The Best Online Workout Programs of 2025, Tried and Expert-Tested

Why We Like It

Hiring a personal trainer to build training programs can be costly, but Shred brings that resource to your devices through artificial intelligence. The result? A customized training program tailored to your goals and available equipment, all for the fraction of the cost of an in-person trainer.

Our tester, a certified personal trainer, rates the experience at 4.28 out of 5. “I do like the variety of exercises offered through this app, and the service quickly adjusts your routine based on your available equipment,” they note. “I rate the available instructions at 5 out of 5, too. I do want to point out, though, that this platform emphasizes interval training workouts, meaning you’ll need to move quickly from one exercise to the next. If you’re training in a crowded gym, it may be difficult to keep sessions as efficient as possible.”

In terms of setup, our tester says the onboarding is quick and simple. You run through a quick survey once you initially open the app which goes over your fitness goals and what sorts of equipment you have at your disposal. From there, the app delivers a well-rounded regimen based on your responses. “You can also integrate your Apple Healthkit (for iOS users) for more informed tracking,” adds our tester.

The Shred app is available at multiple monthly costs, but we recommend opting for the annual subscription that totals $119.99, or $9.99 monthly. This eliminates any paywalls that pop up in the Free version of the app, yet also gives you a 7-day free trial to test run the app. Yes, this cost may seem like an investment, initially, but when compared to other apps that operate on a monthly schedule, the price is far more digestible. As such, we rate the pricing at 4 out of 5.

Why We Like It

If your fitness goals are centered around weightlifting as your go-to discipline, Caliber can be an excellent tool to have in your pocket. This service pairs you with an online personal trainer to help outline and guide your in-gym progress through weekly consults and in-depth programming advice.

Our tester, a certified personal trainer, gave this app an overall 4.68 out of 5 for the Premium subscription. The app was easy to use and your trainer customizes your workouts with the ability to include video demos for each exercise. So, it’s friendly for beginners, too. Unlike some other apps, your coach also offers nutritional guidance and you can send photos of your meals right through the app. 

“My favorite part of this app was the weekly check-ins,” said our tester, who gave the app a 5 out of 5 for accountability. “My trainer sent videos to go over my previous week of training. She looks at my RPE and weight lifted to adjust to my coming week, making incremental improvements, which I loved.”

Where the actual workouts are concerned, we gave the app a 5 out of 5. Not only can your trainer include demo videos, but you can also send videos to your coach for form tips — perfect for mastering those back squats and deadlifts on your own. However, we had to give the equipment demands a 4 out of 5. Your trainer can build a bodyweight plan, the app is really centered around weight training, so it’s best to have a gym membership or spacious garage gym, too.

The one downside was the price, which we gave a 3.5 out of 5. “Finding the actual price was challenging because the website isn’t very straightforward,” our tester said. The Premium subscription with one-on-one coaching costs $200 per month with a three month commitment. There is a cheaper version that’s only $19 per month but it doesn’t involve personalized training or coaching.

Read our full Caliber Fitness App Review.

Why We Like It

Working with a personal trainer is a great way to achieve your fitness or physique goals. But paying $100 or more per session may not be within your price range. We think the Future app is the next best thing.

As one of the best online personal trainer services, Future allows you to choose your own real coach who builds workouts geared towards your personal goals. “This one has an easy-to-navigate user interface, which makes contacting your personal coach easy,” according to our product tester, who used Future for several months and gave the app an overall 4.7 out of 5. “It’s incredibly well-designed.”

Once you set up your app, your coach builds a workout program based on your fitness level, goals, and available equipment. “The app instructs you with videos and audio cues — you can watch the video before you try an exercise and listen to narrator voiceover cues during the movement,” our tester describes, giving the instruction feature an overall 4 out of 5. “To really take it to the next level, I wish you could do a true facetime or video chat with your instructor.” 

