Ever since COVID, working out at home has become more of the norm and less of a to-do. To help with your WFH sweat sessions (that are likely taking place between Zoom calls, we see you), finding the best fitness app for your interests can help you stay motivated and see incredible results.
“Home workout apps have been a game changer when it comes to the fitness landscape,” explains Dani Coleman, Director of Training and Head Trainer at Pvolve. “It has made moving more accessible to people worldwide. People now have access to their favorite workouts, studios, and trainers all at their fingertips. Home workout apps can help remove potential barriers like busy schedules and help people build confidence and skills from the comfort of your own home.”
Our expert staff of Yoga instructors, marathoners, and Pilates princesses tested out a lot of workout apps this year and settled on six that we believe are the absolute best in terms of programming, versatility, price, and outcome. These incredible apps cover everything from the basics of weight-lifting form to tracking your marathon training.
- Read on below for the best workout apps of the year, all Shape Fitness Awards winners, and all inhabiting a special place in our hearts (our favorite muscle).
Best Fitness App for Home
PVOLVE
Cost: $235 – $804 (includes equipment and streaming for a few months) | Workouts: Low-impact
Pvolve is Jennifer Aniston’s go-to workout. We could end our review there because that’s all we needed to know to try it out, but we’ll go on. The celeb-loved workout essentially combines resistance-band training with low-impact moves for a full-body workout (and major sweat), but what we love the most about it is the unique setup that ensures you have proper form and positioning even when you’re alone at home. Think of it like a game of Twister with the benefits of exercise — you’ll be told exactly where to place your hands, knees, and feet, all the while doing low-impact moves that improve mobility, decrease back pain, and boost flexibility.
“Pvolve’s workouts range from 15 minutes to an hour plus, allowing me to fit a workout in any time and any place,” explains Coleman. “All of their equipment is also travel-friendly, and there are plenty of workouts that are equipment-free and can be done with just your body weight. It has been a game-changer for me!”
You’ll be shocked at how stellar this workout is. Trust us.
Best Fitness App for Running
Strava
Cost: $7 / month | Features: Metrics, training dashboard, planned routes
Runners, cyclists, walkers, and swimmers can use Strava Unlimited as a cheerleader, coach, route planner, and diary to log their workouts and training progress. It’s a must-have for anybody looking to get better (read: faster) as soon as possible. The route planning is especially useful when you’re trying to hit new distances but aren’t super sure where to start, and the AI analysis is honestly really impressive to check out post-workout. It’ll tell you where your progress is, what might’ve slowed you down, and where to go from here. While it’s especially useful for endurance athletes, it records other things like gym sessions and Pilates classes, too. Use it to gain confidence and garner some major Kudos from your followers. Just please refrain from trying to slide into somebody’s Strava DMs. That’s just too far.
“It is an excellent tool for logging training activities and staying connected with others in the running community,” says Linda LoRe, RRCA Coach, NASM CPT. “It’s also great to find local run clubs and group runs in your area. I love using Strava to see how I am improving. My past activities are easily searchable, and I leave detailed notes in the captions of how a specific workout went.”
LoRe advises all Strava users to check out and use the security settings that hide the start and end of runs, time of runs, and private account settings that allow only people you approve to follow you. This way, you can feel safe and strong on your runs, walks, hikes, and routes.
“I would also advise someone new to Strava not to compare themselves to others — it can be easy to see someone’s run and feel like you didn’t run long enough or fast enough,” explains LoRe. “I recently took a period where I made all my activities private — I needed to take some time for just me. It was refreshing and kept me from doom-scrolling the app throughout the day. It was a nice break that I needed for my mental health.”
Best Fitness App for Gym
FORM
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Helps demonstrate moves and talk through them
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Great option for beginners
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Easy to bring & use at the gym
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Pilates & strength training workouts
Cost: $28 / month | Workouts: Pilates, strength training | Format: Weekly workouts or library catalog
Going to the gym as a newbie is never not intimidating, but Form helps with confidence and, well, form. The clever fitness app has a library of weekly workouts, exercise challenges, and even adorable workout clothes for you to access at your disposal. We love it because you can follow a weekly program that targets different areas of your body led by instructors who essentially spell out every move for you. These experts will give you the head, shoulder, knees, and toe instructions needed to ensure you don’t risk injury and get the best results possible.
