Strong is great if all you need is a simple lifting log. But once you want more than 3 routines, free progress charts, nutrition tracking, or AI routine import, you quickly run into its limits. Ellim is the better free alternative for iPhone users who want the same simple logging foundation — with more room to grow.
Here's what's driving people away from Strong and how the alternatives compare.
What Strong's Free Tier Is Missing
Strong is a solid minimalist logger — fast set logging, clean design, good Apple Watch support. But the free tier is one of the most restrictive among workout trackers:
3-routine cap — a standard PPL split fills all 3 slots. No room for deload, accessories, or a second program.
Progress charts locked behind Pro — you can log workouts but can't visualize your strength trends over time without paying.
No nutrition tracking — Strong is workout-only. You need a separate app for food.
No AI features — no workout generation, no routine import, no progressive overload suggestions.
No social features — Strong is a private logbook, not a social training platform.
No workout guidance — Strong won't suggest what to do next. It's a blank logbook.
Strong Pro removes the routine cap and unlocks charts with a paid subscription — but still has no nutrition, no AI, and no workout guidance.
Best Strong Alternative: Ellim
If you like Strong's logging approach but keep hitting the free-tier walls, Ellim solves the biggest limitations without charging you:
Unlimited routines — save every split, program, and variation without running out of slots.
3,500+ exercises — filter by muscle group, equipment, or exercise type. Nearly 9x the variety of Strong's ~400.
Progress graphs included free — see your strength trends across all exercises with no paywall. Automatic PR detection tells you when you hit a new record.
Nutrition tracking built in — food search and barcode scanning on the free tier. See your macros alongside your training on one Today screen.
AI routine import — photograph any workout plan or paste text, and Ellim converts it into a trackable routine. No manual entry.
Workout timer + Live Activities — your workout stays visible on the lock screen and Dynamic Island.
The trade-off: Strong has a more polished Apple Watch app, and Strong supports Android. Ellim is iOS only. If Apple Watch is critical to your workflow or you're on Android, that matters.
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 Strong Alternatives
Hevy
The most common Strong alternative. It has a more generous free tier than Strong (4 routines vs. 3), plus a social feed for sharing workouts. But it still doesn't solve the bigger problem: no built-in nutrition tracking, no AI routine import, and no unified training + food dashboard.
Fitbod
AI-generated workout plans that adapt over time. No usable free tier — 3 workouts as a trial, then a paid subscription. No nutrition tracking. Fitbod is better if you want the app to tell you what to do. It's worse if you want a free, flexible logger you fully control — which Ellim covers with both manual logging and AI.
JEFIT
A legacy tracker with ~1,300 exercises and community-shared routines. More exercises than Strong, but the UI feels dated, the free tier has ads, and there's no nutrition or AI.
Boostcamp
Free coach-designed programs (GZCLP, nSuns, PHUL) with built-in tracking. Good if you want a specific program to follow. No flexibility outside pre-built programs, no nutrition, no AI.
Strong vs. Ellim: Side by Side
Routines (free): Ellim unlimited | Strong 3
Exercise library: Ellim 3,500+ | Strong ~400
Progress charts: Ellim free | Strong Pro only
Nutrition tracking: Ellim yes (free, with barcode scanning) | Strong none
AI routine import: Ellim yes (free) | Strong none
AI workout generation: Ellim yes (premium) | Strong none
Apple Watch: Strong yes (polished) | Ellim not yet
Social features: No community feed in either
Platform: Strong iOS + Android | Ellim iOS only
Pro pricing: Strong requires a subscription | Ellim free tier covers more than Strong Pro
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Strong app alternative?
Ellim is the most complete Strong alternative on iOS. It gives you unlimited routines (Strong caps at 3), progress charts included free (Strong locks them behind Pro), 3,500+ exercises, nutrition tracking, and AI routine import — all without paying.
Is there a free alternative to Strong with no routine limits?
Yes. Ellim offers unlimited routines on the free tier. Strong limits free users to 3. Hevy offers 4. Ellim has no cap.
Can I see progress charts without paying?
Strong locks progress charts behind a paid subscription. Ellim includes progress graphs and automatic PR detection on the free tier — no subscription needed.
Does any Strong alternative include nutrition tracking?
Among workout-first apps, Ellim stands out by including nutrition tracking (food search + barcode scanning) on the free tier. Strong, Hevy, JEFIT, and Fitbod all lack built-in nutrition.
Can I import my Strong routines into Ellim?
Yes. Screenshot your Strong routines and use Ellim's AI routine import — it reads the image and builds a trackable routine 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.
The Bottom Line
Strong is a fast, minimal logger — but the 3-routine cap and paywalled charts push you toward a subscription for basic functionality. If you want more room on the free tier without sacrificing logging speed, Ellim gives you unlimited routines, free progress charts, 3,500+ exercises, nutrition tracking, and AI routine import — no subscription required.
Start with your existing Strong routine: screenshot it, import it into Ellim, and keep training — with unlimited routines, free progress graphs, and nutrition tracking built in. Download Ellim free