The 8 Best Personal Training Apps: There’s Something for Everyone

Working out in your home is easier than ever: You can squeeze in a workout without having to invest in pricey machines or visit a gym. Lack of equipment or time and not knowing where to start are all easily solved with the magic of personal training apps or the best fitness apps. Now, people can stream workouts, attend live classes, receive nutrition advice and even workout under the supervision of a personal trainer, all from the comfort of their own home and with little to no equipment! Personal training apps have been developing and perfecting their craft for years, now offering plans for pre- and post-natal women, injury recovery, low-impact exercises, audio-based plans for those who want to run or walk outside and themed classes that bring the energy so you feel inspired to, too. We’ve evaluated eight of the best personal training apps on the market to give you a good idea of what might be the best fit for your fitness journey.

The products featured in this article have been independently reviewed by the team. When you buy something through the retail links on this page, we may earn commission at no cost to you, the reader.

• Best Overall Personal Training App – Future
• Best Strength Training Personal Training App – FIIT
• Best Fitness Classes Personal Training App – Aaptiv
• Best Live Personal Training App – FlexIt
• Best Workout Variety Personal Training App – Peloton
• Best Yoga Personal Training App – Alo Moves
• Best Personal Training App for Women – Obé Fitness
• Best HIIT Personal Training App – Keelo

Working Out with Future

Future offers a new way for people to exercise with a personal trainer. Upon signing up, users choose a certified coach to help them achieve their fitness goals – whether that’s to get stronger, exercise more, run faster or try out several different styles of training, you’ll be able to find a coach to guide you every step of the way. The customized workouts can be as frequent as you’d like, and you can even inform your coach (through the messaging platform on the Future app) if they’re too difficult or too easy. The style of exercise you’ll do will vary depending on what you opt for, and your coaches will throw in a few days a week of “open-goal” exercises, so you can go for a walk, play basketball, rollerblade or move in whatever way feels right for you and still get credit for working out.

Why We Love It

Future offers a new method of personal training that really works for anyone’s schedule or lifestyle. It’s our favorite personal trainer app because you’re matched with your own personal trainer that develops a workout program specifically for you. Whether you’re just getting started or regularly exercise and want to up your intensity, Future’s top-notch fitness coaches are there to help you crush your goals and form an exercise habit along the way. They’ll hold you accountable, ensuring you don’t skip workouts via daily check-ins (unless you have a good reason to), and they offer plenty of flexibility to work around traveling, injuries, sickness or other life events.

Working Out with FIIT

Fiit aims to combine elements of studio classes and personal training into a singular app (one that’s super affordable, at that!). Users can opt to join training programs with a variety of goals, including building strength and muscle, losing weight, toning muscle, fat loss and more (there are over 20 available). There are also studio-style classes users can stream, ranging from 20 to 60 minutes in duration and covering all sorts of workout styles, including HIIT, Pilates, dumbbell strength training, cardio, mobility and more. Those who like to compete can connect their fitness tracker to the app to receive “Fiit points” based on their effort and heart rate, and can even join classes with their friends where live leaderboards display who’s putting in the most work.

Why We Love It

Forgive our comparisons, but Fiit offers a stellar combination of Peloton-like competition with their leaderboard element and class variety, plus the more traditional personal training app elements with their training programs for different goals, like weight loss or strength building. We love that it’s compatible with many different fitness trackers so users can monitor their metrics, that the classes vary in length, style and intensity, and that members can even schedule private group classes with their friends; this gamification tends to really motivate a lot of people.

Working Out with Aaptiv

While video recordings of workouts are a great visual tool and can be an effective way to workout, sometimes it’s not very convenient, especially if you’re trying to exercise in a gym or outside, or you just don’t feel like staring at your phone or laptop throughout your workout. Aaptiv was created to offer a more sensible option for training and classes: Audio-guided workouts. Combined with upbeat playlists, Aaptiv’s trainers and coaches are in your ear throughout your workout, telling you when to pick up the pace (if you’re running or cycling), what exercises to do next or which pose to switch into. If you’re unfamiliar with an exercise, Aaptiv provides videos to show correct form for most of their exercises. While it might be less-than-ideal for the beginner weight lifter, even the most advanced runners, cyclists or gym-goers should find Aaptiv’s motivating mix of music and a coach in your ear boosts your run (or elliptical, bike, stairmill, etc.) and helps you crush your goals. Upon sign-up, users answer some questions about their goals. Aaptiv analyzes the data from your workouts and combines it with your goals to create a fitness plan complete with daily workouts to aid in your progression.

