Home > Fitness

10 Best Free Workout Apps: Get Started on the Road to Fitness

Photo credit: Jonathan Borba via Unsplash
Support us! GearJunkie may earn a small commission from affiliate links in this article. Learn More

Gone are the days when you had to head to the gym to get a workout. Now all you have to do is open an app on your phone, get dressed, and get moving.

But choosing the best free workout app to use can be overwhelming. With the many options out there, it’s a lot of work to test and find the best one. So we did it for you! We downloaded the top-rated 20-plus free workout apps and chose the top 10 for general fitness, running, and yoga.

Our top picks for the best free workout apps have quality workouts with easy-to-use interfaces. Most of these apps have a paid subscription option as well. But you get enough quality content with the free version that we felt confident recommending them if you’re looking for a fully free option.

Most of these workouts are easy to do without much equipment. Some ask if you have access to weights or other workout gear. But all you really need is a space to work out (such as a yoga mat), some comfortable shoes, and the motivation to try hard!

So grab your favorite water bottle and let’s get sweaty!

The Best Free Workout Apps

Fitness Apps

man home workout unsplash
(Photo/Diego Lozano, Unsplash)

Seven — Free With a Premium Subscription Option

Seven free workout app

Seven is the best free workout app for someone short on time. It focuses on making working out accessible, easy, and hard to miss with its short workouts and addicting interface. Each workout lasts for approximately 7 minutes, so you really have no excuses to not fit it into your day.

While completing your workout, animated characters show you how to properly perform each exercise. And a timer counts down to the next activity. With the free version, you have access to a few straightforward workouts, the opportunity to build your own workout, and the ability to join group workouts.

This high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout is meant to be performed quickly, with 30-second working periods and 10-second rest periods. The only equipment you need is a chair.

Download From App StoreDownload From Google Play

adidas Training — Free With a Premium Subscription Option

Screen Shot 2020-08-10 at 6.33.45 PM

As far as fully free options go, adidas Training was one of my favorites. I rarely found myself getting shut down by a paywall, although the premium subscription does offer more training plans and other features.

You can choose from suggested workouts and guided workouts with adidas athletes. Create your own workout or let the app make you a training plan. There are a few free training plan options, including “active and energized” and “6 weeks to six-pack.”

Each workout includes videos of people performing each action and will walk you through the workout from warmup to cooldown. And you can participate in challenges.

When you start a training plan, the app will ask you how often you work out, your weight and height, and what you want to get out of training. Then, you will be able to choose how many workouts you want to do per week. The app will then give you a personalized training plan.

The adidas Training app also has a section for health and nutrition, which is mostly part of the paid subscription but still has some quality free content.

Download From App StoreDownload From Google Play

Daily Workouts — Free With a Subscription Option

Screen Shot 2020-08-10 at 6.37.22 PM

Of all the workout apps that I tested, Daily Workouts was the most simple. If all you need is guidance on what to do for your workout and how long to do it for, this is your app. There is no log-in option, so you can simply open the app and begin your workout. It does have ads that pop up, which is how Daily Workouts maintains its free content.

Choose from abs, arms, butt, cardio, legs, or full, and then select how long you want your workout to be. After that, simply press start. The app will show you a video of someone performing the exercise, with a written description and tips on how to get the most out of each exercise.

Download From App StoreDownload From Google Play

FitOn — Free With Premium Subscription Options

Fit On Free workout app

If you love fitness classes with friends and appreciate the pace and banter of having an instructor, you will love FitOn. This is one of the best free workout apps for group workouts. You can work out with celebrity coaches and even invite your friends to work out with you.

Choose from 22 different categories including small space, barre, HIIT, cardio, and more to find the right workout for you. The workout interface is a video with the trainer giving you tips on technique and body positioning the whole time.

You can also choose a fitness plan that will customize workouts based on your goals. “Be more active,” “build muscle,” and “reduce stress” are all goal options. Once you have a goal, you can then choose how long you want your plan to be, how long each workout should be, and how many workouts you want to do each week.

FitOn also provides an advice section with lots of articles and videos on fitness and health. The paid subscription option also has a recipe section and a personalized meal plan.

