The 11 Best Workout Apps of 2018

Fitbit Coach (previously FitStar Coach) is an app that provides professionally curated HD exercise videos that are mixed and matched to create unique workout sessions. What sets Fitbit Coach apart from similar apps is that the sessions adjust to your fitness level which is gauged by your own feedback after each exercise. As you get fitter, the workouts get harder.

What We Like

• Fitbit Coach truly is a fitness app for all levels.
• Connects to your Fitbit account and automatically logs each workout.

What We Don't Like

• There's very little content available for free users. All video content is unlocked with a Premium subscription.

Available on iOS, Android, Windows, and Xbox One. Premium subscription cost $7.99 a month or $39.99 per year.

Nike Training Club features over 160 free video workouts in a variety of styles such as yoga, cardio, boxing, and endurance. It's also one of the few workout apps that offers videos for those who own free weights at home.

What We Like

• Stylish app that will appeal to both men and women.
• Huge variety of workouts for all-round fitness.
• Everything's completely free. No premium subscription required.
• Apple Watch support for workouts and body tracking.

What We Don't Like

• The iOS app only works on devices running iOS 10 or later which means that it won't work on everyone's iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.

Available on iOS and Android. 

Sweat is an all-in-one fitness app designed to motivate and inspire girls and women to workout, eat better, and feel better about themselves.

What We Like

• Great variety of content with workouts and recipes plus its own social network for sharing progress photos and tips with other users.
• Apple’s HealthKit and Apple Watch integration.

What We Don't Like

• After the seven day trial, the app becomes very expensive with its monthly $19.99 membership fee.

Available on iOS and Android. Membership costs $4.61 a week or $19.99 per month.

Zova is a stylish all-in-one workout app that offers video and audio workouts and run tracking. Exercises can be sorted by strength, cardio, or flexibility and a variety of special classes hosted by celebrity trainers and influencers are available for those who want to pay extra for Premium membership.

What We Like

• Zova: Workout App features both guided workouts and run/walk tracking which will make this an all-in-one fitness app for a lot of people.
• The Apple Watch support monitors your heart rate during a workout.

What We Don't Like

• Zova is only available on iPhone, iPod Touch, and Apple Watch which may annoy those who prefer an iPad or own an Android or Windows device.

Available on iOS. Premium subscription costs $12.99 per month and $79.99 per year.

This series of apps produced by Runtastic each focus on a specific exercise and offer voice-coaching, rep counting, progress badges to unlock, and leaderboards. Don't let their simplicity fool you.

What We Like

• Completely free apps that are effective for targeting specific body parts.
• Available on a range of devices including Windows 10 PCs and tablets and the often neglected Windows phone.

What We Don't Like

• Only the Level One fitness plans are only available in the free Lite versions of the apps. Separate PRO versions of each app, which admittedly only cost $1.99, are required for the second and third levels.

Available on iOS, Android, and Windows.

There are numerous yoga apps on iPhone but FitStar Yoga is one of the best. Like its sister app, Fitbit Coach, FitStar Yoga creates custom workout sessions that adapt to the user's fitness level and boasts a fantastic design that seamlessly transitions from one yoga pose to the next.

What We Like

• Production value is incredibly high compared to rival yoga apps.
• Loads of free yoga classes available.

What We Don't Like

• There's no choice for a male instructor and all but one of the fitness models are female which may be a deterrent for some male users.
• Instructions are always the same for each pose which can get repetitive in a flow that repeats the poses several times in a row.
• FitStar Yoga Premium does not unlock Premium on Fitbit Coach which essentially uses the same account system.

Available on iOS. Premium subscription costs $7.99 a month or $39.99 per year.

Celebrity personal trainer, Jillian Michaels, heads this comprehensive health and wellness app that offers users numerous video workouts that can be mixed and matched, practical meal plans, and daily fitness tips from Jillian herself.

What We Like

• The workout generator allows you to create a workout session focusing on a specific body part. This is a feature that's surprisingly lacking from many similar apps. These are only available to Premium members though.
• The meal plans impressively provide options for vegan, vegetarian, paleo, gluten free, and pescatarian users.

What We Don't Like

• Jillian Michaels hosts every workout on this app so if you're not a fan of her then this isn't the app for you.

Available on iOS and Android. Premium membership costs $9.99 per month and $89.99 for one year.

Zombies, Run! is a popular iOS and Android running app that turns your regular run into a post-apocalyptic survival audio experience. Scripted radio transmissions are intermingled with your regular music collection that build upon the Zombies, Run! story and random zombie events will trigger during your route, forcing you to run faster or lose in-app points. It's intermittent exercising in a whole new way.

What We Like

• The sensation of a zombie horde chasing you really does force you to run faster when you otherwise would have thought you were too tired.
• Legitimately interesting storyline that grows with each run.

What We Don't Like

• Requires iOS 11.2 operating system on iPhones and iPod Touches which means owners of older devices aren't invited to the zombie party.

Available on iOS and Android.

The official Fitbit app is required for syncing Fitbit tracker data but it's also a solid method of tracking workouts, keeping track of food eaten, and staying motivated with friends. The app also turns your smart device into a Fitbit tracker for free which makes it a great option for those wanting to experiment with activity tracking before investing in an actual Fitbit wearable.

In addition to tracking physical activity, the Fitbit app can also be used to keep a record of your workouts like a gym or pool session.

What We Like

• The Fitbit app itself can track steps simply by being installed on a smartphone without an actual Fitbit tracker being present.
• Fitbit leaderboards are usually full of friends due to the brand's popularity and Facebook connectivity. Odds are you already know several people who have the app installed.
• Its ability to keep keep records on all your workouts and activities makes it a must-use.

What We Don't Like

• Sometimes there can be too many device notifications while competing with friends.

Available on iOS, Android, and Windows. 

Runkeeper is one of the more-popular apps around for both beginner and experienced runners. The app is one of the best at tracking your route and also provides training plans to improve your speed and endurance.

What We Like

• RunKeeper seamlessly connects to other fitness apps such as Fitbit and MyFitnessPal which is great for those that prefer those apps' other services but like running with RunKeeper.

What We Don't Like

• The RunKeeper Premium membership offers personally tailored workout plans which is impressive but the ability to view weather data is something that shouldn't be behind a paywall and many similar apps offer that basic information for free.

Available on iOS and Android. Premium membership costs $9.99 a month or $39.99 a year.