14 Workout Apps to Download Before You Head to the Gym
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In the same way that a proper pair of running shoes can improve your stride and a stylish matching set can motivate you to go to the gym, the right workout app can help you enjoy and get the most out of your sweat session. If you're feeling a little lost at the gym, or just want to step up your game, a personal trainer isn't the only way to hold yourself accountable. Your phone — along with the right workout app — can be your most important fitness accessory, too.
From audio workouts to customized routines, these gym-workout apps give you access to all kinds of resources and features designed to bring you one step closer to accomplishing your goals. And there's a workout app for every objective, whether you want to get stronger, learn to lift weights, run a 5K, or just stick with a consistent routine. Whether you're regular at the gym or setting foot in one for the very first time, there's something here to help. Discover 14 of the best workout apps for the gym, any of which are worth downloading before your next visit, and watch as your workouts become more rewarding and more purposeful than ever.
— Additional reporting by Lauren Mazzo
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Best Gym-Workout App: Sweat
Cost: seven-day free trial; subscribe for $20 per month or $120 per year
Working out with a gym buddy can help you stay accountable, and this app does that and more. With Sweat — the workout-plan app created by social-famous trainer Kayla Itsines — you'll have a whole community of women who are here to help support you during your fitness journey. Select from a variety of weeks-long fitness programs led by Itsines and other top-notch trainers (including Kelsey Wells and Phyllicia Bonanno) that vary by level, goal, and life stage (including pre- and post-natal, HIIT, bodyweight, strength, Pilates, and more).
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Best Gym-Workout App: CardioCast
Cost: seven-day free trial; subscribe for $10 per month or $90 per year
Feel like you need a little more guidance than the preset buttons on the stationary bike or elliptical? CardioCast may be the perfect solution. The app is filled with an ever-growing library of 20- to 60-minute audio workouts released weekly, allowing you to turn any gym session into an easy-to-follow studio class. They're coached by an instructor and timed to hit music from your favorite artists and cover modalities from cycling, running, walking, and rowing to bodyweight strength and yoga.
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Best Gym-Workout App: Fitbod
Cost: three free trial workouts; subscribe for $13 per month or $80 per year
Too much repetition can quickly make a gym routine boring and lead you to plateau, but with Fitbod that won't be an issue. To start, you answer a questionnaire and get a personalized workout plan to help you reach your goals. The app keeps you on your toes by tracking all your recent workouts and consistently giving you new ones, meaning you'll always have something different to look forward to every time you go to the gym.
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Best Gym-Workout App: Body By Blogilates
Cost: free; premium subscription is $4 per month or $40 per year
If you're a fan of influencer and certified fitness instructor Cassey Ho, you'll definitely want to download her app. With Body By Blogilates, you'll have access to a huge library of no-equipment classes led by Ho for free. Subscribe for access to the monthly workout calendar and motivational challenges. Plus, all videos are castable to TV, so you can stream them on the big screen instead of your phone.
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Best Gym-Workout App: StrongHer
Cost: subscribe for $15 per month or $90 per year
Staying focused at the gym can be a challenge, but with StrongHer's step-by-step routines and timed workouts, it's easy to stay on track. In addition to being a helpful resource to refer to at the gym, this workout app also allows you to record your water and food intake and track your physical activity. StrongHer then conveniently compiles this info into an organized tab so you can visualize your progress.
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Best Gym-Workout App: Fitness Coach
Cost: free; premium subscription is $15 per month
If you want minimal coaching or interruptions during your workout — but you still want to be told what to do — try Fitness Coach. This workout app serves up individualized fitness programs consisting of 10- to 30-minute-workout sessions with one-on-one style instruction. Programs adjust based on your goals, athletic ability, and progress over time, so you can always exercise at your own pace and skill level.
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Best Gym-Workout App: Nike Training Club
Cost: free
Whether your goal is to improve endurance, become more flexible, or work on your upper-body strength, Nike Training Club has you covered with its extensive and totally free collection of guided workouts from best-in-class trainers, such as Kirsty Godso and Tara Nicolas. Some even allow you to sweat with stars such as Megan Thee Stallion. The app also comes with goal-setting tools, expert tips, and reminders, all to help you perform your best.
