Stop renting your logbook
Stronglifts moved to a yearly subscription, even for users who purchased the lifetime power pack. Stone is a one-time $9.99 unlock after a 14-day logging trial. No monthly bill just to keep logging.
Stronglifts alternative
Same 5x5 program. Different deal on your data.
Stone is a local-first 5×5 tracker for iPhone. You pay once instead of subscribing, there's no account, and a free Stronglifts import keeps every session you've already logged.
Built for people who love 5×5, not subscriptions.
We're not here to trash Stronglifts. It's a capable app with a huge exercise library. Stone exists because many lifters wanted the same program with simpler pricing, local data, and a clean place to land their existing history.
Your data stays on your phone
No account, no required cloud sync. Workouts live locally on your iPhone. Export to CSV or JSON anytime, free forever, if you want a backup or another app later.
Switch without starting over
Import your Stronglifts CSV before you log a single new workout. Years of sessions land on your charts. Imported history doesn't count toward the trial.
Fast between sets
Quick view, single tap. Stone skips the menus and coaching extras so logging between sets stays fast and hard to mistap.
Switching
Move your history in a few seconds.
You shouldn't have to choose between a better app and years of reps. Import is free, preview-first, and reversible.
Export from Stronglifts
In the Stronglifts app, export your workout history as a CSV. Keep the file in Files or email it to yourself – Stone reads the standard Stronglifts export format automatically.
Install Stone on your iPhone
Stone needs iOS 17 or later. No account to create. Open the app and finish the short setup. You can import before your first logged workout.
Open Backup & Import
Go to Settings → Backup & Import and choose your CSV. Stone detects Stronglifts exports on their own, no reformatting or manual column mapping.
Review the preview, then import
You will see how many sessions, main lifts, and accessories will land before anything is written. Append to keep existing data, or replace if Stone is empty. Undo is built in.
Pick up where you left off
Squat, bench, row, press, and deadlift feed your charts and working weights. Variations and accessories show up as logged work. Imported history doesn't start your 14-day trial.
Bring every session with you. Free, forever.
Export your Stronglifts CSV, open Stone, and watch years of training appear. Importing and exporting your own history is never behind a paywall.
- Main lifts land on your progress charts and PRs
- Variations and dumbbell work come in as logged accessories
- Append or replace, always with a restore snapshot
- Export whenever you want
Import preview
Free- Squat142 sessions
- Bench Press138 sessions
- Deadlift71 sessions
- Accessories64 logged
- Time-based setsskipped
Stone vs Stronglifts feature comparison
Both apps run 5×5 progression, plate math, and the core logging loop. The differences are pricing, data ownership, platform breadth, and how easy it is to leave with your history.
| Feature | Stone | Stronglifts |
|---|---|---|
| One-time price, no subscription Pay once to keep logging after the free trial. No monthly or annual fee – a core reason many lifters switch away from Stronglifts. | Yes $9.99 once | No $59/yr subscription |
| No account or sign-up required Open Stone and start logging. Your data lives on your phone, not behind a login. | Yes | No |
| Works offline, data stays on your device Train with no signal. Stone stores workouts locally on your iPhone. Stronglifts relies on a cloud account for sync. | Yes | Partial Cloud account |
| Free export – CSV & JSON Your history is yours. Export anytime for backup or switching apps – Stone never paywalls your own data. | Yes | No CSV only, requires subscription |
| 5×5 progression, plate math, warmups The core barbell loop: auto increments, plate calculator, and guided warmups. Both apps cover the essentials. | Yes | Yes |
| Adaptive rest timer Both auto-start a countdown after each set and let you add time mid-rest if you're not ready. Stone recalculates every duration from your base rest – longer for deadlifts and missed reps, shorter on ramp sets, more as working sets stack up – with no per-exercise setup. Stronglifts adapts too, but mainly via success vs failure timers (3 min / 5 min defaults) and optional per-lift durations you configure manually. | Yes | Partial |
| Multiple programs & large exercise library Built-in presets: 5×5, 5×5 Lite, and Madcow 5×5 (weekly ramps and top sets for intermediate lifters). Stronglifts still has a bigger program catalog and exercise library. | Partial | Yes |
| Exercise swaps & accessories Swap any main lift for a variation, and keep the same weight, plate math, and PRs. Add optional accessory work per day from Stone's built-in list; logged in history, kept off your strength charts. Stronglifts covers this too, with more exercises currently available. Additional exercises and custom exercises are on Stone's roadmap. | Partial | Yes |
| Cloud sync across devices Pick up on a new phone without a manual transfer. On Stone's roadmap through iCloud sync. Stronglifts offers this today through their account. | Partial Roadmap | Yes |
| Writes workouts to Apple Health Log strength training alongside runs and steps in the Health app. Planned for Stone; Stronglifts supports it now. | Partial Roadmap | Yes |
| Apple Watch app Log sets from your wrist between lifts. Planned for Stone; Stronglifts has a Watch app today. | Partial Roadmap | Yes |
| Android app Train on non-iPhone phones. Stone is iPhone-only – a deliberate scope choice. Stronglifts supports Android. | No iPhone only | Yes |
| In-app form videos & coaching Built-in lift demos and coaching content. Stronglifts includes these; Stone focuses on logging and progression, not video coaching. | No | Yes |
Pick Stone if…
- You are done paying a subscription to log barbell lifts
- You want your history on your device, and exportable anytime
- You train 5×5 and want it fast and hard to mistap
- You want clean, modern design
Pick Stronglifts if…
- You use an Android device
- You want several programs and a big exercise library
- You rely on cloud sync across multiple devices
- You want built-in form videos and coaching
Pricing
Pay once. No subscription, ever.
Stone is free to download. One payment unlocks unlimited logging.
14 days
Free to start
Log new workouts free for two weeks. Imported history never starts the clock.
Pay once
Unlimited logging, for good
$9.99 one-time purchase
No ads, ever, and Family Sharing covers your whole household.
Switching questions
Will I lose my workout history when I switch?
No. That's exactly why we built the importer. Export your Stronglifts CSV and import it into Stone for free. Your squat, bench, press, row, and deadlift sessions land on charts and working weights. Variations and accessories import as logged work too.
Does importing start my 14-day trial?
No. Imported Stronglifts history never counts toward the trial. The clock starts on your first new workout logged in Stone, not on data you brought over.
How long does the import take?
Importing takes a few seconds.
What does not transfer from Stronglifts?
Time-only sets (duration-based work) are skipped until we add support (coming soon). Stone focuses on rep-and-weight barbell logging. Coaching videos, program content, and account-side settings stay in Stronglifts.
Can I undo the import if something looks wrong?
Yes. Append imports can be undone from Backup & Import settings. Replace imports create a restore snapshot you can roll back to.
Is Stronglifts still a good app?
For many people, yes. It has Android, Apple Watch, Health sync, multiple programs, and form videos Stone does not match yet. Stone is narrower: built-in 5×5 and Madcow programs for lifters who want local data and one-time pricing. We're actively building Stone to support more programs and features, and we prioritize your feedback: stoneworkout.com/support.
Can I switch back to Stronglifts later?
Your data is not trapped. Export from Stone to CSV or JSON anytime, free forever. You can keep a backup before switching and re-import elsewhere if you change your mind.