Download From App StoreDownload From Google Play

Keelo — Free With Premium Subscription Options

Screen Shot 2020-08-10 at 6.43.11 PM

Keelo is the best workout app for if you enjoy competition. You can choose from a good variety of free workout options and fight against the clock to complete as many rounds of each exercise as possible. These short HIIT workouts really pack a punch, especially once you get tired.

Movement guide videos help you perform each exercise with proper form. Each workout is on a timer. Some count the time up, and you input when you’ve completed the correct number of each exercise. Others count the time down, and you complete as many rounds as possible in the set amount of time.

Download From App StoreDownload From Google Play

Running Workout Apps

photo-of-woman-listening-to-music-on-earphones-running-down-3764537
(Photo/Andrea Piacquadio, Pexels)

Couch to 5K —  Free With the Option for Paid Features

Screen Shot 2020-08-10 at 6.45.25 PM

The Couch to 5K program has been a great option for beginning runners since 1996. And now you can get it as a mobile app. This app is ideal for someone who wants to start running but doesn’t know where to begin. Aimed at someone who doesn’t think that they can run 3.1 miles, this program gives you a place to start.

This app prompts you through an 8-week program with three workouts per week, starting with 30 minutes of walking and running. It’s a very low-pressure way to build up to longer runs. And once you complete the 5K program, you can move on to the 10K and half-marathon training plans (these do cost money).

Download From App StoreDownload From Google Play

MapMyRun — Free With a Premium Subscription Option

Screen Shot 2020-08-10 at 6.48.06 PM

Less of a workout app and more of an app to track your workouts, MapMyRun is still a standout free option in the world of running. Its goal is simple — this app maps your run. It can also map your cycling, hiking, or gym workouts.

The best feature of MapMyRun is that you can actually use the online interface on a computer to map out a run ahead of time. This is perfect when you know you want to run a specific distance and want to plan your route.

It also functions as a social platform where you can share your workouts and view others’ workouts. The app also has challenges where you can participate in specific fitness events with others.

Download From App StoreDownload From Google Play

Nike Run Club/Nike Training Club — Free With a Premium Subscription Option

Screen Shot 2020-08-10 at 6.51.27 PM

Nike Run Club is the best free workout app for runners who might need more guidance. You can use the tracking option on any run. Or choose a guided run experience, where a coach will keep you on pace and help you get the most out of each run.

You can also build a training plan for a race or for a distance you’re hoping to run, or use the app to simply get better at running. Each training plan is at least 8 weeks and will give you a workout structure to follow to reach your goals.

This app syncs with Nike Training Club, another great option for a free workout app. Nike Training Club has some great free workouts with videos that show you how to perform each exercise and voice coaches to walk you through the workout from warmup to cooldown.

Download From App StoreDownload From Google Play

Yoga Apps

Yoga in Nepal
(Photo/Ilana Newman)

Simply Yoga — Free With Premium Subscription Options

Screen Shot 2020-08-10 at 6.55.13 PM

The Daily Workouts Simply Yoga app is a simple, easy-to-use option. Open the app and choose between “classic routines,” “latest routines,” and “streaming videos.” Then begin your yoga session.

This free app is a great option for anyone who needs a little bit of guidance with their yoga practice. Follow along with one of the streaming videos for a full yoga class. Or let the app tell you which poses to do for certain amounts of time. The in-app videos also talk you through technique and breathing.

Download From App StoreDownload From Google Play

Yoga for Beginners — Free

Screen Shot 2020-08-10 at 6.56.35 PM

Not necessarily just for beginners, this app is a great place to start if you don’t feel comfortable practicing yoga on your own. This app walks you through each pose with cute cartoon people performing each pose or movement. Calming background music accompanies each workout.

You have many options to choose from including bedtime yoga, immunity booster, power flow, and yoga for text neck. Each workout specifies its length and challenge level as well as the number of calories you should burn.

Download From App StoreDownload From Google Play

Subscribe Now

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!

Join Our GearJunkie Newsletter

Get adventure news and gear reviews in your inbox!