Ironside vs Hevy: A Workout Tracker Without the Pro Subscription
An honest comparison for lifters deciding between the two.
Ironside is a Hevy alternative for lifters who don't want a subscription. It's a one-time purchase with unlimited workout templates, full analytics, CSV import from Hevy, and local-first storage. No Pro tier. Hevy still wins if you want a social feed; Ironside wins if you want everything unlocked for $0/month.
Ironside vs Hevy at a glance
| Ironside | Hevy | |
|---|---|---|
| Price model | One-time purchase. $0/month, no ads, no paywalled features. | Free tier plus Hevy Pro subscription (~$5.99/mo) for advanced features. |
| Routine / template limits | Unlimited workout templates. | Free tier caps routines (~4) and custom exercises; Pro removes limits. |
| Advanced analytics | Estimated 1RM, volume, and PR trend charts plus plateau and momentum insights (all included). | Advanced analytics are behind Hevy Pro. |
| CSV import / export | Imports Hevy, Strong, FitNotes, JEFIT, and generic CSVs. Export CSV anytime. | CSV export available from settings. |
| Data storage | Local-first: your history stays on your device. Optional Apple Health: saves your workouts and syncs weight and body fat. | Cloud-synced with an account. |
| Social features | None. Ironside has no social feed. | Social feed and community: a genuine Hevy strength. |
| Apple Watch | No watch app yet. | Has an Apple Watch app. |
Where Hevy is the better fit
Hevy is a polished app with a strong community. If logging alongside friends, following other lifters, and a social feed are part of why you train (or you log primarily from an Apple Watch), Hevy is a good choice, and its free tier may be all you need.
Ironside is built for the opposite lifter: you want your workouts, unlimited templates, and every analytics feature without a monthly fee, and you'd rather your training data live on your device than in a cloud account. Ironside also includes iOS widgets and an optional BYO-AI coach (Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini with your own API key), with an Android version planned for early 2027.
Switching from Hevy
Ironside imports Hevy's CSV export. To switch:
- In Hevy, open settings and export your workout data as CSV.
- In Ironside, go to You → Settings → My Data → Import CSV and choose the file (also available during onboarding).
- Your workouts, exercises, sets and reps come across, and your PR, volume and 1RM charts are recalculated on your device.
Note that importing replaces any existing local history in Ironside, so export first if you've already logged workouts. The import runs entirely on your device. Your file is not uploaded. The full walkthrough (written for Strong, but the Ironside side is identical) is at how to import your data into Ironside.
More comparisons
Coming from Strong instead? Read Ironside vs Strong. You can also explore everything Ironside does or check the Help & FAQ for details on importing, templates, and insights.
Try Ironside
One-time purchase. Unlimited templates, full analytics, and your workout history is stored on your device.
Download Ironside on the App Store