It's about feeling more comfortable with yourself
Workout tracking is all done through its sleek interface with built-in rest timers, and a daily readout will show you which of your muscles are growing, and which might be falling behind. If you own an iPhone, chances are you’ve either tried Apple Fitness Plus or you’ve got a free trial waiting for you. Apple Fitness Plus is chock-full of guided content, from meditation, HIIT, and strength workouts to kickboxing, dance, yoga and more. Usable on an iPad, iPhone, or smart TV, it interfaces with your Apple Watch so you can see your vital stats on the screen as you train. Use our quick round-up below to immediately find an app that fits your needs – and you can read more about it by jumping to our full write-ups and explanations using the links.
A free calorie counting app that supports long-term use is often more valuable than one with advanced features locked behind a paywall. Some apps allow limited use without creating an account, especially for basic calorie logging. However, saving progress across days usually requires sign-up, even in a free calorie counting app. This formula includes key performance ingredients like citrulline to support blood flow and muscle pumps, along with beta-alanine to help delay fatigue during intense training. The addition of caffeine provides the energy needed to push through demanding workouts, while amino acids like leucine contribute to muscle performance and recovery support.
Each app was tested through mulle workout sessions, including at least one beginner-friendly session, one intermediate or advanced session where available, and one workout using limited equipment. For apps focused on running, cycling, or walking, we assessed GPS accuracy, pace feedback, audio coaching, route history, and compatibility with wearables. For anyone who gets bored of their training programs fast, Ladder is the solution you’ve been looking for. New plans are added weekly, by a roster of very impressive and inspirational coaches. Compatible with home or gym use, Ladder workout plans are meant to be utilized wherever you’re getting a sweat in.
Most people who regularly follow a strength training or running program are looking to make improvements over time, whether that’s hitting new PRs in the gym, building muscle, or shaving time off your next race. If the app is generally OK after a short learning curve, testers could give the app a middle-of-the-road 3-star rating. 5-star ratings were reserved for apps with a seamless user experience where workouts were easy to find, see, hear, follow along with, and track post-training. We recognize this scoring system isn’t perfect because personal training apps can cost much more to the tune of hundreds of dollars per month. This can be a little subjective, but this score is based on whether we feel the cost justifies what you’re getting. To earn 3 out of 5 stars for value, we feel that what you get for the price is fair, while high scores are given to apps that provide exceptional value for the cost.
Aaptiv is a great option for people looking for an alternative to video-based workout programs. If you’re looking for some human accountability, you may want to consider something like Future, which allows you to work virtually with a personal trainer. “I love that it has detailed charts and stats to track my lifts over time,” he says.
Purchasing power parity (PPP) is a way of comparing currencies by what they can buy rather than by their exchange rates. It asks whether the same bundle of goods costs more in one country than another. The Big Mac Index uses the price of McDonald’s signature burger to illustrate how far different currencies stretch. In January 2025, a Big Mac cost about 5.79 U.S. dollars in the U.S. while in Switzerland it was 7.99 home training routines U.S. dollars.
After her first daughter was born six years ago, she became especially passionate about prenatal and postnatal fitness, teaching stroller bootcamp classes and working with expecting moms as clients. Post-journalism school, Nicole worked in print media as a magazine editor for eight years, then went freelance for a while, writing for fitness websites and manufacturers in the industry. Now, as director of content at GGR, she brings her expertise in fitness to writing and editing honest reviews on everything you might need for your home gym. The Peloton experience is a little lacking in the accountability department if you go with the basic membership, our tester noted. “If you want more of the at-home gym experience, I recommend the All-Access option,” they said, giving this category a 3 out of 5.
It also costs $199 per month, but GGR readers can get their first month for free. While Caliber’s main offering is online personal training, we appreciate that the free version of the Caliber app is ad-free and features the full exercise library of over 500 movements. Each exercise features a demonstration video, step-by-step written instructions, and the ability to log your weights and reps (and access your history at any point). We also considered categories like instruction quality, workout variety, and equipment needed, all of which helped shape our overall score. After carefully rating each app we tested, we narrowed down our list to the top 14 options.
I keep trying apps I don’t like, but just going to invest in Penzu because I like it the best. Even when carefully kept, paper journals can be read by anyone who happens upon them. Penzu keeps your journals safe with double password protection and military strength encryption so you can rest easy knowing that your entries are secure in the Penzu Vault. You can write in any web browser or use our custom built apps for iOS and Android. Accuracy depends on the quality of the food database and how foods are logged. Apps that use verified data sources tend to be more reliable than those relying heavily on user-generated entries.
Prior to 2020, the Nike Training Club app had both free and premium versions, but since the pandemic, Nike has made the entire workout library free to use. The app is also easy to download from the Apple App Store or Google Play, and we found it easy to set up and get started. Zwift scored highly in most categories, but as it’s more of a racing app than a platform that provides instruction, we only gave it 2.5 out of 5 stars for accountability and instruction. Zwift uses game features to make indoor cycling and running more fun, but the app has a history of crashing and isn’t great on small phone screens. Muscle Booster has no shortage of perfect 5-out-of-5 scores from our tester, though its interactive features and overall value leave a little to be desired.
Because this is a powerlifting program, it may not be a surprise that you’ll need a squat rack, bench, barbell, and weight plates to complete your workouts. It will also be helpful to have access to dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands for a handful of different exercises. I primarily train for strength and hypertrophy, and Boostcamp is the best app I’ve ever used. I love all the data it provides, and there are so many great programs to choose from within the workout library.
