Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of fitness apps on the market? Rest assured, because you are not alone. Apparently, there are millions of fitness-tracking apps available to track your personal bests and pickleball wins, each with its own niche. 

Fitness-tracking apps are great for giving users variety. However, if you are shopping for a new app, you may be in for a challenge because it often feels like you are comparing apples to oranges. If staying fit is challenging, the fitness app should make it easier, not more complicated. 

Experts who have tried almost every workout under the sun with workout apps have created a best-of list that you can trust. To achieve their goal, they evaluated numerous different fitness gadgets and apps, from running, weightlifting, and all-around activity trackers. Below are the nine best fitness gadgets they found, along with information on what each is best for. 

The Best Fitness Apps on the Market 

• Strava is for users who prefer competition. 

• Apple Fitness for Apple & (Would Be Apple Users) 

• Fitbit for Entry-Level Users 

• PUSH for Science-backed Gains 

• Runna for race training 

• Strong for strength training 

• Hevy for busy people 

• Runkeeper for beginner runners. 

• Gymverse for beginner strength trainers 

The Characteristics of a Great Fitness App Explained 

Before researching the optimal fitness apps on the market, the researchers considered the universal traits of great fitness trackers, standard across niches. Eventually, they zeroed in on crucial qualities. 

• Ease of use: fitness apps are best if they are easy to start and stop, and to log activity. They awarded bonus points for logging oral activity, such as basal metabolic rate, not just workouts, or for the app allowing them to plan workouts ahead of time. 

• Appropriate metrics: the best fitness app tracks the proper things for the activity users are doing, such as heart rate, calories burned, distance, splits, elevation, gain, plates/weights, and PBs. Apps logging more than one workout were also considered significant. 

• Accuracy: fitness apps making sense must deliver results without being wildly off base. If the app works well with a wearable device like an Apple Watch, it will significantly improve accuracy. 

• Affordability: users already pay for the gym and the fitness equipment. The best fitness saga does not add too much to the cost of remaining in shape. 

To give every app the researchers tested a fair shake, they used a uniform testing approach. 

For example, for applications designed for running and other cardiovascular activities, they evaluated each one by running or walking (or a combination of both) at least 1 mile. Unfortunately, their current season was characterized by winter, so they had to test on a treadmill instead of outdoors. Fortunately, the treadmill they used demonstrated high accuracy in speed and distance, providing a reliable baseline for comparing the metrics of each application. 

For strength training applications, the researchers conducted a session either using their customary routine or the recommended routine for the application. 

Additionally, for applications capable of tracking an extensive range of workouts, the researchers performed one cardio and one strength workout for each. 

The researchers also mentioned a specific fitness app they didn’t consider, as it’s primarily for accessing gated content for classes like the Peloton app. The reason they mentioned for overlooking these apps was that they don’t track fitness data, making them serve a different purpose. 

With that in mind, the researchers provided a list of the best fitness apps they considered. 

A Quick Look at the Finest Fitness Applications 

	Best for	Standout feature	Pricing
Strava	Users who prefer some competition	Live beacon tracking for safety	Free; paid plans from $ 11.99 per month
Apple Fitness	Apple Users	Seamless wearable connectivity	Free; paid plans from $ 9.99 per month.
Fitbit	An entry-level app	Daily readiness scores with a premium subscription	Free; paid plans from $ 9.99 per month
PUSH	science-backed gains	predictive analytics to track future changes	from $ 13.49 per month
Runna	Race training	Community groups based on upcoming races	Free; paid plans from $ 19.99 per month
Strong	Strength training	Comprehensive exercise library with demos	free; paid plans from $ 2.99 per month.
Hevy	Busy people	Sort by workout location or equipment available	free; paid plans from $ 2.99 per month
Runkeeper	Running beginners	flexible goalsetting	free; paid plans from $ 9.99 per month
Gymverse	Strength training for beginners	Integrated video tutorials	free; paid plans from $ 23.99 per month

When evaluating the apps mentioned above, the researchers did not consider apps such as The Peloton and Blogilates, which are designed for accessing gated content or processes. While they loved the apps as they had a robust workout routine, they were neglected because the apps did not collect fitness data, serving an entirely different purpose. The researchers considered fitness-tracking tips from the apps listed in this blog and ignored those that did not serve this purpose. 

Therefore, the real test of an excellent fitness app is whether you actually use it — and stay with it. Fitness is a personal subject, like any other part of your life, so everyone has their own needs. While you may prefer the best fitness watches, others who track calories may consider calorie-tracking apps the best for their needs. Users looking for the most targeted fitness apps that provide all data on a single device may consider AI-based workout tools the best option for their needs. However, regardless of whether you need a hiking, biking, riding, or tracking app, one is available to you, though the researchers confirm they haven’t tested an app on a tricycle. 

If you are searching for a fitness app, consider the specific reason you need a fitness tracker before you begin researching the best gadget for your purpose.