This app works well for beginners and experienced athletes, considering the program is personalized. “This isn’t ideal for an athlete with a super specific goal like a competition,” according to our tester Kate Meier, BarBend editorial staff member and competitive weightlifter, who used the app several days per week. “Those looking to compete in a weightlifting meet or CrossFit competition would benefit more from in-person training.”

After you finish a workout, you need to include feedback on your session so that your coach can adjust your training schedule accordingly. Some athletes may not love this extra step, though, especially if you’re operating on a time crunch. However, it’s the only way to truly provide some progressive overload to your training.

At $199 per month, this app is among the priciest on this list and may not be feasible for everyone. But considering you’re getting the personal training experience, we think the value is worth the cost. Plus, you can stream the app on your tablet or Apple watch in addition to your cell phone, which is extra convenient. 

Read our full Future App Review.

Why We Like It

When looking for a high-quality online workout program, you need to understand that many platforms charge a yearly or monthly membership fee. However, there are some free services available capable of taking your training to the next level. Boostcamp, in our opinion, is an excellent example of such an app thanks to its large library of workout programs catering to multiple types of workouts.

Our tester, a certified personal trainer, also rates the app’s ease of use at 5 out of 5. “You can filter the programs based on your available gym equipment, fitness goals, preferred difficulty level, and even your preferred training schedule. There’s also a good mix of charts and graphs to showcase your progress and other metrics.”

In essence, Boostcamp is a digital logbook that takes the strain out of crafting your personal workout routine. Rather than penciling in your exercises, reps, and sets, the app gives you a template filled with instructions and recommended totals. “I do appreciate the step-by-step guidance for exercises, too, although some may still seem too elevated for entry-level athletes,” adds our tester, who scored the in-app instructions at 4 out of 5.

While some of the explanations can be viewed as intermediate, Boostcamp still offers plenty of beginner workout plans, as well as those suited for more seasoned gym enthusiasts. We do note, though, that while there are some bodyweight fitness programs available, most of the programming is tailored to garage gym or commercial gym access.

Given the price point of $0.00, it would be a stretch to expect personalized coaching with this app. While this does help keep costs low, it does place all of the responsibility on you to get your workout in. “You do need some willpower to stick with a program, but if you’re up for it, I feel the app can provide a high-quality experience,” says our tester in reference to their 2-out-of-5 accountability rating. If you are in search of a personal coaching experience, we’d recommend considering apps like Caliber or Future for your home screen.

Why We Like It

For athletes who want a strength-focused training program but don’t need a personal trainer or coach, JuggernautAI has you covered. This fitness app focuses purely on powerlifting- and bodybuilding-style training for those looking to prepare for competition or just generally gain strength as they train in their dedicated powerlifting home gym.

Unlike apps where you work with a coach, you kind of build your own training program with JuggernautAI. Once you download the app, you enter some basic information, followed by your current training load, training experience, training style, goals, and desired workout frequency, according to our tester, who gave the app setup experience a 5 out of 5.

Once you enter this information, the AI technology creates workouts, which it then adjusts for gradual improvement as you enter post-workout feedback. “The AI is extremely smart,” our tester said, giving the program a 3.5 out of 5 for instruction. “Before you start training, you answer a few questions about your readiness. As you workout you enter feedback so the app can adjust your workout to best suit your fitness level.” However, for beginners who aren’t familiar with exercise form and programming, having a real coach is still the best option.

We gave JuggernautAI a 3 out of 5 for interactive features, though some strength athletes may prefer the minimal design. “You don’t talk to a coach or team — it’s just you and the app,” our tester explained. “But you do interact with the app a lot, logging your weights, reps, sets, RPE. I liked this because the interaction holds you accountable but it isn’t too much effort.”

Our team was impressed with the pricing, giving this program a 5 out of 5 for value. This one is only $35 per month and while you don’t work with a live coach, the programming is still incredibly personalized and modality-specific.

