Sure, you know that regular exercise does wonders for your mental and physical health, but who has the time and patience to commit to a regimen and stick to it? Plus, the gym can be expensive, and it also requires you to leave home, which is really hard to do after work or over the weekend.
But the digital age has provided us with a great hack: At-home workout and exercise apps that you can stream on your phone, your TV, your tablet—wherever is best for you. There’s a whole freaking market of apps designed to make exercise easier and more fun for you, no matter what kind of workout you feel like, and they track your progress, so you don’t have to. Plus, many of them are free, and you can get started instantly.
Obviously, the age of technology that brought us these apps has come with its own issues—but man, do these apps help you de-stress from thinking about them! Ahead we listed 37 of our favorite workout apps that require minimal equipment, give you actual results, won’t blow the bank, and may be taught by a celebrity or two. Get ready to get your sweat on.
1. FitOn
If you find yourself off and on the fitness train, you’ll love this app. All the workouts are free, meaning there’s no long-term membership commitment. Browse by workout category, body part, length, and intensity, or choose by the amount of time you have. Have I mentioned there are workouts led by Gabrielle Union and Jonathan Van Ness? We’re all in.
2. The Sculpt Society: Megan Roup
Tons of A-listers flock to celebrity trainer Megan Roup to get their sweat on, so it was only time till she created an app. Choose from the apps humongous library of workouts ranging from 5 to 50 minutes and see for yourself why fans of Roup consider it one of the most fun dance cardio and sculpting workouts they’ve ever tried.
3. Openfit
Throughout the day and night, live trainers are available on Openfit for 15-, 25-, or 40-minute sessions, guiding you through running, walking, HIIT, or strength routines that you can do without having to leave your apartment. No more excuses about not being able to find a trainer you like, either! There are plenty on here that are bound to be a fit.
4. Pure Barre On Demand
The classic low-impact, high-intensity workout has a range of programs—with different times, intensities, and equipment. It’s perfect if you love this type of exercise and want to do it while you travel. The instructors give specific insight on how to use a chair or wall for support, and you can do the exercises with water bottles instead of weights, a pillow instead of a ball, or entirely equipment-free.
5. Seven
You may have heard of this concept, which rose to popularity several years ago as “the seven-minute workout.” This app is an extension of that. The perfect workout for people who hate exercising/don’t have a ton of time, Seven forces you to do tough exercises quickly and with barely any equipment: Think lunges, wall sits (a.k.a. a chair), and so forth. It’s easy to take the exercises anywhere, and at the very least can serve as a quick workout between longer sessions.
6. Studio Tone It Up
The community of women on Studio Tone It Up will guide you through workouts to get your body strong and toned, including yoga, cardio, barre, boxing, kettlebell, and strength training. New classes every week prevent you from getting sick of the same routine and the app even offers up daily moves to focus on if you don’t have time to attend the 20- to 40-minute digital classes.
7. Yoga Wake Up
While waking up can be a struggle, Yoga Wake Up might change your mind. Set an alarm for when you’ll wake up, and the app will play a track that guides a short yoga sequence or meditation. It’s the perfect way to start your day from the comfort of your own home.
8. Keelo
Keelo is designed to leave no muscle behind when it comes down to your workout. Every workout is designed with you in mind; the app considers muscles you’ve worked on before, how long your workouts usually are, and how often you do them. You can do these exercises at home or at the gym. Either way, the app will be there with HD instructional videos along the way.
9. Ring Fit Adventure
Maybe it’s the endorphins talking, but I’m totally hooked on this one. It’s technically a Nintendo Switch “exergame,” not an app, but it works. Think of it as a cross between a workout video and a Super Mario game—you’ll pick up tokens, power-ups, and health restoratives as you literally jog through different levels, pausing to zap bad guys by completing mini-workouts (think: ten squats in a row). The harder you work, the more rewards you get, and the more progress you make through the adventure. I’m the last person who would use a phrase like “addicted to exercise,” but I am addicted to this game. (Also, the app can tell when you’re tiring and gently encourages you to put it away for another day, which I appreciate.)
