If the gym prices are getting you down and finding time to get there is also a problem, we’ve got the solution. We found the best workout apps available from your phone or smart tv. The range of fitness apps is vast, so we researched to find you nothing but the best. We found everything from free trial offers to an at-home personal trainer to fitness classes. No matter what kind of fitness you desire, there is a workout app to cater to your fitness goals. Sit back while we enlighten you with our findings.
- Best muscle-building app to plan and track your workouts.
- The 450+ best exercises for hypertrophy, each with video and instructions, perfectly cataloged.
- Use a combination of technology, content, and elite personal trainers to empower our members through fitness.
- Custom-made training plans with personalized audio coaching
- The simplest interface of any fitness app in the App Store.
- A comprehensive range of cardio and strength exercises - and add your own too.
- 12 programs that you can switch between any time.
- 72 weeks of meals plans with custom portions according to your daily caloric needs.
Gym Workout Apps Explained
A workout app is a mobile application that provides strength training, fitness classes, personal trainers, and more to your phone, tablet, or smart tv. They are designed to improve your fitness levels whether you prefer to train at home or on the go. The best fitness apps track your fitness goals to help you monitor your progress and give you a sense of accomplishment. Instructional videos and how-to’s come with workout apps to ensure everyone is successful.
Before you decide which are the best workout apps, here are a few elements we deem essential.
Workout Plans and Routines
A workout app should include various workout plans and routines to cater to any fitness level. Modifications should also be included due to restrictions because of injuries or health conditions that inhibit specific movements or exercises. There should be various activities, including strength training, stretching, cardiovascular, HIIT (high-intensity interval training), and more.
Tracking Exercise and Progress
The best workout apps track exercise and progress to help you reach your fitness goals. With seeing progress, staying motivated is easier, especially when working out at home. Tracking helps change your exercise routine from one day to the next and see your stats. Some fitness apps give feedback on your form to ensure you exercise the muscle group correctly to avoid injuries.
Meal Planning and Nutrition Information
Some of the best workout apps include meal planning options and nutritional information to keep you healthy. Diet plays a significant role in a healthy lifestyle that exercise alone cannot completely fulfill. By navigating the proper eating habits with training, you will be unstoppable.
Personalized Coaching Options
If a personal trainer is helpful to keep you on track, look for a workout app that features personalized coaching. Coaches message you to check your progress, give video demonstrations and provide motivation to ensure you stay on track.
Community and Social Features
Everything is better with friends. Don’t you agree? Things are more manageable when you establish a community of people who train or suffer with you. Having comrades to keep you accountable and motivated helps you meet your fitness goals.
The Best Workout Apps
1. Alpha Progression
Known as “intelligent strength training,” Alpha Progression was founded in Germany by Marwin Sinapius and Benjamin Schnabel. Together, they built a workout app centered around strength training, building lean muscle mass, teaching proper weight-lifting form, and tracking results.
While there is no free version, a free trial is available for 14 days to help you decide if the Alpha Progression workout app works for you. Once you decide it is, it costs $59.99 per year or $9.99 for a monthly subscription.
We like this workout app because it eliminates needing a personal trainer. The extensive library of workouts features video demonstrations and tutorials on completing the exercises successfully.
The tracking option lets you see your progress, and the app is excellent for any fitness level. If you want to know even more, check out our Alpha Progression review.
Pros:
- Science-based workouts
- Exercise plans are 100% customizable based on fitness goals, equipment availability, fitness levels, etc.
- The app is easy to navigate and log/track progress
- Enormous library available of workouts for strength training with videos and tutorials
- Affordable
- Includes free trial for 14 days
Cons:
- Access to weights is essential for this app
- Custom training plans based on: Muscles to focus, training sessions per week, time available per session
- Long term tracking and charting
- Periodize your training plans, track RIR, and schedule deloads
2. Future Fitness
Future Fitness gives you a personal trainer right at your fingertips that meet your hectic schedule. Meet with a fitness professional available any time of the day to ignite your fitness routine.
With this workout app, excuses go out the window. Lack of motivation, no time, or equipment is no longer valid with Future Fitness. All workouts are equipment or no-equipment friendly so that you can train from anywhere.
Future Fitness only hires personal trainers with plenty of industry experience training athletes. More than 95% of the trainers hold a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, and 80% have experience training high-level athletes. Their expertise in physiology and nutrition helps you reach your workout goals in no time.
We like Future Fitness for people who want a personal trainer without breaking the bank or adding more chaos to their hectic lifestyle. It brings motivation and accountability to you at home.
