Working out from home has never been easier with the growing number of fitness apps now available. You don't need to travel to the gym to get an effective workout in, and these apps allow you to get things done on your own schedule. Whether you're looking to compliment your running regimen with strength training or are interested in trying a beginner-friendly yoga class, there is an app out there for every type of exercise and level of fitness. But it can be difficult to find the best for your personal workout needs and one that offers a variety of content to keep your workout routine exciting and motivating.
That's why fitness experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute test exercise apps, home workout equipment and more fitness gear year-round to find the best tools to help maximize your sweat sessions.
Apple Fitness+, the workout platform launched by Apple in late 2020, has been growing in popularity in recent years thanks to its large library of content and inclusivity practices. So we had our pros, along with a panel of real-life testers, try the service for over six months to see if it is worth the hype. And when Apple Fitness+ offered to host me as press for a tour of their studios in California, I was able to get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into each and every class.
Here's everything you need to know about the service, including how the workouts are filmed and whether or not it is worth the price.
What is Apple Fitness+?
Available only through Apple, Fitness+ is a platform with over 3,000 classes ranging from meditation to strength training. You can choose from a variety of video and audio workouts led by the service's trainers, with new content added every week.
The service features workouts for all levels of fitness and highlights trainers from a variety of different backgrounds. "From the very beginning, our North Star was always to create the most welcoming and inclusive health and fitness service in the world," Jay Blahnik, Apple's Vice President of Fitness Technologies, told Good Housekeeping. "Everything that we have created and bring to the service is all with that North Star in mind. How can we make sure that it is un-intimidating for people who have never done it before or if you have done it before and you are an expert, that it also meets your needs."
The company claims it has the largest library of 4K Ultra HD fitness and wellness content in the world.
How does Apple Fitness+ work?
Previously, users needed an Apple Watch to utilize the service, but last year it expanded availability to iPhone users as well. You'll need an iPhone 8 or more recent model with iOS 16.1 to subscribe to Fitness+, and you can also subscribe with an Apple Watch Series 3 or later paired with iPhone 6s or later.
Once you're in the app, you can begin searching for workouts. Each week, you'll find a new video on top that gives you a 60 second rundown of what's new on the platform. When it comes to selecting a workout, you can choose from 12 different workout types which include:
- Kickboxing
- Meditation
- HIIT
- Yoga
- Core
- Strength
- Pilates
- Dance
- Cycling
- Treadmill
- Rowing
- Mindful Cooldown
Then, you can filter for specific trainers, time ranges and music types. The classes range from 5 to 45 minutes, and are available for all levels of fitness. You can take the classes a la carte style or follow one of the Fitness+ programs or collections that are designed for making progress.
Some popular collections include: Run Your First 5K, Strong and Calm Combos for Busy Days, 6 Weeks to Restart Your Fitness and 30-Day Core Challenge. Notable programs on the platform include: Workouts for Beginners, Workouts for Older Adults and Meditation Programs. Many of the offerings are designed to introduce you to different types of exercises that you may not have thought to previously consider. "All movement is great and a variety of movement is great," says Apple Fitness+ Trainer Bakari Williams. "You might be an expert in one workout type and a beginner in another and that's okay."
Music lovers will appreciate Apple's Artist Spotlight, which features inspiring workouts with entire playlists from your favorite artists including Miley Cyrus, Shania Twain, Mariah Carey, BTS, Lady Gaga, Calvin Harris, Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban and more. Another unique feature is the Time to Walk sessions, where guests like Robin Roberts, Jose Andres and Jason Segal walk along with you on a trail and share stories and their favorite songs.
Cost
If you're new to Apple Fitness+, you'll get the first month free which is great if you want to test out the service and see if it's right for you. For people who have just purchased an iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad or Apple TV, you'll get Apple Fitness+ free for three months. After that, you'll pay $9.99/month or $79.99/annually, and you can share the service with up to five family members.
Our experience
We had our fitness experts, including yours truly who is our on-staff certified personal trainer, evaluate everything from the quality of the workouts and variety of classes available to the instruction of the trainers and more.