10. Ladder
Ladder is great for anyone who would like to seek guidance from someone like a personal trainer, but doesn’t have the time to access one in real life. The app will create custom workouts with a personal trainer for you based on what you’re seeking.
11. NeoU
NeoU is basically a streaming service for fitness. The app has a ton of videos, from HIIT, barre, and yoga to strength training. You can also take this app on the go by downloading episodes for later, if you’re worried you’ll be working out from a dead zone.
12. Aaptiv
If you’re someone who loves a spontaneous workout, Aaptiv is for you. The app provides a ton of different kinds of guided audio workouts, from stair climbing and rowing to 5k training, and you can pick from different trainers. Some trainers are listed as “fun and supportive,” some are happy to push you to your limit, and others will inspire you to hit a specific goal, whatever yours is.
13. 8Fit
One MarieClaire.com editor swears by 8Fit…so much that she cancelled her gym membership after she started using it. The workout and nutrition app helps you customize workouts, create meal plans, and provides a step-by-step nutrition guide to help you meet your fitness goals. Consider it an app dedicated to creating healthy habits.
14. TRX
By now, you’ve probably seen the trendy suspension workout, which makes use of your body weight and looks deceptively easy (it is not). TRX allows you to do the work at home, and the trainer is light and compact—it won’t even take up much space, in other words. Plus, it syncs with an Apple Watch so that you can get updated, real-time results.
15. SworkIt
Only have five minutes for a workout? No problem. SworkIt is designed to make sure your consistent with your workouts and therefore offers over 400 different exercises, so you get a good workout in on your own time.
16. ConBody
A military-style fitness bootcamp run by an ex-con (hence the name), ConBody is as intense as it sounds—it’s not an app, but it does offer remote workouts. If you love a challenge, this is the workout for you.
17. Mirror
It took until 2019, but you can finally buy a mirror that can help you work out! When the mirror is off, it’s just your regular mirror. When it’s on, you’ll see yourself, your instructor, and your workout classmates in the reflection. All you need is the space of a yoga mat, and you’ll never have to leave the house to workout again.
18. Obé
It can get a little pricey—a subscription for the year is $200—but Obé offers a ton of different class types, and has 14 live classes a day. No matter what workout you feel like, you’ll find your people and sweat alongside them.
19. Daily Burn
If you’re someone who’s happiest working out in the privacy of their own home, give Daily Burn a shot. There are thousands of different workouts available, and it tailors your programs to your fitness level and goals. You do have to sign up for a paid membership, but there’s a 30-day free trial.
20. Sweat with Kayla Itsines
If you don’t follow Kayla Itsines on Instagram, you’ve likely heard of her #BBG program. The Sweat with Kayla app is where the magic happens, allowing you to join a community of people across the world who are transforming their bodies. With an active subscription, you can use the app to follow daily gym-based or targeted workouts based on where you’re at in the program, keep track of your progress, and connect with other #BBG members. Consistency is key.
21. P.volve
Can’t bear those painful, grueling workouts that leave you aching for days? P.volve might be for you. Billed as high-intensity but low-impact, these workouts are designed to strengthen your muscles safely over time.
22. Freeletics
Freeletics is your best bet if you don’t have easy access to equipment or a gym. The app offers users bodyweight workouts and more from five to 30 minutes for free, or you can pay $6.25 a month to throw in a training coach to the mix.
23. Zombies, Run!
Are you someone who wants to run more often and for longer, but finds it kind of boring? This is the app for you. It’s an immersive, long-term “exergame”—you guessed it, an exercise game—that makes you the protagonist of a story in which zombies are chasing you and you’re trying to save humanity. This is as compelling as a really good podcast, and you’ll forget you’re even exercising.
