As someone who has always been very passionate about fitness and staying in shape, both for physical and mental health reasons, I am constantly on a mission to find the best apps that will help me track and plan my workouts. That being said, I feel like I’ve nailed down some of the best fitness tracking apps. Side note: I have yet to find a good app for swim tracking, but I promise that I’m on the lookout for an accessible app that everyone who wants to can use. Of course, shoot me a message if you have one that you love!
Best for Running: MapMyRun (free)
I discovered MapMyRun long before it was owned by Under Armour. But, this has been a tried and true favorite running app of mine. Not only can you choose from a plethora of non-running workouts to track, like walking your dog or hiking, but I’ve found that it’s pretty accurate as far as tracking goes. It also allows you to set running goals for yourself, whether that is distance or number of workouts, which is perfect if you’re training for an upcoming race. The last thing I’ll say about this app is that it also has a social component – you can add your friends on this app and see what they’ve been up to as far as exercises. My high school soccer friends and I used to (and still do, actually) use the app to hold each other accountable for training runs and to motivate ourselves and each other.
Best for Sneaker Health: Worn Out (free)
I only discovered this app recently, but if you’re someone who uses running sneakers frequently enough that you need an idea of when to replace them, then this app is for you. It’s super easy – all you do is find the sneakers you’re using (I’m personally a big fan of the Hoka Bondi 7 and the Hoka Arahi 6), select them in the app, and then set how many miles you’d like to have on them. According to REI, this usually comes out to be around 300-500 miles per pair of running shoes. However, most of us aren’t keeping an active log of how many miles we’ve accumulated on our running shoes. Enter Worn Out: every time you log a run (you can pair it with running apps like MapMyRun, hint hint), it adds it to the total number of miles you’ve put on your shoes and lets you know when it’s time to get a new pair.
Best for Biking: Strava (free)
I actually didn’t discover this one on my own, but my dad, who has been an avid cyclist his whole life, used it for a while, and I eventually caught on. This app is mostly used by cyclists, but, as noted with MapMyRun, there are also plenty of other workout-tracking options available in the app itself, which is super nice. Similar to MapMyRun, there is also the social aspect of being able to follow your friends and see their workouts, I also like that with Strava, you can join teams (for example, clubs at school) and challenges to motivate you. I listed this one under cycling since that’s the majority of the users. But, you can use it for any type of workout, including running.
Best for Snow Sports: Slopes (free)
Don’t worry, I didn’t forget about my skiers and boarders out there. I found this app in high school among my fellow skiing friends. This app is so simple to use – you press “record” when you start your day of skiing/boarding, leave it in your pocket when you’re skiing or on a lift (which it also tracks, super cool), and just press stop at the end of the day. Slopes tracks your top speed on runs, total mileage and elevation traveled, and your time from each run. I think it’s cool to see all the stats from a day on the slopes. The added benefit of this app is that Slopes also has trail maps for whatever mountain or resort you’re skiing/boarding that day, so you won’t get lost. Finally, you can also add friends on this app, which adds some fun and competition to your days.
Best for Lifting: Gymshark Training (free)
Although I will admit that I tend to just use the Notes app to plan my workouts because I am LAZY, this is my favorite app to plan workouts. Gymshark Training has a bunch of movements to choose from and lets you add your own if there’s some special exercise you want to incorporate. In addition to planning your own workouts with reps, sets, and supersets, you can also browse a library of workouts and movements that have already been curated for you, so if you’re new to lifting, it takes a little bit of the stress out of getting started. I will admit I am a little biased since I’m obsessed with Gymshark clothes and was voted Class Gymshark as my senior superlative! But, trust me when I say the app is pretty bomb.
Best for Fun: Zombies, Run! (free)
I think this is the coolest fitness app ever. The idea is basically that you’re a character in this whole storyline about a zombie apocalypse, and you have to run everywhere to get supplies, run away from zombies, etc. For each “episode” of the storyline, there’s a running soundtrack that isn’t music but instead is a narrated description of what’s going on, what your mission is, and how close the zombie hordes are. You can even toggle zombie “chases” on and off, where you’re told that there’s a pack of zombies chasing you, and the faster you run IN REAL LIFE, the more likely you are to escape them. It works best if you’re road running since it’s a little harder to speed up quickly on a treadmill, but either is perfectly fine.
Best for a Good Cause: Charity Miles (free)
Charity Miles is another one of those apps that lets you track different types of workouts but for this specific app, it’s only distance-based workouts like running or walking. When you download the app, you pick a charity to donate to, which can be anything from the ASPCA to the ALS Association to the Wounded Warrior Project. You can be sponsored by the sponsors of your chosen charity, by your employer, by friends and family, or by the Charity Miles corporate sponsorship fund.