Some of the higher-cost apps provide fantastic value, but we’ve also found plenty of affordable, or even free apps that we love and recommend. Apps can “gamify” workouts, too, through checking in and earning achievements and badges for breaking milestones. A survey study from determined that apps with achievement-oriented motivations were one of the best ways to keep app users accountable and driven toward progress. For this category, we aren’t just looking at the plan itself, but how much instruction the app provides. To earn 3 out of 5 stars, we want to see both visual and audio cues, though there may not be much guidance about how hard to push yourself or when to increase the weight you’re using. To earn a 4- or 5-star rating, the trial needs to last for seven days (some apps offer 14 days) and either doesn’t require your credit card to sign up or sends a reminder that your trial is about to end.
And The Best Free Gym App Is…
If you’re curious about personal training, the Future app is the next best option to working with an in-person instructor. As one of the few apps that connects you with a real-life coach, Future earns 5 out of 5 stars for accountability. Overall, JEFIT is a useful and comprehensive fitness app that can help users reach their goals and improve their overall health and fitness. What makes the StrongLifts 5×5 app so effective for new lifters is its strict adherence to the program’s rules. It calculates your starting weights, adds weight incrementally each workout, and even tells you when to deload after a failed lift to break through plateaus.
Best Workout App for Women: Aaptiv
While the price and trial period didn’t blow us away, Future put up impressive scores across all other categories, earning perfect marks for accountability, workout variety, progressive overload, and equipment demands. That said, based on our team’s collective experience, we still think it’s worth the cost, especially if you want personal coaching. We do acknowledge, though, that the lack of a true “free trial” for an app that costs $200 per month could give people pause about making such an expensive investment. Now, we’re stepping in as your spotter to help you choose the perfect weightlifting app for maximum gains.
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If you like to run outdoors, for example, you’d likely want an app that offers location tracking. Similarly, when looking into a specific app, figure out whether its classes require you to have certain equipment on-hand, like dumbbells or a yoga mat. Do you just want to get moving more often, or are there specific fitness milestones you want to hit (like running a certain speed or lifting a certain amount of weight)? Some apps let you personalize your goals or even connect with a personal trainer to help you meet them. If you don’t want to pay for a personal trainer or gym membership, the best workout apps are a great alternative you can use anywhere, anytime. Another staffer said it’s the first platform that’s helped her exercise consistently in years, thanks to a knowledgeable, encouraging trainer.
Best Workout App for Strength Training: Boostcamp
If you’re new to the world of weightlifting, Muscle Booster can be one of the best workout apps for beginners. This strength-focused fitness platform aims to meet users where they are. If you can train at a commercial gym, the app will program your routine appropriately. If you use a home gym with limited equipment, Muscle Booster has you covered, too. Workout apps come with various pricing options, from free versions with basic features to premium subscriptions or one-time purchases.
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You can use this workout when you’re tight on time or when you want to tack on an extra burn to your regular session. This 41-minute power yoga session is designed to strengthen your body and mind. Flow through twists and standing series single-leg balances to fire up your inner warrior. Focus on connecting your breath to your movement to expand your practice. Created, used, and loved by Nike Trainers themselves, these premier at-home workouts require just your body’s amount of space and minimal or no equipment, but deliver all the good stuff you’re craving.
Other Workout Apps We Researched
But if you’re confident in your audio-learning skills, and want an app that allows you to sweat without having to stare at a screen the whole time, it’s a great option. In 2021, Aaptiv bought Pear, an app that offered heart-rate based workouts—we haven’t tested this, but can only imagine it strengthens Aaptiv’s already-great training programs. Some apps try to shame you into working out, or bombard you with notifications, so I liked this approach.
Key Features & User Experience
Holding your body up with your knee and your extended arm during a hip abduction makes this move an upper-body exercise, too. Adding a leg lift to a regular plank makes you unstable, requiring your core to work in overdrive and your three limbs to support more weight. Any time you take an exercise to mad muscle review a single leg, you’ll automatically make it harder.
