Best Expert-Tested Workout Apps and Services for 2026

That said, our best pick for most users is the Shred app, which allows for customizable workouts based on the equipment you have on hand, tracks your progress, all while being a fairly inexpensive workout app. Bland, boring workouts will often lead users to abandon their fitness routine. The best weightlifting apps offer a blend of strength training routines, though some repetition may exist.

Fitness Apps for Home Workouts

The kind of weights can vary though—free weights, Olympic barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, slam balls, and even resistance bands. “Technology can facilitate a more informed and personalized approach to health and wellness, but it’s important to use it mindfully and not just rely on numbers,” he madmuscles app review explains. GGR Senior Staff Writer Caine Wilkes, OLY, CNC, USAW-L1, rates Hevy a 4 out of 5 for workout variety, noting that you can add or create your own routines and custom exercises. However, the free version limits you to seven exercises and four routines. However, you don’t really get a true “trial period” like you’d find with other platforms.

Minimal planning features

• You can even follow a program over the course of a month and decide how often you’re looking to work out.
• Are you spending too much time scrolling through your phone between sets?
• In 2025, there are so many fitness apps out there that knowing where to start can be really daunting.
• Many apps, like DIE RINGE, offer a free basic version, giving access to essential workouts and training plans, but premium features like advanced tracking and skill-building often come at a cost.
• You could access these for free (so long as you have a Netflix subscription) and do the 10 or 20-minute sessions wherever you are.
• Whether you’re aiming to lose weight, gain muscle, improve flexibility, or train for a specific event, choose an app that specializes in the type of workouts and progress tracking aligned with your objectives.

Platforms with robust community engagement, social media integration, and chat features that enhance interaction or make the experience more enjoyable and engaging receive higher scores. While JuggernautAI’s programming and emphasis on progressive overload are great for powerlifting, this app does not offer as much workout variety as others on this list. We only rated it a 3 out of 5 in this category, as it caters mostly to a specific style of training. Because JuggernautAI is a powerlifting program, you’ll need a squat rack, weight bench, barbell, and weight plates to complete most of your workouts. We also recommend having dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands on hand for other movements. Obviously, this requires a substantial investment of its own, so you will need to plan accordingly if you’re unable to make it to a commercial strength training establishment regularly.

Quick Comparison: Top Workout Tracker Apps

Designed for women by personal trainer Krissy Cela, the app has six different trainers on board, all of whom have several different workout plans to choose from. After building out your dream home gym, you might need a virtual hand in getting the most out of it. Our tester, a certified personal trainer, loves that the programming — a 5 out of 5 — follows the muscle-building principles of progressive overload. Depending on your needs, you may not need the presence of an online coach in your app.

Best workout app for personal training

If you’re after a meal planner that pulls double-duty as a workout app, then Joe Wick’s Body Coach app is ideal. Every time you complete a cycle, your meal plan updates, so you don’t get bored, plus there are hundreds of different meals to choose from. Providing a unique, two-way user experience that keeps our growing community of over 6.4+ million members engaged is the motivation behind iFIT’s proprietary software. Our common operating system connects our content to our hardware and makes it one interactive platform. The result is an interactive, touchless workout experience nobody else can deliver.

Best Fitness App and great range of programs

Many of the apps on our list can maximize the best barbells, weight plates, and kettlebells at your gym, though apps like JuggernautAI or Ladder are most conducive to a gym workout. For learning new movements that require heavier equipment, Jefit has an extensive library of exercises with video demonstrations. Before committing to a new weightlifting app, there are few key factors to consider, like the equipment you have on hand, how much accountability you may need, and the types of workouts you want to take on. Also consider how much you can spend monthly to secure access to the type of training you’re after. In their kettlebell program, however, our tester noted that their background in fitness came in handy.

BUILD STRENGTH YOUR WAY

Plus, there are meditations, yoga sessions, and walking workouts too. Some are free or offer free trials for a week or month, which lets you test out the app before officially committing to it. Others can cost less than $10, under $50 or as much as $100 a month, depending on how personalized the experience tends to be.

For busy people who prioritize fitness

If you’re looking for a top all-rounder, we recommend downloading Centr, the app developed by actor Chris Hemsworth. Some are completely free or offer a free trial, and some require a monthly subscription. 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. Along with tracking individual workouts, you’ll also be able to save “routines” that help save some of the tedium of entering your data.