Why We Love It

Cardio is tough enough on its own, and pushing yourself during a tough run or workout can seem impossible – you’re already pushing yourself by showing up and working out! But having a trainer in your ear, encouraging you, giving you audio cues, and curating a top-notch playlist for your workout is surprisingly effective. You may not decide to run faster on your own, but you’d be surprised how motivated you are when someone is telling you to up your pace just a bit, and then changes the song to a particularly upbeat one that makes you feel unstoppable. Aaptiv’s fitness programs are great for upping the intensity of your workouts anywhere you go, and they feel like having a coach there alongside you helping you crush your goals and smash your workouts.

Working Out with FlexIt

Going to a studio to take a class is a great way to ensure you get in a solid workout – the instructors are there to guide you through tough exercises, monitoring your form and encouraging you to push yourself. Realistically, though, actually going to those studio classes can be a pain, which is where FlexIt comes in. Certified personal trainers and instructors of all different exercise types are there to provide one-on-one coaching through a virtual class run by them, which you can take in the comfort of your home. They’ll adjust the training sessions based on your available equipment and skill level, and provide demonstrations and real-time feedback on your form as you take the class. They even come equipped with a playlist to help you get in the zone.

Why We Love It

Studio classes are awesome because of how they encourage attendees to work hard and match the pace and intensity of the instructor, but they aren’t always a feasible option (especially if they’re far away). FlexIt brings the feeling and hype of an instructor-led class into your home, plus allows users to receive individual attention, modifications, advice/adjustments and assistance on their form or completing an exercise if they aren’t familiar with it. Scheduling a class is much easier than traditional exercise studios, too: Users can schedule same-day classes for pretty much any time of the day, allowing them to get in a great workout during their lunch break or before they start work without adding the travel time.

Working Out with Peloton

Peloton has really made a name for itself in the fitness-from-home space, but their fame isn’t unwarranted: They’ve got the interactive programming thing dialed in. Users can select any of thousands of available workouts on their app to try out, filtering through different types of exercise, trainers, class length and even music selection. Whether you’re at home looking for a quick cardio workout or want to unwind after work with a yoga flow, Peloton’s app has something for everyone. We recommend trying out some of the different class types and instructors before forming a solid opinion; each instructor has a different style of how they run the class, and it might take a few iterations to find the one who really speaks to you and sparks your motivation. The app tells users what sort of equipment they’ll need before each class, so you can ensure you’re totally prepared for what lies ahead. If you really want the full Peloton experience and you like cycling, the Peloton Bike is an awesome way to stay fit, interact with friends via the Leaderboard, and bring the spin-studio energy into your own home.

Why We Love It

Peloton’s programming brings the energy, with instructors that shout out motivational quotes to inspire you to push through your workout, plus some of the best playlists in the business (everyone knows the right playlist can make or break your workout experience). We love that users can join live classes or stream, but the immense variety is what really keeps us coming back to this workout app again and again. Guided walks and runs, relaxing yoga flows or hype HIIT classes, no matter how you feel like moving your body that day or what you enjoy on your fitness journey, Peloton has a class for it.

Working Out with Alo Moves

Alo Moves – created by the popular athleisure brand Alo Yoga – offers yogis everywhere a way to get the serenity, burn and zen of a studio yoga class from their own home.  Classes are available in a variety of different flows: Vinyasa, Kundalini, Hatha, Ashtanga, rental, restorative and even kids’ yoga. Those who want to improve upon a certain skill, be it their flexibility, certain poses, inversions (like handstands and headstands), or balances can take classes designed to help them work on those things. Fitness classes including HIIT, barre, strength training and core give users the opportunity to get their heart rate up if they wish, while mindfulness classes and meditation provide a chance to slow down, do breathwork, participate in a sound bath  (some users swear by these before bed!) and unwind. All in all, anyone who’s interested in improving their yoga practice and fitness from home should find Alo Move offers plenty of top-notch classes to enjoy.