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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. You can select the equipment you have available, ranging from access to free weights and machines to just bodyweight exercises. In addition, Fitbod earned high praise (and a 4-out-of-5 score) for accountability. Caine appreciated that the app sends reminders of upcoming workouts and progress goals, and you can also opt to receive notifications of challenges. If you’re not hyper-focused on improving your squat, bench, and deadlift game, Boostcamp offers a more robust selection of workout programs at a more affordable price.
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- It centers on structured strength training, offering a clear path to progressive overload through well-designed plans.
- This guide aims to explore some of the best strength training apps on the market, highlighting their features, benefits, and suitability for users at all stages of their fitness journey.
- Caliber received above-average scores in most categories, but the personal coaching plan isn’t cheap, so we gave this 3.5 out of 5 for pricing.
- According to our tester, the videos are “amazing and super easy to follow,” and fresh workouts are added every day.
- The programs you follow can be easily adjusted, and you can swap exercises based on your equipment needs or personal preferences.
- Caine had a few callouts about Hevy, particularly in terms of accountability.
A score of 3 out of 5 means the app provides programs that work if followed, but may lack full optimization for long-term improvement. Higher ratings require well-devised programs that reliably produce gains over time. Whether you want to crank out an upper chest workout or take your triceps to the next level with the Tate press, you want to know exactly what to do. We carefully assess the clarity of the instructions provided, with a 3-out-of-5 rating reflecting adequate visual and verbal instructions that you can follow along confidently. Apps that go above and beyond by providing cues for rest, equipment changes, or tailored guidance earn higher scores.
The equipment you have access to determines which app will actually work for you — not which app has the best reviews. An app that requires a barbell for 80% of its exercises is useless if you train at home with resistance bands and a single pair of dumbbells. This matters whether you’re transitioning between a commercial vs private gym setup. JuggernautAI, a periodization-based app built specifically for powerlifters, occupies a niche that the other six apps don’t touch. Fitbod is the best fitness app for strength training when you want maximum variety and zero planning overhead. Many apps allow users to download workouts and videos for offline access, but this varies by app, so check the specific offline capabilities before relying on it during gym sessions.
We noted our experiences, as well as those of other customers who noted pros or cons in their respective customer reviews. Not every app will provide ongoing accountability to help you stay motivated, but we consider it a positive when we do see an app offering this feature. This means if you’re an Android user, you’ll be unable to use Ladder’s programming, which is a major flaw in terms of accommodations.
In conclusion, the 5 best free weight lifting apps for bodybuilding and gym workouts in 2023 offer something for everyone, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned fitness enthusiast. In addition, JEFIT markets itself as a fitness tracker, allowing users to track their progress and see how they are progressing over time. Additionally, trainers can use JEFIT as a means to stay in contact with their own clients and prescribe training plans, making it a valuable tool for professional trainers as well. The journey from simply showing up to intelligently training requires a shift in mindset, and the right app is a powerful catalyst for that change. It transforms your workout from a list of exercises into a data-driven conversation with your body. Instead of guessing your next move, you have a record of every set, rep, and weight lifted, allowing you to make informed decisions about progressive overload.
Now, Amanda brings her expertise in fitness to the GGR team by testing equipment and writing authentic, honest reviews on everything you might need to stock your home gym. Dr. Muscle is an unbeatable free app for your Android that’ll guide you to build some serious muscle. Access our world-class experts and trainers for free so we can all stay active and healthy. If you’re struggling to use your gym membership and your living room isn’t big enough to house the squat rack, weight bench and barbell, then adjustable dumbbells are worth their weight in gold. Get 24/7 access to strength, yoga, mobility, and more, whenever and wherever you press play.
The best free workout app depends on what you’re going to be using it for. Nike Training Club offers a variety of classes, whereas an app like Strava is ideal if you’d like to keep metrics on your outdoor adventures. A good place to start is by searching your App Store and seeing what free workout apps it has to offer. The app’s creators believe that connection is the best way to stick to your goals. That’s why they set you up with a partner who can hold you accountable.