This could be the year of change, the year that you take control of your health and sprint toward a better you. Your fitness journey doesn’t need to leave you broke. Plenty of free workout apps can help you...
This could be the year of change, the year that you take control of your health and sprint toward a better you. Your fitness journey doesn’t need to leave you broke. Plenty of free workout apps can help you achieve your goals.
We’ve picked out our favorite fitness apps that you can download onto your favorite smartphone or tablet — iOS or Android. From running and strength training to yoga and quick workouts, we’ve got options that fit everyone’s lifestyles.
The majority of the best free workout apps that we have selected offer access to a free level of content but require a subscription to unlock everything. For this reason, we recommend downloading a few apps for variety — you’ll never need to break out your credit card.
Here are our favorite free fitness apps you can download today.
Nike Training Club
Designed by Nike, the Nike Training Club app allows anyone to find the perfect workout from the comfort of their home. Multiple workout types are included in the free workout app, allowing you to find everything from essential yoga flows to core and strength training. Particular workouts are even included for small spaces or when you have only 20 minutes of free time to up your fitness game.
7 Minute Workout
If you are extremely short on time, consider the 7 Minute Workout app. In less than 10 minutes, you can perform a complete workout to level up your health. The exercises within the app require no equipment, so you can do them anywhere — at home, in the office or at the park. Beginner-friendly workouts are included, or you can push yourself with personal trainers guiding you through your fitness routine.
FitOn
The goal of the FitOn app is to provide you with unlimited workouts that you can jump into anytime and anywhere. Whether you want to lose weight or get fit, several personalized workout plans are available. Activities within FitOn include cardio, strength training, HIIT (high-intensity interval training), yoga workouts and Pilates. FitOn even includes meditations within the app to help you reduce stress and improve energy levels.
Adidas Training by Runtastic
Nike isn’t the only sportswear company making fitness apps. The folks at Adidas teamed up with Runtastic to create the Adidas Training app. Use the app’s inbuilt Workout Creator to craft a workout customized to your needs — whether you want to build muscles or lose weight. There are over 180 HD video workouts within the app, and you can choose from various free exercises.
Nike Run Club
Not one to be outdone, Nike has a second exercise app designed specifically for those who like to kick up asphalt or dirt. The Nike Run Club provides a virtual running coach and a selection of training plans to help you achieve your best. The Nike Run Club app can coach you if you are starting or preparing to run a marathon. The app will also help track your stats, such as running speed and distance.
Map My Fitness
The team at Under Armour also has a fitness app. Map My Fitness enables you to build your workouts from over 800 activities. You can also connect fitness devices to help analyze your workout data. The Map My Fitness app even includes personalized form coaching tips for Garmin smartwatch users.
JEFIT Workout Planner
If you need help keeping track of your workouts, the JEFIT Workout Planner is a great place to start. But JEFIT doesn’t only allow you to log your activities; it provides an extensive exercise library with video demonstrations. HD video exercise instructions can help you learn new techniques for working out. JEFIT emphasizes muscle building with plans perfect for bodybuilders, weightlifters and powerlifters.
C25K
The C25K app has one goal: to convert you from a couch potato into someone ready to run a 5K marathon. Those who choose to dive into the C25K free workout app will be encouraged to train 30 minutes a day, three days a week, over eight weeks to finish a 5K. An audio coach will walk you through the process, and the app provides a community of millions of users you can communicate with during your training.
Yoga for Beginners
If you’re new to yoga, jumping in with the Yoga for Beginners app is an excellent move toward a better mind and body. The app offers handcrafted workouts to get you started with your yoga practice, soothing voices and music guiding you along the way. Beginner-friendly workouts are available, and the app offers sessions that can be performed any way or anywhere.
Strava
If workout apps have felt isolating, then the Strava app might be for you. Strava lets you record your activities and share them with friends and family. The app offers over 30 sports to track, including running and biking, and yoga practice. You can join or create challenges to participate in, earning digital badges as rewards. Strava can also recommend popular routes to try out during your workouts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Many workout apps are free or offer free content with premium purchase options available. We researched the iOS and Android app stores to find the best free workout apps available for your lifestyle. Our favorite free fitness apps include:
Nike Training Club 7 Minute Workout FitOn Adidas Training by Runtastic Nike Run Club Map My Fitness JEFIT Workout Planner C25K Yoga for Beginners StravaThe FitOn app provides workouts, along with meditations, so that you can focus on improving your mental and physical health. You can download and begin using the FitOn app at no cost, but you’ll need a premium membership to access the entire content library.
We recommend checking out the JEFIT Workout Planner to build iron. While the workout app provides various activities, we found it to have a particularly strong selection of options for bodybuilders, weightlifters and powerlifters.
Michael Archambault is a senior writer for The Penny Hoarder specializing in technology.
This was originally published on The Penny Hoarder, which helps millions of readers worldwide earn and save money by sharing unique job opportunities, personal stories, freebies and more. The Inc. 5000 ranked The Penny Hoarder as the fastest-growing private media company in the U.S. in 2017.