The Top 5 Fitness Apps of 2026
Other items, like dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands, can also be integrated into your plan, but the aforementioned pieces are a definite must. 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. After trying the app myself, I’d give the instruction a 4.5 out of 5. The workouts are easy to follow, though you do have to rewind the videos if you miss a move. Now, to track your daily caloric intake, Noom does require you to log each meal.
Trainerize
- It’s packed with actionable insights, and the trends established from the Journal and Healthspan are unique and effective.
- Even though the app doesn’t offer any standout features, it includes solid basics at a decent price point.
- The app will track your sleep and help you find the right times to go to bed.
- Christina is a health commerce staff writer at Fortune with more than a decade of experience crafting engaging content for digital platforms.
- Our tester appreciated this unrestricted approach to food options, stating they quickly got the hang of being aware of their intake.
- Trainerize supports custom-branded apps, allowing businesses to maintain their brand identity while delivering digital coaching services.
These may include virtual personal trainers, live classes, or AI-driven feedback to ensure proper form and progress tracking. For those who prefer a more personalized touch, look for apps offering one-on-one coaching sessions or tailored workout plans. A little coaching can go a long way in keeping you dialed into your schedule and on top of your goals, though it makes sense that some folks may not be interested in the extra stress of keeping up with a coach. And with a team of certified personal trainers, coaches, and competitive athletes, we know what to look for in top training programs.
Feeld: Dating for the Curious
WH executive editor Abby Cuffey and executive health and fitness director Jacqueline Andriakos have been using Ladder for years for the kettlebell workouts in the Body and Bell program (created by Kanski) in the app. WH lifestyle director Lindsay Geller has also been using it more than ever, thanks to their recently launched prenatal track. WH editors and SID trainers alike are obsessed with Ladder, which was co-founded by a WH advisory board member, Lauren Kanski, CPT.
Which app is best for beginners?
We’re a group of fitness industry professionals, including certified personal trainers, nutrition coaches, CrossFit Level 1 Trainers, USAW L-1 Coaches, and Olympic-level athletes. We took our real-life experience and in-depth testing methodology to score 10 different categories on a 1-to-5-star rating. All three tiers of the Caliber app are beginner-friendly, but it’s worth mentioning that Caliber’s training programs are focused on building strength. There are plenty of bodyweight-only workouts to choose from; just know that even a few free weights (such as the best dumbbells) available to you may help you with your workout options and progression. Overall, our testers give Caliber a 4-out-of-5-star rating for equipment demands.
Q: Can I switch fitness apps between iOS and Android without losing data?
Virtuagym offers access to a database of over 9 million food items, a barcode scanner for easy tracking, and science-backed meal templates. Let’s look at some of the reasons why workout apps could help us guys out. Strava’s tracking app allows you to track 30 different sports and, with a subscription, provides a wide variety of statistics to analyze your workouts. Although there is plenty of instruction within the app, Aaptiv won’t hold your hand through the workout. Instead, exercises within workouts have short audio and visual instructions, and workouts can be completed at your own pace. The lack of a coach-led workout might deter some people from using this app, Amanda suggests.
Consider these picks the ones we will never delete (even if we are running low on storage!). As a personal trainer who has worked with clients of all fitness levels and ages, I think on-demand sessions tend to be too fast for beginners. Also, an app that offers one demonstration video per exercise guarantees you can go through the workout at your own pace. This means you can watch and listen to the instruction several times before attempting the new movement yourself. Aaptiv is an app that offers a terrific starting place for beginners. FitOn offers a diverse workout library, featuring cardio, strength training, yoga, and meditation, with expert guidance from celebrity trainers.
What is the best gym exercise to lose belly fat?
It’s free, comes with big variety of exercises and syncs to Apple Health. I use Strong but it’s definitely simple and does what it does well but doesn’t have many bells and whistles. If I was doing more than I do now (1-2 lifts per week with super simple repeating structure) then I’d be looking for something else.
Client Experience
FitOn is offering a wide range of video-based workouts led by celebrity trainers, aiming to make fitness accessible to everyone. Here are a few other workout apps that we researched and tested, but they didn’t quite hit the mark to make our final list. Former GGR social media manager Brittany Combs tested the app for our Centr review and notes the majority of the workouts keep the equipment limited to kettlebells, dumbbells, or other free weights. Even more, Brittany says you can filter the equipment you have or don’t have to find a program that https://www.reddit.com/r/fitbod/comments/hstopi/anyone_moved_away_from_fitbod/ works for you.
Strava
It focuses on making fitness accessible through free workouts and premium features that offer more customization options. Nike Training Club is a comprehensive fitness app that offers workouts in strength, endurance, yoga, and mobility with a mix of beginner to advanced programs. The app shines through its high-quality video classes, led by expert trainers, and offers free access to many workouts. Every athlete can have a different experience when it comes to workout apps. We like the workout variety here, too, however, there aren’t any barbell training options — like deadlifts, front squats, or other barbell back exercises — our tester said. So, if you’re wanting an app that offers advanced strength training with progressive overload, this probably isn’t the best pick.
Matt says this app is primarily for people who have high self-motivation. ““You can see other community members and invite your friends to do the same program with you,” Matt says. “By default, it’s not really meant for coaching or accountability.” We’ll give it a 2 out of 5 in the accountability category. It gives you everything you need, with over 17,000 on-demand classes, over 24 class types, over 70 training programs, and nothing you don’t (cough, diet culture, cough). It’s for anyone looking to get a killer workout in without any of the toxic fitness language, according to the creators.
How We Tested and Chose the Best Workout Apps
It has a decent amount of free features, with several workouts and single exercise demonstrations, but the bulk of the app’s content is behind the paywall. To access this, you take a quiz that asks your goals, fitness level, and how you like to work out, and it suggests a few different programs, most of which are 12 weeks long. Some apps try to shame you into working out, or bombard you with notifications, so I liked this approach. Nike’s app also offers push notification reminders (which you can turn off) to prompt you when it’s time to do a workout.
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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). Like most exercise programs, what you get out of a fitness app depends on what you put into it. We also considered the variety of workouts in terms of type, length, and difficulty (for beginners to advanced), and whether you have a complete home gym or just a floor and your own bodyweight.