Whether or not you are making an attempt to hit New 12 months’s resolutions or simply want a very good exercise or weight loss program tracker, the most effective well being and health apps might help you get there. And for those who’re feeling overwhelmed (or underwhelmed) by the alternatives out there, I am right here to share personally-tested exercise and planning apps to get you began.
Some folks thrive with personalised, AI-made exercise or weight loss program plans. Others profit from social apps like Strava the place challenges and “kudos” from associates hold you motivated. And you would be stunned how a very good spreadsheet or primary exercise log would possibly work higher than an costly app with movies and plans.
Damaged down into particular classes — normal well being/ health apps, exercise apps, companion apps for smartwatches, and weight/ weight loss program apps — these are the most effective apps that can assist you hit your targets for 2026, with information on key options, pricing, and why they’ve helped our employees succeed with their targets.
Common well being & health apps
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Key Well being Options: Sleep Rating, Each day Readiness Rating, Stress Administration Rating, Menstrual Well being, Meal & Water logging, Mindfulness periods, Development “Insights”
Key Health Options: Lively Zone Minutes, Cardio/ Goal Load, Gemini-made personalised exercise plans, video exercises, Fitbit/ Pixel Watch integration
Subscription: $10/month or $80/12 months (AI plans/ evaluation, video exercises, long-term stories)
Why Fitbit will assist together with your targets: Recommending Fitbit Premium grew to become simpler as soon as Google employed Gemini to make the Fitbit Private Well being Coach. It lets you “communicate” to an AI coach and create a complete exercise plan inside minutes, incorporating dozens of various indoor or out of doors exercise varieties. So whether or not your health purpose is to drop some weight, enhance at a particular sport, enhance muscle mass, stroll extra, or the rest, Gemini can provide you weeks of personalised exercises for that purpose. No different app is as complete or customizable.
AI apart, Fitbit advantages from syncing with low-cost Fitbit trackers, so the app can observe stats like resting coronary heart price, blood oxygen, pores and skin temperature, sleep zones, and HRV. The brand new app reveals “Perception” playing cards with development information for these stats, so you’ll be able to see how your well being is bettering as you attempt to get fitter or drop some weight.
Why we depend on Fitbit: “Fitbit is easy and accessible for anybody simply beginning out with critical exercises.” — Derrek Lee, Managing Editor
“I really like the brand new interface and the way easy it’s to get essential information at a look. I have been impressed with the AI coach and its suggestions. I feel it is top-of-the-line way of life health apps with a holistic strategy.” — Tshaka Armstrong, Contributor
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Why a spreadsheet will assist together with your targets: Apps will be motivational and auto-track your information and progress over time, with fancy graphs and AI evaluation. However they’re often (A) paid, (B) mobile-only, and (C) specialised to 1 exercise.
That is why, with regards to New 12 months’s resolutions or making a exercise calendar, a easy doc or spreadsheet works higher than looking for the right, all-in-one app! Use different apps to trace particular targets like miles/ steps/ weight reduction/ books learn, however consolidate all of them into one doc you’ll be able to verify in your cellphone or laptop, utilizing tables and drop-down menus to label your progress (as I did above).
Or, use a spreadsheet to put out your long-term exercise plans, then a particular operating or power app to place these plans into motion. I used that methodology to plan my months-long marathon coaching (see above), paired with my Garmin watch, and it was extremely efficient.
Why we depend on Google Docs/ Sheets: “Yeah, it sounds foolish, however I really discovered a use for spreadsheets. I would like higher physique power, so lifting weights is the way in which I attempt to keep it. I can hold file of my present routine in addition to any targets, and there may be loads of room for additional notes. Better of all, I can verify off every day’s exercise from my cellphone or my desktop and have entry to all my long-term progress, so I really feel like I am conducting one thing.” — Jerry Hildenbrand, Senior Editor
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Key Health Options: Exercise recording, native routes with 3D maps, Heatmap, Section leaderboards, Golf equipment, Challenges, long-term exercise evaluation, Athlete Intelligence summaries, race predictions, Immediate Exercises
Subscription: $12/month or $80/12 months (Saved routes, full information evaluation with AI summaries, Immediate Exercises
Why Strava will assist together with your targets: Most individuals attempt more durable when cheered on or competing with others. Strava helps you to join with associates to supply and obtain “kudos,” motivating you to maintain getting on the market. You even have “Challenges” the place hitting sure thresholds nets you badges and awards from accomplice corporations, and leaderboards the place you’ll be able to compete to be quickest on native routes and trails. And it helps you discover native Golf equipment with like-minded athletes, for those who want in-person motivation.
