16 Best Fitness Apps for Beginners: 2025 Review

by Kurt Johnson

At this subscription level, you get not only unlimited bike, treadmill, and rower classes, but also non-equipment classes for HIIT, outdoor running, strength training, yoga, and more. Whether you’re an advanced yogi or a complete beginner, there’s a class for you. From live classes to a vast library of on-demand online resources, this is a curated list of top yoga teachers and platforms that are sure to cater to any monthly budget, skill level, and style of yoga.

What makes Peloton stand out?

With time, the workouts that once seemed challenging will become manageable, then easy—a clear indicator of your improving fitness. Sweat provides exceptionally well-structured programs that gradually increase in difficulty, allowing female beginners to build strength and confidence without feeling overwhelmed. Daily Burn excels at providing structure through its daily live workouts, helping beginners establish a consistent routine. Plus, the demonstrated modifications make even advanced-looking workouts accessible to newcomers. Aaptiv differentiates itself by focusing on audio-guided workouts across various categories. This makes it perfect for beginners who prefer focusing on instruction rather than watching screens during exercise.

best beginner workout app reddit

If you wear a connected heart rate monitor while working out, you can see your BPMs on the screen as you move. There’s also a leaderboard for competing with other members or a group of friends. Many of the sessions in StretchIt (available for Android, iOS, and the web) are downright tough and will leave you sweating. If your workouts include heavy lifting, running, cycling, and other activities that are hard on your muscles, stretching can improve your everyday mobility, posture, and comfort—and prevent injuries. In addition to personalized training plans, you’ll get access to a library of premade bodyweight workouts and individual exercises that you can try. Pick an app, log your next session, and start building the data that will drive your progress for years to come.

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best beginner workout app reddit

Kassandra Reinhardt’s YouTube channel is a go-to for Yin yoga enthusiasts who love slow and gentle yoga classes. Her classes feature long-held poses that stretch the muscles and get you relaxed from the start. While Yin is her specialty, she offers a variety of other styles, making her a favorite amongst advanced practitioners. Plus, if you’re looking to deepen your practice, Kassandra also offers online yoga teacher training. Fitbod is the best fitness app for strength training when you want maximum variety and zero planning overhead. Several of the options on our best workout apps list will log your exercise data.

Wanderlog – Travel Planner

In late 2022, Netflix added a range of Nike Training Club workouts to its library. 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. As a BodyPump fan, I would watch the classes on my TV, and send my heart rate soaring without leaving my living room. These classes do require you to have a decent amount of equipment at home, however. I don’t have an exercise bar, but I used a set of the best adjustable dumbbells and still got a great workout. Strava is one of the best running apps on the market, with a free and a paid subscription to allow runners, cyclists, and walkers to keep track of their progress.

What is a popular home workout app for bodyweight exercises?

Jane McGuire is Tom’s Guide’s Fitness Managing Editor, which means she looks after everything fitness-related – from running gear to mad muscles yoga mats. That’s why we put each app to the test before including it in our guide. We’ve tried these apps ourselves to see if they’re easy to use, fun, and worth the money you need to pay in subscription fees. However, if you use a non-Apple fitness tracker, you may be a bit limited for now. For example, I wasn’t able to connect my best Garmin watch to the SWEAT app.

Take advantage of any trial period and then try a monthly subscription to see if the app meets your needs. If you like what you see, you can always switch to an annual subscription, which usually lowers your monthly cost. The best workout app for you covers the exercises you’re interested in doing at a level that’s accessible to you.

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JEFIT is a popular choice for weightlifting enthusiasts, often recommended on the r/weightroom subreddit. It boasts a comprehensive exercise library and tracking features to enhance your strength training routine. This app caters specifically to female empowerment and well-being, offering a wide range of guided workouts for all fitness levels and goals. StrongLifts 5×5 is one of the top-rated home workout apps on Reddit for strength training.

Top Reddit Picks: Best Home Workout Apps

Focus on tracking your main compound lifts and exercises where progressive overload matters most. Speed, simplicity, and the ability to track progressive overload without getting in the way of your actual workout. Let’s break down what real users are saying about the best workout tracker apps in 2025. If you’re looking for an online yoga platform that offers a mix of free and paid classes that you can access without breaking the bank, this is it.

They like that Freeletics has a wide range of exercises like pull-ups and squats and challenging progressions to help you build muscle without equipment. Redditors agree that Freeletics is one of the best apps for bodyweight workouts. The three month plan costs $2.69 per week whereas the twelve month option only costs $1.44 per week. The app also syncs with Spotify and Apple Health so you can play music during your workouts and easily view your performance data.

For dedicated internal guidance on progressive overload methods, see our guide to progressive overload for beginners. The key word is “consistently.” Without a log, you cannot confirm you’re applying consistent overload. Progressive overload is the core mechanism behind all strength gains — but most people cannot feel it happening session to session.

FitNotes remains the best free option for Android users who want zero frills. If you might switch from iPhone to Android (or vice versa), choose an app available on both platforms with cloud sync. FitNotes is excellent, but being Android-only is a dealbreaker for some users.

What makes Yoga with Adriene stand out?

  • However, for strength workouts, Centr is an excellent option, especially as you can filter classes by the equipment you have at hand.
  • The functionality gap between iOS and Android versions is minimal for most apps.
  • You can track your progress, set personal records, and log your activities to keep yourself motivated.
  • Hevy wins on simplicity and speed; Strong wins on data depth and precision.
  • The short duration makes it mentally easier to commit to, while the body-weight exercises require no equipment investment.
  • To learn more about tracking your max lifts, see our guide to personal records.

The app will also tell you how much weight to lift, how many reps to complete, and how long to rest between each set to help you maximize your gains. They also like the positive attitude of the coaches and the integration with Roku, which allows them to stream videos on the TV screen in their home gym. If you work out at least 15 times throughout the month, for example, you’ll get a gold medal. When you do most of your workouts at home, it can be tough to stay motivated and come up with new workout ideas that challenge your body. When you have a great workout or figure out a form cue that helps, write it down.

Specifications

Shred creates workouts that use basic equipment you might have at home or in a gym. It bases workouts on your goals, such as whether you want to build muscle, lose weight, or just stay healthy by adding some cardio to your routine. Whatever the case, Shred sets you up with a complete program so that you know what to do and which days to do it.

Best workout app for beginners

Our team evaluated both apps over six weeks using real training sessions, and the difference is clearer than any spec sheet suggests. Hevy wins on simplicity and speed; Strong wins on data depth and precision. For lifters who want the most variety at zero cost — especially bodyweight training — one app stands alone. For pure tracking with no budget, Hevy’s free tier edges out most competitors on interface cleanliness and social integration. If you only need to log sets and reps and see basic progress lines, you may never need to upgrade. Understanding why strength training helps isn’t just motivational — for women over 40, the science-backed case changes how you should choose an app.

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