The Best Free Fitness Apps When Your Gym Is Your Living Room

We also love that the app offers an onboarding quiz, guided plans, and daily checklists remove decision fatigue, making it easier for beginners and busy users to stay consistent with their strength programs. Advances in health and fitness tech are changing the way that people approach their workouts, including at your facility. This technology isn’t going anywhere, either — according to Business of Apps, users downloaded fitness apps 858 million times in 2023.

Why mobile apps are important for gym owners

There’s also a community tab that allows you to connect with and cheer on other users. Adjustable dumbbells, kettlebells, and smart fitness devices enable versatile and efficient workouts at home. Companies like PowerBlock also offer attachments specifically designed for the set of Adjustable Dumbbells customers have to expand their home gyms. Accountability – fitness apps often have reminders, progress logs, in-app challenges, and social sharing features that keep you motivated. Peleton offers way more than just spin classes on their at-home fitness app. From HIIT classes to meditations, you can find the workout that best fits your lifestyle.

fitness apps vs gym membership

HIIT Workouts and Timer by 7M

Upgrading to Peloton App+ for $24/month is the only way to get cadence tracking, third-party device integration, and special exclusive classes. When comparing costs, the long-term financial benefits of a home gym can be significant. While the initial investment in equipment may seem high, it’s a one-time expense compared to monthly gym membership fees. However, traditional gyms offer access to a wide variety of equipment and classes for a relatively low monthly fee, making them appealing to those who prefer variety without the upfront cost.

Commit to a regular training schedule and don’t skip forward through the programming. Apart from making full use of a fitness app’s free trial period, how else can you tell if a fitness app is any good? But you could also look at what fitness professionals, athletes, coaches or even sports governing bodies say about the app. Keep an eye on how often the app is updated (regular updates suggest that the developers are listening to feedback).

How much do fitness and workout apps cost?

Consider the workouts you enjoy or want to check out, whether that’s yoga, strength training, cardio, or HIIT. Some apps focus on specific activities, while others provide a variety to keep your routine exciting. Matching the app’s offerings to your preferences can make sticking to your fitness routine easier, which is really the whole point with finding a training resource. For example, Nike Training Club offers an entirely free experience but lacks personalized plans for long-term progress.

JEFIT Workout Plan Gym Tracker

For those in West Loop Chicago looking for a more intentional approach to fitness, Mode Gym offers boutique personal training built around real people, real goals and sustainable results. When fitness is a priority and results matter, human coaching consistently proves more effective especially in complex or mad muscles review high effort situations. For those who want more than surface level progress personal training remains the strongest option. The gap between personal training and apps widens significantly when the situation becomes more complex. People dealing with pain injuries or past limitations benefit from movement screening and careful exercise selection that only a trained professional can provide in real time.

  • The app allows you to create custom plans based on class duration, music preferences, preferred workout days, trainers, and more.
  • At $149.99/year, it’s easily the most expensive app I tested—twice the price of Strava.
  • I wrote a whole thing the deleted it when I realized I wasn’t answering your specific question.
  • 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.
  • There are so many fitness apps out there, and it’s on you to choose one that will give you quality training plans, education, and the support you need.
  • Whether motivating individuals or uniting members in group activities, Virtuagym keeps everyone engaged and inspired.

StretchIt: Best Flexibility & Mobility Training App

Every app will have at least some features behind a paywall, but some don’t offer anything for free beyond a free trial. However, if you want more detailed analytics to monitor your performance and key metrics, you need apps like Hevy, Strava, and Zwift. Centr’s workouts are typically fast-paced and involve multiple movements in a circuit, with little to no rest between sets. The sessions vary in duration and typically focus on different things to provide well-rounded benefits for the whole body. You can log workouts anytime; if you stop before completing a workout, your avatar stays in the same place, and you can pick up where you left off.

Best workout app for meal plans

Keep your members motivated by seamlessly connecting training and nutrition in one platform with Progress Tracking. Track hundreds of metrics, from weight and calorie burn to sleep and heart rate, by integrating smart scales, wearables, or heart rate monitors. Visualize progress, personalize plans with data-driven insights, and show your clients how their efforts in fitness and nutrition work together to achieve their goals. Additionally, offering virtual fitness classes through the app can help members stay connected with the gym, even when they can’t be physically present. This approach strengthens member retention and enhances the gym experience, making it more engaging than following a generic fitness app. The Snap App offers gym owners digital experiences that can give members on-demand virtual fitness classes.

Adidas Training by Runtastic

Workout apps can be especially appealing for beginners because they provide both convenience and guidance. Many offer beginner-friendly routines with clear, step-by-step instructions, making it easier to get started or ease back into exercise after a break. When starting, look for videos labeled specifically for beginners and make sure your doctor clears any new exercise routine. Most apps also include video demonstrations for each movement, along with progress tracking and structured plans to help you stay consistent and accountable. Workout apps are a fantastic tool for guidance, structured routines, and cues to help with form.

fitness apps vs gym membership

Home Workouts vs Gym Workouts: Are Gyms Obsolete Now?

If you opt for the all-access membership, it costs $50 a month and can be used whether you own the bike, treadmill or rower. Peloton also recently updated its search function, so it’s easier than ever to find your favorite artist, class title and genre. If you’re not a fully converted Peloton junkie, the Peloton app One is a good stepping stone to see what the hype is about and whether you enjoy the classes. If you prefer to work out with a coach in real time, make sure the app you choose has a live coaching function. Train Hard is a virtual training program designed by former CrossFit champion Jason Khalipa designed to help people get through training slumps and accomplish their fitness goals. Smith is not only a beast himself who can squat 440 kilograms (970 pounds!), but he’s also a renowned coach who has helped many other athletes to the podium.

Find What Feels Good

With on-demand classes, Sweat provides flexibility to fit various schedules, so there are options for women from all kinds of backgrounds. If your gym caters predominantly to beginners, it’s wise to build or choose an app that provides low-intensity options and introductory classes. At the same time, your facility likely has advanced patrons, too, so it’s just as important to have scalable workouts. Deciding how you can cater to different fitness levels can determine a lot about your app.

The app supports freestyling your workout too, which is a nice touch; I was able to start a blank workout and add exercise types and reps/sets as I went. Hevy also worked nicely with my Apple Watch, which meant I didn’t have to hold—or keep checking—my phone the whole time. If you spend a lot of time in hotel gyms—or in your home-office-that’s-also-sometimes-a-workout-space—you know what a struggle it can be to stick to a routine when you have limited access to facilities. Overall, Runna is a strong option if you want the benefits of a structured running plan without paying for an in-person coach. But the lackluster wearable connectivity is a significant drawback—especially if you do most of your training outside. However—and this is a big however—to make the most of the app, you do need an Apple Watch, which comes with a hefty price tag.

In contrast, those that try to excel in everything tend to lack essential features and feel cluttered. So, we recommend using separate apps for cardio and strength – for instance, Hevy with Strava. Hevy, Strava, and Nike Training Club have great free versions, so consider starting with them based on your workout style and primary goals. You can always get a premium subscription or look for another app to satisfy a specific need. Do you want a private logger with a good UI, no distractions, and no social pressure? Alternatively, choose BetterMe or Nike Training Club for follow-along workouts with built-in logging options.