2 September 2026 · Mark Stent
The Best Free Workout Tracker: What to Look For (and Honest Picks)
The best free workout tracker is the one that lets you log every session, keeps your personal records, and does not hold your own data hostage behind a paywall. Plenty of apps call themselves free and then cap you at a handful of workouts, hide your history, or make you pay to get your data back out. A genuinely free tracker gives you a complete, usable log for nothing and only charges for the deeper extras. Setkord is built exactly this way, so it is the one I will make the case for, but I will be honest about what "free" really means first.
What "free" actually means
"Free" hides a lot of different things. Before you commit your training to an app, check three things:
- Is logging capped? Some free tiers limit how many workouts, routines or exercises you can save. A tracker that stops you logging is not really a log.
- Can you get your data out? If there is no CSV export, your history is trapped. A good free app lets you leave with your numbers.
- What is actually behind the paywall? Fair apps charge for depth - advanced analysis, exports, extra history. Unfair ones charge for the basics you need every session.
If an app passes those three, it is worth your time. If it fails the first two, the "free" label is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
What a good free tracker needs
You do not need much to train well, but you do need these to be reliable and free:
- Fast set logging that does not fight you between sets.
- Automatic personal records, so you know when you have beaten your best.
- An estimated 1RM per lift, so you can see strength trending up.
- Reusable routines, so you are not rebuilding your session every time.
- A way to import your history and export it again.
Everything past that - deep charts, plateau flags, PDF exports - is a nice-to-have, and it is fair for an app to charge for it.
Honest free picks
| App | Free core | Watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Setkord | Unlimited workouts, auto PRs, 1RM, routines, import, image share | Some limits (history window, routine count) sit in Pro |
| Hevy | Solid free logging with a social feed | Check current caps on the free tier |
| Strong | Clean, simple free logging | Check current caps on the free tier |
I have kept the other apps' free-tier details general on purpose - those limits change between versions, and I would rather you check the current app than trust a stale number from me.
What you actually get free in Setkord
Here is the part I can state precisely, because it is my app:
- Unlimited workouts. There is no cap on sessions, on Free or Pro. Log as much as you train.
- Automatic personal records against your all-time bests, celebrated the instant you finish - on Free.
- Estimated 1RM for every lift, so you can watch your strength climb.
- Routines and a curated program library, so you start a session in a tap. Free covers up to seven routines.
- Muscle-balance and progress stats, so you can see where your work is actually going.
- Free CSV import from Strong and Hevy, and CSV export of everything, any time. You own your data.
- A shareable workout image, carrying the Built for lifters look, ready to post anywhere.
- Fully offline logging. Setkord is local-first, so it works with no signal and syncs when you are back online.
Pro does not unlock the basics - it removes limits (the routine cap, the 12-month history window) and adds the deeper Insights analysis, PDF export and routine sharing. The core stays free forever. I am not going to quote a Pro price here, but the point is that you can train seriously for a long time without paying anything.
Try Setkord
Setkord is free on iPhone. Download it, import your history if you have any, and log a session - the whole loop is free, and it works offline. If you want to compare the wider field first, read the best workout tracking apps or, if strength is your priority, the best workout app for lifting.
FAQ
Is there a genuinely free workout tracker? Yes. Setkord's core is free forever with unlimited workouts, automatic PRs, estimated 1RM and free import. Several other apps offer a free tier too - just check what their free tier caps before you commit.
What is the catch with free workout apps? Usually a cap on logging, hidden history, or no way to export your data. Check those three things. Fair apps charge only for the deeper extras, not the everyday basics.
Do free trackers keep my personal records? The good ones do. Setkord detects PRs automatically against your all-time bests even on the free tier.
Can I import my old workouts for free? In Setkord, yes - CSV import from Strong and Hevy is free, so you start with your real numbers rather than a blank slate.