Why We Love It

Alo Moves’ focus on mindfulness and moving your body with intention really speaks to us (and to their huge number of users). We love that they offer plenty of exercise options, but their primary spotlight is on helping users take some time for themselves, whether that’s at the start of the day to boost their energy levels, or at the end of the day to unwind and relax. Their instructors are stellar, and many of them are renowned yoga instructors who guide and empower you through class, leaving you feeling stronger, refreshed and excited for your next class.

Working Out with Obe Fitness

Bright, cheery and upbeat, the vibes at obé (pronounced “obey”) are intended to lift you up and keep you engaged. The app features a bunch of live classes daily, plus has a massive library of streamable classes that range from HIIT, cardio boxing, yoga, barre, cycling and dance, allowing users to mix it up. Obé also has pre- and post-natal hubs, with classes designed to help expecting or new moms build their strength, fortify their pelvic floor, stretch out stiffness or work up a sweat. Their goal is to have users “Strive for Five” classes weekly in order to boost their fitness levels and notice a difference in how they feel. The classes range in length, from quick 10 minute burns to hour-long sessions, though the most common class length is 28 minutes.

Why We Love It

Our favorite things about Obé – aside from the general aesthetic – are their inclusivity for mothers and their effective tactics at making workouts fun. Their themed classes can center around movie releases, new albums, holidays, music genres and other things, reminding us a little of Peloton’s themed rides that users rave about. It’s undeniably entertaining to workout while your instructor is in a full costume, listening to 80’s tunes or Christmas music. You can sign up for live classes in advance and receive a notification on the day of the class, which is a nice boost of accountability. The frequent new classes prevents the need for frequent repeats, keeping your workout routine fresh and interesting.

Working Out with Keelo

For those who want some structured workouts in the gym but don’t want to program their own workouts, Keelo is our top pick. The app offers gym routines with weight recommendations based upon what you recorded from previous workouts, helping users gradually work their way up to more weight and get progressively stronger. Their HIIT and metcon workouts closely resemble CrossFit style exercises, with AMRAPs (as many reps as possible), bodyweight conditioning or cardio-style workouts that incorporate running, rowing, jump roping or airbiking. The workouts are tough, but spaced into small segments ranging from 5 to 20 minutes. Beginners can use the instructional videos provided and work their way up, while advanced lifters can stack the workouts (they’re designed to be modular and combined for more regular lifters) to get in a sweaty session where they don’t need to think about which exercises to do or how much weight to use.

Why We Love It

For the seasoned athlete or gym-goer, Keelo is a dream come true. There are tons of bodyweight-only workouts or apps that use minimal equipment, but some people like their gym membership, they just have a hard time programming their workouts and incorporating progressive overload into their routine. The modality of the workouts is also really convenient, allowing users to determine how long they’d like to exercise for. The videos provide in-depth instruction, which helps beginner and regular lifters alike with the movements. Keelo suggests weights, workouts and focus areas based on users’ past workouts, ensuring they focus on upper body, lower body and cardiovascular fitness evenly and helping them grow in all areas. The app also allows for nutrition tracking, with a macro and calorie counting component to help users understand how to properly fuel themselves for the best results.

How to Find the Best Personal Training App for You

Choosing the right personal training app or program can be a tough decision, but thankfully all of the apps we’ve reviewed here come with free trials, so you can test out a few before fully committing to one. We’ve outlined some of the different factors to consider when deciding between the best app for you. 

Workout Types

This is probably the most important of all elements, because finding the right type of exercise for you is the best way to ensure you enjoy your workouts enough to keep up with them. Many people don’t like running at all, so choosing an app that offers primarily guided running and walking probably isn’t a good idea for them. Others only have access to a home gym (many of us dispelled our gym memberships over the pandemic!), so an app that offers plenty of home workouts with minimal equipment might be the best way to maintain a regular exercise routine. If you’re someone who’s regularly short on time, an app that focuses on high-intensity workouts done in short periods of time is likely your best bet.

Subscription Type

Most of the apps feature a monthly or annual subscription style, offering a bit of savings when you opt for the annual subscription. If you’re on the fence about which app to try, starting out with one with a lower price point is probably a good idea.

Pricing

The apps listed in this review come in a massive variety of price points, ranging from around $10 a month to nearly $150. The difference is in the type of programming: Apps that closely resemble in-person personal training experiences cost more, because you’ll be receiving one-on-one attention, whereas apps with a big library of streamable workouts tend to be more affordable.