ForgeLifting vs Hevy: An Honest Comparison
Yes, this comparison is written by the ForgeLifting team — so let's earn your trust the only way possible: by being straight about where Hevy is better. Hevy is a good app. Millions of lifters use it. If you want a social feed and your training partners are already on it, Hevy is probably the right choice, and you can stop reading here.
Still with us? Then here's the honest breakdown of where the two differ and who each one actually suits.
The Short Version
| ForgeLifting | Hevy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (all core features) · Pro £3.99/mo removes ads + adds AI | Free with limits (routines capped) · Pro from ~£2.50/mo |
| Install | No download — runs in your browser, installs to home screen, works offline | App Store / Play Store download |
| Social feed | None, by design | Yes — follow friends, like workouts |
| Coaching cues | Setup / feel / cue / watch-out on 62 exercises, built in free | Exercise instructions on Pro |
| Programs | 7 expert programs free + custom builder + AI builder (Pro) | Routine builder; community routines |
| Progression guidance | e1RM-based PR detection + tells you when to add weight | Tracks history; progression is up to you |
| Community size | Small — we're new and honest about it | Very large, established |
Where Hevy Wins
Community and social. Hevy's feed, friends, and shared routines are real advantages if training is social for you. ForgeLifting has none of that — deliberately, but that doesn't make the gap disappear.
Track record. Hevy has years of reviews and millions of users. We're a young UK-built app. If maturity is your deciding factor, that's a fair reason to pick Hevy today.
Where ForgeLifting Wins
Progression is the product. Hevy records what you did. ForgeLifting is built around what you should do next: every set is checked against your estimated 1RM, PRs are detected automatically, and the app tells you when it's time to add weight. If you care about progressive overload — the one principle that actually drives strength — that's the difference that matters.
Everything core is free. Full logging, all 7 expert programs, the custom program builder, volume tracking, coaching cues on every exercise, Strava sync — free, with no routine caps. Our Pro tier removes ads and adds AI coaching; it doesn't hold basic features hostage.
No download, works anywhere. ForgeLifting runs on any phone from the browser and installs straight to your home screen — offline included. No app store, no storage, nothing to update.
Zero distractions. No feed to scroll between sets. Open, log, lift. Rest timer fires itself.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Hevy if: your gym friends are on it, you want a social feed, or you want the most established option.
Choose ForgeLifting if: you train alone or don't care about feeds, you want the app to actively drive your progression rather than just record it, and you'd rather not pay for core features.
Try both — seriously. ForgeLifting needs no download: open app.forgelifting.app, log one real session, and compare it with your current tracker the same week. Your own workout is the only benchmark that matters.
Track every set. See every gain.
ForgeLifting logs your workouts, calculates your e1RM, and tells you when to add weight — all for free.
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