Use it at home or at the gym – either way, you’ll love it.
Best Fitness App for Cycling
Peloton
We’ve all heard of Peloton, but we’re here to say she’s still that girl. The humungous library is filled with classes teaching everything from stretching and meditation to rowing and cycling which makes it possible to find the exact movement you’re craving all the time. We love that you can discover new instructors every day who will cheer you on and match your vibe, too. Our favorites at the moment are Matty Maggiacomo and Camila Ramón.
Cost: $13/ month | Workouts: Yoga, mindfulness, barre, core, Pilates
Alo Moves is the kind of workout app you’d think would be intimidating, but our team found it extremely inclusive for all fitness levels. The offerings are vast. You can find classes that go over basic yoga poses or do more intense balances or back bends at your choosing. We love the variety and also the aesthetics of these courses. They make you feel like you’re truly integrated into the class atmosphere. What’s more, if you own a Meta Quest headset, you can take 3D classes that are perhaps the most futuristic workout innovation we’ve tried out. This option has cool features that allow you to reposition the teacher for better viewing, as well as choose settings on the mountains or beaches to feel even more immersed.
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SoulCycle, Precision Run, [solidcore] streaming included
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On-demand and live class options
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Free with club membership
Cost: $40 / month | Workouts: SoulCycle, Precision Run, [solidcore], PURE yoga, Equinox athletics
If you want all of the incredible offerings of an Equinox membership but don’t live near one, don’t stress. The Equinox+ app gives you a lot of top-of-the-line classes, even from different brands like SoulCycle, Precision Run, and [solidcore], all at your disposal. The cost is higher than others on this list, but the brands included in this library more than make up for it. Use Precision Run’s outdoor classes to get quicker on your neighborhood jaunts. Double up on [solidcore] and SoulCycle for a seriously sweaty Sunday morning, or tune in to any of Equinox’s live classes for some cardio and weight training.
What to Know
- Offerings: Make sure a workout app has a variety of workouts and instructors to choose from. Variety is the spice of life, and doing the same thing with the same person every day might get dull. Spice things up with these different offerings, and you’ll be able to keep that new and exciting feeling throughout your fitness journey.
- Cost: The best workout apps often come with a monthly subscription charge. Like all good things, they come with a cost, but you’re paying for a service and for quality instruction. Often, workout apps cost much less than gym memberships, so you’ll likely be saving money. Some gym memberships like Equinox offer paired apps that are included in the cost of membership, too.
- Times: Make sure your workout app has different time selections. Sometimes, you’ll only have 10 minutes in a day to work out. That movement can help you with your mood and goals, so ensure that your schedule can be allotted for with an app that offers a wide variety of timed workouts.
- Instructors: Ensure the instructors are professionals and have the kind of personality that motivates you the best. A wide variety of instructors will help you stay motivated and engaged.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What should somebody look for in a workout app?
“Everyone resonates with different workouts, so find the app that is going to motivate you to move your body,” says Alex Cooley, a barre, yoga, Pilates, and breathwork instructor in NYC. “Whether it’s the instructors, the modalities, or the music, find what gets you excited and ready to move.”
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How important is tracking and analytics for improving athletic performance?
Experts agree that this all depends on the person, the program, and their goals.
“Some people find it helpful to track everything from their sleep, calories, macros, etc. I personally find it easier to just commit to working out most days, not eating sugar (or only a little!), and only having 1-2 drinks a week,” says Caroline Beckwith, Fitness Director at the 14th Street Y in NYC. “With those guidelines as the foundation, I don’t really have to think about tracking too much because I know I am eating healthy, working out, and sleep just naturally comes easily after a day of healthy food and exercise.”
If you’re gunning for specific goals like a PR in a marathon, data can be really helpful in giving you specific analytics to analyze to reach that time.