In addition to our expert evaluation, we recruited a panel of a dozen testers to try the service out and report back with feedback on how they were able to incorporate it into their everyday lives. Testers let us know how easy the app was to navigate, how much they liked or disliked the classes and instructors and whether or not the platform motivated them to workout consistently. We also asked if testers felt appropriately challenged in the classes and if the instructors provided enough modifications for their needs.
Pros
- 12 different workout types
- Content for all fitness levels
- Classes range from 5 to 45 minutes
- Modifications showcased in every workout
- New classes added every week
- Curated programs and collections available
- Artist Spotlight series with world-renowned performers
- Workout playlists can be saved in Apple Music
- Motivating and diverse team of trainers
- Can use any type of workout equipment to follow along
- Trainers are skilled in ASL
- Free trial available for new subscribers
- Membership can be shared with family members
Cons
- No live classes
- Unable to rewind or fast-forward the workouts
- Requires an Apple device
- Pricey for some
Navigating the App
Our experts know that a user-friendly interface is essential for any app that you'll actually use consistently, and Apple Fitness+ delivers one that is simple. Testers said it was easy to find what they were looking for, and many liked the 60-second recap at the beginning of each week so you can see what's new. "Very easy finding a workout of all different types," a tester said. "It was pretty straight forward to find and select classes based on category of workout," another mentioned.
Our experts liked that the app gives you several ways to search for content, with most of the newer content at the top of the app which can help prevent getting bored in your fitness routine. We also appreciated that you can watch a preview of each class to know what to expect and also take a look at the music playlist ahead of time.
Class Variety
Both our experts and testers agree that the platform has great variety, from the number of class types offered to the volume of content in the class library "I love that they have so many options — cardio, HITT, running, biking, rowing, so many options," a tester said. The different class time intervals were also noteworthy in our tests, allowing you to get a great workout in anywhere from five to 45 minutes with most workouts ranging from 10 to 30 minutes. While there are a ton of classes to choose from, everything is on-demand and there are no live classes currently available on the platform.
One perk with this service is that you can use whatever equipment you have access to, be it an indoor cycling bike at home or rower at the gym, and don't have to purchase any special equipment to get access to the service like you have to do with other platforms. There are also tons of no-equipment workouts too. And if you plan to exercise in just one or two modalities each week, the content is varied enough for you to not get bored. "We sit down for our strength squad meeting each week and talk about the workouts we have planned in detail," Apple Fitness+ Trainer Sam Sanchez explains. "We talk about the modifications, and if we both have a thruster, one of us will do something different. We make sure that all of our workouts are not only different but complementary, so if you love strength and you want to do five strength workouts this week you can get something different that is going to compliment the following workout."
Strength was a favorite amongst our experts, but the most popular offering by far for both our experts and testers was the Time to Walk classes. One tester raved about the Chris Meloni Time to Walk workout, saying they were so excited to exercise with their favorite actor.
Production Quality
There is no denying that the production quality is top notch — the content is all in 4K Ultra HD, and is some of the highest quality our experts have seen in this space. We saw the control room ourselves, and were impressed with just how much goes into making sure the instructors are clearly visible on the screen for the entire workout and that there is a balance between music and instructor cues so you can easily follow along. Testers preferred streaming onto a larger screen like an iPad or Apple TV when available, but having the option to stream to your phone was convenient when at the gym and while traveling.
The music and playlists themselves are fantastic, so if you love jamming out during your exercise session this platform will fit the bill for you. Testers loved being able to workout to their favorite singers in the Artist Spotlight section, where you can exercise exclusively to some of the most well-known artists in the industry. Plus, in addition to being able to preview the workout music playlist prior to the class, you can save it directly to your Apple Music account to listen to it at leisure or during other workout sessions on your own.
Metrics
Our fitness pros liked that if you are using an Apple Watch, it will automatically start tracking the workout on as you begin it on your phone. Testers enjoyed having the metrics on the screen, including heart rate and time in the workout, and that you can adjust which metrics appear. But we especially appreciated that each set has a countdown timer on the screen so you can see how much work you have left in each movement. You'll get a full summary after your workout too, and the metrics are based on the type of workout you participated in. One downside is that while you can pause the workout (a feature that came in handy for busy parents), you won't be able to rewind or fast-forward the classes which some testers wished they had the option to do.
