best workout apps for beginners
the short list.
most workout apps are built for people who already have a program. you open them and they ask what you're training today, which is exactly the question a beginner can't answer. this list is ranked on the opposite question: how much does the app decide for you before you walk into the gym?
- 1arcbest for someone who has never followed a program
- 2stronglifts 5x5best for someone who wants one simple barbell program
- 3nike training clubbest for training at home with no equipment
- 4caliberbest for someone who wants a human coach eventually
- 5hevybest for a beginner who likes browsing programs
- 6fitbodbest for a beginner who wants variety over repetition
how we picked.
- does it hand you a program, or expect you to bring one?
- does it tell you what to do set by set, or record what you did?
- what does it cost to start?
- does it assume vocabulary you'd have to look up (rpe, rir, percentages)?
arc is our app, so read our own entry with that in mind. we've written the catch for arc the same way we wrote it for everyone else, and every app here is one we'd send someone to if it fits them better. prices are checked against each app's public pricing page on the date above.
1. arc
best for someone who has never followed a program
- price
- free, coach add-on from $9.99/mo
- platform
- ios
arc runs a trainer-style intake (your goal, experience, equipment, how you like to train), picks the split that fits you, and selects the exercises. at the gym it tells you the next exercise, tracks your sets, and tells you when you're ready to add weight. all of that is free.
the catch: arc is iphone-only. it's also opinionated on purpose: if you want to design your own routine or change the whole plan every week, a logging app gives you more room.
2. stronglifts 5x5
best for someone who wants one simple barbell program
- price
- free 5x5 program, pro from $11.99/mo or $59.99/yr
- platform
- ios, android, apple watch, mac
one fixed program, five barbell lifts, 5x5. the app tells you the weight and reps for every set and adds weight for you each session. the free version is the whole program, and it's a good first three months if barbells are what you want.
the catch: one program, barbell-only. it covers a gym with a rack and a bar, and once you stall on 5x5 you'll need to find your next program somewhere else.
arc vs stronglifts 5x5 →3. nike training club
best for training at home with no equipment
- price
- free
- platform
- ios, android, apple watch
free, with multi-week guided plans and a trainer leading each session on video. following along on screen removes the guesswork about what a movement should look like, which is the thing beginners are most unsure about.
the catch: follow-along sessions are its strength, and progressive barbell work is where it thins out. weaker fit if your goal is adding weight to specific lifts over months.
arc vs nike training club →4. caliber
best for someone who wants a human coach eventually
- price
- free tier, caliber plus from $9/mo, human coaching extra
- platform
- ios, android
a free tier, a strong education layer, and coach-designed plans on the paid tiers, with real human coaching available above that. good on-ramp if you think you'll want a person in the loop later.
the catch: the parts that decide your program sit behind the paid tiers, and human coaching costs more again. the free tier alone is thinner than what's above it on this list.
arc vs caliber →5. hevy
best for a beginner who likes browsing programs
- price
- free with ads, pro $2.99/mo or $23.99/yr
- platform
- ios, android, web, apple watch, wear os
free with ads, 26 pre-built programs sorted by experience level, video demos, and a large community whose routines you can borrow. one of the best-built trackers there is, on every platform including web.
the catch: it hands you a catalog. picking a program from 26 options plus community routines is its own small research project, and that choice is the exact thing a beginner is least equipped to make.
arc vs hevy →6. fitbod
best for a beginner who wants variety over repetition
- price
- $15.99/mo or $95.99/yr (7-day free trial)
- platform
- ios, android, apple watch, mac
generates a fresh workout every session from your recovery data, with video demos and written cues on every exercise. well made, and beginner-accessible even though it leans intermediate.
the catch: $15.99/mo after the trial, and a different workout every session works against the thing that makes beginners strong, which is repeating the same lifts until the movement is yours.
arc vs fitbod →frequently asked.
what's the best free workout app for a beginner?
arc and nike training club stay free, with no trial clock. arc is free for the program it builds you, the set-by-set guidance, and the tracking, with a paid coach add-on that's optional. nike training club is free for its full catalog of guided sessions. stronglifts 5x5 is also free for its one barbell program.
do i need a workout app that builds the plan, or can i just log my workouts?
if you already know what you're lifting, a logger like strong or hevy is all you need and both are excellent at it. if you'd have to go find a program first, pick an app that builds one for you, because the program is the part that decides whether you make progress.
how long should a beginner stay on the same program?
long enough for the lifts to feel automatic and the weight to stop climbing, which is usually somewhere between two and four months. beginners get strong on repetition, so switching programs every few weeks costs you more than it gains you.
is a paid workout app worth it for a beginner?
not usually, at least not at the start. the things a beginner needs most (a program, set-by-set instruction, and a record of what you lifted) are all available free. paying makes more sense once you know what you want to change about your training.
start lifting.
arc builds you a program from a few questions and walks you through every set, free on iphone.