“Concrete data to measure performance allows people to have an honest view of their progress, pivot their plan if needed, help prevent factors like overtraining and injury, and also maintain motivation by seeing their work unfold factually,” explains Coleman.
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What is the best workout app?
Beckwith echoes Cooley in her assertion that the best workout app is the one you enjoy and will actually use. “The most important thing is to find something you actually like doing,” she says. “Whatever workout that may be, it’s not going to last very long if it feels like a chore.”
Before you find the best workout app for yourself, you should do a little homework, though.
“When someone is looking for a workout app that best suits them, my top things to consider would be: credentials, affordability, accessibility, and the fun factor,” says Coleman. “Since there are so many applications to choose from, especially with social media, I think it’s important to make sure whatever app you choose has qualified trainers to guide you. Stating the obvious, but fun should also be considered. The more joy your workout brings you, the more willing you are to show up and actually do it.”
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What is convenient about home workout apps?
In short, a lot. In length, it allows you true freedom in scheduling a workout on your time without all the pressures of having to look or perform a certain way.
“Personally, I think the best thing about home workout apps is saving time on getting ready and saving time on the commute,” says Cooley. “I also recommend picking out 1-2 workouts the night before so you don’t have to scroll or use any time/brainpower to decide what you’re going to do.”
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How do you motivate yourself for workouts?
“Self-motivation can be hard but you can do this,” Cooley encourages. “Sometimes I find myself doing a 10-minute upper body workout and then once that’s through I think I can do a little more so I add in a 10-minute lower body workout, and then from there I fit in a 10-minute sculpt core, and before you know it – I’ve accomplished a 30-minute full body class. There’s never been a time where I haven’t felt better and proud of myself after a workout.”
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Do fitness apps really work?
This depends more on you than the app. Like any workout program, actually doing it is the most important step. If you fall off your routine or half-ass it, there likely won’t be a ton of noticeable results. But that’s why we love workout apps so much — they take out a lot of excuses like commute time or weather and allow you to do your workouts on your own schedule at your convenience.
“I think as long as you have that self-motivation or you partner up with an accountability buddy whether that be your best friend or a roommate, fitness apps make it so convenient to just get up and move right at home,” says Cooley. “All you have to do is press play!”
Why Trust Shape
In our third year doing the Fitness Awards, we emphasized six major categories, which we call The Build Up, The Mindset, The Long Run, The Steps, and The Session. Each of these categories focuses on different areas of fitness, including equipment, clothing, accessories and wearables, recovery, platforms, and shoes. We tested every item selected in these lists extensively in different scenarios including outdoor workouts, at-home workouts, marathon build-ups, gym sessions, and even while sleeping. To learn more about our testing procedures in our New York Lab and the real world, you can view our Commerce Guidelines and Mission here. We received 100+ submissions and considered each of these products, as well as analyzed the 500+ products we tested throughout the year for our reviewed articles. We then narrowed these down to 30 award winners.
Summer Cartwright is a marathon runner, certified cycling instructor, and the senior commerce editor at Shape. She has raced in the New York City Marathon, Chicago Marathon, Columbus Marathon, Houston Half Marathon, Brooklyn Half Marathon, New York Mini 10k, and dozens of other events. She has expertise in running shoes, performance gear, and recovery equipment. She, along with dozens of other testers and fitness experts, personally tested every single item included in the Fitness Awards to ensure they lived up to Shape’s rigorous standards. Previously, she’s worked with brands including Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Real Simple, Well + Good, and Best Products. She’s from Columbus, Ohio, and has three pets: two cats named Polly and Peaky and a dog named Rhubarb.
For the 2025 Fitness Awards, we consulted with the following experts:
- Dani Coleman, Head Trainer & Director of Training at Pvolve.
- Linda LoRe, NASM-certified personal trainer, RRCA coach.
- Alex Cooley, a leading NYC fitness instructor who specializes in sculpt, barre, yoga, and breathwork.
- Caroline Beckwith, Fitness Director, 14th Street Y
- Doug Berninger, MEd, CSCS, USAW-2, Pn1 at Mass General Brigham
- Mark Murphy P.T, DPT, SCS, CSCS at Mass General Brigham
Read the full article here
