Category: 11 Best Online Workout Programs of 2026

Lately, I’ve been loving the Gut Health Series, a collection that goes beyond workouts to include nutritional videos and pilates classes focused on core strength and digestion. I’ve also been liking the Hour Glass Method, which leans into strength training in a way that’s approachable but still sculpts your body. The programming of this series is pretty smart — progressively adding more weight without it feeling overwhelming or punishing. RP, short for Renaissance Periodization, is one of the original functional fitness online workout programs. With RP, you can choose to work with a remote coach or simply buy a customizable training template. With the custom templates, you choose your number of training days per week and which muscle groups you want to focus on.

Best personal trainer-led fitness app

Caine had a few callouts about Hevy, particularly in terms of accountability. “There aren’t any coaches in the app, and no notifications about staying on routine; only notifications about the social network,” he explains. Although he rated Fitbod a 4 out of 5 for ease of use, Caine raised some minor concerns about the accuracy of the workouts generated by the platform. It’s tough to find a major knock against Caliber other than the cost for the Premium version; it may be a bit expensive for more budget-conscious beginners. Future is significantly more expensive than the average app, but you also receive high-level coaching for your investment.

• “Seeing my fitness rings on my Apple Watch worked really well for me in terms of keeping me on track with my workouts,” says Kate, who gave Future 4 out of 5 stars for interactive features.
• A score of 3 out of 5 indicates it’s mostly intuitive but may require occasional pauses to locate features or understand instructions.
• Easy-wearing, with a large (for its class) 1.5-inch touchscreen, the Band 7 doesn’t feel cumbersome or out of place on even the daintiest wrists.
• Matt Dustin, CSCS, PN1-NC, says that personalized workout programs can be very beneficial, especially once you’re past the beginner stage.
• For just $19 per month, Street Parking is a steal compared to the cost of going to an in-person CrossFit or boutique gym.
• While there is a paid plan available, the free plan provides plenty for most users, earning a 5 out of 5 for value.

Best budget Garmin alternative

Apple’s foray into fitness apps is great for beginners on a fitness journey. There are streaming classes available in 12 different disciplines, from yoga to strength training to cycling—and you no longer need to have an Apple Watch to use it. Apple product owners can access Fitness+ built into the new Fitness app, with the latest iOS update. Instead of juggling various apps and programs for my timer, form cues, and workout schedule, everything is conveniently consolidated in one location. While the platform is ideal for advanced athletes, beginners also benefit by learning foundational movements and mastering strength basics.

Create custom workouts

The app can connect to your AppleWatch or AppleHealth to track your daily steps and water intake. An an AI coach tracks your performance using your phone’s camera and adjusts the workouts based on how well you did. Let’s look at some of the reasons why workout apps could help us guys out. 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.

Best Weightlifting App for Beginners: Caliber Strength Training

Based on our research, the Garage Gym Reviews team thinks Misfit offers great programming, but we can’t recommend it until one of our team members tries it out. Grindstone includes strength training, accessory and skill work, https://megagrass.com/community/question-and-answer/forums/4133-general-questions/topics/2805151-mad-muscles-for-fat-loss-anyone-tried-it and conditioning. It’s designed to be flexible and accommodate busy professionals, parents, and everyday athletes.

Expert Programming

Tester Kristin Currin was initially turned off  by the intake questionnaire on desktop but later found it’s not the same as the intake on the mobile app. If you’re brand new to working out or have injuries, Green’s app will meet you where you are, allowing you to work your way up safely and confidently. There’s also a community function within the app, allowing you to connect with others on your wellness journey. This app was also featured as one of Healthline’s picks for the best fitness gifts. Answer 5 quick questions to find out if your club in Lancaster could benefit from a booking platform.

Progressive Overload

The app offers live classes every day of the week — filmed in a fun neon studio — in addition to its extensive on-demand library of more than 7,000 classes. A smartwatch (like an Apple Watch) is an active companion for your wrist. It delivers notifications, apps, payments, and active workout tracking. It’s designed to be discreet, comfortable (especially for sleep), and provide deep insights into your body’s readiness, sleep quality, and stress, without the distracting screen. There are currently thousands of workout classes, with around 30 more added weekly. You can pick workouts based on time, difficulty level, trainer and even choose the music you want to hear.