Why We Like It

Even on the best treadmill or best exercise bike, doing cardio indoors can feel tedious. But iFIT makes your indoor cardio training a little more fun. Plus, it also offers strength training and yoga, to add some variety.

iFIT is ideal for cardio-focused athletes, offering a variety of group and on-demand classes you can do right on your treadmill, bike, step machine, or rower. You can also take your training outdoors with their equipment-free workouts. And while iFIT does come equipped on most NordicTrack and ProForm cardio equipment, you don’t need to buy these brands to use the app.

“It’s easy to use and there are plenty of workout options, like low-impact active recovery, walk-run, hiking, walking, and running. I love that you can also take classes,” our tester said, giving the workout program a 4.5 out of 5 for ease of use. “It’s a little less intuitive than the Peloton app in my opinion, though.”

We do wish there was a little more customization, though. “It’s mainly self-guided because you don’t get a tailored program with a coach,” our tester said, giving iFIT a 3.5 out of 5 for accountability. “There are challenges you can do on your cardio machine, which can help you measure progress, though.”

For athletes who like live classes, our tester definitely thinks iFIT rivals Peloton, giving the app a 4.5 out of 5 for instruction. “When I tried iFIT, I did the outdoor runs and bike rides,” they said. “The instructor was doing the workout right with you, which I thought was motivational.”

We gave iFIT a 4 out of 5 for the value. We think it’s a great value for the price, considering you get so many different class options. There are classes for all fitness levels, including various modalities. With that said, there are cheaper options on this list but if you really want a cardio-first workout program, iFIT is your best bet.

Read our full iFIT Review.

Why We Like It

OK, so you’ve just loaded up on some of the best home exercise equipment for beginners and just want an easy-to-use app to help guide you through those introductory workouts. The Nike Training Club app can be a worthwhile download thanks to its detailed instructions for each exercise along with its beginner-friendly price tag of $0.00.

NTC is completely free to download and use, so our testers gave the overall value a 5 out of 5. The app is super simple to operate, according to our tester, who gave the setup and user experience a 5 out of 5, too. “All you have to do is download the app and log in, as there’s really no customization that happens.”

Although the app does send push notifications to encourage users to train or join new programs, we had to give the accountability factor a 3.5 out of 5. There’s no personal coaching involved with this app, plus it’s free, so the discipline really sits on the user’s shoulders.

The app has a huge library of on-demand workouts and live classes. You can filter this library based on your preferences, including your fitness level. After using the app myself, I’d say this one gets a 5 out of 5 for instruction. Every exercise has a video demonstrating the move and you can even listen for form tips.

The equipment demands are a 5 out of 5 because they’re pretty much nonexistent. I’ve used NTC for the no equipment, bodyweight workouts (the full-body HIIT sessions are awesome) but you can also find pretty advanced strength programs, too, which require a full gym of equipment.

Since there’s no customization here, you can’t really personalize anything, unfortunately. We had to give NTC a 1 out of 5 for progressive overload, as you can’t track your weight lifted, reps, RPE scale for strength training, etc. You just follow along with the pre-written workout. So, athletes looking for help progressing in their strength or endurance may prefer a more tailored workout program. However, we do love that Nike is constantly dropping new workouts, so you’re not stuck repeating the same programs over and over.

Why We Like It

Founded by CrossFit legend Jason Khalipa, Train Hard is an app that’s built with CrossFit athletes in mind. The app offers three different programs, including EMOM (efficient EMOM workouts), FLEX (functional strength and bodybuilding), and FORCE (strength and conditioning).

The programs are five days per week and each workout is about 60 minutes, with the exception of the EMOM program, which involves shorter, 30-minute sessions.

“I followed FORCE for three weeks in order to gain overall strength in the three big CrossFit movements (deadlift, squat, and push press),” our tester said, giving the app an overall 5 out of 5. “This app definitely helped me push through a plateau and I saw myself growing stronger.” 

