Workout Apps That Design A Workout For You

A gym membership can quickly add up to a major annual expense, but that shouldn't stand in the way of your physical health. Instead, consider downloading a free workout app on your iOS or Android device and exercise at home.

In this article, I'm going to take a look at a few of the best free workout apps available.

I downloaded each of the apps to make sure I wasn't asked for payment information and to see what features were available without a subscription.

15 Free Workout Apps

Whether you're a seasoned athlete or a beginner, there are many free fitness apps available to meet your needs. The apps listed below offer at least some features for free — no paid subscription required.

Whether you're training for a marathon, beginning your yoga journey or hoping to save time and money by cutting out the gym, you can track your progress and explore new routines for free with these apps.

Free Walking and Running Apps

Cardio exercise is a great way to stay active and burn calories without having to use any gym equipment. These first four apps allow you to track your route, distance, calories and more while walking or running outside or on the treadmill. Note that you may be asked to share your location for easy progress-tracking.

Free workout apps for running and walking

1. Nike Run Club

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: None

When you first open Nike Run Club, you'll be asked to either log in or join. You can choose a "Quick start" feature to begin tracking a run or choose from a selection of guided runs. Those options include a "Getting started" collection, short and long runs, speed runs, treadmill runs, a half-marathon guided plan and more.

In addition to guided runs, click on "My coach" to choose a workout plan ranging from four to eight weeks. You can also take part in collective challenges, view your achievements, track your progress and shop Nike through the app.

2. Map My Run

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: Optional MVP Subscription ($5.99/month or $29.99/year)

Owned by Under Armour, this app allows you to track your runs and view your weekly progress. You can also participate in challenges with other runners, record your workouts and explore pre-loaded routines.

Once you download the app, you'll need to create a free account to get started. You'll also have the option to begin a 14-day free trial of MVP, which includes live tracking, training plans, audio coaching and more. But the free features of the app are perfect for casual runners.

3. Zombies, Run!

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: Optional Abel Runner's Club ($5.99/month or $34.99/year)

Zombies, Run! is unlike any other app on this list. In addition to providing training plans and tracking your runs, the app incorporates a narrative game into your cardio routine. When you download the app, you'll be introduced to the zombie-themed storyline that requires you to complete "missions" that are equivalent to walks, jogs or runs in the real world.

Storyline aside, the app offers 5K expert, 10K beginner, 10K intermediate, half marathon beginner and marathon beginner training programs. Interval training, run logs and statistics are also available.

4. C25K 5K Trainer

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: Optional Zen Power Playlist subscription ($4.99/month or $49.99/year)

This app is perfect for runners who are just getting started or need some motivation to find a routine. You won't be asked to fill out an initial survey indicating your goals, and you won't find a library of workouts. Instead, the app leads you through various cardio workouts that change weekly. If you follow the app's schedule, you'll complete a series of 30-minute cardio workouts three times a week for eight weeks.

Free Yoga Apps

Whether you're an experienced practitioner or completely new to yoga, an app can be a great way to explore different sequences, learn poses and establish a routine. If you don't find what you're looking for in an app, keep in mind that there are thousands of free yoga videos on YouTube that you can access from home.

5. Yoga for Beginners

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: None

When you open this app, you'll immediately be greeted with a selection of yoga routines including bedtime yoga, beginner yoga, energy booster, fat burner, inner peace, yoga for abs and more. The classes range from 7-14 minutes, which makes it great for a quick workout for those new to yoga practice.

In addition to 16 free yoga classes, the app also allows you to track your previous workouts and daily weight.

6. Lotus Yoga

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: Optional Pro membership ($18.99/month or $36.99/year)

This app provides a library of yoga poses and sequences for easy reference. You'll also find a selection of classes sorted by theme, focus and level available for free. The paid Pro membership unlocks access to all of the available workouts.

The app also includes yoga programs that range from one to five weeks. As you complete workouts and programs, your progress will be tracked and synced to your calendar. You'll also unlock badges along the way!

7. Simply Yoga

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: None

As you might expect from the name, this app is the most simple, straightforward one on this list. When you open it, you'll simply see a play button that leads you straight to a 20-minute beginner yoga routine. Poses are also labeled during the workout, which can be beneficial for beginners.

In addition to the initial workout, the app provides a beginner's level 40-minute yoga session and a 60-minute session. For the second level of workouts or to create custom routines, you'll need to purchase the paid version of the app. It costs $14.99, but there are no recurring subscription fees.

