These Are The Workout Apps 'Women's Health' Editors And Trainers Actually Use
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I don't know about you, but I know my best bet for fitting exercise into crazy busy days is to have a workout app on my phone. Sure, I love my gym, but apps give me the guidance to stop, drop, and roll into any exercise I want at any point in time, whether I'm traveling or just getting up from my couch.
The convenience factor and potential cash saved is very real. (So many of the best workout apps are totally free!) Instead of remembering to pack your gym bag before work and frantically trying to churn through last-minute assignments to make that 6:30 p.m. class on the other side of town, with workouts via an app, you can schedule your sweat on your time and in a space that’s comfortable for you.
Take a sneak peek at the best workout apps to get moving:
Best Overall Yoga App: Alo Moves
Best For Women's Health Diehards: All/Out Studio
Best For Live Workouts: Obé Fitness
Best For Audio Workouts: Aaptiv
Best Strength And Conditioning App: Nike Training Club
Still, there are so many workout apps available, it can be overwhelming. So, we whittled it down to the 12 best workout apps handpicked by Women’s Health editors and certified trainers. And whether it’s getting a high-energy boutique bootcamp class in your living room, finding the perfect playlist for your next run, or just mastering strength-training moves, there’s an app for every goal. Now check out our faves below...
Pro tip: Track your at-home exercise just like you would any other workout: “Be consistent and spend a little time each week reviewing the data,” says Pete McCall, CSCS, host of the All About Fitness Podcast and instructor at Equinox in San Diego. “It can help you identify when you’re training too hard or not training hard enough.”
Best Overall Yoga App: Alo Moves
Price: $20 per month
"Classes can be chosen by instructor, style, difficulty, intensity, and duration," says Jane Hanisch, an ACSM-certified exercise physiologist.
Alo Moves lets you cycle through yoga styles, from Vinyasa to Ashtanga, Hatha, and restorative yoga. "Another great feature of this app is that it contains classes on developing skills (handstands, floating), mindfulness, and fitness," says Hanisch. And you only need minimal equipment. "All [workouts] can be done with just a yoga mat or chair," Hanisch adds. Plus, it features other fitness modalities, too, including Pilates and HIIT. So you can cross-train without switching up apps.
Pros:
Has yoga, mindfulness, strength, and skills classes
You can download videos to watch offline
Cons:
Pricey
Available on iOS
Best App For The Home-Gym And Beyond: Peloton
Price: $12.99 per month
Even if you don’t have the famous stationary bike, treadmill, or rower, you can still tap into Peloton’s wildly popular exercise programs, which include free weight strength sessions, yoga flows, and marathon training. Expect the same charismatic, high-energy instructors that teach from the bike, with mood-boosting playlists and fast-paced, non-boring workouts to boot.
"I love it for HIIT and strength workouts when I'm wanting to switch up my workout or have someone guide me and am not sure what the heck to do," says WH associate news editor Currie Engel. "I was inspired to use the marathon training program because I injured myself last time I was training for a marathon on my own. I loved that the Peloton app builds in warm ups, cooldowns, and runner's strength training. I knew I would be getting the best of the best."
Pros:
Classes start at just 10 minutes long
Smart watch compatible app
Cons:
Enhanced experience with equipment
Best App For DIY Workouts: Seconds Interval Timer
Price: Free
Simple can be so effective, and that's exactly what makes the Seconds app and its programmable intervals one of the best.
"When I was struggling to find a new routine in the spring of 2021, this app played a huge part in making that happen," says managing editor Laura McLaughlin. "I set the length of the intervals, and decided what order I was going to work in—and it made the experience feel just very, very doable. The prompts—I use the boxing ring—are cheerful and fun. There is something about saying, 'Today I’ll do 45 seconds of work and 15 seconds rest,' and then next week feeling like that’s easy and pushing yourself to 60 seconds and 15 seconds, just feels really in control. It's a comforting combination of progress and also the flip side, feeling like its okay to do a shorter interval if you’re just not feeling it today."
Pros:
Can color-code the intervals
Music will still run during the timer
Cons:
Doesn't provide actual moves
Best App For Women's Health Diehards: All/Out Studio
Price: $14.99 per month or $89.99 per year
Love Women's Health workouts? Well now you can find workouts programmed by some of our fave trainers all in one place, along with routines from Men's Health, Prevention, and Runner's World. Find exactly what you're looking for in the catalog of over 100 workouts, including bodyweight routines, strength training with weights, HIIT, yoga, meditation, dance cardio, and barre.
Pros:
New programs added each month to help you reach your goals
Fitness styles are science-backed
Cons:
Sometimes the airdrop feature doesn't work, a reviewer wrote
Best App For Unlimited Personal Training: Ladder
Price: Between $29.99 and $44.99 per month
This app is the perfect solution for anyone looking to work with a personal trainer who doesn't have the time or access to one IRL. "It creates customized programming for your specific needs with a real trainer," says Lauren Kanski, CPT, who leads the kettlebell program Body and Bell on the app. Watch videos that demonstrate correct form for every exercise, and keep track of other important elements of your progress such as sleep and nutrition. "It’s like having a trainer with you everywhere you go," she says. "I coach through it and would never be a part of something I didn’t love for my own clients!"
Pros:
Personalized workout plans
Also tracks your sleep and nutrition
Cons:
Must select one program at a time
Available on iOS
Best Overall Running App: Nike Run Club
Price: Free
Meet your new fave run buddy—especially if you're looking to keep tabs on your weekly mileage. "I like being able to set a mile or time goal, or just run and see how many miles I can get," says Judine St. Gerard, CPT. The app lets you know once you've hit one mile, two, and more, to keep you on track and motivated too. "It's also pretty encouraging if you're trying to be consistent with running," she says. "For example, at the end of your run it will congratulate you on something—maybe you've run the longest you've ever run, or maybe you ran three times this week."
