO-optimized guides designed to capture search traffic. That's fine for beginners, but experienced lifters often want more depth.
Gainz Pro's blog focuses on hypertrophy science with research citations, designed for lifters who want to understand the "why" behind training principles.
Hevy vs Gainz Pro: Feature Comparison
| Feature | Hevy | Gainz Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Social features | Extensive (followers, sharing) | None (training focused) |
| Logging speed | Fast | 3 seconds (faster) |
| Progressive overload focus | History available | "What to beat" shown automatically |
| Routine planner | Advanced | Simple templates |
| Content/Guides | Extensive (workout splits) | Deep (hypertrophy science) |
| AI features | HevyGPT | Coming soon |
| Free tier | Generous | Unlimited (beta) |
| Target audience | Everyone | Serious lifters |
Training Focus vs. Community Experience
This is the core decision point:
Choose Hevy if you value the social aspects of training—following friends, sharing PRs, community engagement, and extensive routine planning features.
Choose Gainz Pro if you want a pure training tool that stays out of your way—fast logging, clear progressive overload targets, and zero distractions from social features.
Neither approach is "better" universally. It depends entirely on what motivates you and how you prefer to train.
The Verdict
Choose Hevy if: You want a full-featured app with social community, extensive routine planning, and don't mind the broader "fitness for everyone" positioning.
Choose Gainz Pro if: You're a serious lifter who wants a focused tool for progressive overload, faster logging, and zero social distractions.
How to Switch from Hevy
- Export your data from Hevy — Check settings for export options
- Download Gainz Pro — Free on the iOS App Store
- Import your workout history — CSV import available
- Start tracking — Experience the difference in focus
Switching takes about 5 minutes. Your training history comes with you, and you can always switch back if the focused approach isn't for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best alternative to Hevy?
For lifters who want a training-focused tool without social features, Gainz Pro is the best Hevy alternative. For those who want similar social features, Strong or JEFIT are options.
Is Hevy better than Strong?
Hevy has more features (social, routine planning, content). Strong is simpler and more focused. "Better" depends on your priorities—features vs. simplicity.
Does Hevy cost money?
Hevy has a generous free tier, but Hevy Pro unlocks additional features. Gainz Pro is currently completely free during beta with no feature restrictions.
The Bottom Line
Hevy is a well-built app with a lot going for it. The social features, content marketing, and routine planning make it appealing for a broad audience.
But "broad audience" means it's not optimized for any specific use case. If you're a serious lifter focused on progressive overload and hypertrophy—if you want an app that helps you get stronger rather than more social—there are alternatives designed specifically for that purpose.
Gainz Pro is one of them. Try it free and see which approach works better for your training.