Top 5 iPhone Paid Fitness & Workout Apps + 20 Free Bonus Apps

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When we set out to write this post, we intended it to be a top list of every weight loss related app in the appstore... but quickly realized that there are over 1,000 apps related in some way to weight loss including: calorie counters, food diaries, weigh-in logs, heart rate monitors, pedometers, nutrition trackers, and everything in between. Apps range from the practical to the downright silly.

We simply had to narrow it down, and the topic that caught our attention the most was the "fitness & workout" category. There are some truly amazing apps out there that can help you get fit. All 5 of these apps that we have chosen would make an excellent workout companion, and we recommend them highly.

How we tested & picked winners:

• Only downloaded apps with 4 stars or higher in the app store.
• We only tested paid apps to pick the top 5. (see below for 20 free apps)
• We demo'd each app for at least 1 week.

Fitness Builder (iPump) $9.99

iPump is a great app for people that are serious about getting fit. If you are in the gym 3+ times per week and struggle to find a good variety of workouts, this is definitely the app for you.

Positives:

• Very visual. Each workout has multiple pictures showing you correct posture and form.
• Varying degrees of difficulty assure hundreds of possibilities for workout sessions that cater to your skill level.
• Ability to create customized workouts.
• Includes video tutorials of many workouts.

Negatives:

• Expensive. There are other similar apps that cost significantly less.
• Add-on workouts cost extra.
• Most exercises require extra equipment.

iFitness $1.99

iFitness is a great all around app that lets to keep very detailed notes on each workout including weight, reps, time, heart rate, and calories burned. As you keep a log of your progress, the app allows you to chart your progress over time. It also creates workout routines for you that can be helpful for people that don't know where to start.

Positives:

• Great value for the price.
• Very detailed logging ability helps you keep track.
• Most exercises focus on areas of the body which can help you really focus in on problem areas.
• Includes video tutorials of many workouts.

Negatives:

• Seems to focus heavily on weight training.
• Limited number of workout routines may frustrate beginners that need more guidance.

Gym Buddy $1.99

Gym Buddy assumes you have prior workout experience. This is a direct quote from the website: "Do you really need your workout log to teach you how to do a bench press?" So, assuming that when you go to the gym you already know what you're doing and you want a great app to track everything for you, this is the one.

Positives:

• The most advanced and detailed workout logging app.
• Tracks time, notes, weight and reps.
• Create your own detailed workout plans.
• Has cool timers that let you keep track of rests between reps.
• Keeps track of weight, body fat, BMI and lean body mass with cool graphs.

Negatives:

• Beginners will not find this to be a helpful app.
• Heavily favors weight training over cardio.

WalkMeter $4.99

This was one of my favorite apps to test. Incredibly intuitive, easy to use, and super fun. If you've never taken a GPS along with you for a walk, don't bother buying one... the iPhone does a great job when coupled with this app.

Positives:

• Quick integration with Google maps provides for very cool satellite images and lines indicating where you have walked.
• GPS works seamlessly with Google Maps and allows for altitude monitoring when you are in cell range.
• Continually records your time, location, distance, elevation and pace as you walk or run.
• Automatically creates routes for you based on GPS data and remembers your routes for next time so you can compete against yourself for a better time and pace.
• Graphs and calendars show your progress.

Negatives:

• Have to be in cell range to load Google maps. If you are in a bad cell area, the coolest part of this app won't work.
• The app has problems tracking your progress when a phone call comes in.
• Lacks obvious pedometer functionality.

Go Pedometer $0.99

This is a neat little pedometer app that does so much more than just count your steps. It measures distance, time, calories burned per hour, average speed and a lot more.

Positives:

• By far the best pedometer app available and at $0.99 it's a no-brainer.
• Calculates time walking, distance in feed, calories burned, calories burned per hour, number of steps, average speed and actual speed.
• Stops automatically when you stop walking and has a locking mode so you can put it in your pocket or on your belt while walking and not accidentally turn it off.

Negatives:

• Virtually none as the primary purpose of the app is a pedometer and it works great.
• Would like to see this functionality coupled with GPS features.

BONUS! 20 Free Fitness & Workout iPhone Apps

1. Lose It - Probably the best all-around free weight loss management & fitness app.
2. iPump Free Workout - The free app is the lite version of the Fitness Builder app we reviewed above.
3. Step Track Lite - A simple free pedometer.
4. iMapMyRun - A GPS enabled app similar to WalkMeter with less features.
5. iSpinning - Is GPS app for mountain bike and road bike enthusiasts. Very similar to iMapMyRun & WalkMeter, but focuses on biking.
6. Pret-a-Yoga Lite - The free version of this app is great for yoga beginners and walks you through each exercise in detail.
7. Six Pack App Free - The free version of this app is great for beginners that need guidance on basic workouts, postures & positioning.
8. Body Fitness Free - This app has a great workout logging feature, and gives illustrations of how to perform certain workouts.
9. Lose the Belly (For Women) - Free app with abdominal exercises for women.
10. Lose the Belly (For Men) - Free app with abdominal exercises for men.
11. Men's Health Workouts Lite - This free version only has 23 workouts, but they are very detailed and will keep you busy.
12. RunKeeper Free - Another GPS enabled app for keeping track of your walking and running. Supposedly it will track treadmill running as well.
13. DailyBurn - Keeps track of exercise and calorie intake.
14. Yoga Trainer Lite - Very detailed app that trains you in basic yoga exercises.
15. Fitness Pro - This app has a massive library of workouts.
16. Go Swim - Very cool app with pictures and video on how to improve your swimming.
17. Distance Meter Free - Basic app for tracking hiking, running, and biking distances.
18. NikeWomen Training Club - Fun app for tracking workouts and learning proper technique with video and pictures. This app makes working out more fun than many of the others.
19. Fitness Muscle - A fitness app that focuses on weight training. Includes video and pictures to show proper technique.
20. Virtual Trainer - Pre-configured workouts with 3D video animation that shows you how to complete each workout.

Apps & Mobile Tools

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