This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll lift heavier weights or run longer distances—a program with progressive overload can challenge you by way of variation via load, reps, rest time, volume, or range of motion. In fact, research shows1 that adding either weight or reps can work well to increase muscular adaptations to training. To earn a 4- or 5-star rating, the trial needs to last for seven days (some apps offer 14 days) and either doesn’t require your credit card to sign up or sends a reminder that your trial is about to end.
Measurement: how to judge fitness app performance in a way that is operationally useful
Lindsay loves competing with friends and has done multiple half marathons, CrossFit competitions, and more. We selected FitBudd as the best platform for personal trainers because it removes the technical barriers of building an online training business. Trainers can focus on coaching while FitBudd handles the infrastructure, app development, and client management systems. Membership ($49.50/month) gets you access to all programs, unlimited coaching, and a library of tutorial content.
The fitness app market wants you to believe that the right subscription will transform your body. Both platforms have sufficient low-impact options for recovery days and beginners building fitness gradually. Playlists are carefully curated and often feature mainstream artists. The production is clean and professional, with three trainers visible in most classes (one showing modifications, one showing the standard move, one showing advanced options).
Prior to 2020, the Nike Training Club app had both free and premium versions, but since the pandemic, Nike has made the entire workout library free to use. The app is also easy to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play, and we found it easy to set up and get started. “The app has videos and detailed instructions of each exercise, but it won’t be at the level of having a coach or group trainer leading a class,” Matt explains.
Best for Beginners: WalkFit
His focus is on internet, digital media, AI and technology companies. His articles have appeared online in Forbes, Fortune, MSN, Yahoo, Fox Business and AllBusiness.com. Richard is the author of several books on startups and entrepreneurship as well as the co-author of Poker for Dummies and a Wall Street Journal-bestselling book on small business. He is the co-author of a 1,500-page book published by Bloomberg on mergers and acquisitions of privately held companies. He was also a corporate and M&A partner at the international law firm of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe.
The reason I say it’s not perfect is because there is no fitness assessment or questionnaire to help personalize your workouts. Plus, it’s also only compatible for iPhone users with iOS 16.0 or later. Much like Caliber’s Premium coaching option, with Future you can send your coach a video of yourself lifting directly through the app for each specific movement so your coach can check your form. Download our complete fitness app comparison guide with feature checklists, cost calculators, and a 30-day workout starter plan that works with any app—or no app at all. Peloton invests heavily in music, including licensed tracks from major artists and themed rides (80s, hip-hop, specific artists).
Red flags to watch for
The expert coaches are another nice touch and they’ll often work to keep everyone in their class on track. Although I often think about how many calories walking a mile burns, walking is more than just exercise for me—it’s how I got around New York City for much of my life. In fact, walking is the unofficial Olympic sport of the five boroughs because it’s faster than waiting for delayed trains and buses.
Are there any workout apps that don’t require a subscription?
Additionally, paid tiers unlock AI features, advanced analytics, and in some cases larger exercise libraries. A personal training app should help you progress in one way or another, whether that means a live coach is fine-tuning your reps and sets, or an AI bot is serving up new programs to match your inputs. This is essential to progressive overload, which is the basis upon which most personal training is founded. The benefits of personal training apps include many of the same benefits as in-person training.
Take a Quick Quiz to Get Your Personalized Walking Yoga Plan
What started as Ben’s personal journey from multiple knee surgeries to dunking a basketball has become a movement helping over 40,000 people in 150+ countries. It seems most people agree with us and the online reviews for StretchIt are very positive on both iOS and Android app stores. Compared to other stretching apps, StretchIt’s use of instructor-led classes made a big difference, as they help guide you through the different stretches.
Best Advanced: Nike Training Club
- The onboarding process is thoughtful, sprinkling helpful tips and realistic expectations throughout.
- With your membership, you get access to different workout classes like yoga, pilates, strength, barre, sculpt and HIIT along with other wellness practices like stretching, nutrition and self-care.
- However, its focus on strength training can also be a downside, especially if you’re looking for a workout app that offers a broader range of workout styles like running or yoga.
- It emphasizes studio-quality video production and seamless Apple ecosystem integration [11].
- Choose from over 22 different teams that focus on different workout styles, each with their own certified coach.
- I can’t speak to the 1-1 coaching lessons since I’ve never had the Elite membership.
Apps that combine cardio workouts, bodyweight workouts, or high intensity interval training with external accountability are far more effective for helping users stay consistent throughout their workout journey. The NutriScanner makes it easy to log your meals and learn about weight loss workout apps their nutritional value. Every day, you’ll have a new workout plan tailored just for you, featuring a variety of exercises like cardio, strength training, chair yoga, and more. Along with your workouts, Avo provides easy-to-follow recipes to help you stay on track and reach your goals. This app allows you to customize your fitness plan to the point that it feels like the program was created by your own personal trainer.
Health Monitoring
If you’re already in a routine, simple streak tracking, calendar views, or progress charts might be enough. When choosing an app, think about whether you want human interaction, app‑based nudges only, or almost no external pressure. In terms of training with Juggernaut AI, you get a good mix of challenge and progress. The app tailors your prescribed weights, reps, and sets to your responses in your readiness prompt, so there are limited opportunities for overtraining or failing a lift. Unfortunately, though, this app is solely focused on strength training. Athletes wanting a cardio-based workout plan should opt for another service.
Core benefits of at-home training (flexibility, cost, privacy)
The above nine apps are far, far from the only workout apps out there. There are quite literally hundreds, if not thousands, of apps that can support your fitness goals in one way or another. Here’s a look at some popular apps that we’ve researched but didn’t make the cut for our list of the best personal training apps. Oh, we didn’t even mention the nutrition tracking, access to community discussions, and individualized programming you get with the app.
Apple Fitness+ App
Each pre-recorded class is led by a motivational instructor and has options for various lengths and intensities, making this a great option for beginners and pros alike. Freeletics keeps things simple by getting you to choose how you want to train when you sign up. It could easily be our top pick for strength work on this list, as you can use it in the gym or at home with equipment, too, by choosing workouts based on what you have.
As users engage with the platform, the AI continuously learns and improves, refining its ability to provide tailored fitness experiences. The best workout app will be the one that offers you the right tools to achieve your goals and fits your lifestyle. Our best overall pick is EvolveYou, since it has the widest variety of workouts to choose from, allows you track progress and is highly customizable. Most fitness apps collect data from previous workouts and provide a report on how much you’ve progressed over time.