The 52 wrist-worn wearables we’ve tested over the past decade have included the discontinued predecessors of many of the devices reviewed here. Additional bands in various colors and materials like stainless steel (as well as a clip-on option) are available for an additional cost. Google purchased Fitbit in 2021, and the newest Fitbit devices are fully integrated with Google accounts.
If you, too, are overstimulated, we’ve rounded up a list of standout apps that cater to all fitness goals. Whether you’re looking for structured workout programs, real-time feedback, or a bit of inspiration for the new year, we’ve done the heavy lifting to bring you the apps worth downloading. The app also has a ton of built-in training programs to tailor your workouts to what you hope to achieve when you actually take your bike out on the road or mountain. There are gravel-specific plans, plans for crushing a 100-mile mountain bike race, or keeping up with your crew at the local criterium. Advanced lifters looking for an app made for pushing real weight will love the Juggernaut AI.
It’s important to keep in mind that these pedometer apps aren’t always as accurate as wearable fitness bands, and they can’t monitor heart rate. While many of these apps are free to download, most of them offer some kind of premium version or subscription with added features. The categories can overlap significantly, but fitness trackers, as I consider them here, prioritize health metrics. In this particular guide, I also include activity trackers that aren’t wrist wearables, like smart rings and chest straps.
You can engage with other Ladder users to help spur you on to greater PRs and loftier goals without trying to make awkward small talk at your gym. You can challenge yourself by picking routes that athletes near you have curated, then compete head-to-head with them. Choose your workout type, then log details like duration, effort, active calories, and more. Open the Fitness app’s dedicated Workout tab, and you can hit the pencil icon in the top-right to log a new workout. Plans can be especially handy when you’re trying to form a new habit, like many are about to do to kick off the new year.
This makes it one of the best fitness apps for iOS if your primary focus is structured, progressive overload in a traditional gym setting. Its global heatmaps show popular routes anywhere in the world, and its route planner helps you create new adventures. The social feed, filled with kudos and comments, provides the encouragement needed to stay consistent.
I use wireless earbuds constantly to tune out noise on the subway, to listen to a podcast, take calls at work, listen to music while I work out — I always have a pair in my backpack or my pocket. Modern budget smartwatches now deliver exceptional functionality relative to their cost. Samsung continues to make inroads into the mid-range and low-cost smartwatch segment with the Galaxy Fit 3.
Another impressive feature is the app’s ability to integrate with third-party apps and devices. For example, if you own a Fitbit scale, you can automatically import your daily weight to the app instead of inputting it manually. It also integrates with other popular fitness apps and devices like Runkeeper and Fitbit Flex. Fitbod earns strong marks in fitness app reviews for its AI-driven strength training plans that adapt based on muscle recovery data and past performance.
Every workout and meditation incorporates American Sign Language, with trainers learning ASL together in weekly classes led by a Deaf-certified instructor, so those who are deaf or hard of hearing feel included. The monthly price is incredibly reasonable for all the content it delivers. Fitia is highlighted as a top choice for calorie counting and diet management, offering AI-powered food logging, personalized meal plans, and a database of over 25,000 recipes. It has a free basic tier, with premium plans available for users who need more advanced features. Ultimately, the best fitness apps for iOS are the ones that remove friction, provide clarity, and empower you to show up for yourself day after day.
Finishing a workout is hard enough without the temptation to check the latest pandemic update every 30 seconds. Banish your smartphone screen’s seductive powers and take a break from depressing news with Aaptiv’s audio workouts. Most exercises can be done on the spot with zero equipment – and the app will offer an at-home alternative when they can’t.
Some of these apps let you customize your workout based on the space and equipment you have at home, your preferred exercises and your current fitness goals. There are some that even function as a personal trainer without having to set foot in a gym. SWEAT’s app is clean and easy to navigate, with the ability to save workouts for later and browse ‘On Demand’ workouts from unimeal review other trainers outside of your plan. This allows you to follow workouts without your phone, displaying exercises, reps, timers, and haptic alerts for section changes. Metrics such as active heart rate, calories, steps, and distance are tracked, too, and demo videos are also available on the watch, though trainer audio is not. The Armitron Connect Quantum has a metal band that you may need to take to a jeweler or watchmaker to adjust for your wrist.
They are comfortable, sound surprisingly good and can compete with earbuds that are much pricier. The only downside is noise cancellation — it’s okay, but isn’t very useful against plane, train and car noise. Both the Apple Watch 10 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 also monitor for sleep apnea, a potentially serious condition that often goes undiagnosed in users. Andreas De Rosi is the founder and editor of PhotoWorkout.com and an active photographer with over 20 years of experience shooting digital and film. He currently uses the Fujifilm X-S20 and DJI Mini 3 drone for real-world photography projects and personally reviews gear recommendations published on PhotoWorkout.