Workout Variety

The platform enables trainers to create custom-branded mobile apps for iOS and Android, giving clients a professional experience under the trainer’s own brand. This level of customization helps trainers establish credibility and build a recognizable business identity. What users particularly appreciate is the intermittent fasting integration. Rather than needing separate apps for nutrition tracking and fasting, Yazio combines both seamlessly, providing a holistic view of your eating patterns. The free version provides solid functionality including calorie tracking, basic fasting features, and access to many recipes. This allows you to test the app’s core value before considering the PRO upgrade.

Why Walking Is the Most Underrated Weight Loss Exercise

Boostcamp offers better features than the average workout app in nearly every category, which is why we consider it to be the best app for strength training. It prioritizes strength training, but caters to a variety of programs and disciplines, including powerlifting, weightlifting, and bodybuilding. In terms of cost, there’s the $15 monthly iFIT Train plan and the $39 monthly iFIT Pro plan. The biggest difference here is that the Train tier lets you create your own workouts and is available on equipment touchscreens. This helps the app earn a 4 out of 5 from our tester in the value category. If you’re looking for another great app that also offers personalized coaching from a certified fitness professional, you may want to consider Future.

How Long Does It Take to See Weight Loss Results from Exercise?

Daily Burn is an online workout program dedicated to making fitness fun and accessible for everyone (which is a mission we support 110 percent!). Again, we just haven’t tried it our for ourselves but there are countless online reviews and testimonies saying it’s one of the best online workout programs out there. For those new to workout programs, Aaptiv is a great option, with nearly all of the workouts on the app having audio-only programs. You won’t need to check back at your phone screen every exercise; instead, pop in your workout headphones and you’ll be led by an audio-based coach throughout your entire workout.

We also gave the accountability a 5 out of 5, as your coach keeps you motivated with daily check-ins, reminders to log your workouts, and tips on where you can improve. Keeping track of those factors in your head can be difficult, but I’ve found Bearable to be helpful. You can decide what you’d like to track each day—like how stressed you are, and whether you did your physical therapy exercises—and rate how much that sore back (or whatever) is bothering you. When I was using it, I found it really encouraging to see that my pain wasn’t always so bad, and that there really were things in my control that helped me to feel better. It’s not limited to injuries, either—you can use it to track chronic health issues or even mental health. Sometimes we get hurt while working out, or sometimes we get aches and pains out of nowhere and have to work around them when we exercise.

What’s the average cost of the best workout apps?

Wrist-worn fitness trackers that can monitor your steps and heart rate were once seen as cutting-edge devices. Now these wearables are becoming more high-tech with each release, equipped with features like personalized workout programs and the advertised ability to monitor stress or sleep quality. Alright, hear me out—if you’re looking for a free app and don’t wanna deal with annoying subscriptions or sneaky ads every five seconds, MapMyWalk by Under Armour is solid. It’s pretty user-friendly, tracks your steps, routes, distance, and even calories if you’re into that.

Some apps offer cardio sessions that can be done on any equipment, while others, like Peloton, connect with their own machines to provide more detailed metrics and insights. If you prefer workouts that require little to no equipment, make sure the app you choose is designed with that in mind. If you need guidance or motivation, madmuscles consider apps that provide coaching features.

Best Workout App for Weight Loss: Future

In fact, it may be fun with Sweat as your fitness platform of choice. The app offers a blend of at-home and gym workouts, so you can get your training in no matter where you find yourself. Whatever you choose, you won’t get bored, plus you will have access to trainers and even nutrition support! Like many workout apps, Centr allows you to personalize your experience based on your fitness level.

