Ditch The Gym (& Save Money) With These Online Workout Programs

When it comes to the best yoga apps, it doesn’t get much better than Alo Moves. The platform is owned by apparel company, Alo Yoga, and offers individual classes, curated programs, and series’ to help you build (or begin) your yoga practice. In addition to the many forms of yoga, Alo Moves also has pilates, barre, strength training, and other types of workouts—plus, there are meditation videos, sound baths, and reiki offerings as well.

Whether you’re here for yoga, pilates, or other fitness goals, you can search for classes based on style, difficulty level, duration, and more. The app will keep track of every class you take, making it easy to save favorite playlists or flows, while staying on top of your progress, too.

What our testers say:

"I received a free trial of Alo Yoga through work (along with a warrior mat) but continued to pay for it long after my trial ended. I found the sleek app offered a variety of series each highlighting different types of yoga, allowing my practice to continuously evolve. As someone that thrives in structure, I also loved that many teachers offered programs which outlined a class sequence for users to follow. Another huge perk is that you can actually mute the music, instead focusing on the teacher's words and your own breath during a session. My only complaint is that I've found instructors I love who left the company, so I had to start my instructor search over. Of course, this happens at studio classes, too." — Braelyn Wood deputy commerce editor.

A few instructors/classes we've enjoyed:

Flexibility in 15 with Briohny Smyth

Intuitive Flexibility Flow with Ashley Galvin

If one-on-one motivation is what you're after, Future will deliver. The monthly cost is higher than many of our other selections, but it’s the only online workout program that gives you access to your own personal trainer. Many private personal trainers charge more than Future’s monthly cost with way less access to your coach. Through the Future app, you’ll be paired with a coach based on your preferences and goals. As a first step, you’ll have a FaceTime call with your coach to discuss your plan. From there, you will be given customized workout plans each week and you’ll have access to your coach via messaging and phone calls. 

This level of daily interaction is huge for people who need a bit of a push to get their workout in. Your coach will hold you accountable and continue to adjust and adapt your fitness plan based on progress. One callout here is that the app syncs with your Apple Watch, which is not required to enroll in the program, but is strongly recommended. If you don’t have a watch, there’s an option to rent it from Future. Your coach will use your Apple Watch metrics to help you stay on top of your goals.

If you think low impact means low intensity, think again. P.Volve is energizing and engaging and will fire up muscles you didn’t even know you had. The workouts are great for toning, sculpting, lengthening, improving posture, and increasing mobility. Every movement feels intentional, whether you’re taking a strength, sculpt, cardio burn, or recovery class. The platform also offers a variety of workouts for pre- and postnatal. 

While you can modify your workouts without equipment, P.Volve strongly recommends using a mat, gliders, hand weights, ankle weights, bands, and a pilates ball—all of which can be purchased on the P.Volve website. If you’re opting for the one week free trial, we recommend trying out the workouts equipment-free to see if you like them. Once you decide to enroll in a membership, then you can go ahead and purchase the equipment.

As you accumulate equipment, you can search for classes based on the items currently in your home gym. Just be warned that a lot of equipment is pretty specific to these classes, so it will collect dust if you leave the program.

The P.Volve website houses a lot of success stories and progress photos. The online workout program has a huge following, with people raving about their results.

What our testers say:

"During the pandemic, P. Volve was one of my favorite ways to workout. After months spent in HIIT classes, I craved the low intensity of this at-home option. It targets small muscles that many other workouts forget about, so it still works up a sweat (and leaves muscles feeling sore). There's also a decent amount of variety with classes focused on strength and cardio. As you get further into the program, you'll be tempted to invest in more equipment, but I recommend staying smart about the items that you'll actually use on a regular basis." — Braelyn Wood, deputy commerce editor

Obé has the variety aspect down. Every membership includes access to classes ranging from 5 to 60 minutes with options for barre, bounce, boxing, dance, HIIT, sculpting, strength training, yoga, and more. There are stretching and foam rolling videos for recovery, fitness content for kids, workouts designed specifically for seniors, and meditations to help you relax and unwind. The instructors are upbeat and encouraging, with plenty of beginner-friendly content offered as well.

