Different fitness apps can vary in price, depending on the membership you choose and the amount of first-person coaching. Our team selected apps with a variety of prices, so there’s something for everyone. Speaking of the gym, we recommend having access to a good bit of strength equipment before signing up for this app. According to our tester, you should, at minimum, have a squat rack, weight bench, and barbell, and even some of the best weight plates at the ready to facilitate your training routine. Other items, like dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands, can also be integrated into your plan, but the aforementioned pieces are a definite must. Best-known for its at-home indoor cycling classes with one of the best exercise bikes in the biz, Peloton is among the most popular home fitness apps right now.
MacroFactor — Best Adaptive Calorie Tracker
The app you’ll actually use consistently beats the “perfect” app you abandon after two weeks. Start with a free version, test it for a few workouts, and see if it fits your flow. You can set up your program on Sunday and just follow it throughout the week. Redditors consistently complain about apps that require too many steps to log a set.
The Best Free Workout Apps Reddit Keeps Recommending
Yes, there are fully free apps and platforms, and many paid apps have free tiers with limited features. You’ll usually trade off personalization, coaching, or advanced tracking at the free level, but free options can still work well. Experienced lifters or runners might be fine with minimal cues, as long as sets, reps, or distances are clearly laid out. Beginners, people returning from injury, or anyone unsure about form usually benefit from detailed demonstrations, step‑by‑step videos, and clear modifications. Look for an app whose level of guidance matches how confident you feel performing exercises on your own. Reverse Health is our pick as the best workout app for weight loss, and is often featured on our list of the best weight loss programs.
On iOS — Reddit recommends:
Fitbod is a top-notch home workout app that has become quite popular among fitness enthusiasts on Reddit. With customized workout plans and intelligent training recommendations, you can achieve your fitness goals without the need for equipment. Once I had full access, I checked out the workouts recommended to me to see if they matched up with my answers on the quiz and tried a strength and cardio workout from each app. This left me with five top picks—Nike Training Club, Sworkit, Skimble, Daily Burn, and Aaptiv. The workouts are also equipment-heavy—you can find bodyweight workouts, but the app is best used with a big piece of cardio equipment like a treadmill or elliptical and a set of dumbbells.
MyFitnessPal (strength + nutrition)
For those who are training for a race or looking to add running to their high-intensity workout regimen, I think Nike is among the best running apps. After using this app for years myself, I think this one is hard to beat, especially if you have new running goals. No need to have Peloton equipment when you can have access to the app with a subscription. Take classes from popular coaches to help you get your run done and dusted.
- If you don’t own any gym equipment but want to get in shape, check out Freeletics.
- The best fitness apps combine that library of information with engaging, easy-to-use interfaces that work with your fitness goals.
- And you can listen to music through the app, on Sworkit’s channels on Spotify or Apple Music, or your own playlists, if you prefer.
- As far as user experience is concerned, we experienced no bugs or lagging when navigating the app features.
- When you sign up, you take a brief quiz, which gives you an option to join a program or toggle between different workouts.
- Strong and Hevy are the two most consistently recommended apps across Reddit.
Best AI Workout App: TR NER by Element 26
If you‘re seeking serious strength gains, Fitbod uses intelligent programming algorithms to maximize results better than most apps. With so many options floating around Reddit threads, it helps to narrow down based on what you actually need. Reddit sentiment has shifted to “it’s fine if you’re already on it, but there’s no reason to start with it in 2026.” The UI is dated, and Hevy has overtaken it on every feature. Reddit is full of frustrated users who lost years of data because they didn’t check this upfront. The best apps show your last workout’s numbers right when you need them, without requiring multiple taps or scrolling. You’ll find detailed comparisons, specific use cases, and honest discussions about what features matter versus what’s just marketing fluff.
Strong: Best for tracking lifts
Plans include bodyweight workouts along with audio guidance and tracking. For gym-based strength training, Setgraph, Strong, and FitNotes consistently appear in recommendation threads. The r/bodyweightfitness community has its own recommended routine, and there are companion apps built around it. The subreddit itself maintains resources pointing people toward apps that follow the RR (Recommended Routine), which is a structured progression-based program. The workouts are well-produced, range from beginner to advanced, and cover strength, cardio, mobility, and yoga.
How We Tested and Chose the Best Workout Apps
But if you’re confident in your audio-learning skills, and want an app that allows you to sweat without having to stare at a screen the whole time, it’s a great option. In 2021, Aaptiv bought Pear, an app that offered heart-rate based workouts—we haven’t tested this, but can only imagine it strengthens Aaptiv’s already-great training programs. The best part, though, is that it’s completely free—no monthly subscription or hassle to cancel should you decide it’s not for you. We chose TR(AI)NER by Element 26 as the best workout app for weightlifting because of its comprehensiveness. Between these prompts and logging your reps, sets, and weight totals, you’re in the app a lot, but our tester noted that the experience wasn’t overwhelming is unimeal legit or annoying.
Assess Features Against Cost
Do you want an app that’s specific to your training interests, or one that caters to a variety of disciplines? Can you structure your fitness program on your own, or need a helping hand to keep you moving forward? To help you navigate through the app store, we’ve tested 19 digital platforms, conducted plenty of research, and read through countless customer reviews to land on our favorite fitness apps available today. The app lets you log exercises, track progressive overload over time, and review your training history. Reddit users in strength training communities frequently mention it as a cleaner alternative to bloated apps that push premium subscriptions in your face every time you open them.
What Makes a Workout App Worth Using Long-Term
Its strain score, recovery score, and sleep performance metrics are cited as the most actionable wearable data available. The community features (comparing recovery and strain scores with friends and athletes) add social accountability. The controversial subscription model ($30/month) with no upfront device cost divides Reddit — some see it as overpriced, others consider it worth it for the coaching insights. The free version only has 20 bodyweight workouts and 25 individual exercises, so you’ll run out of options quickly.