Best Free Workout Apps October 2025: Complete Guide and Honest Comparison

The Truth About “Free” Workout Apps

I’ve been coaching for over a decade now, and here’s something that drives me crazy: most “free” workout apps aren’t actually free. You download them, create an account, and boom - you hit a paywall after three days. Or worse, they’re so cluttered with ads that you can barely see the exercises.

When we built WorkoutGen, my co-founder Jean-Baptiste and I made a promise: genuinely free means free. Not a trial. Not freemium with all the good stuff locked. Actually free.

But we’re not the only ones out there, and I wanted to give you an honest breakdown of what’s available in October 2025.

What Makes a Workout App Actually Good?

Before diving into specific apps, let me share what I look for as a coach:

• Proper exercise form guidance - Videos beat stick figures every time
• Progressive overload - Your muscles need increasing challenge to grow
• Personalization - Cookie-cutter programs work for nobody
• Offline access - Because gym WiFi is usually terrible
• No annoying ads - Seriously, who wants a pop-up mid-set?

Top Free Workout Apps (Tested and Ranked)

1. WorkoutGen - Best for Serious Gym Training

Full disclosure: this is the app I created, but I’m going to be objective here.

What’s truly free: Everything. Program generator, 500+ HD videos, progress tracking, offline mode. No trial period, no credit card needed.

What it does well:

• GYM-EXCLUSIVE PROGRAMS: WorkoutGen is designed exclusively for gym training with real equipment (barbells, dumbbells, machines). Not for home bodyweight workouts - this is serious strength training.
• 4 GYM GOALS: Choose your path: (1) MUSCLE GAIN for hypertrophy, (2) WEIGHT LOSS to cut fat while preserving muscle, (3) STRENGTH to maximize your lifts, (4) GET FIT for general conditioning. Each goal has its specific training methodology validated by our certified coach Jeremy.
• REAL PERSONALIZATION: The AI analyzes your unique profile - body type (ectomorph/mesomorph/endomorph), current level, recovery capacity, and available equipment. Real tracking of your performance with automatic progression.
• SCIENTIFIC PERIODIZATION: Progressive cycles like pros use - accumulation, intensification, and realization phases. Smart auto-regulation of loads and volume to avoid plateaus.
• PWA TECHNOLOGY: Install directly from your browser on any device - iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac. One click “Add to Home Screen” and you have a real app. No App Store, no heavy download, automatic updates. Opens full screen like a native app.
• 500+ EXCLUSIVE VIDEOS: We filmed every single video ourselves in a real gym. The interface works like TikTok or Instagram Reels - swipe to change exercises, no complicated menus.

What could be better: Our videos were filmed a while ago and need a 4K upgrade - we’re working on refilming everything in ultra-high quality. Some advanced features like detailed stats and personalized nutrition plans are in the optional WKG Plus tier (use code WKGPLUS20 for a discount), but the core app has everything most people need for serious gains.

Best for: Anyone serious about gym strength training who wants consistent, scientific programs that actually make you progress - from total beginners learning proper form to intermediate lifters breaking plateaus.

2. Nike Training Club - Best for Bodyweight Workouts

What’s free: Hundreds of bodyweight workouts, some equipment-based programs.

What it does well: High production value, celebrity trainers, good variety.

The catch: The app pushes you toward Nike products constantly. Most programs are generic - not adapted to your specific needs.

Best for: People who want guided bodyweight workouts and don’t mind the marketing.

3. FitBod - Best AI Gym Companion (But Not Actually Free)

What’s “free”: 3 workouts, then you have to pay.

Cost: $15.99/month or $95.99/year (prices updated October 2025).

Why I’m including it: If you can afford it, FitBod has excellent gym-based programming. The AI adapts well, and the exercise library is massive.

Best for: People willing to pay for premium features and gym access.

4. Strong - Best for Tracking Only

What’s free: Workout logging, basic stats, up to 3 custom routines.

The catch: You have to build your own programs. There’s no AI, no video library, no guidance. It’s essentially a digital notebook. Premium (Strong PRO) costs $4.99/month or $29.99/year for unlimited routines and advanced features.

Best for: Advanced lifters who already know what they’re doing and just need to track numbers.

5. MyFitnessPal - Best for Nutrition

What’s free: Food logging, basic workout tracking, goal and progress tracking.

Why it’s on this list: If you’re trying to lose weight or gain muscle, nutrition matters as much as training. The food database is unmatched.

The catch: The workout features are basic. Premium costs $79.99/year or $19.99/month for advanced features like custom macros and ad-free experience. Use it alongside a proper training app.

Best for: Anyone who needs to track calories and macros.

The Apps That Disappointed Me

Freeletics: Claims to be free but locks everything meaningful behind a paywall. Despite marketing suggesting a free trial, there’s no actual trial - just a 14-day money-back guarantee after you pay. The free version only includes 20 basic HIIT workouts. Paid plans start at around $8.50/month.