While you can modify most workouts to be bodyweight only, many do have options to step things up a notch with equipment such as hand weights, ankle weights, resistance loops, and sliders. Bounce classes require a trampoline, jump rope classes require a rope, and (of course) foam rolling sessions require a foam roller. If you want one membership with a whole lot of choices, Obé is an excellent option.

Our shopping editor (me, the writer!) never gravitated toward low impact exercising until a few years ago—and ORRO is a big part of what changed that. ORRO is a boutique fitness program, with live and on-demand classes. The platform features a huge variety of instructors, all of which are hand picked by co-founders Elizabeth Endres and Dale Stabler of Sweats & The City. The selection is based on the premise that you don’t need to work out with high intensity for an hour every day to see results. Most classes are 30 minutes (but there are options ranging from 10 minutes to an hour), and the bulk of them are low-impact.

Choose from yoga, pilates, sculpt, barre, strength training, and more, with over 50 instructors featured. The bulk of the classes can be done with no equipment whatsoever—but if you do want to bring up the intensity, the most commonly used equipment is a set of light ankle or wrist weights. While the weight training class selection is a bit thin, there are a few instructors that use heavier weights.

Right now, you can get 25% off your first month with code mindbodygreen (no commitment necessary).

What our testers say:

"I joined ORRO right when it launched in 2021, and have stuck with it ever since. Previously, I relied on running and high-intensity exercises, but ORRO’s class selection has gotten me fully hooked on lower impact workouts. Although there are not a ton of strength training classes offered, I did discover my favorite strength coach, Sonia Hare, on ORRO, and immediately signed up for her platform, The Sonia Series. I love that ORRO is introducing me to new instructors I probably wouldn't have otherwise known about.” — Carleigh Ferrante, commerce editor

A few instructors/classes we've enjoyed:

Lower body strength with Sonia Hare

SaltDrop with Dino Malvone

Sculpt with Meghan McFerran

Arms + Abs with Calyn Brooke

While dance cardio may sound intimidating, TSS makes it approachable and welcoming. Even the language used in each class is inviting and inclusive. “I’m never saying triggering messaging in fitness because I think it’s so detrimental to women and men—because that seeps in subconsciously,” founder, Megan Roup explains. “My hope is that it really impacts how they’re starting to feel about themselves and their bodies.”

No matter what your dance experience level is, The Sculpt Society (TSS) has something for you. The best part? You don’t need to set aside a ton of time to get a workout in—and you don’t need any equipment, either. Classes range from 10 to 60 minutes, with options to use light weights, a pilates ball, and sliders, or to modify without. Roup and her other instructors are big on modifications, with a ton of beginner-friendly classes available, too. “To me, 10 minutes can energetically shift how we feel physically in our body, but also mentally,” she says.

Each week, TSS releases a schedule with live classes and new on-demand offerings. If dance isn’t your thing, stick with the sculpt classes. And, if you are here for the dancing, go with the dance cardio routines or the full-body classes which offer a mix of dance and sculpt. Roup pulls from her professional dance background, adding new choreography to every class, and keeping things fun and engaging.

What our testers say:

"I was a little (or maybe a lot) intimidated by dance cardio back in the studio fitness era. But, with home workouts came a new confidence—one that led me to try The Sculpt Society. I’m so glad I gave it a chance! I never thought dancing around my living room could be an effective workout, but the TSS workouts are fun, engaging, and bring major physical and mental benefits. I love the music, too.” — Carleigh Ferrante, commerce editor

A few instructors/classes we've enjoyed:

30 minute dance cardio 02

42 minute full-body 24 (no cardio)

From classically-trained pilates instructor, Lia Bartha, B The Method is a low-impact, full-body method. The workouts can be done with no equipment, or with a pilates ball and light weights. Each class has a pilates-esque feel, but there are a ton of different series, including pre & postnatal, myofascial release, length & reach, cardio flows, weighted series, and deep, focused series pertaining to certain muscle groups. Lia offers classes ranging from 15 to 60 minutes, so it’s easy to squeeze in a workout even if you’re short on time.

New classes are added every week with the option for members to join live workouts. And if you’re new to pilates, there are a ton of great tutorials and beginner-friendly workouts offered for you. Those who are more advanced can dive into the deep focused series to take their practice to the next level.

