The Best Workout Apps We’ve Tested for 2026

28 May The Best Workout Apps We’ve Tested for 2026

However, if you’re training for a specific sport, you may find the programming somewhat problematic. Caine, an Olympian who competed at the Tokyo Games, found the programming wasn’t useful for Olympic lifting. For anyone in the market for a Peloton app alternative, iFIT should scratch the itch. This platform, which ranges from $15 to $39 per month, offers a library of 10,000-plus workouts streamed right to your phone/tablet or integrated cardio machine. The massive workout selection is led by more than 180 trainers, helping you find the right fit for your training style.

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• Noom combines psychology and behavioral science with traditional weight loss features like meal and activity tracking, personal coaches, and online communities to help customers adopt a healthier lifestyle.
• If you have no problem motivating yourself, you may do just fine with an app that provides pre-made programs to follow on your own.
• “Plus, there’s analytics, including an anatomy chart that’s heat-mapped based on volume, so you can add any neglected muscle groups to your routine.” He rates the ease of use a 5 out of 5.
• BetterMe gets a 4 out of 5 in its initial setup, since you begin with a quiz on your fitness goals, mobility issues, sleep schedule, and more.
• My favorite aspect is how smoothly this app integrates with your personal music app, like Apple Music or Spotify.
• Here’s a breakdown of the categories we tested for, and how we rated them.

Studies show that digital interventions can be as effective as in-person coaching, provided the user maintains high adherence. The key is accountability and nutrition tracking, which many apps provide. If you love to ride your bike but don’t want to hit the road during the coldest days of winter, Zwift is your solution. The app gamifies your workouts, pitting you against yourself, your friends, and fellow Zwift users in races, group rides, and targeted workouts.

Best Workout App for Strength Training: Boostcamp

The AI tracks which muscle groups you’ve trained recently and prioritizes fresh muscles in each new session. This approach reduces the chance of overtraining any single muscle group and naturally creates balanced training across the week. It’s a genuinely smart system that many users love, though the $14.99/month subscription fee and lack of a permanent free tier are notable downsides. Blogilates (available on Android, iOS, and the web) is one of the best free workout apps. Even better, you don’t have to create an account to use it, which is ideal for privacy. The ever-peppy Cassey Ho leads the calisthenics and pilates-focused app, sweating and suffering alongside you through her challenging routines.

Plus, all that logged data best workout apps for iPhone makes it easier for the AI platform to curate your recommended training schedule as it learns and progresses with you in the gym. The Peloton experience is a little lacking in the accountability department if you go with the basic membership, our tester noted. “If you want more of the at-home gym experience, I recommend the All-Access option,” they said, giving this category a 3 out of 5. As an All-Access member, you can encourage other users in your classes and follow the in-class leaderboard.

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Once you complete a quick quiz about your fitness level, goals, injury history, and your preferred coaching style, you’re paired with your instructor. You video chat with them for an introduction, and from there, your training plan is customized to your abilities and available equipment. Some apps even have coaching check-ins or community boards for additional accountability. If the app is generally OK after a short learning curve, testers could give the app a middle-of-the-road 3-star rating.

All of the apps are free to download (although many require in-app purchases and subscriptions to unlock all their features), so it’s worth your time to check them out. As the ways we approach exercise have shifted in the face of changing technology, having a digital training partner has become more commonplace. Whether you’re exercising at home, or on the road, the best workout apps have become one of the most versatile fitness tools out there.

The iFit app features a library of over 16,000 live and on-demand classes that range from mental health and recovery to rowing, running, HIIT and strength classes. You can get the full studio experience virtually through iFit, and is a great boost to any home gym set-up — with or without equipment. The workouts are built around your available equipment, which our testers found convenient. The best workout app for you will vary depending on your fitness goals, budget, preferred training method, and the level of coaching you desire. Some of our recommended apps include Shred, Future, Caliber, and iFIT. We recognize this scoring system isn’t perfect because personal training apps can cost much more to the tune of hundreds of dollars per month.

FitOn: Fitness Workout Plans

Here’s our honest breakdown of ten workout apps we think are worth your attention — including our own — evaluated on ease of use, programming quality, video content, pricing, and real-world effectiveness. Future Pro connects you to a personal trainer who creates a training plan for you. You get an introductory video call with your coach, and sometimes a check-in call, but not a live video call session for the workouts themselves. Your coach uploads a custom training plan each week, and your connected Apple Watch or other supported fitness device collects data from your workout and sends it to them for review. A fitness watch isn’t strictly necessary, but it’s highly recommended.

But finding the one that works best for you can be a struggle, given the overwhelming number of options on the app stores. We’ve tested and collected our favorite fitness apps below, based primarily on quality and value. Nike Fitness Club is our current favorite of the bunch, but all of our other picks are worth a download, too. Read on past the list for more guidance on choosing the best workout service for your long-term health. The app allows you to stream classes in 10 different categories (cycling, running, bootcamp, outdoor, strength, and more) anywhere, with live studio classes uploaded daily to an extant library of over 10,000.

How often should I meet with my online personal trainer?

“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. Zwift scored highly in most categories, but as it’s more of a racing app than a platform that provides instruction, we only gave it 2.5 out of 5 stars for accountability and instruction. To be clear, there are no instructors or live workout classes in the Zwift app, but you’ll be able to join virtual races with other users. Although it costs about $200 a month, Future features a user-friendly interface, customizable programming, and excellent support from your personal coach.

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If you, too, are overstimulated, we’ve rounded up a list of standout apps that cater to all fitness goals. Whether you’re looking for structured workout programs, real-time feedback, or a bit of inspiration for the new year, we’ve done the heavy lifting to bring you the apps worth downloading. Different fitness apps can vary in price, depending on the membership you choose and the amount of first-person coaching.

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Her workout of choice nowadays is strength training, plus logging her daily steps. After her first daughter was born six years ago, she became especially passionate about prenatal and postnatal fitness, teaching stroller bootcamp classes and working with expecting moms as clients. Post-journalism school, Nicole worked in print media as a magazine editor for eight years, then went freelance for a while, writing for fitness websites and manufacturers in the industry. Now, as director of content at GGR, she brings her expertise in fitness to writing and editing honest reviews on everything you might need for your home gym. Fitbod sits comfortably in third place with its unique muscle recovery model.

Best for iPhone Users

Planfit’s AI coach “Max” builds custom workout routines based on your goals, experience level, available equipment, and schedule. During workouts you get real-time voice coaching with form cues, AI-recommended rest times, and automatic exercise substitutions. The app monitors recovery across 17 muscle groups, auto-detects personal records, and scores each workout across multiple metrics. We also have a social side — community feed, clubs with leaderboards, and workout proof sharing. Core workout features are free; premium unlocks advanced analytics and additional coaching. If you own an exercise bike, treadmill, or rower, the Peloton app can help you make the most of it.

Best Workout App for Men: Caliber Strength Training

So, if you’re performing an iFIT workout on a NordicTrack treadmill, your machine will react to the coach’s lead, providing an ever-changing cardio session to keep things fresh. Even though BetterMe received above-average scores for categories like ease of use and equipment demands, it doesn’t have too many interactive features and only received average scores for pricing and value. You can deviate from the workout plan given by BetterMe, though, as there is an entire workout library.