Even as a beginner, once you’ve done one Pilates session for a week or so, you may feel ready to add a few more. If you want to try Peloton classes, the subscription offers a 30-day free trial. Yes for cardio, apps like FitXR and Hitstream rival gym-level routines. Supernatural sets the gold standard for VR workouts with scenic landscapes, music-driven cardio, and real-time coaching.

• But with more and more people working out at home, many apps offer supportive virtual communities with options to motivate each other on the app itself and in its related social media groups.
• The free version provides solid functionality including calorie tracking, basic fasting features, and access to many recipes.
• The community aspect adds valuable motivation, with members sharing progress, asking questions, and celebrating milestones together.
• A recent study from Estrada-Marcén et al., concluded that 72% of users benefited from the use of an exercise app to support their daily fitness goals.
• You will find several activities for cardio, such as HIIT, and a wide selection of bodyweight exercises and resistance training workouts.
• Log your repetitions and weights from each workout, and Juggernaut AI will have you hammering out new PRs in no time.

Once you experience the transformative effects of mobility training, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it. Just a few minutes daily can dramatically improve range of motion, reduce stiffness, and enhance overall movement quality. You can submit videos of your exercises and receive feedback from certified ATG coaches within 24 hours. This level of support ensures you’re performing movements correctly and progressing safely. While Sweat is designed for women, the actual workout content is top-quality strength and cardio programming that delivers real results.

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“It’s not the same as having a personal trainer right there along with you, but overall I knew what I needed to do. Because of this, Caliber earns a 4.5-out-of-5-star rating for instruction. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, improve endurance, or simply enjoy exercise, VR fitness apps turn workouts into play.

The best workout app for women

Garmin Connect, Fitbit Premium, and Samsung Health provide additional analytics layers that complement app-based programming. Compatibility extends beyond fitness trackers to smart TVs, streaming devices, and voice assistants. Multi-device support enables seamless transitions between phone-guided warm-ups and large-screen workout sessions. Library size ranges from Daily Burn’s 1000+ professionally produced classes to Down Dog’s unlimited algorithmically generated sequences.

Do workout apps really work?

We especially love attending the live classes, because you get the actual push from those around you and from Peloton’s lineup of fitness-celebrity trainers. With its simple interface, detailed logging, progress tracking, and social features, it lets you log workouts in just a few taps, analyze your performance, and stay motivated. Many fitness apps fail because they simply select from a library of pre-built workouts without genuine adaptation. Fitness Refined’s AI generates customized programming that evolves with the user, automatically adjusting difficulty, volume and intensity. For athletes wanting to build muscle, it’s tough to beat the performance we experienced with Juggernaut AI.

Best Fitness Apps in 2026: Free & Paid Options Compared

Will Porter is an LA-based freelance writer covering golf, tech, and travel. In addition to Men’s Health, his work has been published in GQ, Gear Patrol, The Strategist, and others. When he’s not writing, you’ll find him running the trails at Griffith Park or trying to catch every new movie in IMAX at the local movie theater. Log your repetitions and weights from each workout, and Juggernaut AI will have you hammering out new PRs in no time. You can challenge yourself by picking routes that athletes near you have curated, then compete head-to-head with them. You can log workouts anytime; if you stop before completing a workout, your avatar stays in the same place, and you can pick up where you left off.

The NBC Select staff and I also tested over a dozen fitness apps (including some that are free) to share our top picks. Another staffer said it’s the first platform that’s helped her exercise consistently in years, thanks to a knowledgeable, encouraging trainer. Fitia is highlighted as a top choice for calorie counting and diet management, offering AI-powered food logging, personalized meal plans, and a database of over 25,000 recipes. It has a free basic tier, with premium plans available for users who need more advanced features.

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We all know that strength training is important, and cardio is important, but what can you do if you don’t have time for both during the week? Life is busy, and unfortunately for many people, personal health falls to last on the priority list. However, she also points out that “in-person programs feature one-on-one, tailored interaction,” providing personal accountability and a sense of community that many online programs might lack. She suggests balancing these aspects based on your fitness goals and preferences.

It keeps track of many things, including steps, time active, and more. Additionally, the app integrates with other apps, including Runkeeper, Strava, MyFitnessPal, Lifesum, Sleep as Android, and many others. Pedometer apps, in general, just aren’t as reliable as you get with hardware. In any case, Google Fit is completely free, with no in-app purchases or ads.

Best fitness tracker app for getting started

You can also pay to reach out to USATF-certified coaches for help with injuries, nutrition, and more. We highlight what makes each one unique, and why, whether you’re just starting out as a runner or you’re a seasoned pro, you will find the two or three apps to your running life. Unless you are competing in an Iron Man-level of triathlon, it’s unlikely you are going to drain a fully charged pair of headphones in one exercise session. That said, it can be annoying to constantly have your headphones connected to an outlet when you want them simply in your gym bag and be ready to go.

Social/Community Features

You’ll usually trade off personalization, coaching, or advanced tracking at the free level, but free options can still work well. We chose TR(AI)NER by Element 26 as the best workout app for weightlifting because of its comprehensiveness. The list includes hiking, canoeing, an e-bike rides, rowing, alpine skiing, swimming, stand-up paddleboarding, and yoga. SWEAT’s app is clean and easy to navigate, with the ability to save workouts for later and browse ‘On Demand’ workouts from other trainers outside of your plan. This allows you to follow workouts without your phone, displaying exercises, reps, timers, and haptic alerts for section changes.

It also syncs seamlessly with other apps like Google Fit and allows you to share your progress with friends. When you’re ready for a change in routine or want to take your fitness goals up a notch, Stridekick is there for you. You can create a challenge or participate in one in the Challenges tab and earn badges for your milestones or personal bests. Many free unimeal scam apps provide excellent movement, cardio and physical activity that burn calories effectively. Wearable-specific setup varies by manufacturer but typically requires downloading companion apps and enabling health platform permissions.

More online workout programs we like for 2026

They also noted that the instructors were clear and easy to follow along with, and appreciated how upfront they were with equipment requirements prior to the session. The workouts are easy to follow, though you do have to rewind the videos if you miss a move. Aaptiv’s membership costs $14.99 per month and offers a free seven day trial.

Best workout app for yoga

Currin said it’s known in the medical community that certain ethnic populations have heavier bone density and nuanced body composition. Despite body mass index (BMI) being widely dispelled and not accurate for certain groups of people, BetterMe still uses it and identified her as “morbidly obese.” Workouts can be viewed on your phone or desktop, or cast to a larger screen using screen mirroring. Workout routines can also be integrated with your own Spotify playlist, or the app’s instrumental upbeat music (that’s actually not bad, according to our testers!). Whether yoga is part of your regular routine or you’re new to the practice, there’s something for you on the Glo app. Peloton classes feature curated music playlists, and each instructor brings their unique style to their classes.