The best free workout tracker.

What to look for in a workout tracker

A workout tracker is only useful if you actually open it in the gym. That means the interface needs to get out of your way: log a set in two taps, move on, rest, repeat. Anything that slows that loop down — mandatory account creation before the first set, a paywall appearing mid-session, ads between exercises — degrades the habit.

Beyond raw speed, a good tracker should do one thing that a notebook can't: remember what you lifted last time and tell you whether to push further today. That single feature — previous-set history displayed inline — is the difference between a log and a tool that drives progress.

Here is the full checklist worth running against any app before committing to it:

• Fast set logging: weight and reps entered in two taps, no extra screens.
• Previous-set history visible inline during your session, not buried in a history tab.
• A progression system — double progression, percentage-based, or RIR-guided — not just a blank notes field.
• Volume and performance charts so you can spot plateaus early.
• Rest timer accessible without unlocking your phone (lock-screen widget or notification control).
• Offline functionality — the gym often has poor signal.
• Cardio logging (GPS distance, pace, route) in the same app, not a separate subscription.
• Export or data portability so your history is never held hostage.
• No paywall on the features above.

The paywall problem in fitness apps

Many of the most popular workout tracking apps follow the same business model: offer a free tier that is just functional enough to get you logging, then gate the features that make the app genuinely useful behind a monthly or annual subscription.

Progression tracking, unlimited routines, analytics charts, and even previous-set display are commonly locked in this way. By the time you have built a month of data you want to keep, you are already invested — and the subscription prompt arrives at exactly that moment.

This is not a criticism of any specific company's pricing; building and maintaining a good app costs real money. But it is worth being clear-eyed about what 'free' means in the fitness app market, because marketing copy rarely spells it out.

Core features every tracker should offer for free

Before evaluating any specific app, it helps to separate 'nice to have' premium features from the baseline that every serious tracker should provide at no cost. The table below makes that split explicit.

The first five rows are the non-negotiables. If any of them require a subscription, the app is not genuinely free for training purposes.

SammaGym: what free actually looks like

SammaGym is a workout tracking web app (progressive web app, installable on iOS and Android) built around a single constraint: everything that matters for training should be free, forever, with no subscription and no ads at launch.

The session interface is built for speed. You open an exercise, see the weight and reps from your last set displayed in grey inline — the same pattern popularised by Hevy — enter today's numbers, and log. There is no screen change required between exercises. The rest timer can be controlled from the lock screen without unlocking your phone.

PRs are tracked automatically. Volume charts and performance history are available without upgrading. Progress photos are stored on-device. Cardio sessions with GPS (distance, pace, route map) log in the same app. The exercise library covers the movements most commonly programmed in commercial gyms, with names in the user's language.

• Free forever — no subscription tier, no freemium gate on core features.
• No ads at launch.
• Previous-set history visible inline during every session.
• PRs, volume charts, and performance history included.
• Progress photos stored on your device.
• Cardio GPS (distance, pace, route) in the same app.
• Rest timer controllable from the lock screen.
• Offline-first architecture — data lives on your device first.
• Coaching toolkit for trainers who want to manage athletes.
• Explore the full exercise library at /esercizi and pre-built programmes at /programmi.

Auto-regulated progression without a subscription

Progression logic is where most free tiers draw the line. SammaGym includes a double progression system guided by reps-in-reserve (RIR) autoregulation, both available without cost.

Double progression works like this: you train within a rep range (say, 8–12 reps). Once you can complete every working set at the top of the range with good technique and a low perceived effort, the weight increases on the next session. RIR adds a subjective layer — if a set that should feel like a 9 out of 10 effort felt like a 7, the system flags that you may be ready to push further.

This approach is grounded in hypertrophy research (the MEV→MAV framework from Mike Israetel and the RIR-based autoregulation popularised by Jeff Nippard) and removes the guesswork from weekly weight selection without requiring a coach or a paid algorithm.

Offline-first and data ownership

Gym Wi-Fi and mobile signal are unreliable. An app that requires a live connection to log a set is a liability. SammaGym stores all workout data locally on the device first (using IndexedDB), so logging works whether you are connected or not. Sync happens when you choose.

Data ownership is a related concern that rarely gets discussed in app reviews. When your entire training history lives in a cloud-only service, you are dependent on that company staying in business, keeping your tier available, and not changing their export policies. An offline-first architecture means the data is yours by default, not because of a policy.

• Sessions log without an internet connection.
• Data is stored on-device first; cloud sync is additive, not required.
• No history is lost if you are in a low-signal area.
• Your training record does not depend on a subscription remaining active.

Who SammaGym is for

SammaGym is best suited to intermediate and advanced lifters who train in a commercial gym, follow a structured programme (Upper/Lower, PPL, or a hybrid split), and want a tracker that applies progression logic rather than just recording numbers.

It also works well for trainers who manage a small group of athletes and want a coaching toolkit without the per-client subscription fees that professional platforms typically charge.

It is less suited to beginners who want a fully guided 'tell me exactly what to do from scratch' experience — for that, a structured beginner programme from /programmi is a better starting point, and the app becomes the logging layer once you have a plan.

If you also run or cycle, the cardio GPS module means you do not need a separate app for conditioning work. Distance, pace, and route are logged alongside your lifting sessions in one history.