Extra just lately, Strava has doubled down on Athlete Intelligence, a software that makes use of your exercise historical past to evaluate the standard of a particular exercise and supply context in your enchancment over time. This 12 months, Strava launched “Immediate Exercises,” with personalised actions throughout 40 sports activities varieties and 4 varieties (‘Keep’, ‘Construct’, ‘Discover’, or ‘Get well’), together with customized routes out of your beginning location utilizing a Heatmap of different customers’ exercises. Basically, Strava presents personalised, tailor-made exercises, with out committing to a long-term plan.
Why we depend on Strava: “I discovered my native operating group by Strava final 12 months; I admire when Strava tells me a sure exercise was my quickest within the final month; and I am motivated to turn out to be the ‘Native Legend’ for sure segments like my close by observe.” — Michael Hicks, Wearables Editor
“Strava is a good app to attach with others who’re into health and hold your self accountable. Many health apps sync with it, so you’ll be able to publish your watch’s exercises and hold your self lively and motivated.” — Derrek Lee, Managing Editor
Exercise apps
Key Health options: Exercise monitoring, media playback controls, 5K/10K/13.1/26.2 coaching plans, audio-guided runs, challenges, streaks, real-time location sharing
Subscription: None
Why Nike Run Membership will assist together with your targets: NRC is fashionable with veteran runners as a running-focused different to Strava with comparable gamification (i.e., badges, challenges, and likes) and long-term stat monitoring.
Why I like to recommend it for newbie couch-to-5K runners, apart from the shortage of subscription, is Coach Bennett’s audio-based guided runs. As you run, the professional operating coach will provide you with pointers and motivation as you are struggling to maintain tempo and keep transferring.
Why we depend on Nike Run Membership: “I’ve used Nike Run Membership to run over 1,500 miles throughout a decade and numerous gadgets. NRC handles the fundamentals excellently, with the brilliant and daring Nike font making your tempo, length, coronary heart price, and extra seen at a look. It helps media playback controls, and its post-run breakdowns are each data-rich and simple to grasp. The app prioritizes pleasant competitors with different customers (with weekly challenges) and your self (with awards and milestones) whereas reminding you to relaxation.” — Brady Snyder, Contributor
“Nike Run Membership helps me get into extremely productive steady-state runs and brainless interval coaching. I simply open it, select a run that matches my intention, and transfer my toes.” —Tshaka Armstrong, Contributor
Various possibility: Strive Zombies, Run!, which has dozens of hours of audio tales designed to maintain you motivated as you run, together with some Marvel adventures.
Key Health options: Customizable exercises with customized units, full train listing, exercise graphs, macronutrient monitoring
Subscription: $5/month or $30/12 months (Limitless exercise templates, analytics like muscle maps and macros)
Why Robust will assist together with your targets: Whether or not you are understanding at residence or the fitness center, you do not want an app distracting you. You want simplicity, a streamlined exercise log the place you’ll be able to verify off one train or set, then transfer on to the following, with out giving your self an opportunity to slack off.
Robust fulfills that area of interest! You possibly can construct out exercises utilizing its complete train library, together with Heat-ups and Drop/ Failure units, after which observe that exercise to completion. The PRO subscription provides you extra information, however the free model is greater than adequate to get you began.
Why we depend on Robust: “Robust is the fitness center diary the place I absolutely flesh issues out. I constructed out my exercises and observe not solely my progressive overload however my physique half positive aspects (i.e., biceps, calves, quads, and many others.).” — Tshaka Armstrong, Contributor
Options: Strive Hevy for a exercise log with extra group options, or Fitbod for those who want AI assist constructing your exercises.
