The level of guidance you need says a lot about your choice of free workout apps. If you don’t need much guidance or instruction, paying for regular sessions, videos, and audio classes might not be a good idea. Plus, you’ll find educational videos such as “pelvic floor education” and breathing exercises.
We’re a group of certified personal trainers, gym owners, and Olympic-level athletes with years of experience following, designing, and coaching clients through training programs. All your core health and activity insights are comprehensively covered, including sleep tracking and coaching, steps, stress, body battery (a kind of energy level metre) and breathing rate. With more than 80 sport modes, run-tracking tools to rival lower-end Garmin Forerunners, fitness benchmarks like VO2 Max estimates, fitness age along with daily suggested workouts and recovery time recommendations. A food tracking app can be a helpful tool if you’re working toward weight loss goals, according to Barkyoumb. It plans out your meals for the week and has recipes that you can follow to create at home. I think this app is best for experienced trainers because of how challenging the PWR program is.
I used this forgotten Google app instead of Instagram for a week — and couldn’t go back
Instead, you now have the option to filter workouts by muscle group — abs and core, arms and shoulders, or glutes and legs, workout focus — endurance, mobility, strength, and yoga, and by equipment. If you’re looking for a simple workout tracker with an expansive community feed, look no further than Hevy, our pick for the best free app for community support. While there is a paid plan available, the free plan provides plenty for most users, earning a 5 out of 5 for value.
Forearm plank
Not every workout app can be the best, but some can still be great and worth your time. These are the apps we’ve tested that didn’t quite make the cut, but are still worth a download if you’re after more options. We also really liked that you can head into the app’s settings to select the equipment you have to hand, then use that list to filter the library, so you only see classes or routines you can do with the weights you have. This saves a lot of time, allowing you more space to do your workout rather than fiddle with the app. “I think the social network-esque aspect of it is what really differentiates it from other free cycling GPS apps,” our tester and long-time Strava user Amanda Capritto says. “You can follow people on Strava just like on Instagram or Twitter.” Along with that, Strava encourages group challenges and interaction with other athletes through clubs.
Best Workout App Overall: Future
One drawback our testing revealed about TR[Ai]NER is the lack of detailed warm-ups and cool-downs. Our tester notes that he asked the app to provide details, and it only suggested taking 5 minutes to warm up and 5 minutes to cool down — nothing more in terms of recommended stretches, movements, or even tempo. “Regardless, it is a very useful workout app and it does make sense as long as the goals are set to an honest and logical intent,” they add. If an app requires you to have access to a full gym or only has a small percentage of workouts that can be performed with minimal equipment, that was cause for a 1- or 2-star rating. 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.
Take Your Workout to the Next Level
Good Pilates programming is genuinely hard to find in an app, and Yoga-Go delivers it well. For anyone inspired by Sondre Berg’s movement on social media or simply wanting expert calisthenics coaching, this app delivers professional-quality programming at a fraction of the cost of in-person training. Pliability offers an unlimited free trial, allowing you to experience the benefits before committing to a subscription. This risk-free approach demonstrates confidence in their content’s effectiveness. Daily mobility routines, access 1500+ workouts, expert coaches, track progress, effective programming. The app is easy to use, and allows you to follow along to a structured program, as well as gaining access to a whole host of on-demand workouts.
Do I need a fitness tracker with built-in GPS?
The GPS support seems to work well enough, as Amanda tested its accuracy with other GPS trackers she uses, and it was online workout coaching comparable to those apps and trackers. She gave it a 3-out-of-5 rating, as it still wasn’t always accurate, getting within about a tenth of a mile for accuracy. GGR staff writer Matt Dustin, CSCS, PN-1, has used this app for over six months and loves the tracking, ease of use, and ability to build your own custom training plan if you want. Each exercise has an extensive overview of the movement, including a video, complete step-by-step instructions, a muscle map displaying the body parts most involved, and even key points and takeaways on form. That’s a lot of information for each exercise, leading us to rate the instruction a 5 out of 5. In addition to Alo’s premium apparel, the West Coast athleisure brand has also made a splash in the at-home workout space.
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While there are plenty to choose from in 2025, Runna is our favourite of all the running apps. I’ve used this app myself for a year now for a mix of marathon training and regular cardio exercises. I love how it’s completely personalised, despite being AI-led, and the interface is so easy to use. I used this app plenty over lockdown and have kept up my weekly habit ever since. I’ve found probably almost 100 classes in that time that I love and keep going back to, with pre-uploaded sessions to choose from as well as live classes.
- While some strength-focused apps expect you to have access to at least the basics, like an Olympic barbell, dumbbells, and squat rack, Fitbod truly allows you to customize your workouts to any type of equipment access.
- The good news is that any kind of movement is better than being sedentary, so there’s nothing wrong with starting small and working your way up to longer workouts.
- Most of the calorie tracking apps will have both free and premium plans, and you’ll often find that the best features are locked in the premium version.
- Improving your fitness benefits your overall health, including your physical and mental well-being.
- We also look for meaningful features, like streamlined meal logging, detailed nutrient tracking, and supportive community tools, that make it easier to stay consistent.
- Destini offered her own insight on the topic as a sports dietitian who regularly works with athletes who need precision and accuracy to reach their goals as quickly as possible.
Engaging in a consistent home exercise routine 3 to 5 days per week can enhance physical abilities and overall physical health. Making an effort to alternate exertion levels or increase RPE with subsequent home workouts can help enhance a person’s cardio routine. A person can search for a variety of cardiovascular exercise routines online. A person can increase the intensity — referring to the rate and repetitions — of any cardio exercise to convert them into advanced movements.
Fitness tracker FAQs
You video chat with them for an introduction, and from there, your training plan is customized to your abilities and available equipment. Many workout apps track your progress over time, allowing you to see whether the plan you’re following is delivering results. According to GGR Senior Staff Writer Matt Dustin, CSCS, tracking your progress is the key to making long-term improvements. While the Caliber app earns the nod on our best workout app for men, women can also achieve great results since it offers something for everyone. There is a robust free-forever version and two paid options that grant you access to either group coaching ($19 per month) or a fully customized one-on-one coaching program (starting at $200 per month). While we think this is the best overall workout app, it’s really meant for athletes who want to follow pre-made programs rather than those who simply want an app to track their existing workouts.
Best workout app for meal plans
Runimals, the polygonal creatures roaming around your virtual world, can comment on your activities and offer advice. Overall, the Hops app is an appealing and playful upgrade to a basic activity tracker, making it one of the simplest apps that gamify exercise. Your Hop, a tree spirit, wanders the forest looking for building materials such as wood, stone, and rare rubies. New crafting materials appear in the game every time you take about 500 steps. You can also personalize the character and change its head color, clothes, arms, and accessories by trading in materials. So, bring some fun and imagination into your daily workouts with these apps that gamify your fitness routine.
Best workout apps for women in 2026
However, if you use a non-Apple fitness tracker, you may be a bit limited for now. For example, I wasn’t able to connect my best Garmin watch to the SWEAT app. The app can feel a little overwhelming at a first glance, but classes can be filtered by trainer, time, and the music you prefer to work out to.