Best Free Workout App Without a Subscription (2026): What Stays Free
Which workout apps stay useful with no subscription? PeakBFF, Hevy, Strong, Boostcamp, StrengthLog and FitNotes compared on what is free, what is capped and what costs money.
If you want a workout app that stays useful without a subscription, pick by the limit that would annoy you, not by the star rating. FitNotes and StrengthLog are the most generous plain logs, Boostcamp is the best free choice for pre-built programmes, Hevy and Strong are great free logs with caps on saved routines, and PeakBFF is the pick if you also want food logged in the same app.
Short answer: almost every serious lifting app lets you log unlimited workouts for free. The differences are what they cap (routines, history, programmes, charts) and what they charge for. Here is that, app by app.
Six apps compared on what is free
| PeakBFF | Hevy | Strong | Boostcamp | StrengthLog | FitNotes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free logging | Workout and food logging | Unlimited workouts | Unlimited workouts | Unlimited, with the programme library | Unlimited, with custom exercises and PR tracking | Everything, no paid tier on Android |
| What is capped or paid | Some starter programmes, AI plan generator, macro detail, workout import, custom programmes (Plus) | About 4 routines, 7 custom exercises, 3 months of graphs | About 3 templates; charts and extras on PRO | Extras such as advanced analytics (Pro) | Advanced stats, full programme catalog, RPE and RIR logging (Premium) | Nothing on Android; iPhone version is a separate app with in-app purchases |
| Paid plan (US, as of October 2026) | Plus $49.99/year or $7.99/week | Pro about $23.99/year | PRO about $30/year (varies by listing) | Pro, price not listed on its site | Premium $109/year on the US App Store | None on Android |
| Platforms | iPhone and Android | iPhone and Android | iPhone and Android | iPhone and Android | iPhone and Android | Android, plus a separate iPhone app |
| Also tracks food | Yes (macro detail with Plus) | No | No | No | No | No |
| Best at | Training and food in one app | Clean, social logging | Fast, minimal logging | Free programmes | Free logging with PRs | Local, no-account logging |
Free-tier limits for Hevy, Strong and StrengthLog come from store listings and third-party reviews, and Boostcamp's from its own site. Prices change and vary by country, so confirm on the store page before paying.
What "free" usually means in a workout app
Logging itself is almost never what costs money. The paywalls cluster in five places, and knowing which one you would hit saves you a wasted month.
- Saved routines. A cap of three or four is fine for a three-day plan and painful for a five-day split.
- History and charts. Some apps keep your data but hide older graphs.
- Programmes and coaching. Pre-built plans are free in some apps and a headline Pro feature in others.
- RPE or RIR logging. Handy if you train by effort, and paid in some apps.
- Everything outside lifting. Food, body measurements and import tools often sit behind the paid plan.
If you only ever repeat one routine, nearly any app on this list is free forever. If you want to run a different split every week, check the routine cap first. For the logging habits that matter more than the app, see how to track progressive overload and how to track exercise history in the gym.
1. PeakBFF: free to start, with training and food together
PeakBFF is a workout log and an AI food tracker in one app, so sets and protein sit side by side. Many features are free for basic users, including workout logging and food logging, and you do not need an account or a card to start. The active workout prefills weight and reps from your last session. When every prescribed set reached the top of its rep range, a Try more chip suggests more reps or more weight, and you review it before applying. Load with plates shows what goes on each side of the bar, and the rest timer starts after each set.
The exercise library has more than 220 exercises with short demo videos, step-by-step instructions, form cues and the muscles worked, and a muscle-volume view shows your completed sets by muscle group over the last seven days.



The honest limits: some starter programmes, the AI workout plan generator, macro detail (protein, carbs, fat), workout import from TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, and custom programmes need Plus. Plus is $49.99 a year (about $4.17 a month) or $7.99 a week on the US App Store as of October 2026. That is more than Hevy Pro and less than StrengthLog Premium, and it includes food tracking. PeakBFF has no watch app.
Best for: one free-to-start app for lifting and food.
2. Hevy: the simple free log
Hevy is a clean, popular logger with routines, history and a social feed. Free accounts log unlimited workouts, with caps of about four routines, seven custom exercises and roughly three months of graphs, according to third-party reviews. Pro is about $23.99 a year, the cheapest paid plan here, and it also adds Hevy Trainer for guided programmes. It has no food tracking. Our Hevy alternative with calorie tracking compares the food side.
Best for: a simple, social log on a plan with three or four routines.
3. Strong: fast and minimal
Strong is built for quick logging, and it runs on iPhone, Android and Apple Watch, which PeakBFF does not. Third-party reviews put the free cap at about three saved templates, with charts and extras on PRO. If a watch matters, Strong wins that row. See the Strong alternative with calorie tracking if you also want food logging.
Best for: minimal logging, especially with an Apple Watch.