Key Health options: Prebuilt packages, on-demand exercises, professional trainers, train type guides, wholesome recipes
Subscription: $20/month or ~$120/12 months (necessary)
Why Sweat will assist together with your targets: Tailor-made to ladies, Sweat has long-term power packages tailor-made to any talent stage, with a clear UI that makes it straightforward to navigate by exercises and see (A) the correct type for each train and (B) the muscle map of the way it’ll influence your physique. It is on the costly aspect however presents a whole lot of worth as an alternative choice to a (costlier) private coach.
Why we depend on Sweat: “I subscribe to Sweat as a result of it gives an ideal stability of cardio and power coaching exercises, with out requiring me to plan my complete week. As a postpartum mother with little or no time, understanding precisely which exercise I am because of do every day is extremely useful and really eases my thoughts.” — Nandika Iyer Ravi, Information Editor
Options: Peloton or Apple Health+ are the apparent huge hitters for normal teaching, whereas Centr is a extra hardcore possibility.
Smartwatch/ sensible ring companion apps
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Key Health options: Garmin Run/ Biking/ Power/Triathlon Coach, every day instructed exercises, power/ yoga exercises, Coaching Standing, Coaching Load, long-term metric graphs, Garmin Golf, Garmin Trails, LiveTrack, downloadable/ customized programs, Challenges & Badges, gear monitoring, race predictions, and extra
Key Well being options: Physique Battery, HRV Standing, Sleep Rating/ Coach, menstrual monitoring, meals logging with AI picture recognition and barcode scanning, Way of life Logging, Well being Standing
Subscription: $7/month or $70/12 months (AI summaries, Diet logging, Trails, Efficiency Dashboard, teaching movies, and different small options, not required)
Why Garmin Join will assist together with your targets: Garmin watches primarily get reward for the long-lived {hardware} and post-workout evaluation in your wrist. Garmin Join is a bloated, labyrinthian app that takes time to regulate to, however it’s crammed to bursting with options you will not discover elsewhere (particularly without spending a dime), most notably personalised coaching plans and every day instructed runs, rides, walks, or power exercises.
The Actions tab helps you to see how your efforts examine week-to-week or month-to-month, whereas the Efficiency Dashboard (above, subscribers solely) makes your information much more colourful and dynamic. Garmin additionally added meals logging, Way of life Logging, and well being outlier warnings to the app just lately, making it apparent that it needs Hook up with enchantment to extra “mainstream” athletes, not simply the professionals.
Why we depend on Garmin Join: “Garmin feels extra complete and ideally suited for critical gym-goers than Fitbit.” — Derrek Lee, Managing Editor
“Garmin has helped me hit marathon and half-marathon PRs, enhance my VO2 Max, and run extra miles than I ever have earlier than. It motivated me with dynamic run recommendations based mostly on my coaching load and operating tolerance, so I all the time knew how laborious to push with out overdoing it.” — Michael Hicks, Wearables Editor
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Key options: Readiness, Sleep Rating/ Debt, Well being Panels, Meal logging, Cycle/ Being pregnant/ Premenopause insights, Cardiovascular Age, Daytime Stress, Resilience, Oura Advisor, Automated Exercise Detection
Subscription: $6/month or $70/12 months (necessary)
Why Oura will assist together with your targets: The enchantment of a sensible ring is to get a laundry listing of knowledge, day and night time, for many who discover smartwatches too cumbersome, distracting, or uncomfortable for sleep monitoring. And the Oura Ring tops our greatest sensible ring listing on the power of its app.
Over the previous couple of years, Oura has packed its app with a complete listing of well being metrics, with the AI Oura Advisor because the flashy topper to make all the pieces extra accessible. Except for the apparent nightly stats about sleep high quality or coronary heart well being, Oura tries to investigate long-term traits and supply extra context in your physique’s capability to deal with stress. And it presents some rudimentary health instruments.
