Hevy vs Gravl: Workout Logger or AI Training System?
Compare Hevy and Gravl by training style: manual logging, adaptive programming, recovery guidance, platforms, and the best fit for your next block.
Comparing apps? Test Push/Pull for one real week
Start the 7-day trial, run the same routine you would use in Hevy, Fitbod, Strong, or another tracker, and judge the app on logging speed, previous values, and next-session clarity.
7-day free trial. Fast set logging. Apple Watch support.
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Quick answer: choose Hevy if you already know what you want to train and need a polished place to build routines, log sessions, review progress, and optionally share them. Choose Gravl if you want an app-led system to plan more of the week, set up sessions around your goals and equipment, and adapt the plan as you train.
This is not a simple feature-count contest. Hevy and Gravl solve different parts of the lifting workflow: Hevy emphasizes the training log you control, while Gravl emphasizes the program that guides the log. A third route, Push/Pull, is useful for iPhone lifters who want to keep control of their templates while making each set, previous value, and progression decision easier to act on.
Source check: Aug 11, 2026. Product positioning, device support, and workflow claims below were checked against the official Hevy feature list, Hevy fitness-app overview, Gravl website, and Gravl's setup guide. Store pricing and individual feature availability can change, so verify the checkout and current listing on your own device.
- Choose Hevy when your routine is already decided and you want to log, track, and share it.
- Choose Gravl when choosing the session and changing it around recovery is the harder job.
- Choose Push/Pull when you want editable templates, fast logging, and clearer next-set context without giving the whole program to an algorithm.
Hevy vs Gravl comparison table
| Decision | Hevy | Gravl |
|---|---|---|
| Core job | Build, log, review, and share the workouts you choose. | Generate and adapt more of the training plan as you log. |
| Best for | Lifters with a coach, established split, or preference for manual programming. | Lifters who want more direction on exercise selection, loads, and recovery-led scheduling. |
| Progression style | Use previous values, charts, and workout history to make the next call. | Use an adaptive plan that Gravl says recalculates after logged sessions. |
| Social and sharing | A meaningful part of the product, with a social feed and routine sharing. | Available, but the central value proposition is the guided training system. |
| Platforms | Official pages describe iOS, Android, Apple Watch, Wear OS, and web access. | Official pages describe iOS, Android, Apple Watch, and health-platform connections. |
Choose Hevy if you want to own the program
Hevy makes the most sense when the programming work is already done. Maybe you follow a coach's plan, run a repeatable upper/lower or push-pull-legs split, or simply prefer deciding your own exercises and loads. Its official feature pages emphasize workout logging, previous values, rest timers, progress tracking, and social features. That is a strong setup for a lifter who wants a capable training notebook rather than a second opinion every session.
The tradeoff is that the app cannot remove every programming decision for you. You still need a sensible plan and a way to interpret the history you collect. If you are comparing logging-first options, our Hevy alternative comparison explains where Push/Pull takes a different approach to templates, progression cues, and recovery context.
Choose Gravl if you want more adaptive direction
Gravl is the better fit when the hardest part of training is deciding what should happen next. Its public materials describe a plan built around your goals, equipment, schedule, logged sessions, and recovery state. That can be useful for a newer lifter who wants guardrails, or for someone whose schedule and available equipment change often enough that a fixed template becomes difficult to maintain.
More automation is not automatically better. If you are running a coach's block, preparing for a specific event, or deliberately repeating the same movements, you may prefer a system where the plan does not change unless you change it. For that distinction from an iPhone-first perspective, see our Gravl alternative comparison.
Which app is better for progressive overload?
Both approaches can support progressive overload, but they put the decision in different places. In Hevy, you log the work, inspect prior performance, and adjust based on a plan you own. In Gravl, the app says it calculates future training targets from the sessions and recovery data it receives. Neither replaces basic judgment: poor form, pain, unusual fatigue, and a bad day in the gym still deserve a human adjustment.
If you want the middle ground, Push/Pull pairs previous workout values with progressive overload suggestions. The goal is to make the next target obvious while leaving the lifter in charge of the actual call.
How to test Hevy and Gravl in one normal week
- Use your real schedule and available equipment; do not build a fantasy week for the trial.
- In Hevy, create or import the routine you would genuinely repeat.
- In Gravl, score whether the generated sessions match your goals, recovery, and movement preferences.
- After each session, note whether logging and changing a plan took attention away from the actual lifts.
- Before the next workout, check how clearly each app explains the next useful action.
- Keep the app that makes you more consistent without taking away control you actually need.
If a repeatable split is the priority, use the same test with a saved workout split. If the main need is simply faster set entry and useful history, start with the workout logging workflow instead of shopping for more planning features.
Try a logging-first third path
Push/Pull helps iPhone lifters execute the plan they trust with editable templates, fast set logging, previous values, and clearer progression context.