Trainer Gym AI vs Hevy: $5.99 once vs $74.99 lifetime (2026)
Quick answer: Hevy is the best workout logger in the category, with a genuinely free tier (4 routines, 7 custom exercises, 3 months of history) and Pro at $2.99/mo, $23.99/yr or $74.99 lifetime. Trainer Gym AI is a plan generator — $5.99 once, iOS-only, built for people who don't know what to train. They solve different problems. If you already have a program, Hevy is your answer. If you don't, we are.
This is our own comparison page, so here's the bias up front: we make Trainer Gym AI. We've tried to be specific about where Hevy is better, because a comparison that only flatters the author isn't worth reading.
The category difference
Hevy records training. Trainer Gym AI produces training.
Hevy's onboarding gives you an empty log and a library. That's exactly right if you know what to do. It's a wall if you don't. Our onboarding asks what you're training for, what equipment you have, how many days you can train and what your experience is, then generates a complete plan and explains the reasoning in plain language.
Price
| Trainer Gym AI | Hevy | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | No | Yes — no deadline |
| Monthly | — | $2.99 |
| Annual | — | $23.99 |
| One-time | $5.99 (R$29.90 BR) | $74.99 lifetime |
Two honest readings of this table:
- On one-time purchases we're ~12× cheaper. $5.99 versus $74.99 for permanent access.
- On absolute cost, Hevy can be free. Hevy's free tier is the most generous in the category and many people never need Pro. We have no free tier, so for a price-first buyer Hevy wins outright.
Detailed breakdown: how much Hevy costs.
AI vs algorithm
This deserves precision, because the category is full of loose "AI" claims — including from apps that don't use any.
Hevy Trainer is Hevy's Pro-only programming feature. Hevy describes it as "an adaptive strength programming system based on a sophisticated algorithm," and its help centre states plainly: "Our programs are generated using an algorithm and do not rely on AI to create users' programs." Hevy also offers HevyGPT, a custom GPT that discusses your training in ChatGPT and can import routines — that's a separate, chat-based add-on rather than the in-app programming engine.
Trainer Gym AI generates the plan with a language model, anchored in 17 peer-reviewed strength and conditioning meta-analyses. The practical consequence isn't "smarter" — it's that the plan can be interrogated. You can ask why an exercise is there, say you hate it, or say your shoulder hurts, and get a revised plan with reasoning.
Which is better depends on what you want. A deterministic progression algorithm is predictable and reliable — that's a real virtue for straightforward linear strength progression. A language model is flexible and explanatory, which matters more when you're learning.
Where Hevy is clearly better
We'd rather list these than have you discover them after buying:
- Logging. Hevy's set entry, supersets, RPE, plate calculator and rest timers are best-in-class. Ours is functional, not exceptional.
- Long-term charts. Hevy Pro's all-time history and progress graphs are better than anything we offer.
- Community. Feed, leaderboards, shared routines, Strava integration, 15M+ users. We have none of this and aren't building it.
- Android. Hevy is cross-platform. We're iOS-only. If you're on Android this comparison ends here.
- Free. Hevy free costs nothing forever. We cost $5.99.
- Maturity. Hevy has been refined over years at a scale we haven't reached.
Where we're better
- You don't need to know anything to start. The plan is generated from a conversation, not from a blank routine builder.
- Explanations. Every plan says why — which exercises, which rep ranges, and the reasoning behind the split.
- Form correction. On-device 3D pose detection checks your form. Hevy has no equivalent.
- Breadth of training types. 8 types including running, yoga, combat sports, CrossFit, calisthenics and rehab — Hevy is focused on lifting.
- Brazilian Portuguese. Native PT-BR app and AI coach, at R$29.90 once. Hevy is not localized to PT-BR.
- iOS-native depth. Live Activities and Dynamic Island rest timers, Today widget streaks, HealthKit writes by default.
- One low one-time price. $5.99, no renewal, no premium tier.
Who should pick which
Pick Hevy if: you already know what to train; you want the best logging and long-term charts; you're on Android; you want to spend nothing; or the social side motivates you.
Pick Trainer Gym AI if: you don't know what to program; you're a beginner who wants explanations and form feedback; you train something other than pure lifting; you want Portuguese; or you want to pay once and be done.
Use both if: you want the best of each. Generate the plan with us, log it in Hevy free. It's slightly redundant, and it costs $5.99 total.
The honest summary
Hevy is a better app than ours at the thing Hevy does. We're not competing for the "best workout logger" title and won't pretend to. What we do that Hevy doesn't is answer the question that stops most people before they ever open a logger: what should I actually be doing in here?
If that's your question, $5.99 is a low-risk way to answer it. If it isn't, install Hevy — it's free, and it's excellent.
Related: Fitbod vs Hevy, 6 Hevy alternatives, Trainer Gym AI vs Fitbod.
FAQ
Is Trainer Gym AI a replacement for Hevy? Not really. Hevy is a logger and Trainer Gym AI is a plan generator. If your problem is 'I don't know what to train,' we replace Hevy's role in your routine. If your problem is 'I want the best record of what I lifted,' Hevy is better than us and we'd tell you to keep it.
Which is cheaper, Trainer Gym AI or Hevy? Both offer a one-time purchase, and ours is about 12× cheaper: Trainer Gym AI is $5.99 once (R$29.90 in Brazil) versus Hevy Pro lifetime at $74.99. But Hevy's free tier costs nothing at all and stays usable indefinitely, so for many people Hevy is genuinely the cheaper option.
Does Hevy have AI? Hevy has Hevy Trainer, which Hevy describes as 'an adaptive strength programming system based on a sophisticated algorithm,' and its help centre states 'Our programs are generated using an algorithm and do not rely on AI to create users' programs.' It's Pro-only. Trainer Gym AI uses a language model to generate and explain the plan, which is a different architecture — not automatically a better one.
Which is better for beginners? Trainer Gym AI, by design. Hevy assumes you arrive knowing what to train; its onboarding drops you into an empty log. Our onboarding asks about your goal, body, equipment and experience in plain language, then produces a full plan with explanations of why each exercise is there.
Is Trainer Gym AI on Android? No. It's iOS-only, which is a real limitation compared with Hevy. If you're on Android, Hevy is the better choice today.
Can I use both together? Yes, and it's a reasonable setup: generate the plan in Trainer Gym AI, log it in Hevy free. You're duplicating some effort, but you get the best plan generation and the best logging without paying for either premium tier.