Pros:
- Workouts are personalized based on equipment on hand
- Fitness goals are the trainer’s top priority
- A real coach gives you accountability and motivation
- The workout app is user-friendly
Cons:
- Expensive at $149 per month
- It only works with iPhones
- Some reviews complain about the robotic voice that feels impersonal at times.
- Unlimited access to your own personal trainer.
- Your trainer will communicate as much as you need to keep you excited, on track, and consistent.
- Weekly training plan built just for you
- Your trainer can include any activity you enjoy doing, including cardio classes, yoga, or the spontaneous hike.
- Detailed audio and video guides for each movement.
- Unlimited flexibility.
- Your trainer can also adjust your workout anytime if you’re having a busy day or if you’re on the road.
3. Strong App
The Strong App dates back to 2011, when it was introduced as a progress tracker for fitness. Since then, it has garnered over 3 million users who have logged over 10 million training hours and 30 million workouts.
It’s rated a 4.9 on both Apple and Google as one of the best all-in-one fitness trackers. It allows you to customize workouts, take body measurements, schedule workouts, create warm-ups, and more.
It costs $7.49 per month or $44.99 per year. An option for a free trial for 60 days gives you unlimited access to the entire platform. We love this budget-friendly option to track workouts and build accountability toward your fitness goals.
Pros:
- The user interface is modern and easy to use
- Any fitness level can benefit
- Tracks strength and cardio workouts
- Always have access to prior exercise logs to see stats over time
- Inexpensive
Cons:
- Some complain the free fitness app restricts access
- It only features a few basic workout templates
- No guidance from fitness professionals for form, nutrition, or workout tutorials
• The simplest interface of any fitness app in the App Store.
• A comprehensive range of cardio and strength exercises - and add your own too.
• Fully-featured Apple Watch app to log workouts with or without your iPhone.
• Add your own routines and easily choose between them.
• Detailed exercise instructions with a growing library of animated videos.
• Advanced Statistics show your personal records and progression and even calculate your one rep max and total weight lifted!
4. Fit Body App
The Fit Body app is designed for women who want to take control of their health and fitness. It contains On-Demand workouts with over 280 weeks of content and the ability to download workouts.
There are video tutorials to answer health and fitness questions. The Fit Body app allows you to customize workouts to cater to any fitness level, location, and goal.
There is a nutrition questionnaire to help with daily diet guidelines and a diary to input daily calories for tracking. With over 300 recipes and meal plans, a healthier diet is at your fingertips to add to the many exercise options.
The Fit Body app is $19.99 per month or $119.99 per year. If you’re interested in trying out the Fit Body app for free, they offer a free seven-day trial for new users. Explore one of the best fitness apps with either iOS or Android devices.
Pros:
- Excellent user interface that is easy to use
- Provides three programs called Shred, Tone, and Sculpt, with beginner, intermediate, and advanced options
- Community of Facebook and Instagram users for support
- Supports both mental and physical changes
- Extra challenges every month
- Tracks meals with or without calorie and macro counts
- Meal plans offer many dietary options
- The equipment needed for each workout is shown at the beginning.
- Physical therapist available via email
- Excellent customer service
Cons:
- Workouts can get boring
- App only features one trainer
- The workout schedule is not for everyone
- Can’t add something quickly on the meal tracker
- Some users found it challenging to switch between workout programs
- 12 programs that you can switch between any time.
- Workout sessions you can fit into your schedule.
- 72 weeks of meals plans with custom portions according to your daily caloric needs.
- 300+ recipes to mix and match and make your own meal plan.
- Educational videos with guidance and dozens of fitness and food topics intended to help you reach your goals of achieving physical, mental, and emotional well-being
Deciding on the Best Workout App
Before deciding which app is best for you, consider your fitness goals. Do you want to achieve weight loss, general fitness, or strength training? Knowing which avenue you want allows you to pick an app specific to those needs.
Decide what your favorite approach to exercise is. Do you prefer instructor-led live classes, video instruction, or a tracking app for your workouts?
Make sure whichever fitness app you choose is compatible with your device. Some apps only work with iPhones or the Apple watch, while others are more universal.
Read reviews on the different apps. People love to share their experiences, and you’ll get a lot of information about fitness apps on the internet to help you decide.
Consider your budget before deciding on a workout app. There are several that offer free trials to help you decide.
Concluding Thoughts
No matter what workout you prefer, there is an app for that. From bodyweight workout apps to Crossfit apps to calisthenics, the sky is the limit. Find a workout program that works with your schedule and fitness goals. It’s time to put your health and well-being first.
Kristen holds a bachelors in English from Louisianna university. With a longstanding passion for fitness, she owns and operate her own gym and is a certified jazzercise instructor.