What our testers say:

"What I love about B The Method is how intentional each movement is. As an observer, you might think the classes look simple, but they give me a better workout than many other fast-paced classes I’ve taken in the past. Throughout each class, Lia talks about the mind-body connection, and thoroughly explains each movement. Since incorporating these into my routine nearly 3 years ago, I’ve seen a huge improvement in my posture and flexibility, and gained a better understanding of my body. Plus, my muscles are noticeably more toned.” — Carleigh Ferrante, commerce editor

A few instructors/classes we've enjoyed:

20 minute standing glutes

45 minute cardio flow

30 minute length & reach

Peloton might immediately bring to mind exercise bikes, treadmills, and a whole lot of equipment, but the online membership includes access to a huge variety of classes, both live and on-demand. While, you will need a bike if you want to take part in cycling classes and a treadmill if you want to run indoors, many of the yoga, meditation, stretching, barre, and strength training workouts can be done with no equipment at all. For anyone craving the group fitness atmosphere without leaving your home, Peloton is a great choice.

This is a platform with a thorough vetting process for instructors, too. Everyone who teaches on the Peloton app is required to be a certified personal trainer. We’ve found most instructors to be engaging and high-energy, bringing positivity to classes and creating a community feel. If you want to interact with the instructors during live classes, you’ll need the “all-access” membership. With this, you’ll also be able to track your performance metrics within the Peloton app.

A few instructors/classes we've enjoyed:

Hannah Corbin’s 5-Minute Post-Ride Stretch

Olivia Amato’s 15-Minute Core Strength

Bradley Rose’s 30 min 2010s Pop Ride

Designed for women who are pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or recently gave birth, The Bloom Method’s online workout program houses cardio, sculpt, strength, yoga, barre, and HIIT classes for every stage of pregnancy and thereafter. In addition to these workouts, there are educational videos such as “pelvic floor education” and breathing exercises. You can filter the on-demand library based on class type, length, or which trimester you are in (including “fourth trimester” options for postnatal exercises). 

The content is meant to meet moms and expecting moms where they are, with safe and effective workouts for every stage and fitness level. The Bloom Method membership also includes recipes, Q&As, and access to a private Facebook community where you can interact with other moms or expecting parents.

Moms all over the world rave about The Bloom Method. The company’s website is full of success stories, testimonials, and reviews saying things like, “I am not kidding when I say it has been life changing for me,” and “I have recommended the Bloom Method to every pregnant mama I know. It is truly the most effective way to stay connected to your core, prepare for birth, and work with a trainer that sincerely helps you become your best pregnant (and postpartum) self.”

Les Mills+ is the online workout program from Les Mills, an esteemed group fitness company. There are thousands of classes to choose from, with a variety of methods available: strength training, cycling, dance, aerobics, HIIT, yoga, and martial arts. The massive on-demand library even includes workouts for kids. Each class is led by world-class instructors with options for beginner, intermediate, and advanced athletes. The online community has more than 150,000 members, all of which are given access to a Facebook group to connect and share progress.

There are a ton of equipment-free workouts on Les Mills+, but when it comes to strength training in particular, the BODYPUMP classes exceed many others that we’ve tried. Don’t think you have space in your home for all the gym equipment needed for strength training? Adjustable dumbbells will change your perspective.

What’s more, the app even has a ton of meditation content—so you can supplement your physical workouts with a mindset boost, too.

Nike’s free fitness app is simple to navigate and offers more variety than many paid platforms. Choose from strength training, yoga, HIIT, running exercises, and more, with options to filter classes by duration, fitness level, and what equipment you have. You can even create a personalized fitness plan, with recommendations from the app based on your preferences and goals. One standout feature: every glass has a warm-up and a cool-down.

While yes, NTC does offer beginner-focused workouts, those classes still do require some basic fitness knowledge. There were no modifications provided in any of the classes we tried, which could be a deterrent for people who are just starting out their fitness journey. That said, the instructors are incredibly knowledgeable and describe each movement in detail, the customized training plans are motivating and intuitive to follow, and you can’t beat the variety and quality of workouts for this price (free). The app regularly adds new content, with a ton of great programs and classes featuring celebrity instructors and trainers.

What's more, Netflix recently announced that it will begin streaming Nike Training Club classes at the end of December 2022. To access the exercise content on your television, simply search "Nike" in your Netflix app, and you'll be able to view classes and programs for all fitness levels, with 45 episodes and 30 hours of content.