GGR staff writer Matt Dustin, CSCS, PN-1, has used this app for over six months and loves the tracking, ease of use, and ability to build your own custom training plan if you want. Any type of movement will benefit your body, health, and well-being. Once you reach a point where bodyweight squats feel too easy, start with an empty barbell weighing 20 kilograms (45 pounds). Then, gradually add weight as you build strength and get more confident with a weight on your back. The pull-up is an excellent compound bodyweight exercise that targets the back and biceps during pull workouts.

Best Workout Apps 2026: Top Options Tested and Reviewed

You can also save your favorite trails or share your adventures with friends on other social media. ClassPass has some community and interactive features you may enjoy. You can invite friends to class and earn rewards or connect with friends on the app. The app also rewards you with badges to celebrate fitness milestones that you can share with your friends. Downloading a fitness app can be an excellent way to get the ball rolling on your training regimen, but there are a few factors to think about before opting for one service or the next. Below are some considerations worth thinking through before hopping into the app store and deciding on a plan for your needs.

Map My Fitness by Under Armour

To save you that headache, we tested the field to find the actual best workout apps for beginners—verified by Garage Gym Reviews and real-world trial and error. This guide cuts through the noise to give you the specific tools you need to start 2026 strong. While costs are not “hidden,” some free workout apps begin as a free trial membership and later require a paid subscription for continued use. If you’re required to enter payment information to download an app, you’ll likely be charged after the free trial period.

What are Popular 3-Day Workout Splits for Muscle Gain?

Our tester was able to set it up in less than a minute and was impressed with its user-friendly design. To learn more about this AI-powered circuit training app, be sure to check out our full Shred App review. SHRED scored well above average for most categories, though it only earned 3 out of 5 stars for interactive features and accountability. What really stood out to me was the thoughtful beginner’s corner with tutorials on breathing, alignment and modifications.

Community Fitness

Answering those questions will help you figure out which to try first. The instructors (including the app’s founder, Megan Roup) use inclusive language in every class, adhering to all fitness levels. Roup pulls from her professional dance background, adding new choreography to every class, and instructs in an engaging way that makes even non-dancers (it’s me, hi) come back for more.

They can also reduce intensity by performing slower or smaller jumping jacks. The air jump rope requires a person to “swing” an imaginary jump rope in the air. The exercise provides an alternative to jogging in place and is suitable as part of a warm-up routine. To increase the intensity, a person can hold a heavy weight, such as a kettlebell, exercise ball, or other household items.

How Shred Style Formulas Are Typically Positioned

• This means your hips reach knee level or slightly lower on each rep. Doing so helps maximize quadriceps loading and leads to better glute activation.
• However, as discussed above, the average person can achieve almost optimal results with a lower frequency.
• While BetterMe is more affordable than the average workout app, it doesn’t have quite as many strength-training plans.
• To increase the intensity, a person can hold a heavy weight, such as a kettlebell, exercise ball, or other household items.
• Essentially, you select a goal-oriented coach-guided run, integrate your personal playlist, and listen to the coach’s instructions.
• With the right app, a bit of daily motivation, and clear goals, your daily workout habit is just a download away.

Once again, it depends on your goals, preferences, and training availability. You can always increase or decrease your volume depending on how much you’re willing to endure and whether a certain volume leads to the desired progress. Remember that you are building a lifestyle, and you shouldn’t feel forced to exercise every day.

Alo Wellness Club

To use the app, simply select your goal, fitness level, fighting style, gender, weight, and whether you have a punching bag (it’s all right if you don’t). You can purchase the PunchLab Strap for your smartphone to level up your punching bag, which measures your speed, volume, and power. Celebrity Workouts at Your Fingertips Imagine if your favorite celebrities invited you to their exclusive workouts. The new FitOn App lets you train beside the rich and famous with personalized video sessions led by celeb trainers and A-listers.

You can exercise at home without any equipment by practicing yoga poses and strength training exercises that use your body weight for resistance. If you tend to lose interest when workouts feel repetitive, Obé is for you. One of the most varied platforms available, it offers more than 20 types of workouts including dance cardio, HIIT, sculpt, Pilates, strength, ride, mobility, and more. Every app on our list offers unlimited modification, which is important when it comes to reaching your fitness goals. Personal training apps are not just for people who need accountability. These types of apps are also idea for beginners who need proper instruction, people who travel and want to stay active, or busy people who need efficient ways to workout.

Just Fit isn’t just about following routines; it’s about interactive and engaging fitness experiences. The app includes features like virtual challenges, milestone rewards, and social sharing options, making fitness a fun and inclusive activity. No one should walk their fitness journey alone, and with Get Fit, you won’t have to. The app connects you with a community of beginners, creating a supportive environment where experiences, challenges, and successes are shared.

It creates personalized training plans, and is excellent for beginners. If you want to track your outdoor runs and be part of a global running community, then you’ll want to download Strava right now. If your goal is to move more and stress less, start with any of these fitness apps encouraging daily exercise free of charge.

Best Workout App for Data Tracking: Peloton

If you train at home, prioritize bodyweight options, minimal-equipment programs, casting to a TV, and madmuscles review downloadable workouts. For beginners, the app should explain form, offer manageable starting plans, and avoid overwhelming you with too many choices. For experienced users, customization, periodized programs, advanced metrics, and the ability to swap exercises become much more valuable. The best fitness apps in 2026 do far more than count steps or stream generic workouts.

Plank to Downward Dog

Setting up your program and tracking your workouts is an easy process, and we give this 4 out of 5 stars for its user interface. TR[Ai]NER by Element 26 is a customizable, AI-powered training app that adapts to your skill level, training goals, and available equipment. However, the app works out to less than $10/month if you purchase an annual plan. Setting clear fitness goals will enable you to choose an app and workouts tailored to reaching those objectives. Camaraderie is important; an in-person workout class or buddy can often motivate you. If an app is your go-to workout, you need to hold yourself accountable, but that’s the case with exercise of any type, soit’s not just specific to workout apps.

Do workout apps really work?

The app can be used for machine-based workouts on ellipticals, rowers, exercise bikes, and treadmills (like one of the best NordicTrack treadmills) or used as a stand-alone app without a machine. Much like Caliber’s Premium coaching option, with Future you can send your coach a video of yourself lifting directly through the app for each specific movement so your coach can check your form. As a personal trainer myself, I know that hiring a personal trainer is a major investment of both your time and money. We know a mobile app is not the same as a personal trainer, but Future will go above and beyond your expectations of a workout app.