10 Best Online Personal Trainers (2026): Tested by Experts

Very few online personal training apps compare to our top pick for the best overall: Future. We’ve had several people on our team use Future, including GGR founder Coop Mitchell, who has been using it for over three years now. He says, “I think the biggest evidence of my feelings toward Future is that I’ve used it every week since September 2020. I also pay for my wife to use it, I’m that big of a believer.”

GGR Senior Director of Content Kate Meier, CPT, USAW-L1, CF-L1, has used the app as well over the past couple of years. “I admit: I didn’t think I’d still be with Future after doing the initial review, but two years later, and I’m still with it,” she says. “The program has actually helped me after I suffered a weightlifting injury that needed surgery.”

Future recommends a few different coaches for you after asking some basic questions on your workout habits, or you can search for your own coach from the dozens of options. After a video call, your coach will personalize a program tailored to your needs and routine. The equipment needed is based on the fitness equipment you have available.

Future also has great accountability, with daily notifications from your coach and routine check-ins, leading Kate to rate the accountability a 5 out of 5. Instructions during workouts are both visual and auditory, but also includes in-app recording of videos to receive feedback from your coach.

The main drawback is the price. At $199 a month, this is one of the more expensive options for a workout app. However, the features and online coaching are pretty expansive, making it a pretty good value still; we rate it a 3.75 out of 5 here. You can see more of the team’s thoughts in our Future App review.

If you want training that’s backed by research, consider Caliber, a fitness app grounded upon scientific principles to help you with your strength training. The personalized plans and nutrition programming available are data-driven to ensure you’re getting results. Along with this, you can connect with a certified coach for video coaching and weekly lessons. With coaching, exercise demos, and the ability to upload videos for form checks, Caliber earns a 5 out of 5 for its level of instruction.

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The app can track a lot, including metrics and macronutrients. The app tracks these metrics to show results in an easy-to-read visual format.

Our tester, Amanda Capritto, CPT, CNC, CES, CF-L1, found the pricing to be worded strangely, as the pricing is explained as about $7 a day, although it’s a monthly payment. She was able to get in touch with a customer service rep, however, who helped clear up the confusion. There are three tiers available:

• A free-forever version that gives you access to a library of prepared workouts
• Caliber Premium Coaching, which connects you with a coach and individualizes workout plans, priced at $200 a month
• An expanded package that’s $266 per month, which includes monthly Zoom calls to talk about live strategy

All paid versions offer coaching across all of their training pillars: strength and conditioning, nutrition, and healthy habits. Amanda used the premium coaching option and found the app easy enough to use, although she wishes there were more options to integrate fitness trackers. Currently, Caliber only offers connectivity with Apple watches. Sending pictures to her trainer could have been streamlined more, as well.

This is a pricey app, but Amanda feels that the price is worth it, giving it a 5 out of 5 on value. As a personal trainer, she says, “One-on-one training isn’t cheap; it just isn’t. But it’s almost always worth it, especially if you are struggling with accountability and consistency.” The amount of interaction and accountability features for this app are pretty expansive, too, making it a great choice even before considering the science-backed data it boasts.

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You can learn more from our Caliber App review.

Men (and women) who want to level up their strength and conditioning with an AI-powered personal trainer should put the SHRED app at the top of their list. This platform primarily focuses on circuit training exercises, making it well-suited for those looking to lean out and pack on muscle.

GGR Senior Staff Writer Stephen Sheehan, CPT, CNC, put the SHRED app through the paces and came away highly impressed by everything it has to offer at a palatable price point of $9.99 per month (if you choose the annual plan).

“I absolutely love how customizable this app is,” he says, rating the ease of use a perfect 5 out of 5. “From choosing what equipment you have available to how long you want your session to be to the type of motivation style you prefer, everything is in your hands.”

SHRED also stands out for its user-friendly interface and high-quality instruction.

“I’ve seen some shoddy demo videos on social media or other workout apps, but these were in high definition and from multiple angles,” Stephen says, rating the instruction a 5 out of 5. “What surprised me the most was that I could even view the demo videos on my Apple Watch, and they looked crystal clear!”

Although SHRED workouts follow a circuit-style format, there’s still ample variety. Here’s a quick overview of some of the top-rated programs:

• Signature: Blends advanced strength techniques, anaerobic power, and endurance challenges to push your limits.
• Athlete: Combines aerobic conditioning, anaerobic power, and extended circuits to unleash your full potential.
• Lean-X: Combines high-intensity interval training, targeted resistance isolation training, and anaerobic movements.
• Bulk: Focuses on progressive overload, compound movements, and hypertrophy to maximize muscular development

As for the downsides? Don’t expect much in the form of interactive features or accountability.

“You have some basic social motivation, but I’d say this is more of a personalized training app than anything else,” Stephen says.

You can learn more from our SHRED app review. Plus, you can check out Stephen’s full video review on the Garage Gym Reviews Everything YouTube channel below.

If you’re looking for a library of fantastic online workout programs but don’t want to spend any money, look no further than Boostcamp. For the total value, this easily earns a 5 out of 5, as the hundreds of available free plans are high-quality and enjoyable to use.

