Kate explains, “I entered all the movements for a weightlifting workout, but the app ordered them alphabetically instead of in the order I wanted. To move them, I would have had to upgrade to the Elite plan.” She also found it easier to navigate through the desktop version for workout plans, and then locate them on the app afterwards. For the gym-goer—or home gym user—who’s looking for a workout tracker with a comprehensive library of exercises, there’s Jefit.
The Max Home Gym
Apps like Trainerize shine as the ultimate platform for coaches and clients alike, offering unmatched business management tools, client engagement features, and custom branding. It’s a powerhouse for fitness professionals who want to scale their services without sacrificing quality. However, it’s not the best standalone workout app for those seeking a purely self-guided experience. The journey from paper workout logs to the sophisticated personal trainer app on your phone has been a wild ride. They were a great start, but they lacked the personalization and two-way communication that defines true coaching. For example, while Strava can track your gym workouts through Apple’s Fitness app, it’ll struggle to give you useful information, as it won’t record any data points beyond heart rate and calories burned.
What Is the 3-3-3 Workout Rule?
Workout apps can provide you with expert guidance, either through professionally made programs and plans or through connecting you with a certified personal trainer or coach. While what a workout app does varies from product to product, they can help you track progress, keep you motivated, and connect you with like-minded individuals who can support you on your fitness journey. If you’re looking for an app that takes the guesswork out of your training, TR[Ai]NER by Element 26 is worth considering. This AI-powered workout app offers programs you can customize based on your preferences, equipment access, and personal goals. Available modules include a four-week dumbbell muscle build program, a four-week metcon/HIIT program, and a six-week full gym strength gain program, among others.
Best fitness app for strength training

There are also handy features like Strava Beacon, which are designed to keep you safe, by allowing your friends or family members to track your live location on a run. However, if you use a non-Apple fitness tracker, you may be a bit limited for now. For example, I wasn’t able to connect my top fitness tracking apps best Garmin watch to the SWEAT app. To join Apple Fitness Plus, you can try it out for free for up to three months and then have the option to pay month-to-month, $10 or $80 for the year.
Strava
No single app tops every category — the “number one” app is the one that matches your specific workout type, budget, and device. 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. Metrics such as active heart rate, calories, steps, and distance are tracked, too, and demo videos are also available on the watch, though trainer audio is not.
Try the best workout in the world™
Prices will vary and it will depend on what other equipment is necessary to get the full subscription experience. Second, just like the fitness DVDs and VHS tapes of yore, you can work out wherever and whenever you want. In fact, it’s easier with a streaming subscription because you no longer need a DVD player and a TV. So when you’re traveling, or if you’d rather not go to the gym, fitness streaming services make it easier to work out at home. Due to the different functions of these workout subscriptions, we did not include the best overall in the category. Instead, we have highlighted why these apps are unique and who would most enjoy trying them out.
The Simple Plan to Elevate Your Life
The pricing is reasonable considering the depth of content and Sondre’s expertise. With a free trial available, you can test the app before committing to a subscription. We selected Berg Movement as the best influencer program because Sondre’s expertise and teaching ability shine through every aspect of the app. His background as a professional performer and coach means the programming is both practical and effective. The Movement Athlete is perfect for home training, requiring minimal equipment (often just a pull-up bar or rings). This makes it ideal for anyone without gym access or those who prefer training outdoors.
Nike Run Club
- This will appeal to anyone who doesn’t have time to watch a 40-minute guided workout and follow along with an instructor.
- An app is a tool, and like any tool, its effectiveness depends on how you use it.
- To start a regular running routine, you might first want to focus on walking and step counting.
- With over 1,200 exercises programmed into the system, you’ll never run out of training ideas.
- Although more equipment is needed than in other apps we reviewed, Amanda still gives JuggernautAI a 4-out-of-5-star rating for equipment demands.
- The app is free to download, but unlocking the personalised plans and full exercise library requires a subscription.
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. Research like this demonstrates that the value these apps and online programs offer is certainly nothing to dismiss. We selected FitBudd as the best platform for personal trainers because it removes the technical barriers of building an online training business.
Here is the body of the article, written according to your specifications. He’s an expert in all things Apple as well as Computer and Gaming tech, with previous works published on TopTenReviews, Space.com, and Live Science. You’ll find him regularly testing the latest MacBook or iPhone, but he spends most of his time writing about video games at Dexerto. It’s a great resource to get into the social side of running, with ‘friendly’ competition from friends and other users, and it’s great to use for any outdoor pursuit. As the name implies, Fitbit Premium is definitely better with one of the company’s trackers, opening up a whole bunch of additions to the base experience. Our new top pick for 2025, Zing Coach is an AI-powered app packed with tools and a chatbot that’s ideal for any workout type.
Best personal trainer-led fitness app
Top apps offer a wide variety of original workouts for all fitness levels, led by knowledgeable, motivating instructors who push you to challenge yourself while keeping things fun. Shred also offers full-length studio classes in yoga, boxing, HIIT, and more. “It creates running workouts with interval variations based on the time I want to exercise—great for mixing up my routine.” Another staffer said it’s the first platform that’s helped her exercise consistently in years, thanks to a knowledgeable, encouraging trainer. Peloton also offers Strength+, a strength-focused app for home or gym equipment. It delivers programs tailored to the equipment you have, from barbells and kettlebells to cable machines and medicine balls.

Are personal training apps worth it?
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. Nobody wants to pay for something they may not like, so fitness apps with free trials earn higher points than those without. In fact, apps with no trial periods earned a 1-star rating in this category. Our product testers were tasked with evaluating multiple fitness apps and rating them on a 1-to-5-star scale across a variety of categories. Our in-depth methodology covered categories ranging from overall value and ease of use to workout variety and equipment demands.