Caliber vs Ladder

Caliber, Ladder and RIRLift side by side

Caliber is the cheaper way to get coach-designed plans or a 1-on-1 coach; Ladder the better guided session. RIRLift is the free pick if you want the weight decided for you.

Caliber and Ladder, point by point

• What's free

  Caliber's free version tracks unlimited workouts you build, with 800+ exercises and video tutorials. Ladder is a 7-day trial, then $29.99/month or $179.99/year.

• How much coaching you buy

  Caliber Plus ($12/month or $72/year) adds 120+ coach-designed plans; Premium adds a 1-on-1 coach from $200/month. Ladder's price buys a team coach, a new week every Sunday and the team chat.

• In the session

  Ladder plays each movement as a timed video with the coach's voice. Caliber has form tutorials you open, then you log your sets.

• Who picks the weight

  Ladder records what you chose and flags plateaus; Caliber doesn't suggest your next weight. RIRLift sets the next weight after every set, on the iPhone or the Watch.

  

• Watch and Android

  Caliber runs on iPhone and Android with no Apple Watch app. Ladder runs on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and the web. RIRLift: iPhone and Apple Watch.

Three options for the same lifter

Wants coaching, not $200 a month

You lift a barbell three days a week at a commercial gym and liked Ladder's trial on a push-pull team. You're weighing it against Caliber's tiers.

App	What it does here	For this lifter
Caliber	Free tracker for your own sessions; Plus at $72/year adds 120+ coach-designed plans; 1-on-1 Premium from $200/month.	Yes, if you want a written plan for the least money, or a real coach later.
Ladder	$179.99/year for every team. The coach programs push-pull strength days, you follow along and pick the weights.	Yes, if you want the session led for you.
RIRLift	The squat, bench and deadlift plan below, free. Every next weight is set from your last set, on your wrist if you wear a Watch.	Yes, if you want the barbell numbers to move without paying anyone.

Caliber and Ladder sell you a plan or a coach. RIRLift gives you the next weight, free.

Deadlift day of the squat, bench and deadlift plan

Day 3 of the plan below, logged with reps in reserve. One lift moves mid-session, the others for next week.

Exercise	You logged	Next session	Why
Barbell Deadlift	275 lb, 5 / 5 / 5 reps, 2 left	280 lb × 3	Every set at the top of 3–5: one 5 lb step, reps back to 3.
Barbell Back Squat	Set 1: 215 lb × 5, 4 left (planned 3)	Set 2: 220 lb × 5	9 reps to failure against a planned 8, so 215 × 38 ÷ 37 ≈ 221 lb, loaded as 220 lb.
Lat Pulldown	130 lb, 10 / 9 / 8 reps, 1 left	130 lb × 9	The weakest set hit today's target of 8, not the top of 8–12. Same weight, one more rep.

The squat went up a set early, because set 1 said it could.

Plans for this lifter

• The best workout routine for men, for your week

  Stronger squat, bench press and deadlift

  Squat, bench and deadlift days; the deadlift day is the example.

  3× a week · 49 sets a week · ~55 min

  Add to RIRLift

  Add to RIRLift

  Scan with your iPhone camera to add this plan.

  See the plan

• The best workout routine for the days you can train

  3 days a week: full body

  Three full-body days if you want less barbell work.

  3× a week · 51 sets a week · ~45 min

  Add to RIRLift

  Add to RIRLift

  Scan with your iPhone camera to add this plan.

  See the plan

Make it fit you

• Add your plates and bar

  Every barbell weight is rounded to what you can load. Pro adds custom plates and bar, and plates per side on the Watch.

• Turn RPE targets into RIR

  RPE 8 is 2 left, RPE 9 is 1. Set them once per exercise.

• Connect Claude or ChatGPT with Pro

  Have your own AI read your training and draft programs that you review in the app.

When a different app fits better

• You want a 1-on-1 coach. Caliber Premium, from $200/month. RIRLift has no human coach.
• You want each session led by video and a coach's voice. Ladder.
• You're on Android. Caliber. Ladder has no Android app, and RIRLift's is a waitlist.

Questions

Read next

• Caliber app review

  Caliber's tiers in full.

• Ladder app review: what you get for $29.99 a month

  Ladder's teams and Journal in full.

• Caliber vs Fitbod

  Caliber against a generated workout.

• Ladder app alternatives, ranked for lifters

  Seven options, ranked.

• How RIRLift picks your next weight

  Where the 220 lb came from.

More ways lifters use RIRLift

• Caliber app review

  Caliber's free app, Plus and coaching tiers, and what each one does with your sets.

• Ladder app review: what you get for $29.99 a month

  Ladder's coaches, price and Journal, reviewed, plus the free pick if you want your weights set for you.

• The powerlifting app for building your squat, bench and deadlift

  Heavy triples adjusted set by set, plates per side worked out, and no max test to get started.

• The Apple Watch weightlifting app that runs the whole session

  Log sets, rest, load plates and swap machines from your wrist, with the next weight set on the Watch.

Every lifter and goal