Most tools measure the bar. This one decides the set.
Velocity trackers are good instruments; several are validated against lab references. The gap is what happens after the number: a reading of effort, in reps in reserve, and a next set written from it. Facts below are from public listings as of September 2026, each linked.
RIRVana
- Effort estimate
- RIR range + confidence
- Decision
- Writes the next set
- Measures
- Joint angular velocity, ROM, tempo per rep
- Hardware
- Any phone
- Programming
- Generated or imported
- Price
- Free during invite
- Source
- Not listed
Metric
- Effort estimate
- e1RM from velocity profiles
- Decision
- Audio cues at velocity targets
- Measures
- Bar velocity, bar path, velocity loss
- Hardware
- Phone camera
- Programming
- Workout builder (Pro)
- Price
- Pro subscription
- Source
- listing
QwikVBT
- Effort estimate
- Not listed
- Decision
- Not listed
- Measures
- Mean and peak velocity, ROM, pause
- Hardware
- Phone camera
- Programming
- Not listed
- Price
- Free + $27.99 one-off
- Source
- listing
RepSpeed
- Effort estimate
- RPE and 1RM (premium)
- Decision
- Not listed
- Measures
- Bar path, ROM, velocity, power
- Hardware
- Phone camera (side video)
- Programming
- Not listed
- Price
- Freemium
- Source
- listing
Lift App
- Effort estimate
- Load-velocity profiles
- Decision
- Auto-progress on bar speed
- Measures
- Bar velocity, joint angles, wrist kinematics
- Hardware
- Phone + Apple Watch
- Programming
- Workout log
- Price
- App Store
- Source
- listing
BarSpeed
- Effort estimate
- Epley 1RM
- Decision
- Not listed
- Measures
- Peak velocity, power, time under tension
- Hardware
- iPhone Pro (LiDAR)
- Programming
- Not listed
- Price
- 7-day trial, subscription
- Source
- listing
OVR Velocity
- Effort estimate
- Objective RPE
- Decision
- Not listed
- Measures
- Bar speed, ROM, power, 1RM
- Hardware
- $249 bar sensor
- Programming
- OVR Connect app
- Price
- $249, no subscription
- Source
- listing
A spreadsheet
- Effort estimate
- Your guess
- Decision
- You do
- Measures
- What you typed
- Hardware
- None
- Programming
- Yours
- Price
- Free
- Source
- Not listed
| Tool | Hardware | Measures | Effort estimate | Decision | Programming | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RIRVana | Any phone | Joint angular velocity, ROM, tempo per rep | RIR range + confidence | Writes the next set | Generated or imported | Free during invite | Not listed |
| Metric | Phone camera | Bar velocity, bar path, velocity loss | e1RM from velocity profiles | Audio cues at velocity targets | Workout builder (Pro) | Pro subscription | listing |
| QwikVBT | Phone camera | Mean and peak velocity, ROM, pause | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Free + $27.99 one-off | listing |
| RepSpeed | Phone camera (side video) | Bar path, ROM, velocity, power | RPE and 1RM (premium) | Not listed | Not listed | Freemium | listing |
| Lift App | Phone + Apple Watch | Bar velocity, joint angles, wrist kinematics | Load-velocity profiles | Auto-progress on bar speed | Workout log | App Store | listing |
| BarSpeed | iPhone Pro (LiDAR) | Peak velocity, power, time under tension | Epley 1RM | Not listed | Not listed | 7-day trial, subscription | listing |
| OVR Velocity | $249 bar sensor | Bar speed, ROM, power, 1RM | Objective RPE | Not listed | OVR Connect app | $249, no subscription | listing |
| A spreadsheet | None | What you typed | Your guess | You do | Yours | Free | Not listed |
Validated bar-velocity apps (Metric, QwikVBT) report agreement with GymAware, Vicon or RepOne in their own or peer-reviewed tests. RIRVana measures joint angular velocity rather than bar velocity and does not claim that validation. See Accuracy.
Phone camera, side-on, no hardware.
Like Metric, QwikVBT and RepSpeed. Prop the phone on a plate and film.
Effort in reps in reserve, with a range.
Not m/s or e1RM. The unit your program is already written in, with the confidence stated.
The next set is written for you.
Load, reps and target effort, plus one line of why. The program moves because the reading did.