If you came into 2023 with strong fitness goals, we hope you’re going strong. It can be hard to attain fitness goals because a lot of gyms or workout classes are pretty expensive. The good news is that there are so many workout apps that are at your disposal and do not require a subscription fee. We have gathered the best free workout apps you can download on your phone right now.
Why you should use a workout app?
The benefit of using a workout app is simply keeping track of what you are doing. It helps you stay motivated while working out and pushes you to keep track of your stats. They can track your diet and workout progress with their digital tools. If you have trouble staying accountable or organized, that is the best reason to use a workout app.
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How much do fitness apps cost?
It depends on which fitness app you subscribe to and what they offer. A fitness app can cost anywhere from two to fifty dollars a month, so the price range is pretty wide. The more expensive a fitness app is, the more features that it can offer like tracking heart rate, oxygen levels, etc. The best part about this is that you can pick the fitness app that includes the features you want as opposed to the ones that contain everything. There are also many free workout apps.
What equipment is needed for at-home workouts?
You can get affordable equipment to use alongside your free workout app at-home. Specifically, full-body workouts often use the same couple of props on rotation, so if you have these at-home, then you’ll be all set to use your app. This is great if the weather is preventing you from going outside or if you need to get a quick workout in before you leave the house. These can be found for cheap on Amazon or on sale at some retail stores:
- Resistance bands
- Jump rope
- Step bench or box
- Exercise mat
- Light set of free weights
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Is a 10-minute workout enough for beginners?
Even short ten-minute workouts are better than not exercising at all. These small workouts can help establish a workout routine, which is a great habit to build. You can increase how long you work out each time and improve upon your stamina. Quick 10-minute workouts can give you a place to start and provide energy in your busy day.
How long does it take to see workout results?
It will take about three to six months, depending on the person, to clearly see results. If you consistently work out during the week, you will see results sooner. It also depends on what type of workout you are doing. Cardio is good for your heart, but it might not necessarily show unless you are trying to lose weight. Weight training or strength classes show muscle definition in that three to six month window. The key is being consistent and working on your body, which will always lead to results.
How many days a week should I work out?
It is ideal to work out at least five days per week for thirty minutes at minimum. When working out, you will want to work out your entire body, although you don’t need to do that each day. If you have a body part that you want to focus on, you can split up each day to spend 30 minutes or so on that one body part. If you’re going to work on your lower body, work on those three days a week and then the upper part of your body the other two days.
Best Free Workout App for Beginners
If you are looking for the best free workout apps and you’re a beginner when it comes to working out, we have the best options below.
1. 7 Minute Workout
7 Minute Workout is a great workout app if you want to work out, but don’t have a lot of time and don’t know where to start. The app is ideal for newbies looking to start somewhere and try some short and sweet exercises. There are classic workouts like jumping jacks, squats, and lunges. It provides effective activities in seven-minute sessions and is available on Android and iOS.
2. Beginner Gym Workout
Beginner Gym Workout is perfect for beginner weight trainers and gym go-getters who are getting back into the swing of things. The app consists of an effective four-day workout plan to boost your strength. Each day the targets hit several different areas of the body from the chest and triceps on day one to the legs and core on day four. If you want an uncomplicated workout plan, this app if for you. It is available on Android only.
3. 5 Minute Pilates
The 5-Minute Pilates is a quick, simple, exercise app. It shows you daily pilates moves in five minutes, so it is great for anyone in a time crunch. Each move features clear instructions and a visual demonstration so you can see exactly what to do. You will feel ready to do more once you have done a few of these Pilate sessions. If you are looking to start Pilates but want to start slowly, this app is for you. It is available on Android and iOS.
Best Free App for Group Fitness
If you want to join a community and do group workouts to stay motivated, there are great options for free group fitness apps.
1. Lose It!
The Lose It! app lets you join groups, add friends, and comment on other users’ profiles. You can participate in events that are happening where you live. It was mainly made to keep track of your calories and will calculate your daily calorie budget. All of the information is based on your body specific stats and the goals you provide. It also has a built-in food and exercise activities library for daily logging. This app is available on Android and iOS.
2. MyFitnessPal
My Fitness Pal is a popular app with an online community where you can keep track of your calories and fitness goals. You can interact with other users and choose from a library of over three million food items to track all your daily needs. On the app, you can set your goals based on personal information and it will adjust as needed as you continue working out. This app is available on Android and iOS.
