Fitness app subscriptions have plateaued in 2026. Most adults who downloaded an app post-pandemic have either kept exactly one of them or stopped using all of them. The honest question for anyone considering paying £10-£15 a month for a fitness app isn't "which is best" — it's "which one are you actually likely to use eight weeks from now."
We tested four UK-popular fitness apps with three real users (an experienced gym-goer, a returning-from-injury runner, and a "needs a structure" beginner) over two months. The honest answer about most apps is that they work brilliantly for the user they were designed for and confusingly for everyone else. Pick based on the specific person you are, not on which app has the slicker marketing.
Strong (free) — the best logging app
Strong is a workout-tracking app: you log your sets, reps, and weights, with no programming or progression. It's free, simple, and used by many lifters as a logbook.
What's good: genuinely free with no premium-tier nag. Fastest logging UI of any fitness app I tested. Apple Watch support is excellent. No social features cluttering the experience. Imports from other apps cleanly.
What's not good: no programming — you decide what to do; Strong logs it. No progression suggestions; you're on your own for "what weight should I do next session?" No video form-checking or tutorials.
Free, with optional £2.99/month Pro tier for an extra exercise database.
Best for: lifters with an established programme who just want to log it.
Fitbod (£14/month) — the smart programming app
Fitbod is what Strong isn't: a programming app that decides what your workout should be each session, based on your last workouts, available equipment, and target muscle groups. Genuinely useful for lifters who want to lift consistently but don't want to think about programming.
What's good: smart workout generation that feels right after a few weeks of calibration. Genuine progressive overload built in — adds weight or reps as you adapt. Equipment-aware; works in a fully kitted gym or with bodyweight plus dumbbells. Apple Watch integration. Recovery awareness — won't programme legs the day after legs.
What's not good: £14/month is meaningful (£168/year). The model takes 4-6 weeks to calibrate to your level, and early workouts can feel off. Less flexible if you want to deviate from the suggested workout.
£14/month or £83/year.
Best for: lifters who want consistent progression without doing the programming themselves.
Apple Fitness+ (£10/month) — the integrated experience
Apple's subscription workout service. Guided video classes (cardio, strength, yoga, pilates, mindfulness, dance) tightly integrated with Apple Watch. UK availability is solid. Many UK adults already pay for Apple One Premier, which includes Fitness+.
What's good: best Apple Watch integration of any service — heart rate and metrics displayed during the class. Quality of instruction is high across the categories. Bundled with Apple One Premier at no marginal cost if you already have it. No equipment required for many classes. Great library breadth — yoga, pilates, mindfulness, plus the strength and cardio.
What's not good: Apple Watch required for the full experience. Not designed for serious lifters — strength classes are dumbbell-and-bodyweight only. No progressive programming; you choose the workout you fancy.
£9.99/month standalone; included with Apple One Premier (£32.95/month covering 6 services).
Best for: Apple Watch users wanting variety of guided workouts.
Peloton App (£15/month) — beyond the bike
Offers Peloton's full library of classes (cycling, strength, running, yoga, meditation) without requiring the bike. UK availability is excellent.
What's good: high-quality instruction; Peloton's instructors are good across categories. Strong music selection with licences to major artists. Live classes add an element other apps don't have. Mobile, tablet, and smart TV apps all work well.
What's not good: £15/month is the most expensive of these four. Cardio-heavy library; strength is decent but less thorough than dedicated apps. Most useful with the equipment — bike-based classes require a bike (any spin bike works, doesn't have to be Peloton-brand).
£15/month (~£180/year).
Best for: UK adults who already have or want to use a spin bike, with cardio-focused goals.
What the three test users actually picked
Experienced gym-goer (lifts 4x/week): kept Strong as the daily logger; tested Fitbod for one month and ultimately abandoned it (the experienced lifter had their own programming).
Returning-from-injury runner: Apple Fitness+ worked well for varied cross-training (yoga, mobility, low-impact cardio); tested Peloton briefly and preferred Apple Fitness+ for interface.
"Needs a structure" beginner: Fitbod was the clear winner — gave them workouts to do, removed the "what now" decision; Apple Fitness+ second, more variety but less direction.
The pattern across all three: the right app is the one that matches the user's actual blocker. Established lifters need logging. Beginners need direction. Cross-trainers need variety. There is no universal best.
What no fitness app can solve
- The discipline of showing up. No app makes you train if you don't want to. The most sophisticated app loses to the one you actually use.
- Form coaching for serious lifts. Video tutorials help; in-person coaching, even occasionally, helps more.
- Nutrition. Fitness apps mostly stay out of nutrition (rightly — calorie tracking is a separate problem with its own apps).
- Real injury or medical concerns. See a physio or your GP, not an app.
How I'd actually pick
Apple Watch user with general fitness goals: Apple Fitness+, especially if Apple One Premier already covers it.
Lifter wanting smart programming: Fitbod.
Lifter with their own programming: Strong (free).
UK adult who genuinely uses a spin bike or wants Peloton-style HIIT: Peloton App.
Multiple of the above use cases: Apple One Premier is the cleanest bundle if it covers your other Apple services anyway.
What I'd swerve: free fitness apps with aggressive ad models. The friction of ads makes you stop using them; the cost is the streaks of consistency you would have built.
This article is general consumer information, not medical advice. Consult your GP before starting a new exercise programme if you have any medical concerns.
Affiliate disclosure: Morningfold has affiliate partnerships with Fitbod, Apple, and Peloton. Verdicts above are based on testing — see editorial standards.