Apex: a free workout tracker with an AI coach you approve
Apex is a strength training log for the web and Android. You log your sets, it tells you when to add weight, and if you want, an AI assistant can coach you without being able to change your plan on its own. It's free and has no ads.
Most gym apps fall into two camps. Simple loggers record what you did and leave the thinking to you. "AI workout" apps generate a plan and change it whenever they like. Apex sits in between: the progression rules are plain and visible, and the AI is an advisor whose suggestions you approve or reject.
What Apex does
- Progressive overload, worked out for you. Apex uses double progression. When you hit every target rep on every set, both sides, for two sessions in a row, the exercise is flagged ready to progress. It also flags lifts that have stalled or are regressing, and exercises you've been skipping.
- Set-by-set logging. Every set has its own reps, weight and notes. One-arm and one-leg moves record left and right reps separately, so you can see which side is weaker.
- kg and lbs, per gym. Train at a kg gym on Monday and an lbs gym on Thursday. Apex compares history in one unit internally, so switching gyms never looks like progress or a setback.
- Form guides that work offline. Over 870 exercises come with start and end photos, steps and target muscles, plus your own cues and common mistakes. Photos are saved to your phone, so they load in a basement gym with no signal.
- Rest timer with "pick up to rest". On Android, lay your phone down during a set. When you pick it up, the rest timer starts on its own, even with the screen off.
- Weekly schedule, with changes for today only. Swap or skip an exercise just for today, and next week's plan stays the same.
- Protein tracking without counting calories. Log protein in 30 g blocks against your daily target and keep a streak going.
- Sick mode. Pause progression while you recover, so the app doesn't push you to add weight when you're ill.
- An optional AI coach. Connect Claude or Gemini to Apex. The assistant reads your history and can log sets while you chat ("bench 8, 8, 8, 6 at 60 kg"). It can also import old workouts from your notes app and suggest changes. Every change to your plan lands in your Apex Inbox with its reasoning, and nothing happens until you approve it.
Apex vs Strong vs Hevy
Strong and Hevy are excellent, mature apps. Here's how Apex compares, as of October 2026:
| Apex | Strong | Hevy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no ads | Free tier + Pro subscription | Free tier + Pro subscription |
| Saved routines on free plan | Unlimited | Limited (about 3) | Limited (about 4) |
| Flags when to add weight | Yes, plus stalled and regressing flags | Shows your previous sets | Shows your previous sets |
| AI coach that needs your approval | Yes, bring your own (Claude, Gemini) | No | No |
| Protein tracking | Built in (protein only) | No | No |
| Platforms | Web, Android (APK) | iOS, Android, Apple Watch | iOS, Android, web, watches |
| Social feed | No | No | Yes |
Competitor details come from their public pricing and reviews and may change. Check the app stores for current terms.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Completely free: no ads, no routine limits, no paywalled charts
- Clear progression flags, so you always know when to add weight
- An AI coach that explains its suggestions with your own data and can't overwrite your plan
- Works at gyms with different units without messing up your history
- Offline form guides and per-side tracking for unilateral work
- Runs in any browser; nothing to install
Cons
- No App Store or Play Store listing yet. The Android app is a direct APK download, and iPhone users use the web app.
- No Apple Watch, Wear OS, Apple Health or Google Fit integration
- Nutrition is protein only. It's not a full calorie or macro tracker like MyFitnessPal.
- No ready-made program library or social feed
- The AI coach needs an assistant that supports custom connectors, such as Claude or Gemini
- Sign-in is Google only
- A young, independent project with a smaller community than the big names
Who Apex is for
Apex suits lifters who follow a weekly split, care about progressive overload, and want a coach's second opinion without handing over control. It's a good fit if you train at more than one gym, or if you already use Claude or Gemini and want them to know your training. If you want a social feed, watch apps or a big library of pre-made programs, Hevy or Strong will suit you better today.
Try it
Sign in with Google at apex.builtbylogic.org. It works in any browser, and on Android you can install the app from the same page.