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MuscleBuddy vs Hevy: which is better in 2026?

A polished, social-first iOS/Android workout logger with a free tier and a paid Hevy Pro upgrade.

MuscleBuddy compared with Hevy on features and lowest paid tier.
FeatureMuscleBuddyHevy
Smart progression (auto-adjust load/reps)YesYes
Nutrition tracking with auto-adjusting macrosYesNo
Health module (recovery, wearables, bloodwork)YesNo
Coach/client managementYesYes
Offline-first PWAYesNo
AI-powered check-in analysisYesNo
Custom programming templatesYesYes
Free tierYesYes
Lowest paid tier$9.99/mo$2.99/mo

Hevy Pro is $2.99/mo billed monthly, or $23.99/yr (≈$2.00/mo); a $74.99 one-time lifetime unlock is also offered. A free tier covers basic logging. Coaching is a separate product, Hevy Coach, from ~$25/mo.

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When to choose Hevy

Hevy is the best-executed workout logger on the App Store, and if logging plus community is the whole job, it is hard to beat. The iOS, Android, Apple Watch and Wear OS apps are fast and genuinely native, so on-wrist logging and rest timers work the way you want them to mid-set, which is still a real edge over a browser-based PWA. Hevy also has one of the largest social graphs in lifting, with millions of active users, a busy following feed, and routine sharing as a first-class feature, so if part of why you train is the community around it, that network effect is real and years in the making. Hevy Pro adds custom routines, advanced graphs and exports, and Hevy recently added routine-level auto-progression. If your need is 'log my lifts, see my PRs, share with friends, glance at my watch between sets,' Hevy has the cleanest execution in that lane today, and we would rather say so than pretend otherwise.

When MuscleBuddy is the better fit

MuscleBuddy wins when you want one system instead of a log book plus four other apps. Hevy does not track nutrition at all, and food tracking has been the single most-requested feature in its App Store reviews for years; MuscleBuddy folds adaptive macros that move with your weigh-in trend into the same app you train in. On training, Hevy added routine auto-progression, but it does not build periodized blocks or schedule automated deloads; MuscleBuddy gives you five progression methods and plans your deloads for you, with a reason attached to every change. Then there is the entire third module Hevy has nothing like: a health module that trends bloodwork and vitals, computes a daily recovery score from real HRV and resting heart rate off Whoop, Oura, Withings or Polar, and lets that recovery inform your training readiness. Training, nutrition and health read each other here, and coaching, client check-ins and templates live in the same place, where Hevy splits coaching into a separate Hevy Coach product. Where Hevy is honestly ahead: native Apple Watch and Wear OS, and the size of its social graph.

Frequently asked

Is Hevy free?
Yes. Hevy has a free tier that covers basic workout logging. Hevy Pro is the paid upgrade and unlocks features like custom routines and advanced graphs.
Does Hevy have nutrition tracking?
No. Hevy is a workout logger; it does not track food, calories, or macros, and food tracking has long topped its most-requested feature list. You'd pair it with a nutrition app. MuscleBuddy has adaptive macros built into the same app you train in.
Does Hevy do periodization or automated deloads?
No. Hevy added routine-level auto-progression, but it does not build periodized training blocks or schedule deloads for you. MuscleBuddy plans mesocycles and drops in deloads automatically, and explains every change.
Does Hevy have anything like the health module?
No. Hevy is a training logger with no bloodwork, no recovery scoring, and no wearable-driven readiness. MuscleBuddy trends your vitals and bloodwork, computes a daily recovery score from HRV and resting heart rate, and uses that recovery to inform training readiness.
Can a coach manage clients on Hevy?
Hevy offers coaching through Hevy Coach, a separate product with its own subscription and app. The main Hevy app is still built for individual lifters. MuscleBuddy includes coach-client management in the same app you train in.
What does MuscleBuddy do that Hevy doesn't?
It runs four modules that talk to each other: periodized training with automated deloads, adaptive nutrition, a health module (recovery, wearables, bloodwork), and upkeep (medications, appointments, fasting windows). It ships as an offline-first PWA with coaching built in. Hevy is an excellent logger, but nutrition, health and upkeep are gaps.
Where does Hevy beat MuscleBuddy?
Two places, plainly. Hevy has mature native Apple Watch and Wear OS apps for on-wrist logging, which a browser-based PWA cannot match today, and it has one of the largest, most active social graphs in lifting. If those two things are your priority, Hevy is the better pick.
Can I import my Hevy data into MuscleBuddy?
Hevy supports CSV export on Pro. A self-serve import is rolling out; if you have an export and want help moving your history over now, contact support.

Try MuscleBuddy free and see the difference yourself

No credit card required. Pro tier is $9.99/mo if you upgrade. Cancel any time.

All product names, logos, trademarks, and brands are the property of their respective owners and are used here for identification and comparison only. MuscleBuddy is independent and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any company named on this page. This is an independent comparison; competitor pricing and features were last reviewed on July 6, 2026 and may have changed since, so check each provider's own site for current details.