Nike Training Club – top fitness app overall

That’s because the programming was created by the world’s most elite trainers, as well as our own certified team of fitness experts. THE WEATHER IS getting warmer, and beach season is approaching fast. If you were looking to be in great shape this summer, now is the time to start training for it. We’ve found you the best workout clothes and training shoes, and now through testing we’ve locked in on the best workout apps to put them to good use. From there we further tested our top contenders during workouts at our Men’s Health gym, our training spaces at home, local performance facilities, and outdoors.

Workout.Notebook.Reinvented.

But this app is great for beginner cardio and general fitness workouts that will keep you moving forward toward your goals. Freeletics is an app run with AI software, much like Runna, meaning you get a digital coach right at your fingertips for significantly less per month than you’d have to pay for a personal trainer. If you’re an owner of any Apple device, whether that be an iPhone, iPad, or laptop, you can take advantage of everything Apple Fitness+ has to offer – and there’s so much. Out of all the workout apps we tried, this was the one that ticked all the boxes as it was versatile, easy to use, had a huge range of workouts, and was relatively budget-friendly with everything considered. Fitbod is an excellent app for anyone starting resistance training in the gym or looking for a way to plan workouts ahead of time.

Results in less time

Even more, Brittany says you can filter the equipment you have or don’t have to find a program that works for you. “Although the price is comparable to a CrossFit gym membership with access to tons of gym equipment and coaching, I think it’s a really good value for virtual training,” says Kate on the value of the app. Home Gym Club Training is a collaboration between Garage Gym Reviews and Boostcamp, providing over 1,000 training programs that you can track from your phone, including exclusive workouts created by the GGR team. “The instructors were motivating and talked throughout the class, but not so much that their voice got annoying while I was sweating and out of breath,” Anthony says. The trainer-led classes allow you to record your workouts, which will allow an AI algorithm to track and rate your performance.

Planet Fitness

By combining research-based training methods and effective exercises, DIE RINGE creates training plans that successfully help you build strength and muscle. If you’re still debating whether to download one of our best home workout apps, a breakdown of their benefits may help you make a decision. Good, because fitness on Instagram is a sensory bin fire, like trying to attend a nightclub through your phone, while taking written instructions at the same time as physical ones. If you can cope with all these things, @asanarebel is a jewel of the genre, covering yoga from beginners up but stretching into Hiit workouts, mindfulness, toning and diet.

• The best online workout programs can deliver the coaching, tips, motivation, and (of course) daily workouts you need directly to your trusted smartphone or tablet.
• Testers also loved the energizing, motivating workouts for all levels, as well as the wellness series focused on sleep, nutrition, and self-care.
• You can use body weight for the strength routines (most of those got me pretty sweaty), but the app assumes you have access to a treadmill, stationary bike, rower, or elliptical when you click through to cardio-only exercises.
• The monthly price is incredibly reasonable for all the content it delivers.
• Our team of Men’s Health fitness editors, including certified trainers and former athletes, have tried every new app that’s entered the market over the past several years.
• Yoga is a great form of low-impact exercise for those who are expecting, and this app provides a ton of personalized content to choose from.

The 10 Best Workout Apps for Men

Thanks to its wide selection of workouts (yoga, HIIT, strength training, and much more), this free fitness app truly delivers. And a study published in the December 2020 British Journal of Sports Medicine found that users of fitness apps (and activity trackers) logged an extra 1,850 steps per day compared with non-users. Apps that provided feedback on progress or nudged users to get moving or set personal goals tended to work best. With a seven-day trial and affordable rate, Aaptiv is a great fitness app for anyone beginning to regularly work out, or for people curious about workout apps.

Final word on the best 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. However, you don’t actually need a Peloton machine to use the app, which adds to the accessibility. With so many apps to choose from, however, it can be difficult to determine which platform is the best fit for your home screen. Do you want an app that’s specific to your training interests, or one that caters to a variety of disciplines?

Brain Health

Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time). In one of our tests, the battery fell about three days short of the advertised 10 days of life, not great but not terrible. None of the wearables covered in this review are medical devices, and none of the data they collect is regulated or legally protected in the same way that other health data is. In the end, it depends on how much detail you want and if you’re into that social/competitive stuff.