LiftShift
Hevy vs Lyfta — which workout tracker should you use?
Both Hevy and Lyfta are excellent workout loggers. But neither gives you deep analytics. Here’s a practical comparison of the two apps, plus how LiftShift — a free and open source analytics tool — fills the gap both leave behind.
Quick comparison
| Hevy | Lyfta | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Social lifters, clean UI | Program builders, detailed logging |
| Free tier | Limited workouts per month | Generous free tier |
| Exercise library | Large, community-driven | Comprehensive, well-categorised |
| Social features | Feed, follows, likes | Minimal |
| Program builder | Basic routines | Advanced program templates |
| RPE / RIR tracking | Yes (RPE) | Yes |
| Rest timer | Yes | Yes |
| Data export | CSV export | CSV export |
| API access | Yes (documented) | Not publicly documented |
| Built-in analytics | Basic charts | Basic charts |
When to choose Hevy
Hevy is the better pick if you enjoy the social side of training. The activity feed lets you follow friends, share workouts, and keep each other accountable. It has a polished, modern design and a large exercise library. The API is well-documented, which matters if you want to build custom integrations. Hevy’s free tier limits you to a handful of workouts per month, so serious lifters will need the Pro subscription.
Hevy is stronger on: social features, API access, aesthetic UI, community exercise library.
When to choose Lyfta
Lyfta excels at structured training. Its program builder is more advanced — you can create periodised plans with progression rules baked in. If you follow a specific methodology (PHUL, GZCL, 5/3/1) and want the app to guide your weight and rep progression automatically, Lyfta is the clear winner. The free tier is more generous than Hevy’s. Lyfta’s exercise categorisation (by muscle group, equipment, and movement pattern) makes it easy to find and log the exact variation you want.
Lyfta is stronger on: program builder, free tier generosity, exercise categorisation, structured progression.
What both Hevy and Lyfta lack
Neither app gives you deep analytics. Their built-in charts show basic trends — reps over time, maybe a line graph of volume. They don’t tell you:
- Whether you’re plateauing — and exactly what to change next session.
- Which muscles you’re overtraining or neglecting, visualised as a heatmap.
- How each set in a workout compares to the previous one, with coaching feedback.
- Whether your PRs are real breakthroughs or unsustainable spikes.
- How to export your data in a structured format an AI can analyse.
How LiftShift makes either app better
LiftShift is not a logger — it’s the analytics layer on top. Import your Hevy or Lyfta CSV export and you get:
- Muscle heatmaps with rolling 7-day windows — see where your volume actually goes.
- Plateau detection with specific suggestions per exercise (“add 1 rep”, “bump 2.5 kg”).
- Set-by-set feedback across 19 scenarios — every set in any past workout gets a coaching badge.
- Smart PR tracking — all-time Gold PRs, 2-month Silver PRs, and premature PR flags.
- AI-ready export — structured data for custom AI analysis (junk volume audits, structural balance, etc.).
- Calendar filtering — compare any two date ranges and every chart recalculates.
You can even combine Hevy and Lyfta data in the same dashboard. Switched from one to the other? Import both CSVs and LiftShift normalises exercise names automatically.
Bottom line
If you train socially and want a beautiful app with an API, pick Hevy. If you follow a structured program and want built-in progression rules, pick Lyfta. Either way, neither app gives you analytics that tell you what to do next — that’s where LiftShift comes in. Import your data and see what your workout app isn’t telling you.
Try it free
Import your Hevy or Lyfta data in seconds. Every feature is free. No account needed.