Comparison
Pick Strong if you want a simple, fast lifting log that has been around for years, an Apple Watch app that can log without your iPhone, and you are happy to track food somewhere else. Pick Apex Stacked if you want your lifting, food, sleep, bloodwork and any TRT, peptide or supplement protocol in one app, with your next weights worked out for you. Both have a free plan, so you can try each one before you pay.
Last checked October 17, 2026. Strong facts come from Strong's own site, help center and store listings, linked under Sources.
Prices are US prices as listed on October 17, 2026. They can change and vary by region.
| Feature | Strong | Apex Stacked |
|---|---|---|
| Workout logging | Simple, fast logging. Warm-up, failure and drop set tags, supersets, RPE. | Free live logging with warm-up, working, to failure, drop and pause sets, supersets, focus mode and RIR. |
| Routines and templates | Your own routines. Free keeps 3 custom routines. PRO removes the limit. | Saved workouts, 4 on free, no limit on Apex Pro. Saved weeks need Apex Pro. |
| Progressive overload and planning | You set the program. Optimized for progressive barbell routines such as StrongLifts 5x5. Workout scheduling. | Next weights set for you on saved workouts, free. Apex Pro builds your week and deload weeks on your phone. |
| Exercise library | Cardio and strength exercises with instructions and animated videos. Custom exercises. | Searchable library with filters and a demo video per exercise. 7 custom exercises on free. |
| Plate calculator and rest timer | Built-in rest timer. Plate and warm-up calculators are PRO. | Both free. The plate calculator uses your own plates and bar. |
| Social | Share workouts and routines with friends. | Friends-only competitions, 3 or 7 days. No social feed. |
| Nutrition tracking | No food log. Import macros from an Apple Health nutrition app, or enter total calories. | Built-in food log, free barcode scanning, one daily target free. No meal photo recognition. |
| Bloodwork | Not listed. | Manual entry and trend charts, free. Report scanning needs Pro + AI. |
| Protocol tracking (TRT, peptide, supplement) | Not listed. | Dose logging, reminders and vial tracking. 1 active protocol on free. |
| AI features | None listed on the pages we checked. | Pro + AI only: AI coach, workout debrief, weekly and monthly reports. |
| Apple Watch | Full watch app that logs with or without your iPhone. | Free watch app for the live workout. Needs your iPhone. |
| Android | Yes, on Google Play. | Yes, in the US only. No Android watch app. |
| Free plan limits | Unlimited workouts, 3 custom routines. All charts, body part measurements and the plate and warm-up calculators are PRO. | 4 saved workouts, 1 active protocol, 10 favorite foods, 7 custom exercises. No training plans. |
| Paid price (US) | PRO is $4.99/month or $29.99/year per the App Store listing. A one-time PRO Forever purchase is also listed. | Apex Pro $2.99/month or $24.99/year. Pro + AI $8.99/month, 7-day trial. AI add-on $5.99/month. |
Apex Stacked limits to know. It is dark theme only, has no web app, and does not support iPad on iOS. If you need any of these, check Strong's listings for its own device and theme support before you choose.
You don't have to start from zero.
Apex Stacked reads a general CSV layout. It is not built around Strong's export in particular, so check the review screen before you save. Strong's help center also says its exported files cannot be imported back into Strong.
Yes, if you want food in the same app as your lifting. Apex Stacked has a built-in food log with free barcode scanning and one daily calorie and macro target. Strong's help center describes importing macros from an Apple Health compatible nutrition app, or typing in total calories, rather than a built-in food log.
Strong's help center says you can export your data from its settings in a CSV format. Apex Stacked can import a CSV export from another app, or a workout you paste in. You review what was read before anything is saved, and you can link oddly named lifts to an exercise in the library. Check the review screen carefully, because Apex Stacked reads a general CSV layout and is not built around any one app's export.
On October 17, 2026, the US App Store listing described Strong PRO as $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year, and also listed a one-time Strong PRO Forever purchase. Apex Pro is $2.99 a month or $24.99 a year, and Apex Pro + AI is $8.99 a month. Both apps have a free plan. Prices are US prices and can change, so check each app's store listing for the current price in your country.
It depends on how you train. Strong's App Store listing says its Apple Watch app can log workouts with or without your iPhone. The Apex Stacked watch app is free on every plan and runs the live workout, rest timer and RIR from your wrist, but it is a companion that needs your iPhone. If you want to leave your phone in the locker, Strong is the better fit.
Yes. On the free plan, your saved workouts get their next weights from progressive overload. Apex Pro builds a training week for you every week on your phone, with no AI, plans overload across the week and builds deload weeks. Strong's store listings describe your own routines and say it is optimized for progressive barbell routines such as StrongLifts 5x5, so with Strong you set the program.
Strong facts were checked on October 17, 2026. Strong may have changed since then, so check its site for current features and pricing.
Strong is a trademark of its owner. Apex Stacked is not affiliated with Strong.