3. Fitocracy
The Fitocracy is a fitness social network that also acts as your daily workout tracker with over nine hundred different exercises you can follow for ab training, cardio, and strength. You can follow the app’s daily inspirations, join challenges, and get help from more experienced people. It is great for anyone that doesn’t want to feel like they are working out alone. You can even launch a one-on-one dual to make it interesting if you are super competitive. This app is available on Android and iOS.
Best Prenatal and Postpartum Free Fitness Apps
Staying healthy and being active while pregnant helps you throughout each trimester. We have the two best app options for you if you are pregnant.
1. FitOn
FitOn app provides exercise videos, personalized fitness plans, and guided meditations. It gives you various workouts at-home, outside, or in the gym. It offers calming yoga practice and cardio workouts for pregnant women to make them feel good. This app has hundreds of free fitness videos and guides. It is one of the best apps for pregnant women and is available on Android and iOS.
2. Pregnancy Exercise and Yoga
The Pregnancy Exercise and Yoga app updates each exercise based on the timeline of the pregnancy tracker and the trimester you are in. This app helps keep women healthy throughout their pregnancy. In addition to having pregnancy exercises, it also provides tips to remain safe and sound doing the exercise. It will remind you to take any pregnancy medicine you need to take. This app is available on Android or iOS.
Best Free Workout App for Home Workouts
If you don’t want to go to a gym to work out, we have the best free workout apps to give you a great workout at-home.
1. Home Workout
Home Workout is perfect if you want to work out from the comfort of your own home. This app will make you feel like you have a personal trainer alongside you. Various training plans are available on the app, including lower and upper-body workouts. The app features thirty-day healthy meal plans and a shopping list. This app is available on Android and iOS phones.
2. Nike Training Club
The Nike Training Club app provides a variety of classes and training plans. The app has four hundred and fifty on-demand courses in various categories, including yoga, strength, zero equipment, and cardio. There are fourteen training programs if you need a guide to help develop a longer-term workout plan. The app gives you access to health information from blogs, podcasts, and articles they think will be useful to you. It’s definitely one of the most robust free workout apps available. This app is available on Android and iOS.
Best Free App for Minimal Equipment Workouts
If you need workouts that requires minimal equipment and won’t take up much space, these apps provide options where you don’t need anything to get a sweat in.
1. Adidas Training by Runtastic
Adidas Training by Runtastic offers anything from seven to forty-five minute workouts with one hundred and eighty plus stand-alone exercises. You can also generate custom sweat sessions designed to your fitness goals. It is an excellent app if you don’t have much space or a home gym and need some workouts that can be done without any equipment. This app is available on Android and iOS.
2. Burpee Be Stronger
Burpee Be Stronger is a total body exercise app that can be used anywhere. Burpees are a pretty divisive move because they are challenging. This app is dedicated to them to get you in shape. The app offers burpee challenges that vary in length and difficulty. You can become a pro at burpees with this app before you know it. All you’ll need is to download the app and carve out a space on your floor where you can have space to do a push up and jump up afterwards. This app is available on Android and iOS. If you consider your burpee’s to be terrible, this app might not be for you.
Best Free Workout Apps for Quick Workouts
If you don’t have that much time for a workout, these apps provide quick workouts you can do in under ten minutes.
1. J&J Official 7-Minute Workout
The J&J Official 7-Minute Workout provides a large variety of workouts that are seven minutes long. If you don’t have much time and need an app that will give you small workouts, this is the app to download. It has a spectacular smart workout feature that will build a custom workout routine depending on your goals and motivation. This app is available on Android and iOS.
2. 7 Minute Workout
As we saw earlier in this list, the 7 Minute Workout app is a great app to download if you want to work out in 7 minutes or less. These exercises emphasize full body workouts like jumping jacks, squats, and lunges. It combines both cardio and strength training for efficiency. It is available on Android and iOS.
3. 5 Minute Pilates
Another previously mentioned app, 5-Minute Pilates is a quick, simple, exercise app. It shows you daily Pilates moves in five minutes, so they will teach you something new every time in a short amount of time. If you are looking to start Pilates but want to start slowly, this app is for you. It is available on Android and iOS.
Best Free App for Walking
If you like to keep track of your walking and daily steps, we have the best apps that provide you with different routes in your area.
