By Will Duru, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science, Award winning Personal Trainer with over 10 years of experience in strength training
Choosing the right workout app can feel overwhelming. There are hundreds of options, each promising to transform your body. Some cost a fortune. Others are free but useless. Many look great in screenshots but fail in actual use.
After a decade of training clients and testing nearly every fitness app on the market, I know exactly what makes an app worth using. More importantly, I know what beginners actually need versus what app developers think they need.
This guide covers everything you need to find the best strength training app for beginners, whether you train at a commercial gym, work out at home with limited equipment, or somewhere in between. I will compare popular options, explain what features actually matter, and help you find the right fit for your situation.
What Beginners Actually Need in a Workout App
Before comparing specific apps, let me share what I have learned from training hundreds of beginners. The features that matter most are not always the flashiest.
Structured Programming
Beginners do not need infinite exercise options. They need someone to tell them exactly what to do. A workout app that tells you what weight to use, how many sets to perform, and when to increase the load removes the guesswork that paralyses new lifters.
The best gym workout planner app provides structure, not just a blank canvas. You should open the app, see your workout, and start training. No decisions required.
Progressive Overload Tracking
Progressive overload is the fundamental principle of getting stronger. You must gradually increase the demands on your muscles over time. Without tracking this, you are just exercising, not training.
A workout app with progressive overload built in shows you what you lifted last time and suggests what to lift this time. The best app for tracking progressive overload does this automatically, removing the mental load of remembering weights and calculating progressions.
Video Demonstrations
Beginners need to see exercises performed correctly. Reading a description is not enough. The app should show you exactly how each movement looks, including setup, execution, and common mistakes to avoid.
Simplicity
Complex apps with dozens of features overwhelm beginners. The interface should be clean and intuitive. Logging a set should take seconds, not minutes.
The Personal Trainer App Alternative
Hiring a personal trainer costs serious money. In the UK, sessions range from £40 to £150 depending on location and trainer experience. Training three times per week adds up to £480 to £1,800 per month. That is £5,760 to £21,600 per year.
A good personal trainer app alternative provides the same core benefits at a fraction of the cost:
- Structured programmes designed by qualified trainers
- Progressive overload tracking and suggestions
- Exercise demonstrations and form guidance
- Accountability through workout logging
You lose the in person feedback and real time form correction. But for beginners following well designed programmes, an app provides enormous value for minimal cost.
The 12REPS app was specifically designed as a personal trainer app alternative. Every programme is created by certified trainers, not algorithms. You get professional guidance without the professional price tag.
Strong App Alternative: What to Look For
Strong is one of the most popular workout tracking apps. It does logging well but lacks programming. You bring the workout, Strong just records it.
If you are looking for a Strong app alternative, you probably want more than just tracking. You want:
- Built in programmes rather than creating everything yourself
- Intelligent suggestions for weight progression
- Video demonstrations integrated into the workout
- Goal tracking beyond just logging sets
Strong works fine for experienced lifters who know what they are doing. For beginners who need guidance, a Strong app alternative with actual programming makes more sense.
The 12REPS app includes everything Strong offers for tracking, plus trainer designed programmes, video demonstrations, and intelligent weight suggestions. It is the Strong app alternative that actually tells you what to do.
Strong App Alternative: What to Look For
Strong is one of the most popular workout tracking apps. It does logging well but lacks programming. You bring the workout, Strong just records it.
If you are looking for a Strong app alternative, you probably want more than just tracking. You want:
- Built in programmes rather than creating everything yourself
- Intelligent suggestions for weight progression
- Video demonstrations integrated into the workout
- Goal tracking beyond just logging sets
Strong works fine for experienced lifters who know what they are doing. For beginners who need guidance, a Strong app alternative with actual programming makes more sense.
The 12REPS app includes everything Strong offers for tracking, plus trainer designed programmes, video demonstrations, and intelligent weight suggestions. It is the Strong app alternative that actually tells you what to do.
Fitbod Alternative: Why AI Programming Falls Short
Fitbod uses artificial intelligence to generate workouts. The app considers your available equipment, recovery status, and training history to create each session.
The concept sounds smart. The execution often disappoints.
I have had multiple clients come to me after using Fitbod for months with minimal results. The AI generates workouts that hit muscles but lack strategic progression. There is no periodisation, no intelligent long term planning, no consideration of how today’s workout connects to next month’s goals.
