Workout Planner App vs Spreadsheet (2026)

You have two options for tracking your workouts: a spreadsheet or an app. Both can work. But they are not equally good at the same things.

Spreadsheets give you total control. Workout planner apps give you speed, structure, and built-in tools that a spreadsheet will never have. The right choice depends on how you train, what you need, and whether you are willing to build everything from scratch.

This guide breaks down the real differences between using a workout planner app vs spreadsheet so you can pick the method that actually helps you stay consistent and progress faster.

TL;DR

• Spreadsheets offer maximum customization but require manual setup for everything.
• Workout planner apps give you exercise libraries, built-in timers, progress charts, and automatic tracking out of the box.
• Most people get better results with an app because it removes friction and keeps them consistent.
• Spreadsheets work best for coaches, data nerds, and people who enjoy building systems.
• If you want a free workout planner app with 4,000+ exercises and AI-generated plans, try LoadMuscle.

Spreadsheet Approach

Using a spreadsheet (Google Sheets, Excel, or Apple Numbers) for workout tracking is the old-school method. You build your own template, log your sets and reps manually, and create your own formulas for tracking progress.

It is the DIY approach to fitness programming. Some people love it. Others abandon it within two weeks.

Pros

Total customization. You control every cell, column, and formula. Want a specific way to track RPE alongside volume load and weekly tonnage? Build it yourself. No app will ever match the flexibility of a blank spreadsheet in the hands of someone who knows what they are doing.

Free (or close to it). Google Sheets is free. Excel comes with most Microsoft subscriptions. You are not paying a monthly fee for a workout tracker app.

Great for coaches. If you program for multiple clients, spreadsheets let you build and share templates that your athletes can follow. You can duplicate sheets, create tabs per training block, and share links easily.

Data ownership. Your data lives in your Google Drive or on your hard drive. You are not locked into any platform. If you want to export, analyze, or migrate your data, it is already in a universal format.

Works on any device. You can access a Google Sheet from your phone, tablet, laptop, or any browser. No app download required.

Cons

No exercise library. You have to know every exercise by name and type it manually. There are no video demos, no muscle group tags, no filters. If you are a beginner, this is a real problem because you might not even know what exercises to include. An app like LoadMuscle gives you access to 4,000+ exercises with video demonstrations and muscle targeting info.

No built-in timer. Rest periods matter for hypertrophy and strength training. A spreadsheet will not remind you when your 90-second rest is up.

No automatic progress tracking. Want to see your bench press trend over the last 12 weeks? You will need to build a chart manually. In a workout tracker app, this happens automatically.

Clunky on mobile. Spreadsheets were designed for desktops. Logging sets on your phone between sets at the gym means zooming, scrolling, and tapping tiny cells. It is slow and frustrating compared to a purpose-built gym tracker app.

No plate calculator. Loading a barbell with the right plates should not require mental math mid-set. Apps handle this for you.

Setup time. Building a good spreadsheet template takes hours. You need to design the layout, add formulas, create conditional formatting, and test it. Most people underestimate how much work this is.

Best For

• Coaches who program for clients
• Data-savvy lifters who enjoy building systems
• People who want to track very specific, non-standard metrics
• Anyone who already has a spreadsheet template they have refined over years

App Approach

A workout planner app is purpose-built software for planning, logging, and tracking your training. The best workout planner apps come loaded with exercise libraries, progress charts, rest timers, and increasingly, AI-powered plan generation.

Instead of building everything from scratch, you open the app and start training. The infrastructure is already there.

Pros

Exercise library with demos. Good workout tracker apps include hundreds or thousands of exercises with video demonstrations, instructions, and muscle group tags. LoadMuscle includes over 4,000 exercises. You can search by muscle group, equipment, or movement pattern and never wonder "what does this exercise look like?" For a guide on which features matter most, check out our best workout app 2026 comparison.

Automatic progress tracking. Every set you log gets stored and visualized. You can see your strength trends, volume progression, and personal records without building a single formula. This is arguably the biggest advantage of a workout log app over a spreadsheet.

Built-in rest timer. Start the timer after a set, get a notification when rest is done. Simple, but hugely effective for staying focused and keeping workout duration predictable.

Faster logging. Tapping a few buttons to log a set is faster than navigating a spreadsheet on your phone. The best apps remember your previous weights and reps so you know exactly what to beat.

AI-powered planning. Modern apps like LoadMuscle use AI to generate personalized workout plans based on your goals, schedule, equipment, and experience level. A spreadsheet cannot do this. You would need to research programming principles and build the plan yourself (or pay a coach).

Plate calculator. Load the right plates without doing arithmetic in your head. Especially useful for newer lifters who are still getting familiar with barbell loading.

Offline access. Most good gym tracker apps work offline, so you can log your workout even in a basement gym with no signal.

Lower barrier to entry. You do not need to know how to build formulas or design templates. Open the app, pick a plan (or generate one for free), and start training. This is especially important for beginners. Our guide to using a workout planner walks through the process step by step.

Cons

Less customization than a spreadsheet. Apps give you structure, but within boundaries. If you want to track a very niche metric or build a completely non-standard layout, a spreadsheet gives you more freedom.

Some apps cost money. Many workout tracker apps have premium tiers. That said, several good ones (including LoadMuscle) offer a solid free plan. The best free options still beat a spreadsheet for most people.