Workout Quality
We found the workouts to be effective and fun, whether they were shorter five minute sessions or length 45 minute workouts. What makes this service stand out from others is the emphasis on available modifications for each class. Each class is set up with a lead trainer and then background trainers who provide modifications for making the workout easier, harder, or just more accessible for different populations. Other platforms will typically have one instructor who may only provide modifications at the end of the exercise, but every class on Fitness+ presents those modifications from the beginning of the exercise so you can find ways to make the class work for you. "If you walk in and you suddenly realize in that yoga workout that this might be a little over my head, you will not at all have to retreat and leave — you will be able to figure out a way to get to the end," Blahnik says.
Since the trainers participate in each others workouts, it really does feel like a team atmosphere in each and every class. Testers also liked seeing trainers who may be skilled in one workout domain have to modify like them in another workout class. You might see a trainer leading a hardcore HIIT class with ease, and then that same trainer is in the background in a yoga class showing beginner modifications. It's really encouraging to see the trainers humbling themselves in different fitness modalities and promoting cross-training for all levels of fitness. "I like to lift heavy barbells, now I'm doing Pilates and realize how much I needed it," Sanchez says of her experience.
Instructors and Inclusivity
"Representation matters," says Apple Fitness+ Trainer Molly Fox. "Our users get to see themselves in the service because the trainer team is inclusive and diverse ethnically, in ages, body sizes, shapes. We come from different places in the world, and I think it starts with our users getting to see that. And particularly the older adult who usually gets left out."
Another practice you'll see in every Fitness+ class is the inclusion of American Sign Language (ASL). We also found out when visiting the studios that the trainers learn ASL together in weekly classes led by a Deaf certified instructor, and ASL is incorporated into every workout and meditation to make sure that those who are deaf or hard of hearing feel invited and acknowledged.
You'll see the trainers use ASL to welcome users, cue them on what to expect and use motivational words and phrases. "I really liked how inclusive it was, with captioning and a little ASL at the top of the class. There are also different ages and body types represented, which I appreciate," a tester said. "Many of the instructors use sign language to convey what their class is about, which I found super mindful," another commented.
Is Apple Fitness+ worth it?
Since you get a minimum of the first month free when you subscribe to Apple Fitness+, our experts say it is definitely worth giving the service a test run to see if it's right for you. But even the $9.99/month pricepoint is lower than most of its competitors, and you can get multiple users in your household on one account. Beginners will find a ton of approachable and motivating content to follow, and even seasoned athletes will find hardcore workouts to challenge them during tough sweat sessions. "This isn't a service just built for people who are intimidated or beginners," Blahnik says. "It is also for people who are really skilled at something and being able to go to both extremes and everywhere in the middle takes a lot of thoughtfulness."
The instructors are upbeat, positive and motivating, and users will appreciate that each workout has a team-like vibe and lots of modifications explained from the start of class to meet you where you are in your fitness journey. More importantly, you're getting boutique fitness studio quality content in the comfort of your own home and the convenience of doing the classes on your own schedule. All in all, the platform is well-designed and has lots of options for all different fitness levels.
Why Trust Good Housekeeping?
Stefani Sassos has been working in the fitness industry for the past 10 years, specializing in indoor cycling and strength training. As a NASM-Certified Personal Trainer, she uses her expertise and exercise science knowledge to create informed fitness content for the Good Housekeeping Institute. From vigorously testing exercise equipment and apps to curating workout plans for GH readers, Stefani is passionate about leading an active lifestyle and inspiring others to do the same. Stefani uses fitness apps several times a week to squeeze in workouts while her infant daughter naps, so she understands the value and convenience of an effective workout app to help you exercise anywhere at any time. She's uses the Apple Fitness+ app regularly and especially enjoys the strength and walking content.
..Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition and Fitness Lab, where she oversees all nutrition and fitness-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University, as well as advanced certifications as a Women's Fitness Specialist and a Behavior Change Specialist. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.