If you want a Fitbod alternative, look for apps with human designed programmes rather than AI generated workouts. Algorithms cannot replace the experience and intuition of qualified trainers who have helped hundreds of people get results.
The 12REPS app takes the opposite approach to Fitbod. Every programme is designed by real trainers with real experience. The AI handles tracking and suggestions, but the programming comes from humans who understand how to structure training for long term results
Best Workout App for Home Gym
Training at home presents unique challenges. You have limited equipment. You cannot simply walk to another machine if yours is occupied. Your space may be small.
The best workout app for home gym training adapts to your equipment. You should be able to tell the app what you have and receive appropriate programmes.
If you have a workout app for dumbbells only, it should provide complete programmes using just dumbbells. Not stripped down versions of barbell programmes, but intelligently designed dumbbell specific training.
The 12REPS app excels here. Tell the app your available equipment and it provides programmes designed for exactly what you have. Home gym with just dumbbells and a bench? There are programmes for that. Full commercial gym setup? Programmes for that too.
Essential Features for Home Gym Apps
When evaluating the best workout app for home gym use, look for:
Equipment filtering. The app should know what you have and only show relevant exercises and programmes.
Exercise alternatives. If a programme calls for a cable fly but you only have dumbbells, the app should suggest a dumbbell alternative automatically.
Minimal equipment programmes. Complete programmes that work with basic setups, not just “gym workouts with some exercises removed.”
Space considerations. Some exercises require significant space. Home gym apps should offer compact alternatives.
Free Weight Lifting App Options
Cost matters, especially when starting out. A free weight-lifting app lets you try structured training without financial commitment.
However, free apps come with tradeoffs. Most make money through:
- Ads that interrupt your workout
- Limited features that push you toward paid upgrades
- Data collection that monetises your information
- Poor support because there is no budget for it
Some free apps are genuinely useful. Many are frustrating experiences designed to push you toward payment.
When evaluating any free weight-lifting app, ask yourself:
- Can I complete a full workout without interruption?
- Are the core features actually free or paywalled?
- Does the free version include enough to make real progress?
The 12REPS app offers a free version and also a free trial for the pro version, so you can experience the full features before deciding. This lets you test everything without commitment and without the limitations of permanently free apps.
Strength Training App No Subscription: Is It Worth It?
Subscription fatigue is real. Another monthly charge on top of everything else feels exhausting. A strength training app no subscription model sounds appealing.
But consider what you get with subscriptions versus one time purchases:
Subscription apps typically offer:
- Continuous updates and new features
- Expanding exercise libraries
- Bug fixes and improvements
- Server costs for syncing across devices
- Ongoing development and support
One time purchase apps often provide:
- Features frozen at time of purchase
- Limited updates after initial release
- No ongoing development
- Potential abandonment if sales decline
For something you use multiple times per week for years, a modest subscription often provides better value than a cheap one time purchase that stops improving.
That said, the subscription should be reasonable. Apps charging £20 to £30 per month for basic tracking are overpriced. The 12REPS app offers professional programming and comprehensive tracking at a fraction of personal training costs.
Workout App That Tells You What Weight to Use
This is the feature beginners need most. Not just logging what you did, but guidance on what you should do.
A workout app that tells you what weight to use typically works by:
- Recording your performance history
- Applying progressive overload principles
- Suggesting appropriate weights for each exercise
- Adjusting based on your actual performance
If you hit all your reps easily, the app suggests increasing weight. If you struggled or failed reps, it suggests maintaining or slightly reducing weight. This removes the guesswork that often leads beginners to either progress too slowly or jump ahead too quickly.
The 12REPS app does this automatically. Before each set, you see your previous performance and a suggested weight for today. You can accept the suggestion or adjust based on how you feel. Either way, you are never wondering what weight to use.
Best App for Tracking Progressive Overload
Progressive overload is everything in strength training. If you are not progressively overloading, you are not systematically getting stronger.
The best app for tracking progressive overload shows you:
- Previous performance for each exercise
- Volume trends over time (sets x reps x weight)
- Personal records and when you set them
- Estimated one rep maxes based on your training
- Clear progression from week to week
Some apps just log numbers. The best app for tracking progressive overload interprets those numbers and helps you understand whether you are actually progressing.
When I review client training histories, I look for upward trends in volume and intensity over time. The 12REPS appsurfaces this data clearly so you can see your own progression without needing a trainer to interpret spreadsheets.
