Flame vs Strong: compare the workflow you need
Both apps address workout logging. The decision is whether the way you record sets, review history and preserve your records fits your own routine. Previous weights and reps are not a feature category exclusive to Flame.
Start with the work you want to do
Flame’s focus on this page is the exercise-wide Previous column: the latest qualifying completed normal sets appear beside your current entry fields. Strong’s official workout guide describes logging sets from an empty workout or template and reviewing completed sessions in History. Strong’s workout instructions.
If you already have years of history in Strong, that history is part of the decision. A familiar logging flow and a known export route may matter more than a new interface. If you are considering Flame, try one representative session before moving your record-keeping workflow.
Documented capabilities and what they mean
| Task | Flame, reviewed source | Strong, official documentation |
|---|---|---|
| Record the workout | Log exercise sets with weight, reps and completion. Previous completed normal sets are shown alongside current fields. | Start empty or from a template; enter weight and reps and mark sets complete. Workout guide. |
| Interpret progress | Recorded workout volume and Epley estimated-1RM history; their inclusion and aggregation rules differ. | Focus Metric documents exercise-specific comparisons, including volume changes. Focus Metric. |
| Log on an Apple Watch | This review covers the phone workout flow; it does not establish a comparable watch workflow. | Official support describes wrist-based set logging and iPhone Live Sync, with some feature differences. Apple Watch guide. |
| Keep a separate history copy | The workout database is local to the device. A tested Strong-to-Flame history importer is not established here. | CSV export is documented on iOS and Android. Its help page says exported files cannot be imported back into Strong. Export instructions. |
Compare the same three-set task
Use an exercise you already track. As a logging example, use 60 kg × 8, 60 kg × 8 and 60 kg × 7. These are sample records, not suggested training loads.
- Record: in Strong, follow its documented empty-workout or template flow. In Flame, start a workout, open the same exercise and enter each set’s actual weight and reps. Mark completed sets accurately.
- Finish: save the workout. In each app, locate the completed session and confirm that the three entries and units are correct.
- Repeat: when you next log that exercise, inspect the history reference. In Flame, the qualifying normal sets from the latest completed workout supply the reference even across routines.
- Review: calculate the sample’s 1,380 kg volume in the volume tool. Reconcile included sets before comparing app totals. Strong’s Focus Metric can compare exercise volume; Flame’s workout total can include completed warm-ups with weight and reps.
This is a reproducible evaluation procedure, not a report that we completed the task in both installed apps. We have not measured tap count, speed, reliability or battery use.
When Strong may fit better
Strong has a documented Apple Watch workflow and CSV export. If either is essential, those are concrete reasons to examine Strong rather than assume Flame is an equivalent replacement. Strong also describes body measurements, charts and other features on its official site; check the current platform and plan before relying on a particular feature.
When to consider Flame
Consider Flame if the phone-based previous/current set layout matches how you want to log. Read the exact previous-set rules first, especially if you alternate heavy and light sessions using the same exercise. The reviewed lookup is exercise-wide, not restricted to one routine.
Flame’s local database is not proof of a tested cross-device restore path or a blanket “all data stays on device” guarantee. Its analytics and purchase services are explained in the privacy policy. Do not delete your old app or history export before confirming how you will preserve the records you need.
Price and migration: verify before committing
We do not publish a price table here because we have not verified current regional offers, billing terms or free-tier limits inside both apps. Read the actual purchase screen for your store and check the features that matter to you.
Exporting a CSV does not establish that another app can import it. A lossless Strong-to-Flame transfer was not tested for this review. Keep an independent copy, and check exercise mapping, units, dates and set types before treating any transfer as complete.
To compare your own records first, use the workout log. For interpretation, see what your progress metrics measure or the Flame and Hevy comparison.