You no longer need to have a gym trainer if you’re just starting out. You can train on the go with an exercise app. The best workout apps act as a virtual personal trainer to help you attain your personal fitness goals. If you’ve found yourself repeating the same workouts or you’re bored with your home workouts, an app might help spice up your routine and keep you on track.
The way these exercise apps work is simple: You pay a subscription membership and in exchange you get access to a library of fitness content. But with a wide variety of workout apps available and many not offering free trials, it can be challenging to know what each app offers or if it’s worth the investment.
In this list I’ll go over the best workout subscription apps for women, what you can expect from each and any outstanding features. (Although most of the apps listed here are targeted toward women and most of the trainers involved are women, anyone can benefit from them. There’s no such thing as a gender-specific exercise.)
Pros of using workout apps
Work out wherever you are
The great thing about fitness subscriptions is that you can access them anytime and anywhere. If you’re traveling or stuck at home, and even if your gym is closed, you can whip out your phone and get a great workout done wherever you are.
Track progress
Most fitness apps collect data from previous workouts and provide a report on how much you’ve progressed over time. Whether you are looking to gain muscle, lose weight or build endurance, looking at your progress report will show you how far you’ve come.
Save money
All workout apps in this article cost between $10 and $20 per month — that’s likely cheaper than most fitness classes in a studio. You also get unlimited access to your workouts in the apps, so you can take as many classes or workouts as you want.
Cons of using workout apps
Requires a lot of self-motivation
Having an online coach that’s available 24/7 may sound tempting, but if you need that extra motivation or accountability, you may want to consider a personal trainer to help you with your fitness goals, or joining forces with a workout buddy. With an online fitness subscription you’ll get access to a ton of information and workouts, but it’ll require a lot of discipline to complete the programs on your own.
No professional assistance
If you’re new to any type of workout, it’s essential to have someone correcting your form. Bad posture during exercise can lead to severe injuries. If you have experience exercising, this might not be an issue, but people beginning their fitness journey may find following classes and routines difficult if they don’t know how to do the moves correctly.
Best workout apps for women FAQs
What is the best workout app for women?
The best workout app will be the one that offers you the right tools to achieve your goals and fits your lifestyle. Our best overall pick is EvolveYou, since it has the widest variety of workouts to choose from, allows you track progress and is highly customizable.
What is the best at home workout program for women?
We really like EvolveYou and MWH for home workouts, since both offer at-home programs that require little to no equipment.
Do workout apps for women really work?
Yes. Workout apps for women can help you achieve your fitness goals. However, it requires a lot of self motivation since no one will hold you accountable. If you follow through the program with the right lifestyle changes — like nutrition and quality sleep — you should see results.
The bottom line
There are a lot of exercise apps to choose from, and narrowing down the list can seem daunting. When selecting the best one for you, consider if it offers the necessary tools to help you reach your goals, such as weight loss, building muscle or simply becoming more active. Also, make sure that the app you choose offers multiple levels of expertise so that as you get fitter, you can challenge yourself and move on to the next level.