Data portability varies. Some apps lock your data inside their platform. Look for apps that let you export your workout history. This is less of an issue than it used to be, but still worth checking.

Feature overload. Some apps try to do too much and become confusing. The best workout planner app is one that does what you need without burying you in features you will never use.

Best For

• Beginners who need guidance on exercises and programming
• Anyone who wants to log workouts quickly at the gym
• People who value automatic progress tracking and visualizations
• Lifters who want AI-generated, personalized training plans
• Anyone who has tried a spreadsheet and found it too tedious to maintain

Side-by-Side Comparison Table

When to Use a Spreadsheet

A spreadsheet is the right call in a few specific situations.

You are a coach. If you write programs for other people, spreadsheets let you build templates, duplicate them per client, and customize each plan without app limitations. You can build periodized blocks, autoregulation systems, and client-facing dashboards that no single app replicates perfectly.

You track non-standard metrics. If you are logging things like bar speed, grip width in centimeters, or correlating sleep data with training performance, a spreadsheet gives you the freedom to track whatever you want in whatever format you want.

You already have a system that works. If you have been using the same spreadsheet for years and it is dialed in, there is no reason to switch. A tool only works if you actually use it, and familiarity counts for a lot.

You enjoy the process of building systems. Some people genuinely like creating formulas, conditional formatting, and dashboard views. If that is you, the spreadsheet itself becomes part of the hobby.

But here is the honest truth: most people who try spreadsheets for workout tracking abandon them. The friction of logging on a phone, the lack of exercise guidance, and the absence of built-in progress tracking make it hard to sustain. If your spreadsheet has been gathering dust, it is time to try something else.

When to Use an App

For most people, a workout planner app is the better choice. Here is why.

You are a beginner. You need exercise demos, structured plans, and guidance on what to do each day. An app gives you all of this out of the box. A spreadsheet gives you a blank grid. If you are just starting out, check our guide to beginner-friendly workout planners for specific recommendations.

You want to log workouts quickly. At the gym, speed matters. You do not want to spend 30 seconds navigating a tiny spreadsheet between sets. A workout log app lets you tap a few buttons and move on.

You care about progressive overload. Progressive overload is the foundation of getting stronger and building muscle. Apps track this automatically and show you whether you are actually progressing. With a spreadsheet, you have to build and maintain those tracking systems yourself. For more on progressive overload, read our complete guide.

You want AI-generated plans. If you do not want to spend hours researching programming and exercise selection, an AI workout planner does the heavy lifting for you. LoadMuscle generates personalized plans from a library of 4,000+ exercises, tailored to your goals, equipment, and schedule.

You want everything in one place. Exercise library, workout logger, rest timer, plate calculator, progress charts - all in one tool. No jumping between a spreadsheet, a YouTube tab for exercise demos, and a separate timer app.

You train at a gym. If you are logging workouts in a commercial gym, an app is simply faster and more practical than a spreadsheet on your phone.

FAQ

Is a spreadsheet or app better for tracking progressive overload?

An app is better for most people. Progressive overload tracking requires logging your weights, sets, and reps consistently and then comparing them over time. Apps do this automatically. With a spreadsheet, you need to build formulas and charts to see the same data. If you are not comfortable with spreadsheet functions, you will miss the signals that tell you whether you are progressing.

Can I switch from a spreadsheet to an app without losing my data?

It depends on the app. Some workout tracker apps let you import CSV data, which means you can export your spreadsheet and bring your history into the app. If an app does not support import, you may need to start fresh. Either way, your old spreadsheet data is never lost since it stays in your files.

Are free workout apps as good as a well-built spreadsheet?

For most people, yes. Free apps like LoadMuscle give you an exercise library, workout logging, progress tracking, and AI plan generation at no cost. A well-built spreadsheet can match some of these features, but it takes significant time and skill to set up. The only area where a spreadsheet clearly wins is unlimited custom metrics.

What if I want both - can I use an app and a spreadsheet together?

Absolutely. Some people use an app for daily workout logging at the gym and a spreadsheet for deeper analysis at home. For example, you might log your sets in a workout tracker app during training, then export the data weekly into a spreadsheet for custom charts and programming decisions. This gives you the speed of an app with the flexibility of a spreadsheet.

Do I need a paid app, or are free options good enough?

Free workout planner apps have gotten significantly better. LoadMuscle offers a free tier with access to the AI workout planner and a library of 4,000+ exercises. Paid tiers typically add advanced analytics, more AI generations, or extra customization. For most people, a free app is more than enough to get started and make real progress.

Will a spreadsheet work if I train at home with minimal equipment?

A spreadsheet works for any training setup since it is just a blank grid. But the real question is whether you know which exercises to do with your available equipment. An app with an equipment filter (like LoadMuscle) automatically shows you exercises you can do with what you have. A spreadsheet cannot do this. If you are training at home, our home vs gym workout planner guide can help you pick the right approach.

Try a Free Workout Planner App

If you have been using a spreadsheet and it is working, keep using it. No reason to fix what is not broken.

But if you are spending more time formatting cells than actually training, or if your spreadsheet has become a graveyard of half-logged workouts, it is time to try a dedicated workout planner app.

LoadMuscle gives you a free AI-powered workout planner with 4,000+ exercises, video demos, automatic progress tracking, and personalized plans built for your goals, schedule, and equipment. No spreadsheet formulas required.

Download the app and see the difference a purpose-built tool makes. You can always go back to your spreadsheet. But you probably will not want to.