Quick verdict: three lifters, three answers
| Profile | First option to test | Main reason | What could change the choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| You write programs and enjoy sharing workouts | Hevy | Flexible logging, progress, social features and several published surfaces | Compare Alpha Pro if you want set targets inside a stable plan |
| You want a hypertrophy structure to set targets | Alpha Progression Pro | Customizable planning with load, rep and intensity recommendations per set | Review Hevy when social or watch logging leads |
| You own the routine and want better iPhone decisions | BUSTAFIT | Load, reps, RIR, last useful exposure and practical guidance sit close to the set | Do not choose it expecting Android or documented whole-program generation |
It is no longer accurate to call Hevy “just a tracker.” Current documentation adds Hevy Trainer for Pro users: an algorithm builds a program and its progression feature says when to add weight and by how much. Alpha Progression is not merely a generator either; Free supports self-built plans and logging, while Pro supplies the guidance that defines its positioning.
Symmetric matrix: identical criteria for both apps
| Criterion | Hevy | Alpha Progression | What to test yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logging | Load, reps, set types, notes, RPE and previous values | Load, reps, RIR, self-built plans and custom exercises | How many actions it takes to correct a set |
| Planning | Self-built routines; Hevy Trainer Pro generates a program | Self-built plans in Free; personalized generator in Pro | Whether the week remains recognizable after a substitution |
| Progression | Manual choice in the core log; Trainer Pro says when and how much to add | Pro recommends load, reps and intensity on each set | Which signal changes the next target and whether the reason is clear |
| Analysis | Statistics, reports, previous values and social context | Strength, volume, RIR, PR and achievement charts in Pro | Whether a screen returns an action or only a chart |
| Platforms | Published iOS, Android, web, Apple Watch and Wear OS | Published iOS and Android | The device you will actually use on the gym floor |
| Exit | Workout or measurement export; conditional Strong CSV import | CSV export published on the official site | Download a file before moving history |
Do not compare Hevy Free with Alpha Pro, or Hevy Trainer Pro with Alpha Free. Pick the access level you would actually keep, then run the same workout through both and leave unavailable screens out of the verdict.
More surfaces are not an automatic win. A watch matters if it keeps the phone away; web access matters if you program from a desk. If neither changes your workflow, those checkmarks should not decide the subscription.
Who owns the progression decision
| Situation | Hevy | Alpha Progression | BUSTAFIT reference point |
|---|---|---|---|
| You write the program | Routines and manual logging | Self-built plan in Free | A structured routine already exists |
| The app writes the program | Algorithmic Hevy Trainer in Pro | Personalized generator in Pro | Whole-program generation is not claimed here |
| Next load or reps | Manual in core; Trainer Pro recommendation | Set target in Pro | Guidance from load, reps, RIR and last reference |
| Effort field | Published RPE | RIR published in Pro | Published RIR |
| Exercise swap | Routine can be edited; test continuity | Plan is customizable; test continuity | A changed variant should keep separate history |
One performance, three contracts
You finish 80 kg × 9 at 2 RIR. Hevy core preserves the log and previous values for your decision; Trainer Pro may recommend the next increase. Alpha Pro supplies its target inside the plan. BUSTAFIT retrieves the useful reference and brings practical guidance closer. Calling all three “automatic” would erase the useful difference.
If you enjoy understanding and adjusting every variable, Hevy’s freedom can feel lighter. If opening the app to a precise target removes friction, Alpha Pro may fit better. Neither preference is more advanced; each assigns responsibility differently.
The three-session test that exposes fit
- Session 1: normal training
Build the same four-exercise routine, record load, reps and effort, and see whether the previous reference is easy to retrieve.
- Session 2: different performance
Finish one set above and one below target. Write what changes next and who made that decision.
- Session 3: real gym conditions
Swap an occupied exercise, return to the original and check whether plan, history and statistics remain legible.
- Exit
Export an available file, open it and find date, exercise, load and repetitions. A button alone does not prove usable portability.
| Question | Hevy answer | Alpha answer | What would veto the option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do I know who builds the plan? | Write self or Trainer Pro | Write self or Pro generator | You cannot explain it |
| Do I understand the next target? | Describe signal and action | Describe signal and action | A number appears without context |
| Does a substitution survive? | Record the history effect | Record the plan effect | Exercise intent is lost |
| Can I keep essential data? | Exported file opened | CSV opened | Your access level has no acceptable exit |
What we would choose from the BUSTAFIT side
We would choose Hevy for the lifter who enjoys social logging, uses web or watches and wants programming freedom. If algorithmic planning is also wanted, Hevy Trainer Pro deserves its own pass through the test rather than being treated as a free core feature.
We would choose Alpha Progression Pro for someone who wants a stable hypertrophy structure, accepts set-by-set targets and values charts inside that plan. Free deserves a separate trial when self-built routines and logging are enough.
We would recommend BUSTAFIT when the program already exists and the hard part sits between exposures: remembering the last useful work and deciding what to do today with load, reps and RIR. That is our specialty and our boundary. It is not a universal replacement for both apps.