24. Six Pack in 30 Days
Strengthen your core with Six Pack in 30 Days, choosing which level of ab workouts you can handle and working your way up. No equipment is necessary, and it’s suitable for even total gym newbies—the app demonstrates how to do classic core workouts like Russian twists and reverse crunches.
25. Butt Workout and Fitness App
Do it for the booty. Hate doing butt exercises for a gym full of people to see? I feel you. This seven-minute butt workout has you covered with targeted methods for improving your glutes, like squats and donkey kicks.
26. Runkeeper
Do you only want to keep track of your regular jogs and ensure you’re improving gradually all the time? Try Runkeeper. The app is pared-down and easy to use, and diligently tracks your workouts, your progress over time, and your personal records. Perfect if you’re looking to keep it simple.
27. Freeletics Bodyweight
If you’re still working on nailing the push up once and for all, Freeletics Bodyweight will help you build up muscle and tone your body. Big perk #1: You first undergo a fitness test to customize a weekly workout plan that’s tailored to your body type and physical needs. Big perk #2: If you’re stuck doing exercises in a cramped apartment, it has a 2×2 mode that provides workouts to fit a 2 meters x 2 meters space (NYC dwellers, this means you).
28. Strava
Strava keeps track of running or cycling distance, speed, and endurance—especially useful for those hoping to compete in a marathon or triathlon in the near future (or at least dream about it). Compare your performance over time and share stats with friends on the app to give each other that extra push towards the finish line.
29. MyFitnessPal
Under Armour’s app MyFitnessPal is a three-for-one diet tracker, calorie counter, and exercise motivator. The app personalizes your goals based off of your body type and the food you’re eating. There’s about 5 million foods in their database to choose from so you’re not just typing in “chicken”—which means you can determine how many calories you’re actually taking in and burning off.
30. Runtastic
Created by Adidas, Runtastic (yes, we know, the name is great) tracks your runs—but you’ll also get audio feedback as you get those miles in. One of the coolest things about this app is that is tracks how many miles you put on a certain pair of running shoes, so the app will let you know when it’s time to get a new pair.
31. Charity Miles
Kill two birds with one app. Charity Miles allows you to donate to good causes while you burn calories. Sponsors like Johnson & Johnson, Chobani, and Humani donate a few cents for every mile you move biking, running, or even walking to charities like the ASPCA and Habitat for Humanity—even more incentive to lace up your sneakers and get to stepping.
32. Qinetic
This on-demand video service is a true blessing for people who don’t have the (mental) strength to wake up for a 7 a.m. session. Qinetic lets you stream classes from experts in the fitness industry, whether you’re looking for a fun zumba routine, morning yoga, or a challenging HIIT workout.
33. Daily Ab Workout
The free app Daily Ab Workout is one of the best ways to tone your core. Prop your phone up and watch fitness videos—it’ll feel like the trainer is right in the room next to you counting reps.
34. Daily Yoga
For all of those that want to be a little bit more zen on a daily basis— you won’t have to worry about falling over in yoga class while doing a warrior pose anymore. Daily Yoga offers a personalized coach and plenty of poses to choose from, plus meditation classes for people who want to de-stress and feel more focused.
35. Couch to 5K
Couch to 5K’s motto is quite literally “from the couch to the 5K finish line,” targeting beginning runners who want to train for their first race. The best part? It only requires sweating for 30 minutes per day, three days a week for nine weeks (that’s not as much as it sounds, trust me).
36. Nike + Training Club
Nike + Training Club is the ultimate app for fitness enthusiasts who want to experience an intense sweat session with a variety of options for their workout—so you never get bored. Choose from drills and audio guides from a professional Nike trainer, athletes like Serena Williams, or even stars like Ellie Goulding.
37. Relax Melodies
So you’ve done the cardio, the crunches, the planks, and even the Downward-Facing Dog. What’s next? Stretching and a good night’s sleep for your body to recover. Relax Melodies allows you to cool down to a range of calming sounds including rain, wind, and white noise (read: not the sound of email alerts).