Our tester wasn’t too familiar with Olympic lifting but found the instructional videos very helpful for these HIIT workouts. His only qualm was that the videos take you out of the app and onto YouTube, which is a little tedious. But Train Hard also has an integrated group chat for workout-specific questions or comments. 

There’s not too much customizability with Train Hard, however you can scale the weights to your fitness level. “There were a few workouts where I needed to scale back the movement because I was too burnt out from the strength portion of the workout,” our tester said, giving the customization a 4 out of 5. “But that didn’t deter me from the training at all.”

Our team gave the accountability factor a 4 out of 5, too. We liked the integrated community feature and hope to see even more development on that front. The app also allows you to track your health metrics and progress, helping to encourage healthy habits. 

We do think the user interface has some room for improvement, though. “The app doesn’t sync with any fitness watches or trackers, though that’s not a must-have for a good workout,” our tester said, giving the interface a 3 out of 5. “I found it challenging to keep the app timer on while changing my music because it pauses the timer, which was less than ideal.”

Why We Like It

I’ve had a pretty long relationship with the Nike Run Club App, not going to lie. As a former high school and collegiate runner and current triathlete, I’ve been running for practically my entire life. And I’ve had the Nike Run Club (NRC) on my phone longer than I can remember — far longer than even some of my best running shoes.

The app allows you to track your runs, whether you’re following a specific plan or just going on a random jog. It tracks your pace and distance using GPS but it also syncs with your Apple Watch in case you don’t want to take your phone. I’d definitely give the app a 5 out of 5 for ease of use. It’s really simple and tracks all the most important stats of each run, including your pace, cadence, distance, elevation gain, heart rate, and calories. 

For runners who like a little more guidance, there are guided runs led by Nike’s running coaches. You can pick a guided run, based on the goal of your run, whether it’s an interval session, tempo run, or recovery run. I’d give the instruction a 4 out of 5. 

I love that the coaches guide you through each leg of the workout but for more advanced runners looking to hit specific paces or mile times, these probably aren’t the most convenient. So, if you have a time trial planned, you may want to save NRC for another day.

I highly recommend trying any of Coach Bennett’s recovery runs. I don’t use the Nike Run Club app for specific training goals but I personally struggle to keep my recovery runs easy. Coach Bennett frequently encourages pace and body checks — this helps me gauge my effort so I can ease off the pace when needed.

The app is totally free, so our team gave the value a 5 out of 5. Plus, Nike Run Club has in-person locations in select cities. Here, you can meet other app users for group runs or races. I’ve done a few Nike Run Club events in New York and love the sense of community they’re building.

Why We Like It

Brick-and-mortar group fitness classes are great. Unless you get stuck in traffic and can’t get to the studio in time. But the right online platform can help you sidestep travel and get you into the action whether you’re at the gym or in the comfort of your own home. 

Peloton offers interactive group fitness classes right at home using the brand’s equipment (like the classic Peloton Bike), your own gear, or just your bodyweight. Setting up the app is simple, according to our tester, who gave the setup a 5 out of 5. “All you do is log in and sync your equipment with the app,” they said. 

After trying several Peloton live classes myself, I really enjoyed the experience and would give the overall instruction a 5 out of 5. The cycling instructors are enthusiastic and motivational — it really feels like you’re in a live spin class. I also love the theme ride option every once in a while. These allow you to choose a class based on your music preference.

We also liked the equipment requirements, giving Peloton a 4 out of 5 in that category. Some of the classes require equipment, but there are bodyweight only options. Obviously, the running and cycling classes require a Peloton Tread or Bike. But there are yoga classes and Pilates live sessions that only need a yoga mat and your bodyweight. 

I think the price deserves a 4 out of 5. It’s pretty reasonable and Peloton accommodates users who don’t use the brand’s dedicated treadmill or bike. The Peloton App One is only $12.99 per month and includes strength, yoga, outdoor running, and gym workouts. The Peloton App+ is $24.99 per month, including everything in the Peloton App One, including exercise bike, treadmill, and rower workouts.