1. MapMyWalk
Map My Walk lets you see how much time you have spent walking, the distance, pace, speed, and calories burned. Once you have finished walking, this app allows you to upload and save your workout data to view it. You can save the routes you use, so you can return to them when you want to go for a walk. It has a social feature that lets you share routes with friends if they also have the app. This app is available on Android and iOS.
2. Fitbit App Mobile Tracker
The Fitbit app mobile tracker can be downloaded on your phone and you don’t even need a Fitbit to use this app. It will track your walks with GPS and let you know how many daily steps you do. You can review your route, distance, pace, calories burned, and steps you have taken. If friends have this app, you can challenge them to virtual races. This app is available on Android and iOS.
3. Walkmeter
Walkmeter has plenty of fun features you can try. You can view the walks you take on a calendar or by your preferred route. A race-compete mode lets you compare your own times and see if you can beat your own record. The app includes maps, graphs, training plans, and heart rate zones. It will keep track of the weather in your area, so you know if you need to return home or not. This app is available on Android and iOS.
Best Free App for Cyclists
Whether you are a regular cyclist or just getting started, we have the best free apps for you to use.
1. Strava
Strava takes data from your smartwatch, mobile phone, and fitness tracker and puts it in your feed. This app is great for everyone whether you are a beginner or part of a cycling community. Strava tracks your speed, distance, routes, and more. It will help you find new areas to explore and routes to take while cycling, running, or hiking. It is completely free to use, but a more advanced version is available for purchase that allows you to share your stats with friends. It is compatible with Android and iOS if you want to download it.
2. CycleStreets
CycleStreets is great for anyone who loves to cycle and wants to track their information. The program allows you to request different cycling routes depending on your personal preferences. If you like a less populated area to bike through, it can help you find a quiet, less popular route you can take when cycling. It provides a wide variety of helpful information that includes the speed and distance you are going while riding. You can track your journey and get directions straight from the app, so you always know where you are going. This app is available on Android and iOS.
3. Map My Ride
Map My Ride is a great way to discover new routes if you are tired of taking the same old routes every time. If you come across a route, you can save it and share it with friends so they can bike the same route you enjoy. You can keep up with your friends and see what they are doing in your activity feed, join challenges to compete with others, and win prizes. This app is available on Android and iOS.
Best Free App for Running
If you enjoy running, the free apps we provide below will give you different routes to take in your area.
1. Map My Fitness
Map My Fitness has training plans for runners whether they are training for a 5k or a marathon. You can start challenges with friends and be part of the MapMyRun community. It has a massive library of running routes around the world. You can explore new trails that you might have yet to discover in your neighborhood. This app is available on Android and iOS.
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2. Strava
Strava takes data from your smartwatch, mobile phone, and fitness tracker and puts it in your feed. This app is great for runners because it tracks your speed, distance, and routes, so you’ll always have an accurate record of your training. It will help you find new areas to explore and you can always upgrade if you want to share your information with friends. This app is available on Android and iOS if you want to download it.
3. AllTrails: Hike, Bike & Run
AllTrails is an excellent app to get your sweat on in the great outdoors. This app offers more than a hundred thousand trail-running and hiking maps with reviews and photos from other users. You can use the filters to find dog-friendly, kid-friendly, or wheelchair-friendly trails that you have access to where you live. This app is available on Android and iOS.
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Best Free Workout App for Seniors
If you are over 50-years-old and looking for workout apps that can help you with balance, flexibility, and gentle fitness, these are the best three options for you.
1. Senior Fitness
Senior Fitness is easy to navigate and has low-impact exercises for seniors. Exercises include head tilts, shoulder stretches, and heel raises. The exercises listed on this app can be done in a chair if you find it difficult to stand up. You can watch demonstration videos of how to do specific exercises if you need more clarification. This app is only available on Android.
2. Over Fifty Fitness
Over Fifty Fitness is an excellent app if you are trying to lose weight, gain some muscle, or boost your health. You can search through the app by workout type, time, instructor, focus area, and intensity level. It makes it ideal to find workouts for you easily and efficiently. This app has excellent challenges like cardio, strength, and flexibility. This app is available on Android and iOS.
3. Workout Trainer
Workout Trainer is designed to give you access to expert trainers. You will find thousands of free workouts that will walk you through how to do them step by step and you can customize it by level. From beginner level to expert level. Everything is pre-recorded for the free version. You can hire a personal trainer if you want one-on-one training, but you must pay for that. It’s still a huge win that the pre-recorded videos are free. This app is available on Android and iOS.
