Most workout tracking apps are either free with serious limitations or capable with a monthly subscription. The gap between what free tiers offer and what athletes actually need has widened as apps have moved toward paywalling core features.
If you train seriously — whether that means lifting four times a week, running with a plan, or doing both — the app you use should handle session logging, progress tracking, and some form of training load analysis without requiring a subscription just to see your own data.
What a serious athlete needs from a workout app
A basic workout log is table stakes. The features that separate useful apps from noise:
- Previous effort recall: showing last session's sets, reps, and weight automatically during logging
- PR detection: flagging 1RM, 3RM, 5RM, 10RM, and volume PRs in real time
- Training load tracking: TSS or equivalent across strength and endurance sessions
- Apple Health integration: syncing with HRV, sleep, resting HR from existing wearables
- Programme builder: structuring workouts across weeks, not just logging individual sessions
Most free apps provide two or three of these. Apps that provide all of them typically charge £10–£15 per month.
How the main options compare
| App | Free tier limits | Strength | Endurance | Nutrition | Training load |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | 3 workouts logged free | Good | None | None | None |
| MyFitnessPal | Macro tracking paywalled | None | Basic | Limited free | None |
| Strava | Route and segment analysis paywalled | None | Good | None | Paywalled |
| TrainingPeaks | PMC and TSS paywalled | None | Good | None | Paywalled |
| PROTR | Fully free | Full | Full | Full | Full |
Strong is the most popular strength-only logger and works well for that narrow use case. Strava handles endurance well but has progressively paywalled its most useful analytical features. TrainingPeaks remains the reference tool for serious endurance athletes but charges for everything that makes it worth using.
What to avoid
Apps that paywall your own data. Some apps let you log freely but charge to view history, export data, or see progress graphs. This is worth checking before committing to a platform.
Apps without previous effort recall. Logging a set without knowing what you did last week makes progressive overload guesswork. This feature should be standard and visible during the logging flow, not buried in a history tab.
Endurance-only or strength-only apps. If you run and lift, a separate app for each creates fragmented training data. TSS calculated for strength sessions cannot inform recovery planning if it lives in a different app from your run data.
How PROTR works as a free app
PROTR is completely free. There are no locked features, no training log limits, and no subscription required for any of the core functionality. The only in-app purchases are for buying content from other creators in the marketplace — programmes, nutrition plans, and coaching services built by coaches and athletes.
The full feature set at no cost:
- Log strength sessions with 500+ exercises; previous effort shown automatically; PR detection for 1RM, 3RM, 5RM, 10RM, and volume
- GPS endurance tracking with heart rate zones and lap splits
- TSS calculated for every session; full Performance Management Chart (CTL, ATL, TSB)
- Nutrition tracking with barcode scanning, macro targets, and a weekly AI summary
- Apple Health sync for HRV, sleep, resting HR, and VO2 max
- Programme builder and multi-week planning tools
- Grip strength readiness indicator and body composition logging
For athletes who also want coaching, PROTR connects to coaches on the same platform. For coaches, all athlete management tools are also free.
[Download PROTR free on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/app/id6760012262)
What actually matters when choosing
The best tracking app is the one you will use consistently for months or years. Interface friction — how many taps to log a set, how easy it is to find last week's session — compounds over thousands of logged workouts.
Before committing to any app, log one week of actual training in it. Notice where you have to stop and think, where the flow breaks, and whether the data you need is actually surfaced without hunting for it. The best app for your training style is the one that stays out of the way during the session and shows you useful information when you want it.