We like that Aaptive is more affordable than the average app while still offering plenty of value, especially for beginners. We’re huge fans of JuggernautAI’s programming and progressive-overload-focused approach, but there’s one big drawback. However, she does note that the app can send you notifications if you enable them in your settings, and you can join programs or challenges.

The 5 Best Weightlifting Apps to Boost Your Muscle Gains

With meal plans, mindfulness exercises, and that all-important Daily Readiness Score, Fitbit Premium is an easy recommendation for Fitbit users looking to take their fitness to the next level. The right app feels less like a chore and more like an indispensable piece of gym equipment. While it is a powerful tool, it comes at a premium price compared to simple trackers. Full access requires a subscription, which is clearly outlined on the App Store.

• When not concerning himself with health and technology, James can be found excitedly checking out each week’s New Music Friday releases.
• Lastly, you should also check if the app offers diet and nutrition plans which are tailored to your individual needs.
• The best bodybuilding apps integrate with gym equipment, wearables, and workout trackers for unified data.
• It launched in late 2020, but with a catch; you had to own an Apple Watch to use the app.
• I found it really helpful while I was doing Vince Gironda’s 8×8 program and had to restrict my rest-between-sets to 30 seconds.
• Upon opening the app, it presents a generated workout which you can accept or modify by swapping exercises or adjusting volume.

If you’re a pro bodybuilder and shopping for supplements to go along with your fitness regimen, BodySpace also offers nutrition products on the app directly. This is a free app on the Google Play Store and is devoid of ads or in-app purchases. With JEFIT you’ll be able to watch a professional demonstrate each weightlifting move, so you can have peace of mind knowing you’re doing it right. JEFIT has a basic plan that is free to download, which offers things like a workout planner, log tracker, and over 1400 exercises. There is also the option to join JEFIT Elite, a subscription plan that offers more advanced features like premium workout plans and advice from the experts themselves.

Strength Training Is the New Anti-Aging Drug

The app should also allow users to customize their workouts to suit their specific needs and preferences. Finally, a standout weight lifting app should offer an online community of other lifters for advice and motivation. That’s why we’ve rounded up the top 7 free apps for bodybuilding, weight lifting, and gym workouts. Before choosing an app, you should think about what you expect to get out of it. If you have no problem motivating yourself, you may do just fine with an app that provides pre-made programs to follow on your own.

Additional Tools for Comprehensive Fitness Tracking

But you’re not ready to spend $500+ a month to hire a personal trainer to work out with you every day. Apps like Fitbod and Strong use this data to personalise training intensity, suggest progression, and track recovery, so you can train smarter, not just harder. The social and competitive aspects help keep you engaged, with live leaderboards and the ability to track progress alongside friends. Real-time heart rate monitoring via Apple Health and Apple Watch integration enhances your workout feedback, helping you stay in the right intensity zones. For seamless tracking, users can also email professional trainers directly for further expert support. Whether you’re bulking, cutting or aiming for consistency, FitnessAI handles the programming so you can focus on lifting without spending time researching training methods.

Q: What’s the best free gym app for beginners?

There are apps for all different types of workouts, from circuit training to bodybuilding. Some apps are better suited for beginners, while others are more advanced. Some apps are free, while others come with a monthly or yearly subscription. And finally, try out a few different apps to see is mad muscles legit which one you like best. Fitbod is a fitness app that gives users workout recommendations based on their goals, schedule, and available equipment.

More bodybuilding apps to consider

Caine, an Olympian who competed at the Tokyo Games, found the programming wasn’t useful for Olympic lifting. Lifters, old and new, may not appreciate BetterMe as the majority of the workouts are bodyweight with several dumbbells-only workouts. Still, it gets a 5 out of 5 for equipment demands, as people can do these workouts almost anywhere, but it’s not the best app for strength training. You can choose your own training goal, but you can’t build your own workouts. Instead, you’ll have to choose from one of SHRED’s circuit-style workouts, which some may not enjoy. Even if you choose strength or bodybuilding workouts, the app uses circuit workouts rather than traditional strength training.

Top 6 Best Bodybuilding Apps

The platform finds a great middle ground between fully automated AI and manual programming. While its plan generator offers excellent, science-backed defaults, it also gives you transparent control to customize variables. For instance, if the app suggests an exercise you dislike or can’t perform, it provides a list of effective alternatives that target the same muscle group. Yes, with newer workout apps, such as Future, you can get connected to a personal trainer through an app. It will cost more compared with other apps but will be cheaper than a standard personal training session at the gym. Remember, not everyone has to love running, and just because you want to get stronger doesn’t mean you need to do a million push-ups.

