Why is Boostcamp ranked first for 5x5?
5x5's progression rule (add weight every session, repeat on a miss, deload after repeated misses) is simple, but tracking three separate named programs (Stronglifts 5x5, Madcow 5x5, Starting Strength) from scratch means configuring each one yourself. Boostcamp hosts community uploads of all three free, with the progression logic and stall detection already built into each program. The dedicated 5x5 apps are excellent at a single template; Boostcamp adds the rest of the library (5/3/1, GZCLP, and more) for whatever you run once the LP stalls.
Is 5x5 free on Boostcamp?
Yes. The Stronglifts 5x5, Madcow 5x5 (modified), and Starting Strength Phase 1 and Phase 2 community uploads are all on the free tier, with no paywall on the tracker that runs them: set logging, plate calculator, RPE/RIR, and personal records. Boostcamp Pro is optional and adds the Strength Score, a per-muscle volume heatmap, and 20+ exclusive coach programs for $59.99/year ($4.99/month annual), but you can run a full 5x5 cycle without paying.
What is the difference between Stronglifts 5x5, Madcow 5x5, and Starting Strength?
Stronglifts 5x5 and Starting Strength are both beginner linear progression programs: add weight every session until you stall. Stronglifts uses 5 sets of 5 reps across squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press, and barbell row; Starting Strength uses 3 sets of 5 reps, with squat, press, deadlift, and bench alternating with power cleans. Madcow 5x5 is the intermediate follow-up: instead of adding weight every session, it uses a weekly heavy, medium, and light day structure, with the heavy day's top set driving next week's progression. Most lifters run a beginner program first, then move to Madcow once the beginner progression stalls.
What should I run after 5x5 stalls?
The most common path is Madcow 5x5 first, since it extends linear-style progression on a weekly cycle rather than ending the ramp entirely. Once Madcow also stalls, lifters typically move to an intermediate template with more sophisticated periodization: 5/3/1, GZCLP, or a hypertrophy-leaning split. Because all of those live in the same Boostcamp library, your squat, bench, and deadlift history and personal records carry over instead of resetting.
Are the Stronglifts, Madcow, and Starting Strength programs on Boostcamp official?
No, and it's worth being direct about that. The versions on Boostcamp are community uploads, structured to reflect each template as the community understands it, not programs published directly by Mehdi Hadim (Stronglifts), the Madcow 5x5 originator, or Mark Rippetoe (Starting Strength). If you want a program from the original creator directly, Starting Strength V2 is Rippetoe's own app, and StrongLifts 5x5 is Mehdi Hadim's official app (see the next question).
What about the official StrongLifts 5x5 app?
StrongLifts 5x5, Mehdi Hadim's own app, is the highest-rated dedicated strength app on the US App Store (4.9 stars, 76,000+ ratings) and runs on a required subscription ($59.99/year with a 7-day trial, or monthly, quarterly, and lifetime options). It is not ranked on this list because this roundup deliberately looks beyond the most mainstream, most-searched name in the category. See the full Boostcamp vs StrongLifts comparison for a direct head-to-head, including how the official app's guided subscription model compares to Boostcamp's free community upload and library.
Do I need to test my one-rep max before starting 5x5?
No. Unlike percentage-based programs (5/3/1, Sheiko), 5x5 programs start from an empirical working weight, typically the bar or a conservative starting weight you can comfortably complete for 5 sets of 5, and progress from there session to session. There is no 1RM test built into Stronglifts 5x5, Madcow 5x5, or Starting Strength; testing a true max is generally discouraged for true beginners on these programs, since the linear progression itself reveals your strength curve over the first few months.