Best Free App for Core Workouts
If you want to focus on core workouts, we have the two best free workout apps that focus on that.
1. Sworkit
Sworkit focuses on your core, so if you want a stronger core presence without major costs, this app is for you. It will have you pick from three different workout types to focus on: back, abs, and overall core. Once you have picked what type of core you are trying to focus on that day, you will follow along with the personal trainers as they show you a short demonstration of each move on what you need to do. A strong core can help you improve every other exercise you do, so it’s an important step that a lot of people tend to skip. This app is available on Android and iOS if you want to download it.
2. Daily Ab Workout
Daily Ab Workout offers a variety of targeted ab workouts for free. You can get the abs you want by following their program. Five or ten minutes long, the app offers two programs to help you achieve your fitness goal. There are also full-body workouts that last between ten to thirty minutes long if you want to get more than an ab workout. This app is available on Android and iOS.
Best Free App for Yoga and Meditation
If you are into yoga and meditation and are looking for the best apps that give you options to explore your relaxed zone, here are the three best free ones.
1. Daily Yoga
Daily Yoga is an app for everyone including yoga newbies or advanced yogis. This app offers a ton of content with fifty+ class plans. There are more than five hundred poses and over two hundred classes that you can try for free. You can choose workouts that are between five-minute to seven-minute sessions if you only have a few minutes to relax. Their options are robust for the free cost. The app is available on Android and iOS.
2. Shine: Calm Anxiety and Stress
Shine has personalized programs that can deliver daily messages of affirmation, self-care advice, and new wellness topics daily. This app provides more than yoga but also helps relax the mind, body, and soul. There are soothing music, gratitude exercise, and more than five hundred guided meditations. This app is available on Android and iOS.
3. Yoga for Beginners
Yoga for Beginners is an app to use if you feel intimidated by in-person classes and need somewhere to start with yoga. It is a friendly beginner app for newbies and doesn’t require crazy flexibility. You will learn basic poses and stretches that can help you in your every day life. With the quick and simple workouts, you won’t have any trouble starting off and building a foundation. If you continue to follow this app’s plan, you can upgrade to a more advanced yoga app and poses. It’s available on Android and iOS.
Best Free App to Track Workouts
If you are looking for the best tracking app to keep all your stats in one place, these are the best two options for you.
1. Strong
Strong is an app that can intuitively record your workouts. It comes with exercises and plans that are already there, but you can add your own if you choose to. You can create routines and track your progress over time. You can also plug in your weight and body measurements. That way, you can see where you are in your goals as you continue working out. This app is available on Android and iOS.
2. Jefit
Jefit is designed for strength workouts, but you can create other workouts, too. It has a calendar to track your progress and tools to help you log your reps. The calendar has a unique feature that will schedule red days and future workouts. This app is excellent for maintaining all your states and helping you get fit and maintain it. This app is available on Android and iOS.
Best Free Workout App Overall
After all of our digging online, we’ve come to the conclusion that these two apps are the best overall free workout apps out there. Not only can you download them directly to your phone without paying any money, but they provide great services and help you continue your fitness journey.
1. Nike Training Club
The Nike Training Club provides a variety of classes and training plans that is unmatched. The app has four hundred and fifty on-demand courses in various categories, including yoga, strength, zero equipment, and cardio. There’s nothing you could miss by switching to this app because it truly has something for everyone. It’s a great all-around fitness app and can be used long-term since it is so robust. This app is available on Android and iOS.
2. Adidas Training by Runtastic
As the runner up overall, the Adidas Training by Runtastic app is still a great free option for you. The app offers one hundred and eighty plus stand-alone exercises, which is also a large selection considering the price point. You can also generate custom sweat sessions designed to your fitness goals. It’s a great app to use at-home and build your full-body fitness plan before trying other more advanced forms of working out. This app is available on Android and iOS.
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Conclusion
As you can see from this article, there are plenty of free apps to choose from no matter what you are looking for. You can download a couple to try out and see which is your favorite. There’s no need to worry since everything is easily accessible and free. Everyone will have their own opinion about which one works best, but that depends on their fitness goals and the activities they prefer. Choose the best free workout app that works well for you and your goals and you’ll see results in the next few months.
