The best workout apps right now are Apple Fitness+ for people in the Apple ecosystem, Nike Training Club for free structured training, and Peloton for those who want a community-driven experience. These three consistently outperform the competition in adherence—meaning people actually keep using them. When looking for the best workout apps, focus on the one that fits your current equipment and motivational style.
The fitness app market is noisy. There are hundreds of options promising transformation, and most of them collect dust after two weeks. What separates a great workout app from a forgettable one comes down to three things: variety (so you don’t get bored), progression (so you keep improving), and friction reduction (so skipping a day is harder than not skipping). The apps below get all three right.
Top Workout Apps at a Glance
| App | Best For | Monthly Cost | Equipment Needed | Offline Mode |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Fitness+ | Apple Watch users | $9.99/mo or $79.99/yr | Optional | Yes |
| Nike Training Club | Variety seekers | Free | Minimal | Yes |
| Peloton App | Motivation & community | $12.99/mo | Optional (not required) | Limited |
| Centr (Chris Hemsworth) | Whole-body programs | $29.99/mo or $149.99/yr | Varies by program | Yes |
| Ladder | Strength training | $29.99/mo | Gym or home gym | Yes |
| Supernatural (Meta Quest) | VR workout experience | $19/mo | Meta Quest headset | N/A |
| BetterMe | Weight loss + habits | $45.99/yr | None to minimal | Yes |
App-by-App Reviews
Apple Fitness+
If you own an Apple Watch, Fitness+ is one of the best values in fitness. It streams workouts directly to your Apple TV, iPhone, or iPad while your real-time metrics – heart rate, calories, rings – overlay on screen. The instructor shout-outs when you close a ring are cheesy, but they work. The library spans HIIT, yoga, strength, cycling, running, and even meditation. The quality of the instruction is consistently high.
Nike Training Club (NTC)
Free, well-designed, and with enough content to keep you busy for years – NTC shouldn’t be as good as it is at no cost. The app offers guided workouts ranging from 15 to 60 minutes across strength, endurance, yoga, and mobility. The programs are structured properly – they periodize training rather than just giving you random workouts – which most free apps don’t bother doing.
Peloton App
You don’t need a Peloton bike or treadmill to use the Peloton app. The $12.99/month subscription gets you access to thousands of on-demand classes – cycling, strength, yoga, outdoor running, bootcamp, stretching. The community element is real: leaderboards, high-fives, challenges. Some people find this motivating; others find it annoying. Know yourself before subscribing.
Centr
Centr is Chris Hemsworth’s fitness platform, and while that might sound like a celebrity gimmick, the programming is legitimately good. It was developed with actual coaches and nutritionists, not just for branding. The meal planning integration is a standout feature – it builds a weekly eating plan alongside your training schedule, which most apps completely ignore.
Ladder
Ladder is built specifically for strength training and produces structured, progressive programs that actually work. If building muscle and getting stronger is your primary goal, Ladder’s programming quality exceeds most apps at this price point. It connects to your gym or home gym setup and adjusts based on what equipment you have available.
Best App by Fitness Goal
| Your Primary Goal | Best App Pick | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Lose weight | BetterMe or Apple Fitness+ | Habit tracking + calorie-burning variety |
| Build muscle | Ladder or Centr | Structured progressive overload programs |
| Improve flexibility | Nike Training Club | Strong yoga and mobility library, free |
| Cardio / endurance | Peloton App | Best variety for cardio-focused training |
| Stay active (no gym) | Apple Fitness+ or NTC | No equipment needed for most workouts |
| Something genuinely fun | Supernatural (VR) | Nothing else on the market like it |
Free vs. Premium: What Do You Actually Need?
Nike Training Club proves that free apps can be genuinely excellent. For most beginners or casual exercisers, a free app combined with consistency will produce better results than a premium app used sporadically. The case for paying is: structured progression, accountability features (live classes, challenges), and content variety that prevents the boredom that kills most routines.
If you’re just starting out, begin with NTC or the free tier of any app. Upgrade after 30 days if you’re finding the content limiting – not before.
The Real Reason You Stop Using Workout Apps
Almost nobody fails to exercise because they lack a good app. The real blockers are scheduling (not protecting workout time), perfectionism (skipping if you can’t do the full 45 minutes), and novelty fatigue (every routine gets boring eventually). The best apps address these directly:
- They offer workouts as short as 10-15 minutes for low-energy days
- They build in rest days and deload weeks so you don’t burn out
- They rotate instructors and formats so the experience stays fresh
- They remind you gently – not aggressively – when you miss a session
Pick an app that matches how you actually behave – not your best self, your average self. That’s the one that will still be on your home screen in six months.
