You can look at Hevy’s and other user’s workouts for inspiration, if you’re not sure what to do that day. “I think the social network-esque aspect of it is what really differentiates it from other free cycling GPS apps,” our tester and long-time Strava user Amanda Capritto says. “You can follow people on Strava just like on Instagram or Twitter.” Along with that, Strava encourages group challenges and interaction with other athletes through clubs.
TL;DR: How to Pick the Best App For You
- Strava also integrates and syncs automatically to major fitness tracker brands popular among cyclists and runners—Garmin, Polar, Wahoo, and FitBit, for example.
- Track the number of total workouts you do, how many times per week you train, and the number of consecutive weeks you stay active.
- The Nike Training Club app is completely free, but still packed with instructor-led classes and whiteboard workouts to help you boost your metabolism, and build muscle and develop mental strength without breaking the bank.
- The app covers a wide spectrum of needs—low-impact and wall Pilates, strength, walking, chair and mobility sessions, plus mindset and nutrition tools—so users can progress or scale back without leaving the platform.
- As we kickstart another year, the best workout apps are a great way to train at home or the gym, with access to motivational, qualified personal trainers in just a few taps.
- Other times, the free version is so limited that it almost forces you to pay for the premium deal.
Your choice will ultimately depend on whether you think investing in a paid app will actually help you get closer to your goals and what you’re comfortable spending. Other things to consider are if you prefer live streaming or On demand workouts. However, with the update, Nike removed some of their training programs, which used to be a popular feature of the app.
Best workout app for women
Ladder offers a free seven-day trial, and afterward you can pick from a Pro plan for $30 a month or the Pro Plan-Annual, which is an up-front fee of $180 for the year and offers unlimited access to the app. You cycle through a sci-fi universe that feels like you’re suspended in space, while riding on a track akin to a revolving strand of DNA or a natural world that’s a compelling virtual facsimile of Europe or the Southwest. You can pedal with friends remotely or join paced group rides led by virtual ride leaders. A hunky AI coach can also spit out a workout program after you feed him some basic data. Premade workouts can be as short as five minutes or as long as several hours. The app is free, but you can pay for the Abel Runner’s Club version to access all eight seasons and features.
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. During a workout, if you’re wearing one of the best Apple Watches, you’ll be able to see stats from your watch on the screen. When it first launched, you had to have a Watch to use Fitness Plus, but Apple removed the restriction in 2022. Why you can trust Tom’s GuideOur writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what’s best for you. Centr’s workouts are typically fast-paced and involve multiple movements in a circuit, with little to no rest between sets. The sessions vary in duration and typically focus on different things to provide well-rounded benefits for the whole body.
Paid Version Unlocks
The app sends push notifications as reminders to track food or complete workouts. Additionally, the program was incredibly customizable in Paige’s experience, making it easy to apply Reverse Health to her daily lifestyle. When you’re starting your fitness journey, you need expert advice and a great support team. That’s exactly what Chris Hemsworth was looking for when he started training like a superhero. After working with a team of health and fitness professionals, he was determined to make all of this know-how available to people around the globe in the Centr app. home workout Not every workout app can be the best, but some can still be great and worth your time.
The Best Workout Apps to Kickstart Your Health Goals in 2026
However, if you want a social-driven experience with an active feed, options to follow and interact with others, compete, and compare, Hevy is a fantastic gym option. Strava and Zwift are great options for running and cycling with a community aspect. Do you want a private logger with a good UI, no distractions, and no social pressure?
Centr
It doesn’t matter if you’ve never worked out, you’re making a comeback after a long break, or you’ve tried and given up in the past. Here are the questions all beginners should be asking before hitting ‘download’ in the app store. There are plenty of online yoga instructors to try if neither personality quite gels with you.
We’ve tested the best workout apps to help you train at home
Around the same time as the streamer partnered with Netflix, it also developed a short series with meditation app Headspace, and the Headspace Guide to Meditation is currently still available on Netflix. Since you’ve made it all the way to the end, download Hevy and log your first workout today. Similarly, Zwift and Strava track and record relevant cardio metrics to help reliably improve your endurance performance.
Best for iPhone Users
Many of today’s fitness apps let you customize workouts around your goals, preferred training styles, the space (or lack thereof) that you have in your home and the fitness equipment you already own. As we kickstart another year, the best workout apps are a great way to train at home or the gym, with access to motivational, qualified personal trainers in just a few taps. There are free options and paid apps, but it’s hard to know which will suit your training needs. A couple of our favorite free apps for tracking strength training is Jefit. It allows you to track your own strength training workouts with their library of exercises, each with written and visual instructions.
How to choose the best workout app for beginners
CNET experts tested some of the most popular workout apps to see which ones actually offer great workouts. These are the apps that stood out for their usability, personalization and ability to help you stay consistent and reach your fitness goals in 2026. Several of the options on our best workout apps list will log your exercise data.
Create a personalized workout plan
From an accountability and workout‑quality standpoint, BetterMe performed well. The app offers challenges and group workouts you can join, but they are an extra up charge, according to Paige. In addition to our personal experience and expertise, here are the main factors we used to evaluate each workout app. It also connects you to friends on the app who can cheer you on or comment on your posts that get uploaded to your Strava feed after your workout.