With Boostcamp, you’ll be able to access thousands of training programs, including over 100 programs created by expert coaches, as well as thousands of workout plans built by community members.

Boostcamp is the exclusive home of Foundations of Strength, Team GGR’s free program, and Full Body Pump, which is available only with a Boostcamp Pro subscription.

While Boostcamp Pro Membership is a nice upgrade that only costs $14.99/month, it’s certainly not necessary, and there are plenty of free programs to choose from.

GGR staff writer Matt Dustin, CSCS, PN-1, has been using Boostcamp for over six months, and it’s replaced Strong as his favorite workout app.

“I love tracking my workouts with Boostcamp,” says Matt. “It remembers the weight you used last time, tracks your PRs, and the analytics tab shows plenty of useful information, including your total number of workouts, how many training sessions you’ve done, and a muscle tracker to show how much training volume each muscle is getting.”

Matt gives the app setup and ease of use 5 out of 5, noting that it’s very simple to use.

While the program library is quite large, you can easily filter the programs based on your goals, how many days per week you want to train, and what equipment you have access to, and Boostcamp will recommend appropriate programs.

Several features, most notably the detailed analytics tracker and all of the Pro programs, are locked behind the subscription, but the free plan still offers everything most exercisers should need.

Our one callout is the workout variety, which earns a 3 out of 5. Yes, there are thousands of training plans, but almost all of them are focused on strength training. There are no plans for endurance athletes, mobility training, or group fitness, so if that’s your preferred training style, you may need to find a different online personal trainer.

If you’re looking for a great workout tracker that offers plenty of free workout programs from certified personal trainers and coaches, it’s hard to beat Boostcamp

Aaptiv can be a great option for those looking to begin their fitness journey, as its cost is fairly low compared to other online personal trainers at $14.99 a month. If you’re new to fitness training or fitness apps, this is a pretty low barrier to entry. Plus, our tester Amanda Capritto, CPT, CNC, CES, CF-L1, found this app to have high value, giving it a 4.5 out of 5.

This app provides an easy-to-use interface that can navigate through a database of workouts to suit your fitness goals and needs. Getting set up just requires a quick questionnaire and you’re ready to train. Amanda rates both the ease of use and app setup a 5 out of 5.

There’s sufficient expertise in the instructions, as Amanda rates it a 4 out of 5, saying, “The trainers who create the workouts are clearly knowledgeable; one of the workouts I did was a completely contralateral session using off-balanced weights, and this is something only a knowledgeable and experienced trainer would likely program.”

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“There is not always an instructor on screen, though,” she continues. “In some of the workouts it’s more like an animation of a person doing the movements and the trainer speaking in the background. This might throw some people off.” If you’re looking for that human interaction in the app, you may not always get it.

The app is great for beginners as there are many features to keep you motivated and accountable, such as push notifications. You can also add workouts to your phone’s calendar, displaying them as appointments. A robust community feed is present as well, where people can share, like, and comment on other people’s workouts. Challenges are even held regularly, keeping new fitness lovers motivated.

Check out our in-depth Aaptiv Fitness App review.

If you’re looking for an online personal trainer to help manage your weight loss journey, Trainwell (formerly CoPilot) is a great option. This app allows you to choose a certified personal trainer who matches your fitness goals and training style, which will help you burn calories. In addition, some trainers are also certified nutritionists and can give you guidance on creating meal plans.

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Trainwell offers unlimited interaction with your personal coach, through messaging, feedback, and video calls. After a short assessment, Trainwell recommends coaches who you can connect with, although the final choice is your own. Your coach will personalize programming based on your needs, along with live feedback during your workouts, earning it a 4 out of 5 for its level of instruction.

Our product tester and certified personal trainer Lindsay Scheele tested out the Trainwell app on her iPhone and Apple Watch. Her experience was very positive, as she says, “It is a very easy app to follow with, the workouts that were programmed had videos to follow along with, and if you have an iPhone and Apple Watch the experience goes over the moon. I was very impressed with the overall design and simplicity of the app and the integration of the iPhone and Apple Watch.”

She rates the user interface and ease of use a 4 out of 5. However, she notes that beyond a coach, there is not community or other means of accountability, rating that feature a 3 out of 5.

This is one of the less expensive one-on-one online personal trainers on the market at $99, but it still is a pricey monthly cost. Some Android users complain about some bugs and interface issues with the app, so be mindful if you don’t have an iPhone.

Reade our Trainwell Fitness review for more information.

Our pick for the best online personal trainer for women is Obé Fitness, an app specially designed for women and their workouts. In addition to recommending workouts after an initial assessment, the app also includes extra features, such as a mood check-in and menstrual cycle insights—with the app then recommending different classes based on your cycle.

One of the strengths of the app is the instruction. GGR editor Frieda Johnson tested out Obé Fitness and says, “The instruction is solid. The instructor does all the moves with you and explains them as you do them. They also give form cues and other tips.” She tried strength classes, a dance HIIT class, and a stretching class, and said coaching was motivating without being obnoxious. She gives the instruction a 4 out of 5.

