A Strong App Alternative for People Who'd Rather Just Type
By Twaka team ·
The short answer: Strong is a great tracker. If you like tapping in your sets, stay. If you'd rather type the session the way you'd say it, there are two real options. marble is free, reads a typed or pasted workout, and imports Strong CSVs. Twaka reads your sets as you type, one page a day, with last time under each lift.
Who should stay on Strong
Let's be fair first. Strong is popular for good reasons. Its App Store listing has a 4.9 rating from about 109K ratings. It has a full Apple Watch app. It tags warm-up, failure and drop sets. It does supersets, rest timers, a plate calculator and a warm-up calculator. And the free version saves unlimited workouts.
Stay on Strong if:
- You log from your wrist. Strong has a real Apple Watch app.
- You like routines with set rows you tick off.
- You want a plate calculator built in.
- You have years of history in there and you look at it often.
None of that is a reason to leave. If Strong works for you, it works.
Who might want to switch
Some lifters don't want to tap. They want to write the session down, like they would in a notebook, and have the app keep up.
You might be one of them if:
- You already keep a written log and copy it into an app later.
- You find yourself skipping the app because tapping sets between heavy work feels like admin.
- You want your notes and your numbers on the same line, not in separate boxes.
We wrote more about that feeling in the best workout journal app if you're sick of forms.
Strong vs marble vs Twaka
This table only uses what each app says on its own App Store listing or official site. "Not on listing" means the listing doesn't mention it, not that it doesn't exist.
| Strong | marble | Twaka | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How you log | Routines and sets, with warm-up, failure and drop set tags | Type or paste your workout, review every set, then save | Type the session. Sets, weights and reps are recognised as you type |
| Price (US) | Free version. Strong PRO $4.99/month or $29.99/year | Free, every feature | Twaka Pro required. $49.99/year or $7.99/month. 7-day free trial for eligible new subscribers |
| Apple Watch | Full Apple Watch app | No Watch app listed. Brings in Apple Watch workouts through Apple Health | Not on listing |
| Import from Strong | Exports your data as CSV | Imports Strong and Hevy CSVs | Not on listing |
| Previous sets while logging | Not on listing | Repeat your last set. Records to beat shown while you log | Last time's sets shown under the lift name |
| Programs | Add your own routines. Free version limited to 3 custom routines | Build weekly splits | Made-for-you weekly programs |
| Account | Not on listing | No account | No separate Twaka account. Syncs with iCloud |
| Requires | iOS 15.0 or later | iOS 26.0 or later | iOS 17.0 or later |
Prices are as shown on each US App Store listing. Local prices vary.
What marble does well
marble is the obvious other option, so let's name it. Its site says "Type your workout. marble logs it." You type or paste a session, it shows you the sets it found, and you check them before anything is saved. It's free, with no account, and it imports Strong and Hevy CSV files.
If you want to keep your Strong history and pay nothing, marble is a strong pick. It needs iOS 26 or later, so check your phone first.
What Twaka does differently
Twaka is built around three things.
The day page. Each day is one page. You write the session on it, top to bottom. A calendar sits at the top, so you can jump back to last Tuesday or forward to what's planned.
Last time, right where you need it. When Twaka recognises a lift, it shows last time's sets underneath. You see what you did before you start the next set. No digging through history.
Made-for-you programs. Tell Twaka your days, equipment and goal. It writes a weekly program and fills your pages ahead of you. It's editable text, not a locked template.
Writing a line looks like this:
Bench press 3 sets of 10 at 60kg
then 1x6 @ 70kg, felt heavy
Twaka picks out the sets, reps and kg. "Felt heavy" stays as your note. Anything it doesn't recognise is left alone. There's more on the format in how to log workouts in plain English.
What Twaka doesn't do
Be clear-eyed before you switch:
- It isn't free. You need Twaka Pro to use the day log.
- No import is listed. Plan on starting fresh. Your Strong export stays yours.
- No Apple Watch app is listed. If you log from your wrist, Strong is the better fit.
If any of those is a deal breaker, that's a fair answer. Pick the app you'll actually open.
How to switch without losing your place
- Export your Strong data and keep the file somewhere safe.
- Write down your current working weights for your main lifts. That's all you really need to keep going.
- Write your first session in plain lines, like
Squat 3x5 @ 100kg. - Give it two weeks before you decide. New habits feel slow at first.
Frequently asked questions
What's a good alternative to Strong?
It depends on what you want. If you want to type your workout and pay nothing, look at marble. If you want a day page, last time under each lift and made-for-you programs, look at Twaka. If you like tapping sets and logging from your watch, Strong is still a good choice.
Is there a workout app where you just type?
Yes. marble and Twaka both let you type the session as text. marble has you review the sets before saving. Twaka recognises sets, weights and reps as you type on the day page.
Can I move my Strong history to Twaka?
Twaka's listing doesn't mention importing. Keep your Strong CSV export and start fresh with your current working weights. If importing matters most, marble imports Strong CSVs.
Does Twaka work on Apple Watch?
An Apple Watch app isn't on Twaka's listing. If you log from your wrist, Strong has a full Watch app.
Is Twaka free?
No. Twaka Pro is required: US $49.99 a year or $7.99 a month, and local prices vary. New subscribers may get a 7-day free trial.
Try typing your next session
If you'd rather write your training than tap it, give it a go. Twaka is a plain-English training log for iPhone, now on the App Store. You need Twaka Pro to use it: US $49.99 a year or $7.99 a month, and local prices vary. New subscribers may get a 7-day free trial. Download Twaka on the App Store.
Sources
- Strong App Store listing (features, free version limits, Strong PRO prices, Apple Watch, CSV export, iOS requirement, 4.9 from about 109K ratings): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/strong-workout-tracker-gym-log/id464254577
- marble official site (type or paste, review before saving, free, no account, Strong and Hevy CSV import, Apple Watch workouts through Apple Health): https://marble-fit.app
- marble.fit App Store listing (repeat last set, records to beat while logging, iPhone and iPad only, weekly splits, iOS 26.0 requirement): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/marble-fit/id6757725234
- Twaka App Store listing (Pro required, prices, trial, day page, last time, made-for-you programs, iCloud, iOS 17.0): https://apps.apple.com/app/twaka/id6805823954
- Twaka homepage (made-for-you program wording, parsing example): https://twaka.app
