10 Best Workout Apps of 2026, Tested by Personal Trainers

It brings all the results of a pilates reformer, without requiring the reformer. From classically-trained pilates instructor, Lia Bartha, B The Method is a low-impact, full-body method. The workouts can be done with no equipment, or with a pilates ball and light weights.

Key Features to Seek in Strength Training Apps

top rated strength training apps

That data visibility is motivating in a way no spreadsheet can replicate. When you sign up for Future, you answer some questions about your goals and they match you with relevant coaches (you can also browse their full roster of coaches on their website). For weightlifting, you can simply select a coach that has experience and knowledge in weightlifting to ensure you get a workout plan that will help improve this side of your fitness.

Real Athletes. Proven Results.

top rated strength training apps

You can try a few workouts for free and receive a complimentary seven-day trial, but after that, the rate is $19.99 per month or $119.99 per year. Future Pro connects you to a personal trainer who creates a training plan for you. You get an introductory video call with your coach, and sometimes a check-in call, but not a live video call session for the workouts themselves. Your coach uploads a custom training plan each week, and your connected Apple Watch or other supported fitness device collects data from your workout and sends it to them for review.

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The app’s standout feature is its real-time, camera-based form feedback. Using your phone’s camera, it counts reps and provides immediate technique cues, acting like a virtual personal trainer to ensure you’re performing lifts safely and effectively. This is particularly beneficial for beginners building foundational strength or experienced lifters looking to refine their form on key compound movements. Building muscle requires consistency, progressive overload, and intelligent programming. While the core principles of hypertrophy haven’t changed, technology now offers powerful tools to apply them effectively. The right application can serve as a personal trainer in your pocket, meticulously guiding your sets, reps, and recovery to ensure you are constantly challenging your body to grow.

Some apps, such as Future, offer virtual personal training so you can receive tailored guidance from the comfort of your home. If you already work with a trainer, it is worth asking whether they use an app to program and track your workouts, allowing you to combine professional expertise with the convenience of digital tools. This makes the app convenient for use in low-signal gyms or when travelling. If you enjoyed this resource you can find more below or try Programme, a fitness app that plans every workout for you – based on your progress, equipment and lifestyle. Some exercises more than others but the majority of weightlifting exercises work the core musculature.

Several of the options on our best workout apps list will log your exercise data. If you’re an iPhone user, pay special attention to any apps that integrate with the built-in Health app on your phone. The best workout app for you covers madmuscle reviews the exercises you’re interested in doing at a level that’s accessible to you. Ideally, a good fitness app will support multiple levels of expertise so that as you get fitter and more comfortable, you can push yourself to the next level. A workout plan built for a 25-year-old gym regular with access to a fully equipped facility should look nothing like one built for a 40-year-old parent training three times a week with dumbbells at home.

Home Workouts vs. Full Gym: Which Apps Adapt Best?

As a BodyPump fan, I would watch the classes on my TV, and send my heart rate soaring without leaving my living room. These classes do require you to have a decent amount of equipment at home, however. I don’t have an exercise bar, but I used a set of the best adjustable dumbbells and still got a great workout. Trainers include Kayla herself, as well as the likes of Kelsey Wells, Chontel Duncan, Britany Williams, and Stephanie Sanzo.

Staffed by expert trainers, it provides the structure and motivation of a gym without the physical location requirement. The user interface is minimalist and focused, displaying your current workout with clarity. StrongLifts 5×5 automatically calculates your warm-up sets, tells you which plates to load on the bar, and includes a rest timer to keep you on track. When you successfully complete your sets, it automatically increases the weight for your next session. The app also has built-in logic for deloading after failed reps to help you break through plateaus safely. It integrates with Apple Health and Google Fit for comprehensive health tracking.

Best Weightlifting Apps

  • “Been struggling to find an app which will provide a decent hybrid training plan, until I found this one. The best fitness plan app I have used, variety but challenging workouts.”
  • They offer the convenience of a gym in your space, with personalized routines and guidance that cater to various fitness goals and levels.
  • After testing Pvolve during the pandemic, Wood says she began to crave the low intensity of this at-home option.
  • For experienced lifters who know what they’re doing and just need a reliable tracker, Hevy is excellent.
  • Many of the best strength training apps in 2025 are crafted to accommodate a range of environments, from fully-equipped gyms to minimalistic home setups.
  • I used to be intimidated by dance cardio, but The Sculpt Society makes it approachable and welcoming.

With the paid version, you’ll also get access to more detailed measurements, like neck, biceps, and shoulders. Overall, we think Strong makes a solid case to become your weightlifting database. Each of the over 1,400 exercises in Jefit’s library features a video demonstration to help you learn new movements. The hundreds of exercises in its library feature video demonstrations, but it was the social component of the app that had our tester raving about Hevy. “Lifting alone can be a little isolating, so being able to connect with other athletes is a big deal,” they said.

Latest videos

With 13 million users worldwide, the industry’s largest exercise library containing 1,400+ movements, and over a decade of strength training data, Jefit provides everything required for systematic strength progression. Find exactly what you’re looking for in the catalog of over 100 workouts, including bodyweight routines, strength training with weights, HIIT, yoga, meditation, dance cardio, and barre. There are apps for every kind of exerciser, whether you’re the generalist looking for a good workout library, the obsessive fitness tracker, or the runner prepping for a race. If you’re looking to connect with a trainer, get a customized workout plan, or find some epic and efficient workouts, read on. She holds a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University, as well as advanced certifications as a Women’s Fitness Specialist and a Behavior Change Specialist. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living.

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The programming doesn’t apply a standard 3×10 template and call it done — it structures sessions around different energy windows across hormonal phases, which is a meaningful functional difference. We picked Future the best weightlifting app because of the level of quality of personal training. After matching with your trainer, you’ll work together to craft and adjust a plan for you based on your equipment, schedule, and fitness goals.

Sometimes, app makers put all the best content up front and fill the back half of the workout catalog with a lot of duds. Also, after a few months, you might get tired of the style or switch from indoor to outdoor workouts. As with many online subscriptions, you can almost always get a better rate if you pay for a year up front—but you shouldn’t necessarily do that with workout apps.

If you’re looking for a workout that will lengthen, sculpt, tone, and increase mobility, Pvolve is for you. With small movements (and ideally the brand’s equipment), you’ll target small muscles that are often ignored in other workouts. You’ll also find cardio workouts on the Les Mills app, which you can do on your own stationary bike or treadmill without issue. However, I have found the strength workouts are the best of the bunch. If you’re looking for cardio, I’d recommend Peloton Cross Training instead – or the regular Peloton app. If you want to strength train from home but you don’t have the motivation to dig your dumbbells out yourself, then I’d recommend Les Mills+.

Kneeling side plank with hip abduction

Meta-analyses have found that periodized training outperforms non-periodized approaches in strength and hypertrophy gains (Williams et al., 2017). Additionally, athletes report higher motivation when working in clearly defined phases, as goals feel more manageable and attainable. Whether you’re looking for free or paid options, we’ve got you covered with our list of the best weight lifting workout apps.

Targeted exercises

While the instructors in the class use the Les Mills Smartbar, you can actually use any weight you have to hand to do the workout. The focus is on lots of repetitions using light weights, so you’ll definitely feel the burn – and the strength gains in weeks to come. No matter your access to equipment, space, and budget, there’s an option out there for everyone. Most of the apps in this list will require you to have a set of good dumbbells at least – kettlebells and resistance bands will also help. However, I’ve also made sure to include plenty of options for those with no equipment at all, and those who have access to a full gym.