4. Boostcamp: the most generous for programmes
Boostcamp's own site says its large programme library, tracker and tools are free, and that free accounts can build custom programmes without a cap. Pro adds extras such as advanced analytics. If you want a free, structured programme from a coach, this is the strongest answer here, and there is no food tracking.
Best for: following a free pre-built programme.
5. StrengthLog: free logging with PRs
StrengthLog's developer says the free version allows unlimited workouts, custom exercises, basic statistics and PR tracking, with no ads. Premium adds advanced statistics, the full programme catalogue and RPE or RIR logging, and the US App Store lists it at $109 a year, the most expensive plan in this table. Regional prices differ a lot, so check yours. These are the developer's own claims.
Best for: free logging with PR tracking and no pressure to upgrade.
6. FitNotes: the no-frills local log
FitNotes on Android is a long-running, plain gym log. Reviews describe it as free, ad-free and without a subscription tier, with data stored on your device and no automatic cloud sync, which also means you should back it up yourself. There is a separate iPhone app, FitNotes 2, from a different developer and with in-app purchases. It tracks sets, reps and weight and little else. Liftosaur is another free-to-start option for people who like to script their own programmes, though its paid tier has conflicting prices across sources, so read its store page.
Best for: Android lifters who want a private, no-account log.
Which free tier fits you
- I repeat one or two routines: any app here, so choose the interface you like. Our best workout app that remembers weights and reps covers the prefill side.
- I want a free programme to follow: Boostcamp.
- I want the plainest free log: FitNotes on Android or StrengthLog.
- I want training and food in one place: PeakBFF. See the best gym tracker app roundup and the free MyFitnessPal alternative with workout tracking.
- I am a woman over 40 comparing free tiers: see the best free strength training app for women over 40.
The bottom line
You can lift for years on a free app. FitNotes and StrengthLog keep the plain log open, Boostcamp is the best free source of programmes, Hevy and Strong are polished loggers whose only real cost is a routine cap, and PeakBFF fits when you want your sets and your protein in one app, with many features free for basic users and Plus for the extras.
Download PeakBFF on the App Store or Google Play and log your next session for free.
Questions, answered
What is the best free workout app without a subscription?
For a lifting log that never asks for money, FitNotes (Android, plus a separate iPhone version) and StrengthLog are the most generous. Boostcamp is the best free choice if you want pre-built programmes. Hevy and Strong are free to use but cap saved routines. PeakBFF is free to start and adds food logging in the same app.
Is Hevy really free?
Yes, with limits. Third-party reviews report that the free plan allows unlimited workouts but about four saved routines, seven custom exercises and three months of graph history. Hevy Pro removes those caps and costs about $23.99 a year as of October 2026. Check the in-app checkout for the current price in your country.
Can I log workouts for free in PeakBFF?
Yes. Many PeakBFF features are free for basic users, including workout logging and food logging, and you do not need a card to start. Some starter programmes, the AI workout plan generator, macro detail, workout import and custom programmes need Plus, which is $49.99 a year or $7.99 a week on the US App Store as of October 2026.
Which free workout app works without internet or an account?
FitNotes on Android stores its data on your device and has no subscription tier, according to reviews, which makes it the most account-free option here. Most other apps here use an account to back up and sync your history. Check each app's store listing before relying on offline use at a gym with weak signal.
What do free workout apps usually lock behind a paywall?
Usually not logging itself. The common paywalls are saved routines or templates, advanced charts and long history, programmes and coaching, RPE or RIR logging, and extras such as food tracking. Decide which of those you would miss, then pick the app whose free tier keeps that one open.
More from PeakBFF
More app comparisons, fitness guides, and product notes.
Boostcamp vs Hevy (2026): Structured Coach Programmes or a Simple Gym Log?
Boostcamp vs Hevy compared on structured strength programmes, progression tools, Apple Watch logging, free tier limits and pricing, plus where PeakBFF fits.
How to Hit Your Protein Goal Without Going Over Calories: The 10:1 Rule and Lean Swaps
Learn how to hit your protein goal without going over calories using the 10:1 protein-to-calorie ratio, lean protein swaps, and a worked 150g meal plan.
GainFrame vs ShredFrame (2026): Which AI Physique App Fits Your Goal?
Compare GainFrame and ShredFrame for AI physique scans and body composition. See features, Android availability, pricing, and workout tracking differences.
Best 75 Hard App (2026): Free Options, the Official App and What Actually Works
Compare the best 75 Hard apps for tracking workouts, water, diet and progress photos. See why lifters outgrow basic checkboxes and what to use instead.
PPLUL Split (2026): A 5-Day Push Pull Legs Upper Lower Routine and Volume Guide
What the PPLUL split is, how to schedule a 5-day Push Pull Legs Upper Lower workout routine, weekly muscle volume targets, and how to track progression.
Cronometer vs MyFitnessPal (2026): Which Food Tracker Fits Lifters?
Cronometer vs MyFitnessPal compared on database accuracy, free barcode scanning, pricing and lifting support, plus where PeakBFF fits for gym trackers.
