Strong alternative: no routine cap, and you can talk to it
Strong is a plain, tap-based workout tracker. The two things it will not do are let you keep more than three routines for free, and let you log without tapping. SayLift does both: it caps nothing you create, and you log the whole session by speaking it. A coach then tells you what weight to lift next.
Updated September 2026
What is Strong?
Strong is a workout tracker built by Strong Fitness. It is deliberately plain: you build routines, you log sets, and it charts your progress. There is no AI, and nothing tells you what to lift next.
The free version saves unlimited workouts but is limited to 3 custom routines. Strong PRO, a paid upgrade, removes that cap and adds further PRO features.
Why look for a Strong alternative?
- Three routines on free. An upper/lower split is two. Add a deload variant or a travel-day session and you are done, permanently, unless you pay.
- Every set is a tap. Strong's logger is still a form you fill in between sets, with chalky hands and a running rest timer.
- It will not tell you what to lift. Strong records and charts. Deciding whether to add weight this week is entirely your job. That is by design, but it is arithmetic you do in a rest period.
- PRO is $99.99 for lifetime. A large one-off for removing a cap on routines you created yourself.
- No exercise instructions to speak of. Strong's library is not where you learn how to set up an unfamiliar machine.
SayLift vs Strong
| SayLift | Strong | |
|---|---|---|
| Log a whole workout by speaking | Yes | No |
| Custom routines | Unlimited | 3 on free, unlimited on PRO |
| Custom exercises | Unlimited | Available |
| Tells you next session's weight | Yes | No, you decide |
| Exercise instructions | 873 with photos, offline | Basic list |
| Import an existing plan | Paste any text | Build by hand |
Where the two actually diverge
Strong works like a notebook. It records what you type in and has no opinions about your training.
SayLift's bet is that two specific jobs should not be manual. The first is data entry. You speak the session once at the end rather than tapping after every set, and an AI turns "squat five by five at 225, RDL three by ten at 155" into structured sets with a review screen before saving. The second is the arithmetic: the coach reads your logged history and returns one instruction per exercise, with the weight to use, rather than leaving you to work it out mid-rest.
The third difference is what you get for the money. SayLift caps nothing you create: routines, custom exercises and history are all unlimited, and the coach and the full exercise library come with it. You can try all of it free for 3 days with every feature on.
- One spoken sentence instead of a tap per set.
- No routine ceiling: build as many splits and variants as you want.
- Next-session weights calculated for you, offline, on the device.
- 873 exercise guides with photos that work with no signal.
- Paste your existing program rather than rebuilding it by hand.
Who SayLift is for
SayLift suits you if you have hit the three-routine wall and want as many routines as your training needs, or if the tapping is what makes you stop logging. It also suits you if you want a coach that tells you what weight to lift next, or if your gym has no signal and you want exercise instructions that still load.
Try it free for 3 days with every feature on. After that it is $4.17 a month (billed $49.99 a year), $7.99 a month or $3.99 a week in the US.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Strong?
SayLift, if you want two things Strong does not do: log a whole workout by speaking it, and get a coach that sets your next weight. It also caps nothing you create. SayLift costs $4.17 a month (billed $49.99 a year) after a 3-day free trial.
How many routines can I create in Strong for free?
Three. Strong's free version saves unlimited workouts but is capped at 3 custom routines, and Strong PRO removes the cap. SayLift has no routine cap at all. What Strong's free tier does and does not cover: is Strong free?
Does Strong have voice logging?
No. Strong is a tap-based logger with no voice input beyond the standard iOS keyboard dictation, which types characters into a field you still have to select. SayLift is the iPhone app built around speaking a whole session at once.
Does SayLift have exercise instructions?
Yes. All 873 exercises come with step-by-step instructions and photos, stored on the phone so they open with no signal.
Can I move my Strong routines to SayLift?
Your routines, yes. Copy them out as text and paste them into SayLift, and its AI splits them into training days and matches each movement to the built-in exercise database. Most people keep Strong installed for a while to look back at past sessions.
How much does SayLift cost?
A 3-day free trial with everything unlocked, then $4.17 a month (billed $49.99 a year), $7.99 a month or $3.99 a week in the US. That covers voice logging, the coach, the exercise library, and unlimited routines and custom exercises.
Does Strong tell you what weight to lift next?
No. Strong records and charts, and progression decisions are left to you. SayLift's coach reads your logged history and returns a working weight and rep target for each exercise, as part of its subscription.
Stop typing between sets
Say what you lifted. SayLift writes down every set, rep and weight, then tells you what to lift next time. Say what you ate and it counts the calories too. iPhone only, 3 days free then $4.17 a month, billed $49.99 a year.
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