Offering a more comprehensive approach to wellness, the app also features live mindfulness sessions, resources for building healthy habits, and nutrition guides. For days when you don't feel like working out in a gym setting, you can use Nike Training Club to follow at-home workouts that don't require any equipment — and you can even cue those up on Netflix as of December 2022.
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Best Gym-Workout App: FitOn
Cost: free; premium subscription is $30 per year
If you're just starting out on your fitness journey or are more of a casual gym goer, consider downloading FitOn, which offers personalized fitness programs and all different types of workouts that you can stream on your phone, laptop, or TV. The app is totally free and noncommittal, so there's no pressure to work out on a schedule. You can still participate in unlimited workouts led by celebs like Gabrielle Union, Julianne Hough, and Jonathan Van Ness whenever you want. Upgrade to the PRO version to get premium music, unlimited offline downloads, and meal plans and recipes.
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Best Gym-Workout App: Fit Radio
Cost: free to download; subscribe for $8 per month after a 30-day free trial
Spend less time in the locker room looking for the right playlist and more time actually exercising. With Fit Radio, you'll have access to new workout mixes released daily, including playlists that match your running pace and even audio-guided workout coaching to motivate you through any type of exercise, from running and core work to yoga.
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Best Gym-Workout App: Strong
Cost: free; premium subscription is $5 per month or $30 per year
If you go to the gym primarily to lift weights, the Strong app may be just what you need. In addition to keeping track of sets, reps, lifted weights, and personal records, Strong also introduces you to new exercises with helpful animations that help you perfect your form. To give you a better understanding of your progress, the app then automatically turns the data collected from each workout into advanced stats. Download the accompanying Apple Watch app to track every rep without picking up your phone.
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Best Gym-Workout App: WeGlow
Cost: free to download; subscribe $20 per month or $130 per year
No matter your training style or level, there's a WeGlow fitness plan that can help you reach your full potential. Use the app's "Learn" feature to break down your training routine to a science; "Journey," if you're focusing on stats and progress; and "Nutrition," for a more food-centric approach to help reach your wellness goals. If you want to change things up or don't want to commit to a program, you can always choose from WeGlow's collection of live and on-demand workouts organized by training style, goal, and difficulty level.
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Best Gym-Workout App: Aaptiv
Cost: seven-day free trial; subscribe for $15 per month or $100 per year
Aaptiv is an audio-only gym-workout app that guides you through classes as if an instructor is right in your ear. It's like you're in a group class or streaming a workout video, but only getting the audio — making it a great gym-workout app that you can use whether you're on a treadmill or in the weight room. They have 2,500+ trainer-led, music-driven workouts and add more than 30 classes per week across many workout modalities including elliptical, cycling, stretching, and yoga. Aaptiv also offers complete training programs to help you reach your goals, as well as half-marathon, 10K, and 5K training plans. Working out outside or without WiFi? You can download classes to play offline.
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Best Gym-Workout App: Stronger By the Day
Cost: subscribe for $10/month or $100/year
Created by powerlifting and strength coach Meg Gallagher (@megsquats), Stronger By the Day is a gym-workout app with complete training programs perfect for helping you lift more and get, well, stronger by the day. This workout app provides comprehensive fitness plans including detailed tracking, video demos, and move modifications and substitutions so you can tailor it to your needs, no matter your exercise level.
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Best Gym-Workout App: Centr
Cost: seven-day free trial; subscriptions start from just $10/month
This editor-approved gym-workout app — created by gym legend Chris Hemsworth and a team of experts — offers incredible workout programs of all types. Whether you're a beginner or advanced, and whether your gym offers all equipment imaginable or just a couple of free weights, Centr has a fitness plan for you. Centr even offers dietitian-approved meal plans, if you'd like eating inspiration, too.