JEFIT: Used to be great, but it’s become so ad-heavy that it ruins the experience in October 2025. The free version is now cluttered with intrusive ads that disrupt workouts. Premium (Elite) costs $69.99/year to remove ads and unlock advanced features. Plus, you still have to program everything yourself.

Peloton App: Requires a subscription - not free at all, despite what some lists claim. As of October 2025, prices have increased: App One costs $15.99/month (was $12.99) and App+ costs $28.99/month (was $24). These price increases were implemented to fund new AI features.

What About ChatGPT for Workout Programs?

I’ve seen more and more people asking ChatGPT to generate their workout programs. Here’s my take as a coach:

The appeal: It’s free, instant, and feels personalized when it asks about your goals.

The reality: ChatGPT can give you a workout that looks legitimate on paper, but here’s what’s missing:

1. No video demonstrations - ChatGPT can’t show you videos. You get text descriptions that often lead to poor form and injuries. WorkoutGen has 500+ filmed exercise videos.
2. No progression tracking - It can’t remember what you did last week or adjust your next session based on how you performed
3. No progressive overload system - Real muscle growth requires systematically increasing demands on your muscles over weeks and months, not just random weekly plans
4. No accountability - You need to manually track everything yourself and remember to ask for updates
5. Inconsistent programming - Ask twice for the same goal and you’ll get completely different programs

Where ChatGPT works: Great for explaining exercise techniques, answering nutrition questions, or understanding training concepts.

Where it fails: Actually programming your training progression. That’s where WorkoutGen excels - with its automatic progression tracking and built-in progressive overload algorithms that adjust your program week by week based on your actual performance. The AI remembers your history and systematically increases the challenge.

What About YouTube?

Look, I love YouTube for learning new exercises. But here’s why it’s not a replacement for a structured app:

1. No progression tracking
2. No personalization
3. Too easy to jump between random programs
4. You’ll waste 10 minutes searching for “next workout”

YouTube is fantastic for education. For actual training? You need structure.

My Honest Recommendation

Here’s what I tell my in-person clients who ask about apps in October 2025:

If you have gym access and want real results: WorkoutGen is the clear winner. It’s the only app that combines:

• True 100% free access (no trial BS, no paywalls)
• Automatic progression tracking and progressive overload
• Scientific periodization that actually works
• 500+ video demonstrations for proper form
• Programs designed exclusively for gym equipment

If you’re just starting out and exploring options: Try WorkoutGen first since it’s completely free with no strings attached. If you want bodyweight-only workouts at home, Nike Training Club is solid.

If money isn’t an issue and you want premium features: FitBod ($15.99/month) has excellent variety and AI adaptation. But honestly, WorkoutGen’s free version has everything most people need to build serious muscle.

If you just want to track your own custom programs: Strong works fine as a digital notebook, but you’ll miss out on the scientific progression that makes WorkoutGen so effective.

What I don’t recommend: ChatGPT for programming (no videos, no tracking), Freeletics (paywall trap), JEFIT (ad nightmare), or Peloton App (overpriced at $28.99/month for App+).

The Bottom Line

After testing every major fitness app in October 2025, here’s the truth:

Most “free” apps are lying. They’re free to download, then immediately hit you with:

• Trial periods that end in 3 days (FitBod)
• Paywalls hiding all the good content (Freeletics at $8.50+/month)
• Ad spam that ruins your workouts (JEFIT)
• Premium subscriptions costing $80-100/year (MyFitnessPal, JEFIT Elite)
• Price increases without added value (Peloton App jumping to $28.99/month)

WorkoutGen is different because we’re coaches first. We built this app to solve a real problem: people who want serious gym results but can’t afford $100/year for an app subscription.

The app is genuinely 100% free for core features because:

1. We make money from optional WKG Plus subscriptions (for advanced stats and nutrition - use code WKGPLUS20)
2. We don’t spam you with ads during your workouts
3. We don’t trick you into subscriptions

What makes the difference for actual results:

• Progressive overload tracking - Your muscles won’t grow without systematically increasing the challenge
• Consistency - The best app is one you’ll use 3-4 times per week for months
• Proper form - Video demonstrations prevent injuries and maximize gains
• Scientific programming - Random workouts don’t work; periodized cycles do

The apps worth using in October 2025:

1. WorkoutGen - Best overall, truly free, gym-focused
2. Nike Training Club - Good for bodyweight at home
3. FitBod - Worth paying for if budget allows ($15.99/month)
4. Strong - Simple tracking if you program yourself

Skip these:

• ChatGPT (no videos, no progression tracking)
• Freeletics (paywall trap)
• JEFIT (ad nightmare)
• Peloton App (overpriced)

Ready to start? Generate your free personalized program and see if WorkoutGen fits your needs. No credit card, no trial, no catch.