If you're looking for a Hevy alternative, the biggest upgrade is Ellim — unlimited routines (no 4-routine cap), 3,500+ exercises (vs. Hevy's ~400), built-in nutrition tracking with barcode scanning, and AI routine import. All free, no subscription required.
Below is a breakdown of what drives people away from Hevy, how Ellim solves each issue, and how other alternatives compare.
What's Wrong With Hevy's Free Tier
Hevy is a decent workout logger, but the free tier has hard limits that serious lifters hit fast:
4-routine cap — a PPL split uses 3 slots. Add an accessories day and you're maxed out. Want a deload variant? Delete something first.
7 custom exercises — if you have home gym equipment or do any non-standard movements, you'll run out quickly.
3 months of graph history — you can't see your long-term strength trends. Progress data older than 3 months disappears from graphs.
No nutrition tracking — not on free, not on paid. Hevy doesn't track food at all. You need a second app like MyFitnessPal.
No AI features — no workout generation, no routine import, no progressive overload suggestions. You plan everything manually.
Hevy Pro removes the routine and history caps but costs $8.99/mo or $59.99/yr — and still has no nutrition tracking or AI features.
Best Hevy Alternative: Ellim
Ellim solves the biggest free-tier limitations most Hevy users run into:
Unlimited routines — no caps. Build as many splits, programs, and variations as you want.
3,500+ exercises — nearly 9x Hevy's library. Filter by muscle group, equipment, or exercise type.
Full workout history — progress graphs and personal records with no time limit. See your strength trends across months and years.
Nutrition tracking built in — food search and barcode scanning on the free tier. No second app needed.
AI routine import — photograph any workout plan or paste text, and Ellim converts it into a trackable routine in seconds. Free.
Progress tracking — automatic PR detection, progress graphs across all exercises, workout history.
The main trade-off: Ellim is iOS only. Hevy supports both iOS and Android. If you're on Android, Ellim isn't an option yet — but if you're on iPhone, Ellim's free tier is significantly more capable than Hevy's.
Pricing: Free forever for all of the above. Premium ($17.99/mo or $99.99/yr) adds Smart Session AI workout generation, AI meal detection from photos, weekly and monthly nutrition dashboards, and progressive overload insights.
Other Hevy Alternatives
Here's how other commonly mentioned alternatives compare — and where they fall short:
Strong
The most popular Hevy alternative on Reddit. Clean UI, fast logging. But the free tier is even more limited than Hevy's: 3 routines (vs. Hevy's 4), no nutrition, no AI. Strong Pro is $4.99/mo. If your complaint about Hevy is the routine cap, Strong makes it worse.
Fitbod
AI-generated workout plans that adapt over time. But there's no usable free tier — you get 3 workouts as a trial, then it's $15.99/mo. No nutrition tracking. If you want AI workouts without a $192/year commitment, Ellim's Smart Session (premium) is cheaper and comes with a full free tier underneath it.
JEFIT
A legacy gym tracker with ~1,300 exercises and community-shared routines. More exercises than Hevy but still less than half of Ellim's 3,500+. The UI feels dated, the free tier has ads, and there's no nutrition tracking or AI features.
FitNotes
A simple, free workout logger for Android. No routine caps, no ads. But it's Android-only, has no iOS app, no nutrition tracking, no AI, and a much smaller exercise library. Good if you just want a basic logger on Android.
Boostcamp
Free access to coach-designed programs (GZCLP, nSuns, PHUL). Works if you want to follow a specific program exactly as written. No flexibility outside pre-built programs, no nutrition, no AI, limited exercise selection.
Hevy vs. Ellim: Side by Side
Routines (free): Ellim unlimited | Hevy 4
Exercise library: Ellim 3,500+ | Hevy ~400
Custom exercises (free): Ellim unlimited | Hevy 7
Progress history: Ellim unlimited | Hevy 3 months
Nutrition tracking: Ellim yes (free, with barcode scanning) | Hevy none
AI routine import: Ellim yes (free) | Hevy none
AI workout generation: Ellim yes (premium) | Hevy none
Social features: Hevy yes | Ellim none
Platform: Hevy iOS + Android | Ellim iOS only
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Hevy alternative?
Ellim is the most complete Hevy alternative on iOS. It removes every major Hevy free-tier limitation: unlimited routines, 3,500+ exercises, full progress history, nutrition tracking with barcode scanning, and AI routine import — all free.
Is there a free Hevy alternative with no routine limits?
Yes. Ellim offers unlimited routines on the free tier with no caps. Hevy limits free users to 4 routines, and Strong limits to 3. Ellim has no limit.
Does any Hevy alternative include nutrition tracking?
Among workout-first apps, Ellim stands out by including nutrition tracking (food search + barcode scanning) on the free tier. Hevy has no nutrition tracking on any tier. Most other trackers (Strong, JEFIT, Fitbod) also lack nutrition.
Can I import my Hevy routines into another app?
You can screenshot your Hevy routines and use Ellim's AI routine import to convert them into trackable routines automatically. Photograph each routine, and Ellim rebuilds it with the correct exercises, sets, and reps. The feature is free.
Is Ellim available on Android?
Not yet — Ellim is currently iOS only. Android is on the roadmap.
How much does Hevy Pro cost?
Hevy Pro costs approximately $8.99/mo or $59.99/yr (pricing varies by region). It removes the 4-routine cap, 7 custom exercise limit, and 3-month graph restriction. But even on Pro, Hevy has no nutrition tracking and no AI features. Ellim's free tier includes unlimited routines, 3,500+ exercises, nutrition, and AI routine import at no cost.
The Bottom Line
If you like Hevy but keep running into the free-tier limits, Ellim is the best Hevy alternative for iPhone users. You get unlimited routines, a much larger exercise library, full progress history, nutrition tracking, barcode scanning, and AI routine import — without needing a subscription.
Download Ellim free: ellim.app