Comparing the Top Options
Here is how popular apps compare across the features that matter most for beginners:
| Feature | 12REPS | Strong | Fitbod | Hevy | JEFIT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trainer designed programmes | Yes | No | No (AI) | No | Limited |
| Progressive overload suggestions | Yes | No | Partial | No | No |
| Video demonstrations | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Weight suggestions | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Home gym adaptability | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Dumbbell only programmes | Yes | Manual | Yes | Manual | Limited |
| Workout logging | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 1RM tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Strong and Hevy excel at pure logging but require you to bring your own programming knowledge.
Fitbod provides programming but it is AI generated without human oversight.
JEFIT offers some programmes but the app feels dated and cluttered.
The 12REPS app combines professional programming with comprehensive tracking, making it the best option for beginners who want guidance alongside their tracking.
My Recommendations Based on Your Situation
After testing these apps extensively and using them with clients, here is my guidance:
If You Are a Complete Beginner
Choose an app with structured programmes and clear guidance. You need someone to tell you what to do, not a blank canvas to figure out yourself.
My recommendation: 12REPS because you get trainer designed programmes, video demonstrations, and weight suggestions all in one package.
If You Train at Home with Limited Equipment
Choose an app that adapts to your equipment rather than assuming you have a full gym.
My recommendation: 12REPS because you can specify exactly what equipment you have and receive appropriate programmes.
If You Want a Personal Trainer Alternative
Choose an app with human designed programmes, not AI generated workouts.
My recommendation: 12REPS because every programme is created by qualified trainers with real experience.
If You Already Know What You Are Doing
If you are experienced and just need logging, Strong or Hevy work fine. But if you want to ensure you are following proven programming principles, an app with built in programmes still adds value
If You Want Free
Try the 12REPS free trial to experience full features before committing. Permanently free apps often frustrate more than they help.
Getting Started
Whatever app you choose, the most important thing is actually using it consistently.
Download the app. Start a programme appropriate for your equipment and experience level. Show up and train. Log your workouts. Follow the progressive overload suggestions. Stay consistent for months, not days.
The app is a tool. You still have to do the work.
If you want professional guidance at a fraction of personal training costs, if you want an app that tells you what to do rather than just recording what you did, if you want the best strength training app for beginners that grows with you as you advance, download the 12REPS app and start your first workout today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free weight lifting app?
Most free apps have significant limitations. The 12REPS app offers a free trial with full features, which gives you a better experience than permanently free apps with restricted functionality.
Can I build muscle with just a workout app?
Yes. A good app provides the programming and tracking you need. Combined with proper nutrition and consistent effort, app guided training builds significant muscle.
Do I need a paid app or is free good enough?
Paid apps typically offer better programming, more features, and ongoing development. For something you use several times per week for years, a modest subscription provides excellent value.
What makes 12REPS different from Strong?
Strong is primarily a logging tool. 12REPS includes trainer designed programmes, video demonstrations, and weight suggestions alongside comprehensive logging. It is a complete training system, not just a tracker.
What makes 12REPS different from Fitbod?
Fitbod uses AI to generate workouts. 12REPS uses programmes designed by qualified human trainers. The difference shows in the strategic progression and periodisation that AI cannot replicate.
Can I use 12REPS with just dumbbells?
Yes. The app includes complete programmes designed specifically for dumbbell only training. Specify your equipment and receive appropriate programmes.
References
- Schoenfeld, B.J. et al. (2017). Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass. International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28834797/
- Schoenfeld, B.J. et al. (2016). Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy. Sports Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27102172/
- Krzysztofik, M. et al. (2019). Maximising Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31817252/
Related Articles on just12reps.com
Article | Description | Link |
Complete Beginner’s Guide to Strength Training | Start your journey with proper fundamentals. | |
The Science of Progressive Overload | Understand the principle that drives all progress. | |
Best Weightlifting Apps of 2025 | Detailed comparison of top workout apps. | |
Ultimate Weight Lifting Planner and Tracker | How 12REPS helps you plan and track workouts. | |
Bodyweight Exercises for Strength Training at Home | Train effectively with minimal equipment. |
About the Author: Will Duru holds a BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science and is an award-winning personal trainer with over 10 years of experience. He has tested dozens of fitness apps with clients and designed the 12REPS appto provide what beginners actually need: professional programming, intelligent tracking, and clear guidance at an affordable price.
