15 best workout apps for exercising at home in 2023

There are gravel-specific plans, plans for crushing a 100-mile mountain bike race, or keeping up with your crew at the local criterium. If you’re feeling tight after high-octane workouts like CrossFit, you should check out this app to get a good stretch. The daily guided routines are designed to improve your body’s range of motion and then gain better body awareness. The strength programs leave something to be desired, so if you want to focus on lifting, we recommend going elsewhere.

Future Fitness

Traditional gym exercises don’t work for everybody, and that’s where many of these fitness classes come in. There are some apps that do focus on workouts you’d do at a gym, but quite a few apps offer more than that. Home workout apps are mobile or web platforms that deliver guided exercise programs performable without a physical gym. These platforms offer structured routines, instructional videos, progress tracking, and often AI-powered personalization—all accessible from any location with internet connectivity. For free options, Nike Training Club offers structured programs with solid instruction. For paid apps under $15/month, Daily Burn provides the broadest library of instructor-led workouts across all fitness levels and workout types.

Best Workout Apps Comparison Table

A busy executive can complete a 20-minute strength circuit during lunch breaks, while shift workers can access 24/7 programming regardless of gym hours. Families benefit from shared device access, eliminating multiple membership fees unimeal review while accommodating different fitness levels and preferences simultaneously. There are even online workout programs that allow you to interact one-on-one with a personal trainer from your own home. Nike Training Club does offer beginner-focused workouts, but even those classes still do require some basic fitness knowledge. We were a little disappointed that there were no modifications provided in any of the classes we tried—and this could definitely be a deterrent for people who are just starting out their fitness journey. We love that there are a ton of equipment-free workouts to choose from—but when it comes to strength training in particular, the BODYPUMP classes are our absolute favorite.

Frequently asked questions about fitness apps

These technological advances bridge the gap between personal trainer expertise and accessible pricing. AI-driven personalization represents sophisticated algorithms that continuously adjust workout intensity, duration, and exercise selection based on user feedback, performance metrics, and biometric data. Leading platforms like Daily Burn and SHRED demonstrate 50% higher retention rates compared to static programming through real-time adaptive coaching. Flexibility manifests in multiple dimensions beyond scheduling convenience.

Why They Improve Fitness Workouts

• Being aware of your sleep habits and behaviors can shed light on how you feel the next day.
• Gyms supply members with a wide range of weights, but if you’re working out at home, you might need to continue buying heavier weights over time.
• Proving as much is Nike Training Club, which respectively straddles yoga, bodybuilding, and a slew of additional categories by way of various routines.
• The AI component is lighter than competitors — it provides workout plans and volume recommendations but lacks the real-time adaptive intelligence of Planfit or Dr. Muscle.
• Even if you don’t have a Peloton tread, you can still take advantage of the playlists (Broadway, hip hop, new releases, artist spotlights, and more) and personalities of the many Peloton coaches with the Peloton app.
• Not only is the app free to use, but you don’t need to buy any equipment.

If you prefer to keep your data and running routes private, you can also make those changes through your settings via the app. One of the newer safety features on the Strava app is called the Beacon, which lets you share your location in real time with an emergency contact. From there we further tested our top contenders during workouts at our Men’s Health gym, our training spaces at home, local performance facilities, and outdoors. We made sure to utilize both iOS and Android smartphones, to compare how these apps performed on those different operating systems. The app’s creators bring you this mobile workout trainer that helps you achieve specific fitness goals.

Best fitness-tracking apps

Completely customized plan for extra support, as well as various programs and general membership. For decades, people were told never to let knees go past toes during squats or lunges. ATG flips this on its head, teaching you to safely load your joints through full ranges of motion, building bulletproof strength in positions most programs avoid. Users consistently praise the quality of coaching, noting coaches are knowledgeable, responsive, and genuinely invested in their success. Many report achieving better results than with previous in-person trainers.

Do fitness apps really work?

This one may not work as well as a 24/7 step counter as with fitness bands or other apps. That said, the app is completely free (with advertising), so it’s difficult to complain too much about a lack of features. Strava is one of the most popular cycling apps in the world, and for good reason. The standout feature is segments (where you can earn KOMs/QOMs), but Strava also hosts a number of features including route planning, heat maps, and one-touch recording. You need a paid subscription to access some functionality, including route planning and full segment leaderboards. Free users can still upload rides to Strava, create segments, follow any one of its 190 million users and see their top ten times on any segment.

Obé Fitness

You’ll get a full-body workout and work on muscle strength and endurance while losing weight. Obé Fitness is designed for beginners, pros, and anyone who tends to stray from the typical exercises you’d do in a gym. Classes range from dance HIIT, cardio boxing, pilates, and barre, and can be taken live or through a pre-recorded, on-demand option.

Our Thoughts on Reverse Health

Plus, all that logged data makes it easier for the AI platform to curate your recommended training schedule as it learns and progresses with you in the gym. Considering the sheer variety of well-designed workouts, our testers gave their overall experience a 5 out of 5. If you’re looking for an immersive training experience that’s rich with motivation, advice, and engagement, we highly recommend subscribing to Future. Yes, the monthly membership is expensive at $199, but with that you’re essentially getting a full-fledged personal trainer in your pocket (or on your watch or TV). For fitness professionals ready to scale their business and provide clients with a premium coaching experience, FitBudd offers the complete infrastructure needed to succeed in the competitive online fitness market. FitBudd handles payment processing, making it easy for trainers to offer various pricing models including one-time payments, monthly subscriptions, and tiered packages.

Alpha Progression

A 2015 study states that users should exercise caution when choosing an app for fitness. The researchers looked at 30 popular fitness apps and found that overall, the rate of adherence to guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine was low. The authors found that only one app in the study scored higher than 50%. Several Healthline testers have commented that the Peloton app is the key to their at-home fitness success. Tester Sydney Samuels started using the Peloton app during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to use it to supplement her in-person gym and exercise classes.