Free Fitness Apps

If you're interested in toning up, gaining muscle and really breaking a sweat, some of the apps below may be the best fit for you. You'll find a variety of workouts, coaching programs, progress tracking and more that you can complete with or without equipment.

8. 7 Minute Workout

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: Optional 7-Club subscription ($9.99/month or $59.99/year)

While a lot of the preset workout routines in this app are reserved for subscribers, the free features definitely make it worth mentioning. You can create custom routines, view your stats and challenge friends to complete workouts with you.

A few of the workout routines in the library are free, but you'll always have access to a constantly-changing "freestyle" routine in the workout tab. When I tried it out, I was presented with a workout that was almost eight minutes long. It included 12 different exercises including jumping jacks, crunches, triceps dips, planks and more.

9. Adidas Training by Runtastic

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: Optional Premium membership ($9.99/month or $49.99/year)

Adidas Training includes 30 free workouts for all levels ranging from five minutes to an hour and a half. You'll also have access to four free training plans.

In addition to these features, users can participate in collective active challenges, track progress and read blog posts on the app.

10. FitOn

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: Optional FitOn Pro ($69.99/year)

As with the other apps, you'll need to create a free account to get started. Once you sign in for the first time, you'll be asked to enter your age, height, weight and goals. You'll also enter the number of workouts you'd like to complete each week and how much time you'd like to spend on those workouts. Along with a few additional questions, the app creates a personalized schedule of classes for you.

Alternately, you can browse available free workouts by target area, length or intensity to begin immediately or schedule for a future time and date. You can also use the meals tab to keep track of your nutrition and share your progress with friends!

11. Map My Fitness by Under Armour

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: Optional MVP membership ($5.99/month or $29.99/year)

Nearly identical to Map My Run, this Under Armour app allows you to track a variety of activities including cardio, gym workouts, dog walking, hiking, sports, total body, yoga and more. Once you've selected the activity, click "Start workout" to track your duration, distance, calories and more.

In addition to tracking your progress, the app provides access to training plans that you can participate in throughout the year. You can also take part in challenges, connect with other app users, track routes, set goals and more.

Free workout apps including Nike, Sworkit and more

12. Nike Training Club

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: Optional Premium membership ($14.99/month or $119.99/year)

Nike Training Club comes with 356 workouts, and most of them are free! You can scroll through the entire list of available workouts, search for what you're looking for, check out recommended routines or browse the collections. You'll find workouts for all goals, levels and equipment availability.

The app tracks your progress and awards you with achievements as you complete more workouts and reach new milestones. The app's news feed also includes pieces on fitness, nutrition, lifestyle and more.

13. JEFIT

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: Optional Elite subscription ($39.99)

When you first create your account, JEFIT asks whether you typically work out at a gym with equipment or at home. You'll also need to indicate your goals, experience level and activity level. Once that's complete, you'll be able to set up reminders to work out at specific times and days. From there, you'll be able to select suggested workout plans including a "no equipment at home" option for free.

The app also includes a catalog of exercises sorted by focus area, a calendar that tracks workout time and muscles targeted and quarterly workout contests. Some workouts and features are locked for users without a paid subscription.

14. Daily Workouts Fitness Trainer

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: None

This is a simple, straightforward fitness app that allows you to stream workout videos or choose an area of focus and time span for workouts. Categories include abs, arms, butt, cardio, legs and full body. Workouts range from 10 to 30 minutes.

The first and second levels of workouts are free for most of the categories. To unlock the third level or to create custom routines, you'll need to purchase the paid version of the app. It costs $13.99, but that's a one-time charge: no recurring subscription fees.

15. SworkIt

Availability: iOS and Android
Paid Membership: Free for kids, required for all other features ($9.99/month or $59.99/year)

SworkIt allows you to create custom routines, subscribe to long-term plans and browse individual workouts. While most of the features on this app require a paid subscription, all kid workouts are completely free . In this category, you'll find kid-friendly workout routines for strength, agility, flexibility, warming up, cooling down and moving.

If your child enjoys the SworkIt workouts and you want to try the full version for yourself, you can begin with a week-long free trial.

Final Thoughts

Staying active and healthy doesn't necessarily mean paying for a gym membership or buying expensive equipment for your home. With many of these apps, you can maintain a healthy cardio and fitness routine of your choice completely free of charge.

If you still aren't sure exactly where to start, consider downloading C25K 5K Trainer for a beginner's cardio routine. For yoga, check out Yoga for Beginners. Lastly, Adidas Training by Runtastic is a great fitness app to try with access to free workout videos for all levels.

Which free apps do you use for health and wellness? Let us know in the comments below!