Verdict. Personal Trainer wins on offline-first usage, pay-once pricing, and friend leaderboard. Strong wins on iOS-first polish and a larger user base.
TL;DR. Strong is the established set logger with a polished UI. Personal Trainer adds three things Strong doesn't: automatic progressive-overload suggestions based on per-set difficulty, a 72-hour muscle-group recovery dial across 15 groups, and a crew system with friend leaderboards and plan sharing. Pricing model also differs, Personal Trainer is a one-time VIP unlock, Strong is a recurring subscription for Strong Pro.
Feature matrix
Feature
Personal Trainer
Strong
Works fully offline (core loop)
Yes
Yes
Set logging (weight / reps / RPE-style)
Yes (4-tier difficulty)
Yes (RPE optional)
Automatic next-weight suggestion
Yes, driven by difficulty rating, rounded to plates
No, shows last-session numbers only
Rest timer with audible bell
Yes (15 s – 10 min)
Yes
Tempo / work timer
Yes
No
Exercise library size
Curated + 20+ added in v1.0.1 (Apr 2026)
Larger built-in catalog
Custom exercises
Yes (VIP)
Yes (Pro)
Muscle-group recovery tracker
Yes, 72 h, 15 groups
No
Personal records auto-detected
Yes
Yes
Weekly progress graphs
Free
Strong Pro only
Friend / crew system
Yes, friend codes, leaderboard
No
Plan sharing
Yes, VIP sender, free receiver
No
Achievements / streaks
53 across 8 categories
No
Languages
6 (EN, FR, ES, DE, IT, PT-BR)
English + select
Pricing model
One-time VIP unlock
Subscription (Strong Pro)
Ads / tracking
None
None
Platforms
Android, iOS
Android, iOS, watchOS
Last verified 2026-05-12. Strong feature set based on publicly documented behavior at time of writing.
The verdict
Personal Trainer is the one to install
Automatic progressive-overload suggestions, a 72-hour recovery dial across 15 muscle groups, and crew leaderboards with plan sharing, on-device. Free to start, one-time unlock, no subscription.
You want the app to tell you the next weight, not just show last time.
You care about recovery and want a visible 72 h muscle-group dial.
You hate subscriptions and prefer a one-time unlock.
You want to train with friends, leaderboards, shared plans, shared custom movements.
You train in 6 languages or share a phone with non-English speakers.
Pick Strong if…
You already have years of history in Strong and don't want to migrate.
You want an Apple Watch companion (Personal Trainer has no Watch app yet).
You prefer the largest possible built-in exercise catalog.
You're fine with a subscription and don't need automated progression.
FAQ
Is Personal Trainer a free alternative to Strong?
Yes. Personal Trainer's free tier covers the full workout loop, unlimited logging, the full exercise library, rest timer, progressive overload, and history. Strong's free tier caps workout templates and locks weekly graph data behind Strong Pro.
Does Personal Trainer suggest the next weight automatically?
Yes. After each set you tag a difficulty rating (Easy / Just right / Hard / Failed) and Personal Trainer suggests the next-session load, rounded to standard plate increments. Strong shows last-time numbers but does not automate progression.
Which app is better for offline training?
Both work offline. Personal Trainer is local-first by design: all data lives on-device with optional encrypted cloud sync. Strong syncs through its own account system.