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Once the app recommends a workout schedule, you’re still able to add your own workouts, but Frieda had trouble trying to remove or modify the recommended workouts. You’re able to add workouts to your calendar, however, to get notifications and boost accountability in the app. Despite the initial trouble with modifying workouts, Frieda still rates the ease of use a 4 out of 5. Aside from live classes, though, the app doesn’t have too many interactive features.

At $24.99 per month, this can be a bit pricey for the amount it offers, although Frieda does mention, “I do think it could be great for someone who takes advantage of all of the features, like the live classes, mood tracker, and cycle insights.” But if those features don’t interest you, this may not be the best fitness app for you. Also, buyer beware; you’ll have to call to cancel.

See more of our thoughts in our full Obé Fitness review.

If you’re looking for an app that provides the closest experience to in-person training as possible, FlexIt is a strong contender. This fitness app provides scheduled sessions with an actual trainer through the app between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on your plan.

You pay in a bundle of sessions, like in-person training, either in four, eight, or 12 sessions at 30, 45, or 60 minutes long, then you schedule sessions with your trainer and they’ll be present during your training session.

In my testing of FlexIt, I was nervous about working with a new trainer; as an Olympic weightlifter I had a competition coming up, and didn’t want to detract from my prep for it. After discussing it with my virtual trainer Chris, he led me through a bodybuilding session that wouldn’t wreck me for my upcoming competition. I was impressed by the level of instruction, knowledge, and professionalism, rating the instruction a 5 out of 5.

After taking a brief assessment to determine current fitness levels and goals, you can search and connect with a certified personal trainer or nutritionist to help pursue those goals. I found it very easy to navigate the app, scoring it a 4.5 out of 5 for its ease of use. I docked a little bit from the score only because FlexIt recommends using a laptop or TV for your one-on-one sessions, so it’ll require a little extra setup.

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Customer reviews are very high on the Apple store, but less so on Android devices, with only 3.8 stars out of 5 from customer reviews. While they rave on the instructors and programming, the Android version is noted as being quite buggy and hard to navigate. I myself am an Android user, but didn’t have any major issues with the app; still, Android users may want to beware.

If you are able to navigate the app, you’ll have access to a great personal trainer, albeit a bit on the pricey side. I rate the value a 3.5 out of 5, as some people may prefer in-person sessions for its price point. For more of my thoughts on this app, check out our FlexIt Fitness review.

Our pick for a customizable yoga experience is Down Dog, an inexpensive app with a nice user interface and plenty of customization options. GGR editor Frieda Johnson tried out the app and says, “I like how easy Down Dog is to customize based on what you want on any given day. The sessions I’ve done have been challenging but attainable for my experience level and I’ve enjoyed them.”

Although there’s no free trial, Frieda gives the value a 5 out of 5, as the app’s monthly subscription cost is only $7.99 per month; plus, it gives you access to their HIIT, meditation, prenatal yoga, and Barre apps as well. If you’re looking to diversify at-home bodyweight workouts, this is a great, inexpensive way.

Setup is easy, as you fill out a quick questionnaire on preferences, like the length of sessions and type of music. These settings are easy to adjust in individual yoga sessions, too. Frieda gives the ease of use a 5 out of 5, saying about the customization, “You get to pick what you want for an impressive number of categories, including type of music, person leading the flow, length of session, and body-part focus.”

While workouts are audio-guided and include videos and descriptions of the workouts, there are limited interactive features or accountability for those looking for support from a community or from the app. However, for its price, it’s a great app for guided yoga sessions.

Check out our full Down Dog App review.

If you’re looking for personalized strength training based entirely on your metrics and strength levels, one of our favorite apps is JuggernautAI. Using an in-depth assessment of your current experience—weight, training load, personal records, training schedule, and fitness goals—JuggernautAI makes a program personalized to your specific needs. 

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Developed by an accomplished powerlifter and coach, Chad Wesley Smith, this app doesn’t have you interact with an online trainer. Instead, an algorithm is used to create and structure a workout program suited for your needs and goals. Each workout will prompt questions on your level of fatigue or soreness and make adjustments to future workouts, as well.

Former GGR Senior Staff Writer Amanda Capritto, CPT, CNC, CES, CF-L1, has used JuggernautAI on and off to supplement her fitness training and running over the last year and loves the app. “I’ve felt a notable increase in my work capacity, as in I don’t get fatigued as quickly and feel like I can workout harder for longer,” she says, adding, “The JuggernautAI training has also paid off in my triathlon training, as I’ve improved in all three disciplines: swimming, biking, and running.”

While Amanda notes there is a level of customization, you will have to have some equipment for these workouts: a squat rack, weight bench, barbell, and some weight plates. “You can probably make it a long time with just that equipment, but it would also be helpful to have a few other miscellaneous items, like dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands.” She rates the equipment demands a 4 out of 5.

Amanda also adds that the training app can be a little overwhelming at first, but after a couple workouts, you should get the hang of it; she rates the ease of use a 4.5 out of 5. While the app goes above and beyond other apps with accountability, you’re essentially working only with the app; users who are looking for an actual coach may find this off-putting. 

You can check out our full thoughts on this strength app in our JuggernautAI Review.