How to Motivate Yourself to Work Out: 32 Tips for All Levels

Lloyd Coombes is a freelance tech and fitness writer for TechRadar. He’s an expert in all things Apple as well as Computer and Gaming tech, with previous works published on TopTenReviews, Space.com, and Live Science. You’ll find him regularly testing the latest MacBook or iPhone, but he spends most of his time writing about video games at Dexerto. Recommended additions to your workout include stretching periods, and Pace Prompter records your speed and tells you to slow down or speed up depending on your pace. It’s definitely worth investigating before your next running event – after all, it’s cheaper than a real running coach. However, you really need a Fitbit or a Google Pixel Watch to get a lot out of the metrics, and although FItbit is system-agnostic, its purchase by Google means it’s slightly easier to invest in for Android users.

Follow the 3 x 10 rule

Highly effective, medically endorsed, easy to use, and affordable for everyone. With Nutrisense, you’ll learn how to use your body’s data to make informed choices about eating, movement, sleep, and stress, all in one powerful app. The Paleo.io app is a tool that can help people adopt a healthier and more functional diet based on the principles of the paleo lifestyle.

  • Pairing a structured workout app with creatine and pre‑workout can make your training more effective, but only if you use them intentionally and safely.
  • This allows you to follow workouts without your phone, displaying exercises, reps, timers, and haptic alerts for section changes.
  • If you’re new to running, the dynamic goal-setting experience is worth a little bit of frustration.
  • Being able to use apps on different devices keeps your workout history intact.
  • Freemium apps, like Fitbit, hide advanced features like Readiness Scores behind a Premium tier.
  • When choosing a plan, you can easily filter the programs based on your training goals, experience level, desired number of days per week, and equipment access.

Can I watch the workouts on my TV?

Of course, scrolling the app store can feel overwhelming, and not every fitness app delivers high-quality programming. That’s why our exercise professionals in the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition & Fitness Lab tested more than 40 workout apps to find the ones that truly stand out. We evaluated everything from the quality of the workouts and variety of classes to how intuitive the apps felt to use. We also brought in real-life testers to share their experiences, including how challenging the workouts were, how engaging the classes felt, and whether the apps helped them stay motivated. Ahead, we’re sharing the best workout apps to elevate your crowdreviews mad muscles fitness routine, no matter your goal or experience level.

Best Free Workout App for Guided Workouts: ClassPass

fitness apps for different fitness goals

Strava has all the running tracking features you’d expect – from running speed and distance travelled, to more in-depth performance analytics and weekly miles. We’ve run hundreds of miles with the best running apps, putting them through their paces to help you decide which is right for your training. A quick search of your phone’s app store will bring up hundreds of options, but we’ve narrowed it down to 11 apps.

Optimize training with personalized metrics

Aaptiv’s membership costs $14.99 per month and offers a free seven day trial. However, you do need to get the entire year plan in order to try the seven week trial, which isn’t the most convenient. Unfortunately, we weren’t too thrilled with the user interface, rating it a 3 out of 5. “There’s not much here that I couldn’t already see in my Apple Health app,” our tester said.

Best Free Workout App for Community: Hevy

GGR writer and certified personal trainer Amanda Capritto gives Aaptiv a 4-out-of-5-star rating for accountability. She notes there is a supportive online community, challenges you can join, and the ability to add your workout program to your calendar. When you use the calendar option, your workouts come up as appointments with calendar reminders, which is ideal for anyone establishing a routine. While we think this is the best overall workout app, it’s really meant for athletes who want to follow pre-made programs rather than those who simply want an app to track their existing workouts.

The Best Workout Apps of 2026: For Any Fitness Goals

There are apps for every kind of exerciser, whether you’re the generalist looking for a good workout library, the obsessive fitness tracker, or the runner prepping for a race. If you’re looking to connect with a trainer, get a customized workout plan, or find some epic and efficient workouts, read on. But, first it’s important to consider activity, coaching, and price. If you’re looking to train at home or in the gym, using one of the best workout apps can help you access motivational, qualified personal trainers in just a few taps.

What is the best free workout app?

And if you’re feeling overwhelmed (or underwhelmed) by the choices available, I’m here to share personally-tested workout and planning apps to get you started. Some programs are generic, and while they may help you address some of your fitness goals, they may not help you with all of your aspirations. By contrast, many workout apps connect you with professionals who can help guide you through and program a custom workout plan for your specific preferences. If you’re new to workout apps, or fitness in general, Aaptiv can be a great choice. It offers beginner-friendly workouts for a variety of goals, which means you can try a few different disciplines or modalities to see what you like.

fitness apps for different fitness goals

Best free: Nike Training Club App

Amanda tested the app and says, “This is a fun app—very fun if you like CrossFit. 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. It is currently known that the app has 1+ million downloads on Android, but it works for iPhone 13 and other models too.

Nutrition

Alo Moves is the most widely used and highly recommended fitness app among NBC Select’s staff. It has an extensive library of on-demand classes, which you can filter by exercise type, length, skill level and required equipment. “Alo Moves is the most versatile fitness app I’ve tried with the easiest user experience,” she says.