7 best strength training apps, tested by us

In order to get the most out of your home gym, consider if the piece of fitness equipment you are purchasing has accessories or extras that would enhance your workout. If you want to do lat pulldowns, you will need a straight or curved bar. If you have a partner or family, chances are you’ll want to consult with them on the type of equipment they’d like to use. This is also a good time to ask about specific needs so everyone is able to use the machine. Before purchasing anything, I recommend mapping out how much you’re willing to spend in total on home gym equipment.

Whether you’re aiming to lose weight, gain muscle, improve flexibility, or train for a specific event, choose an app that specializes in the type of workouts and progress tracking aligned with your objectives. Clear goals can also help you stay motivated and measure your success over time. Some of the apps we’ve tested are excellent for goal-setting, while others are optimized for community or learning. So even if you don’t have serious goals but just want to find a way to stay more fit and find some encouraging workout friends, there is an app for that. The best strength training app for women over 50 is WeGLOW, a strength and wellness app built specifically for women with guided gym and home-compatible workouts designed with perimenopause hormonal context in mind. 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.

Functional Trainers

Even if you choose strength or bodybuilding workouts, the app uses circuit workouts rather than traditional strength training. We also considered categories like instruction quality, workout variety, and equipment needed, all of which helped shape our overall score. After carefully rating each app we tested, we narrowed down our list to the top 13 options.

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FitOn is a great service for people just dipping their toes into the fitness world, mainly because it’s free and gives you access to tons of guided workout videos, still all for free. While the premium option can give you special features like premium music options to spice up your playlist, personalized meal plans, and offline downloads to workouts, the bulk of the app is free. However, ClassPass also has a database of workout videos that are completely free to users; you don’t even need to be on a subscription plan. Just like their local class options, these trainer-led workout videos vary from strength training to high-intensity workouts and everything in between. With Home Gym Club Training, you’ll be able to access over a thousand strength-training programs, including over 100 programs created by certified expert coaches.

For Simplicity & Quick Logging

No matter your level of experience, workout programs on weightlifting apps can take your strength training to the next level in more ways than one. The brainchild of decorated powerlifter and coach Chad Wesley Smith, JuggernautAI uses an algorithm to create a personalized program for you and your strength goals. Based on our team’s experience, JuggernautAI is a no-brainer if you’re looking to take your Big Three total to the next level. Caliber Strength Training is a fitness coaching program grounded in scientific principles designed to increase strength and improve body composition. The app offers both group and individual training plans which are written and modified by a certified coach based on progress. Fitbod is an adaptive workout planner that customizes your strength training routines based on your available equipment, fitness level, and previous workouts.

Unfortunately, Boostcamp is not the best weightlifting app for accountability, as Matt only rates it a 2 out of 5 in this category. Another reason we chose Future as the top weightlifting app for home gyms is that it doesn’t matter what equipment you have. Whether you have a complete setup or just a pair of kettlebells, you’ll still be set up for success. Although it costs about $200 a month, Future features a user-friendly interface, customizable programming, and excellent support from your personal coach. If you need a motivational boost or someone to keep you on track, Shred wouldn’t be my top pick. It’s certainly not bad in this regard, but Anthony only rated it a 3 out of 5 for accountability.

Best AI Weightlifting App: Fitbod

• But the reason I rate this as the best workout app for most people is that there’s a lot of variety.
• Whether you’re looking for bodyweight workouts, strength training, mobility, or you like to rotate between workout styles, you’ll have plenty to choose from with Aaptiv.
• While the premium option can give you special features like premium music options to spice up your playlist, personalized meal plans, and offline downloads to workouts, the bulk of the app is free.
• Coop has had this for many years, though, and he hasn’t noticed anything too worrisome; plus, many of the customer reviews we’ve read through say the same.
• A score of 3 out of 5 means the app provides programs that work if followed, but may lack full optimization for long-term improvement.
• (We’ve also managed to negotiate some unique discounts on some apps to help you get started).

Jefit, Freeletic and Stronglifts 5X5 are three popular options that are great for beginners and those looking to track their weight and progress. Jefit offers a wide variety of workouts and allows you to build your own workout, making it a versatile choice for those looking for flexibility in their training. These apps offer a range of features that can help you plan your program, track your workouts, and get in shape faster.

Major Fitness Heritage Series B17 Flying Fortress All-In-One Functional Trainer with Smith Machine

This holistic approach ensures balanced development rather than focusing solely on impressive party tricks. Pliability offers an unlimited free trial, allowing you to experience the benefits before committing to a subscription. This risk-free approach demonstrates confidence in their content’s effectiveness. The content is varied, ranging from 5-minute targeted sessions to 45-minute full-body routines. This flexibility allows you to fit mobility work around your schedule, whether it’s a quick morning routine or a thorough recovery session after intense training. The app includes plenty of content for beginners but also features highly specialized routines for elite athletes, Olympic lifters, and those training intensively.

One of the best strength training apps can help you make the most of this important exercise, whether you’re brand new to lifting weights or you want to create a routine at home. A month of weekly personal training sessions can cost about a few hundred dollars, depending on your trainer’s rates. The higher end of workout and lifting apps comes in at about $200 per month, meaning most apps will be cheaper than an in-person trainer.

There are streaming classes available in 12 different disciplines, from yoga to strength training to cycling—and you no longer need to have an Apple Watch to use it. Apple product owners can access Fitness+ built into the new Fitness app, with the latest iOS update. For weight-loss-focused strength training, Fitbod and Caliber are again the top picks — but for different users.

Adapting to Your Equipment

Many workout apps track your progress over time, allowing you to see whether the plan you’re following is delivering results. According to GGR Staff Writer Matt Dustin, CSCS, tracking your progress is the key to making fitness apps on apple watch review long-term improvements. JuggernautAI is not just designed with your stats in mind—it’s structured to help you move the needle on your strength. But if you’re serious about gym gains, we think Dr. Muscle is the app to get. We’ve talked about tracking workouts, exercise variety, and strength training focus.

Garmin and Android Support

The workout tracker is basic but deep, allowing you to create your own workouts. If there is a workout that you frequent, you can create it as a workout routine to simplify logging it in. In addition, Heavy provides some basic strength training routines of their own, such as 5 x 5 back squats. You can look at Hevy’s and other user’s workouts for inspiration, if you’re not sure what to do that day.

Major Fitness Color Change Plates 1.25LB-10LB Set

Elegantly simple yet incredibly effective at crafting customized workouts perfect for those new to strength training. With that said, there are a couple of fitness apps that have a fully functioning app and all of its features are available for free—no subscription needed. One such app is Nike Training Club, which has been completely free since 2020. If you don’t feel the need for an online support system, there are still ways to stay on top of your workouts.

Major Fitness 7ft 20kg Home Gym Barbell

If you’re new to strength training, we’d recommend the High Intensity Strength program to get started, as it provides a great introduction to Sweat’s strength-based workouts. We selected Fitbod best for beginners because we feel all these features really help take the guess-work out of strength training and provide a clear program to follow. It is very affordable, has incredibly positive reviews (especially considering the large userbase), and undoubtedly helps improve your strength and fitness via effective workout plans. Log exercises as you go without pre-planning, perfect for autoregulated sessions or technique work. No built-in library, but the app’s exercise-centric structure makes it easy to follow any external strength program. None of the apps on this list have native Garmin watch integration for real-time strength logging.