Why we depend on Oura: “I depend on Oura as my every day psychological well being monitor. It tracks once I’m pressured and gives personalised suggestions for getting the remainder I would like.” — Nandika Iyer Ravi, Information Editor
“The Oura app is a passive expertise for me. I take advantage of it to verify my sleep high quality and total every day well being and wellness, as I put on it extra persistently than my Garmin or Pixel watches.” — Derrek Lee, Managing Editor
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Key options: Readiness, Sleep Rating, Exertion Rating, PAI rating, Zepp Coach coaching, meals logging with AI picture recognition, tracked power exercises with rep counts and muscle maps
Subscription: $12/month or $70/12 months (Zepp Aura superior sleep stories, music, meditation, and AI coach)
Why Zepp Well being will assist together with your targets: Amazfit watches are well-known for his or her funds worth, however it’d be more durable to suggest these funds watches if the companion Zepp Well being app weren’t so helpful.
You will discover the standard assortment of nightly well being information, however packaged properly with easy scores. The Zepp Coach might help construct exercise plans tailor-made to your skills, whereas meals logging is extra easy than on different apps. And apart from the optionally available Aura sub, all the pieces is free.
Why we depend on Zepp Well being: “I just about use Amazfit completely nowadays. The Zepp app syncs completely with Strava, which I take advantage of to share with associates and construct group. The Zepp app additionally makes it silly straightforward to log meals with its LLM-driven expertise. I’ve written about this a number of instances now, however you should utilize pure language to enter your meals and snacks as a substitute of scrolling by a bunch of lists or scanning barcodes.” — Nick Sutrich, Senior Content material Producer
Weight & vitamin/ weight loss program apps
Key options: Diet monitoring, meals logging, AI recognition, AI chatbot for recipes, calls with nutritionists, linked CGM
Why Healthify will assist together with your targets: Logging each single meal and snack is a significant time suck, particularly when it’s good to calculate each ingredient to a meal. HealthifyMe’s complete premise is eradicating that delay by letting you merely {photograph} one thing and get the dietary stats in a flash. It additionally has AI teaching and recommendations, or a approach to join with actual nutritionists for a charge, however the streamlined meals logging is what made this app so fashionable.
Why we depend on Healthify: “HealthifyMe is my go-to for staying accountable to my calorie deficit.” — Nandika Iyer Ravi, Information Editor
Key options: Meals logging, calorie and macro counting, voice logging, AI meal scan, barcode scanning, intermittent fasting tracker, recipes, grocery listing sharing,
Subscription: $25/month or $100/12 months (for many options moreover primary guide meals logging and calorie depend)
Why MyFitnessPal will assist together with your targets: It is the identical causes we listed for Healthify, besides MyFitnessPal has a barely longer function listing in trade for its subscription, like hundreds of recipes, personalised meal planning, voice logging, progress stories, and so forth. You will additionally discover Android and Apple Watch apps, making it straightforward to verify your every day stats or shortly log a favourite meal.
Why we depend on MyFitnessPal: “MyFitnessPal helps me hold observe of my way of life and habits. I log my meals and workout routines to observe my macros.” — Derrek Lee, Managing Editor
Key options: Connects with sensible scales for weight, physique composition, visceral fats, and extra
Subscription: $10/month or $100/12 months (Well being Enchancment Rating, Heart specialist evaluation, Well being Assistant, Sensible Traits, and many others.)
Why Withings will assist together with your targets: You possibly can substitute Withings with different sensible scale manufacturers, however this app tends to be a employees favourite. The gist is you could see greater than your weight, but additionally your physique fats/ muscle share and (with fancier scales) particular information on how that fats is segmented all through your physique. Basically, having a sensible scale will allow you to observe how your well being and health targets are immediately impacting your physique.
Why we depend on Withings: “Withings is essential to me as a Sort 2 diabetic. It provides me a segmental evaluation of physique fats & muscle losses and positive aspects. What’s most essential is the visceral fats metrics, the way it tracks the fats round your inner organs that may actually imply life or early dying.” — Tshaka Armstrong, Contributor
“Withings reveals me my weight, physique fats, and muscle mass, in addition to how I am trending, which helps me know if I have to make adjustments.” — Derrek Lee, Managing Editor