Days-to-Lean Meal Plan

For anyone considering beginning later in life, see our guide on starting strength training as a senior for a comprehensive overview of programming considerations. WeGLOW is currently the app most directly aligned with that clinical evidence base. Fitbod’s primary advantage over Caliber is adaptive variety — the workout changes session by session based on what muscle groups are recovered, preventing the staleness that kills beginner motivation. If you don’t feel the need for an online support system, there are still ways to stay on top of your workouts.

Rating the best bodybuilding apps

It’s important to look for an app that’s easy to use and has the features you need. Features like progress tracking, timers, and customizable workouts can help you stay motivated and make the most of your workouts. For anyone looking to get serious about their bodybuilding goals, having the right app to serve as a virtual personal trainer can make a huge difference. Like Dr. Cholewa’s in-depth, scientific review of the best bodybuilding apps (ranked #2 in Google at the time of writing). On the other hand, I’ve conducted many scientific studies on muscle hypertrophy and strength.

What is the best free app for bodybuilding at home?

They also have an app that has a wide range of workouts you can do at home. You can follow along with their live studio workouts for bootcamp or strength classes. You can even hop on your own (non-Peloton) bike or treadmill and be guided by their instructors.

The other plus is that all memberships give you access to free on-demand digital workouts, so if you can’t make it to a studio, you can at least work out at home. 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. Zwift comes with multiple programs; for example, there is Return to Running, which lasts for 8 weeks and steadily increases in difficulty as you improve. Each plan includes stages to add variety and increase difficulty over time. BetterMe allows you to log one-off sessions by selecting a type and duration.

Fitness Online

The in-app chat feature allows users to communicate with trainers on the fly. As for accountability and interactive features, there aren’t a lot in this running app. Push notifications are present, and you can create and join plans to help with holding yourself accountable—but that’s only present in the premium version. There is basic community interaction through a community feed, but if you’re looking for a lot of support in your fitness journey, you may want to look for a different running app. She’s been a journalist for the last 14 years and a CPT/group fitness instructor for the last 11 years. She grew up playing tennis, became an avid runner in college, competed in a bikini competition in her mid-twenties, and even completed a triathlon.

More online workout programs we like for 2026

You also might like to do this in your local park or at home as a home workout. The app incorporates HIIT into 30-minute sessions, and there are over 1000 workout variations to choose from. At the start, you’re asked to fill out a quick questionnaire to establish your goals, and then you’ll be given a handy plan to follow for up to 12 weeks.

Bodyzone

FitOn delivers studio-quality workouts for free, making it a standout choice for budget-conscious fitness enthusiasts. From HIIT and yoga to strength training, the app caters to users at all fitness levels. Nike Training Club remains a leader in the fitness app landscape, offering an expansive library of workouts tailored to all fitness levels. Its polished interface and intuitive navigation ensure users stay focused on their fitness goals without distractions. CNET experts tested some of the most popular workout apps to see which ones actually offer great workouts. These are the apps that stood out for their usability, personalization and ability to help you stay consistent and reach your fitness goals in 2026.

• JuggernautAI costs slightly more than the average app, thought it offers a longer trial period than most so new users can experience the programming.
• If you’re a seasoned athlete, make sure the app you choose has varying levels of intensity and enough to offer in the long run.
• He incorporates testing into everyday tasks, like showering with swim goggles and jumping rope while doing laundry.
• Although many of the best workout apps require a subscription, most also have a free trial to get a taste of the workout style, instructors, and ease of use.
• Another good workout tracker is Hevy, which has a robust community of support where you can share your workouts and view, like and comment on others’ workouts.
• I wanted something fun, with effective routines from personal trainers and yoga teachers.

Best for Longevity – Strength Well

The subscription service is beginner-friendly, with a series of workouts for those just starting to exercise or returning to it after an extended break. Another plus is the variety of workout lengths, ideal if you only have 10 minutes to spare or as much as 60 minutes. The service also learns what you like — as you complete workout classes, Fitness Plus will start suggesting new workouts you might be interested in. In LES MILLS+ workouts, you’ll find motivating coaches and good pump-up music, just as if you had gone to your local studio.

