TwakaTools

Is a Workout Log App Worth Paying For?

By Twaka team ·

The short answer: sometimes. If a free option already gets you logging every session, you don't need to pay. A notebook works. Good free options exist, like marble, and Strong and Hevy have free versions. Paying makes sense when a paid app has a feature that makes you log more consistently. That's the only test that matters.

Start with what's free

Let's be honest up front. You can track your training well without spending anything.

  • A paper notebook. Cheap, no battery, no subscription. The trade-offs are in gym notebook vs training journal app.
  • marble. Its site says every feature is free, with no subscription, no ads and no account. You type or paste a workout and check the sets before saving.
  • Strong's free version. Its listing says it saves unlimited workouts, with a limit of 3 custom routines.
  • Hevy's free tier. Its listing says it's free with no ads, with an optional Pro upgrade.

If one of those already works for you, keep it. Seriously.

What paid apps cost

Here's what each app's US App Store listing shows. Local prices vary.

App Free option Paid option (US)
marble Free, every feature None listed
Strong Free version: unlimited workouts, 3 custom routines Strong PRO $4.99/month or $29.99/year. Lifetime options also listed
Hevy Free, no ads Hevy Pro listed at $2.99/month, $3.99/month, $23.99/year or $74.99 lifetime
Twaka No. Twaka Pro is required to use the app Twaka Pro $49.99/year or $7.99/month. 7-day free trial for eligible new subscribers

Twaka is the priciest subscription on this list. We're not going to pretend otherwise. So the question is whether what it does is worth that to you.

When paying is worth it

Paying for a workout app is worth it when it changes your behaviour. Not when it has more features. Ask yourself:

Will I log more sessions? The best tracker is the one you open every time. If a free tracker feels like a chore and you skip it, it's costing you more than a subscription.

Will I see last time before I lift? Progress comes from beating what you did before. An app that puts last time in front of you makes that easy.

Does it remove the bit I hate? For some people that's tapping forms. For others it's planning the week. Pay for the app that fixes your actual problem.

Will I still use it in three months? Use the free trial or free tier properly. Log real sessions, not a quick look around.

When paying isn't worth it

  • You already log every session with a free tracker or a notebook, and you're happy.
  • You want something a paid app doesn't offer. For example, Twaka's listing doesn't mention importing old workouts or an Apple Watch app. marble imports Strong and Hevy CSVs. Strong and Hevy have Apple Watch apps.
  • You're not training yet. Start with a notebook. Pay later if you need to.

What you get with Twaka Pro

Here's what Twaka's App Store listing says Pro unlocks:

  • A plain-English day log. Type the session the way you'd say it. Twaka reads sets, weights and reps.
  • One page a day, with a calendar jump and an exercise catalog with muscle groups.
  • Last time under a lift name, so you see what to beat.
  • Progress charts, so you can see whether your lifts are trending up.
  • Made-for-you weekly programs. Tell it your days, equipment and goal and it fills your pages ahead of you as editable text.
  • iCloud sync with your Apple ID. No separate Twaka account.
  • Optional HealthKit steps under each weekday, read-only.

Who it's for: people who want to write their training, not tap it, and want a program and last time waiting on the page. More on that style in how to log workouts in plain English and the best workout journal app if you hate forms.

Who it's not for: anyone happy with a free tracker, anyone who needs import or a Watch app, or anyone who just doesn't want a subscription. That's a fair call.

How to decide in two weeks

  1. Pick one app or a notebook.
  2. Log every session for two weeks. Real sessions.
  3. At the end, ask: did I log every time? Did I look at last time before lifting?
  4. If yes, you've found your tool. If you paid and it didn't help, cancel. If you went free and kept skipping, try something different.

Twaka's trial is 7 days for eligible new subscribers, so plan a few sessions inside that week. You can cancel in your iPhone's Settings before it renews.

Frequently asked questions

Are paid workout apps worth it?

Only if they help you log more consistently or make progress easier to see. If a free tracker or notebook already does that, you don't need to pay.

What do you get over a free workout tracker?

It depends on the app. Common paid extras are more routines, more history or graphs, and programs. With Twaka, Pro is required and unlocks the plain-English day log, last time under each lift, progress charts and made-for-you weekly programs.

Is there a good free workout log app?

Yes. marble says every feature is free. Strong and Hevy both have free versions. A paper notebook also works well.

How much does Twaka cost?

Twaka Pro is US $49.99 a year or $7.99 a month, and local prices vary. New subscribers may be eligible for a 7-day free trial.

Can I cancel a workout app subscription?

App Store subscriptions renew automatically until you cancel. You can cancel in your iPhone's Settings under your Apple ID's subscriptions.

Try it properly, then decide

If writing your training sounds like the bit that would keep you logging, give the trial a real week. 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

Keep your training log in plain English

Twaka is a training tracker for iPhone. You write "3 sets of 10 at 60kg" and it keeps the sets, weights and progress for you. It's on the App Store.

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