Alpha Progression vs RP Hypertrophy

Alpha Progression vs RP Hypertrophy, row by row

Feature	Alpha Progression	RP Hypertrophy	RIRLift
Price in the US	$12.99/month or $79.99/year	$34.99/month or $299.99/year	Free; Pro $9.99/month or $79.99/year (better here)
Free tier	Unlimited logging and your own plans	Subscription only	Unlimited workouts with next weights (better here)
Volume across a block	Planned week by week, in Pro	Adds or cuts sets from pump, soreness and workload	Planned week by week by Coach, or as you write it
Weight progression	Per set, from history and today's sets	A few percent a week, or a rep when the jump is too big	Per set, from reps and reps in reserve
What you report	Your logged sets	Your sets, plus pump, soreness and workload ratings	Your logged sets
Muscle priorities	Set in the plan generator	Meso Builder: Emphasize, Grow or Maintain (better here)	Weekly muscle map shows sets per muscle
Block length and deloads	Plans of 2+ weeks; deload at the end	Length you choose, deload in the final week	A finish line you choose; deload when a lift stalls
RIR	Optional	Targets on working sets	On every set
Apple Watch	No Watch app	No Watch app	Free Watch app (better here)
Platforms	iPhone, Android	iPhone, Android, web (better here)	iPhone and Apple Watch; Android is a waitlist

RP if you want volume steered by how sessions feel; Alpha Progression if you'd rather plan the ramp and pay less. If you only need the weights handled, RIRLift does that free and on your wrist.

How the two run a mesocycle

Who decides your set count

In RP, your ratings: low pumps, barely sore and easy workouts mean more sets; great pumps, slow-healing soreness and too much volume mean fewer. In Alpha, the plan: later weeks can carry more sets. In RIRLift, you, or Coach when you ask for a new block.
What it costs

RP is $34.99/month or $299.99/year in the US. Alpha Pro is $12.99/month or $79.99/year, with a 14-day trial on the yearly plan and a free logger if you cancel.
Priorities per muscle

RP's Meso Builder sorts muscles into Emphasize, where volume climbs from the minimum effective toward the maximum you can recover from, Grow and Maintain. Alpha's plan generator takes muscle priorities too.
Where RIRLift fits

RIRLift counts this week's hard sets per muscle on the muscle map and sets every weight from your logged reps in reserve. Volume changes are yours to make.

One goal, three ways

Shoulders lagging, 5-week block

An intermediate who wants more shoulder volume this block without adding leg work.

App	What it does here	For this lifter
RP Hypertrophy	In the Meso Builder, put shoulders under Emphasize: sets climb as long as your pump and soreness ratings say you're recovering.	The best fit if you'll rate every session.
Alpha Progression	Make shoulders a priority in the generator and turn on periodization, so later weeks carry the extra sets.	Fits if you'd rather plan it, at $12.99/month.
RIRLift	Add a lateral raise set to the routine yourself, watch the weekly count on the muscle map, and let the weights follow your sets.	Fits if you'll manage the set count and want to pay nothing.

Same goal, three owners of the decision: your feedback, your plan, or you.

A back set that came in short

In RIRLift. The incline dumbbell row is planned at 12 reps with 2 left, in a 10–15 range.

Exercise	You logged	Next session	Why
Incline Dumbbell Row	Set 1: 50 lb × 9, 0 left	Set 2: 45 lb × 12	Below the 10–15 range: 9 reps to failure against a planned 14, so 50 × 38 ÷ 43 ≈ 44 lb, loaded as the 45 lb dumbbells.
Reverse Pec Deck	80 lb, 15 / 15 / 15, 2 left	90 lb × 12	Every set at the top of 12–15: one step up the stack, reps back to 12.

The short set was corrected on set 2, before the rest of the session went off plan.

Hypertrophy plans that open in RIRLift

The best workout plan for muscle gain, for where you are now

Legs are ahead, upper body lags

Three upper days to one lower, for the lifter chasing bigger shoulders above.

4× a week · 70 sets a week · ~45 min

Add to RIRLift

Add to RIRLift

Scan with your iPhone camera to add this plan.

See the plan
The best workout plan for muscle gain, for where you are now

Past a year of lifting, gains have stalled

Heavy and volume upper/lower days, four a week.

4× a week · 76 sets a week · ~50 min

Add to RIRLift

Add to RIRLift

Scan with your iPhone camera to add this plan.

See the plan

Make it fit you

Set RIR per exercise

Both apps work in reps in reserve, and so does RIRLift. Set a target like 2 left and log what you actually had.
Start from your weights

RIRLift imports Hevy, Strong and FitNotes files, not RP or Alpha exports. Tap Edit starting weights under the routine picker and enter your current working weights. They show as Yours, and the next weight is worked out from them.
Give the block an end

Set the program length and the Journey shows the week you're in and where your main lift is headed.
Draft the next block with Coach

Ask Coach for the next block from your recent progress. It arrives as a preview, and nothing changes until you tap Apply changes.

When a different app fits better

You want your feedback to set your volume. RP Hypertrophy.
You want planned ramps for less. Alpha Progression Pro.
You train on Android or in a browser. RP runs on both, Alpha on Android. RIRLift is iPhone and Apple Watch only.

Questions

Is Alpha Progression better than RP Hypertrophy?

It's cheaper, has a free tier and plans weekly changes in advance. RP is the better pick if you want volume adjusted from how each session felt.

Does Alpha Progression do mesocycles?

Yes, in Pro. Plans of two weeks or more can vary sets, reps, RIR and dropsets week to week, with a deload at the end.

Do I have to rate pump and soreness?

Only in RP, where it's how your volume gets set. Alpha Progression and RIRLift work from the sets you log.

Is there a free app that works like RP?

Not for feedback-driven volume. For weights set from your reps in reserve, RIRLift is free on iPhone and Apple Watch. RP Hypertrophy app alternatives ranks the rest.

More ways lifters use RIRLift

Every lifter and goal

Alpha Progression vs RP Hypertrophy