Barbell Plate Calculator
Tell it your target weight and bar, and it works out exactly which plates go on each side — no more doing math with chalky hands between sets.
We load the biggest plates first, mirrored on both sides, using a standard poundplate set. If your target can't be hit exactly with these plates, you'll see how far short each side lands — round to a weight the plates can actually make.
How it works
The bar sits in the middle and plates go on evenly, so we first subtract the bar's weight from your target, then split what's left across the two sleeves. Each side gets the same load.
From there we work greedily: fit as many of the heaviest plate as we can, move down to the next size, and repeat. That gives the tidiest stack with the fewest plates, which is how most people load a bar anyway.
Pick pounds (45 lb bar, standard 45/35/25/10/5/2.5 plates) or kilograms (20 kg bar, 25/20/15/10/5/2.5/1.25 plates), or set a custom bar weight. If the plates can't hit your exact number, you'll see how much each side falls short.
Frequently asked questions
Why does it show the weight as 'short by' sometimes?
Standard plates can't make every number. If you ask for a total the set can't build exactly, we load as close as possible and tell you the gap per side, so you can round to a weight the plates can actually make.
Can I use a different bar weight?
Yes. Choose 'Custom' and type in your bar's weight — handy for training bars, safety squat bars, or specialty bars that aren't the usual 45 lb or 20 kg.
Does it assume plates on both sides?
It does. The 'load per side' list is what goes on one sleeve; you mirror it on the other. The 'actual total' already counts both sides plus the bar.