Best workout apps compared

With a free trial available, you can test the app before committing to a subscription. The Movement Athlete is perfect for home training, requiring minimal equipment (often just a pull-up bar or rings). This makes it ideal for anyone without gym access or those who prefer training outdoors. We selected The Movement Athlete as best for calisthenics because it makes this challenging discipline approachable while maintaining the integrity of proper progression. What makes The Movement Athlete special is its structured approach to complex movements.

Progressive Overload

If you love the structure of Pilates but want something that feels more fluid and adaptable, B the Method might just be your new go-to. Created by Lia Bartha, this platform reimagines classical Pilates with a fresh, modern twist, anchored by mindful movement that has garnered a raving fan base. If you’re serious about yoga but don’t want to leave your living room, Glo is a superb option. Packed with everything from beginner-friendly flows to advanced Ashtanga, Glo covers it all — plus some Pilates, barre and HIIT for when you’re in the mood for shaking things up. Glo’s got your back with hundreds of options ranging from quick breathwork to in-depth mindfulness practices.

And every session starts with active mobility and ends with guided relaxation to calm your nervous system while keeping your body challenged. It also includes techy features like syncing with your Apple Watch and Spotify or Apple Music, and there’s a strong focus on equipment flexibility. You can get a great workout at home with a few bands or in a gym with a full rack, as the app designs circuits that match your setup. At $30 a month or $245 a year, Glo isn’t the cheapest platform, but for the variety and quality of teaching, it’s worth it, especially when compared with in-person classes.

Fitness Events

So it makes sense that he founded a fitness and lifestyle app, called Centr, that has workouts, recipes, and meal plans for people who want to get a feel for what it’s like to exercise like Thor. The instructors are also consistent about offering modifications for advancing or decreasing the challenge of the workouts, too, so I could level up or down based on the kind of day I was having. Not necessarily, but many people find that combining a workout app with a nutrition tracker gives the best results. A popular combination would be using Muscle Booster or Fitbod for training alongside Yazio for food tracking and habit building. Beyond that, one well-chosen app used consistently will outperform several apps used sporadically.

Programs like Centr Ignite are particularly unique — five workouts per week, minutes each, mixing everything from strength training to MMA and functional movements. While the instructors in the class use the Les Mills Smartbar, you can actually use any weight you have to hand to do the workout. The focus is on lots of repetitions using light weights, so you’ll definitely feel yourself getting stronger. I also enjoy the Pilates classes, which use similar moves in each session https://www.trustpilot.com/review/harnafit.com and have plans for progression, so I found myself actually improving in a very short space of time. Most premium workout apps cost $10–$30 per month, with advanced features like AI-powered recommendations and real-time feedback justifying higher price points.

Routine Planner, Habit Tracker

The app has hundreds of recipes to choose from, and I was able to tailor my meal plan to my dietary requirements. The recipes are delicious, and easy to follow, and I appreciated having everything in one place. We also really liked that you can head into the app’s settings to select the equipment you have to hand, then use that list to filter the library, so you only see classes or routines you can do with the weights you have. This saves a lot of time, allowing you more space to do your workout rather than fiddle with the app.

This educational approach helps beginners build confidence while learning correct technique from day one. Elegantly simple yet incredibly effective at crafting customized workouts perfect for those new to strength training. For value, the team weighed all of these factors—features, coaching depth, workout quality, and flexibility—against the typical monthly subscription price. We enjoyed that Reverse Health offered inclusive imagery for all body types, so the program felt supportive, according to Paige. “My only comment is that the pictures in the beginning while registering were clearly AI generated, and it would’ve been more encouraging to see real photos,” she said.

Other fitness trackers worth considering

The GPS support seems to work well enough, as Amanda tested its accuracy with other GPS trackers she uses, and it was comparable to those apps and trackers. She gave it a 3-out-of-5 rating, as it still wasn’t always accurate, getting within about a tenth of a mile for accuracy. Provided by Under Armour, Map My Fitness is easy to set up and sync with other apps and devices, like Garmin, Apple Health, UA connected footwear, MyFitnessPal, and others. The interface is clean and easy to navigate as well, leading Amanda to rate both the setup and ease of use a 5 out of 5. While there is a paid plan available, the free plan provides plenty for most users, earning a 5 out of 5 for value. The only thing you’ll be missing is some of the Pro plans, as well as advanced training stats and analytics.

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. Looking for the best workout apps can be tough, especially if you’re looking for a free app. One of the most frustrating things about browsing an app store on your Android device or iPhone is that almost every workout app says they’re free, but with in-app purchases. Once you install the app, however, you realize that the in-app purchase is to unlock full use of the workout app.