"The Nike Run Club app completely transformed my relationship with running," says WH editorial assistant Sabrina Talbert. "I used to barely be able able to run a mile, but the guided runs offer amazing coaching that helped me complete my first half marathon. They also have distance-based running plans and fun challenges that keep me in touch with my running community while I train."
Pros:
Helpful for training for races
Easy to connect with other runners
Cons:
Some reviewers note glitches with viewing
Best App For Quick HIIT Workouts: Freeletics
Price: Free
Ideal for fitting in a quick sweat, this app offers bodyweight workouts from five to 30 minutes long—and if you pay for a digital coach (starting at $2.40/week), you also get a personalized training plan with nutrition advice.
“The workouts are perfect for traveling with no equipment and no access to a gym,” says Kirsten Beverley-Waters, trainer, yoga instructor, and founder of Thryve, which offers wellness retreats around the country.
Pros:
Works at the gym and at home
Gives nutrition and well-being support too
Cons:
Might give extended rest breaks between sets
Best App For Pilates: Pilates Anytime
Price: $22 per month or $240 per year
If you're super into all forms of Pilates, this is your app. "They have the broadest spectrum of Pilates styles from New York, Classical, West Coast, Santa Fe, and Contemporary, or fitness-focused Pilates," says Juliet Kaska, CPT. There are thousands of videos available on all levels, all styles, and on all equipment including an extensive library of zero-equipment Pilates workouts, she adds, which is great if you're someplace like a hotel room and don't have access to a machine or mat.
Pros:
Fifteen-day free trial
Variety of different kinds of Pilates
Cons:
Not a lot of body diversity representation in the videos
Best App For Live Workouts: Obé Fitness
Price: $24.99 per month or $169.99 per year
Live-stream multiple classes every day—from yoga to sculpt, Pilates, strength, HIIT, boxing, and dance cardio. You get real-time shoutouts from the energetic instructors, and you can easily string a few of these five to 60-minute workouts together to get a longer session if that’s what you’re after. It’s like being in-person for a class, but from the comfort of your living room.
Pros:
Easily lists what equipment you need for each video
Can choose a workout based on music genre
Cons:
Might be technical issues with Apple AirPlay sometimes, a reviewer wrote
Best App For Adventure-Seekers: OnX Backcountry
Price: Free or $2.50 per month for Premium or $8.33 per month for Elite
Exploring the great outdoors year-round has never been easier or safer than with this adventure-ready app. "It's so easy to find and share the best routes with OnX," says WH fitness editor Jennifer Nied. "I put it to the test with a week of mountain hikes, and the elevation gain details meant no surprises in the wild. It also simplifies planning more complex routes for splitboarding safely, so I can spend more time exploring instead of scouting trails and calculating slope angles online."
Pros:
Has 3D maps and backcountry ski guidebooks
Allows you to save maps to your device for off-line viewing
Cons:
No indoor workout options
Available on Android and iOS
Best App For Audio Workouts: Aaptiv
Price: $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year
With this fitness app, you get audio-guided workouts, meaning no need to look at your phone—just listen up. The trainer will give clear directions on anything from strength and yoga to running, cycling, and stair climbing (to name a few). “It’s great for when I need motivation and inspiration while working out,” says Kara Tremel, an instructor at Uplift Studios and Physique57.
Pros:
Works for the gym, home, or outside
Can optimize your workout by choosing duration, trainer, and music
Cons:
Workouts and music timing may be off
Best Strength And Conditioning App: Nike Training Club
Price: Free
Whether you want a strength-focused workout or a cardio-focused interval set, this app has you covered. “The Nike training app has workouts for all durations. So, when I want to get in a quick workout, I use it to keep things fresh,” says Noam Tamir, certified trainer and owner of TS Fitness in NYC. “I like that they have warmups for all the workouts.”
Pros:
Many different types of workouts, from strength-training to yoga
Gives guidance on nutrition, wellness, and sleep, too
Cons:
Not everyone might like the video format, per a reviewer
How To Choose The Best Workout Apps
There are a few categories to consider before subscribing to the first workout app you see.
Type of workout: Look for apps that are "geared toward what you have and what your goals are" (i.e., equipment and what you want to achieve), says Atlanta-based trainer Brittany Spencer, CPT. Whether you'll get there through lifting, cross-training, Pilates, or running, download the app that will focus on and lead you with clear directions.
Duration: Apps have a wide range of class durations, which is awesome. The best allow you to easily filter and find the exact time you have to sweat. (Busier day? Go for a 10-minute cardio class. Slow day? Take an hour for HIIT.) "Nothing is more frustrating than having to keep starting and stopping your workout," Spencer says, if you keep getting interrupted during a busy day.
Equipment: Think of where you like to work out most, whether it's from home, at the gym, or outdoors, and choose the app that will curate workouts based on one or all of those locations. "Whatever type of resources that you have—whether it's home workouts or at the gym—you want to make sure that you're picking an app that that works well with what you have," she says.
Community: Community is huge for Spencer and her clients, so she recommends picking an app with community forums or leaderboards, and also places to have chats or leave feedback.
Price: Whether you're just dipping your toe into the workout pool and don't want another subscription fee, or you're an active exerciser who commits to most workouts, choose whatever will fit into your budget. Keep in mind that a paid app may give you an "extra boost of accountability," says Spencer.
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