Beachbody On Demand vs Centr for 2023 | Best Online Fitness Programs

Item: Beachbody On Demand vs Centr
Rating: 3
Author: Top Consumer Reviews

Thursday, February 2nd

2023 Online Fitness Program Reviews

Beachbody On Demand

75+ fitness and meditation programs, nutrition plans, recipes, and community support
Over 1,800 available workouts plus live classes
14-day free trial for Beachbody On Demand only
$119.98 for annual plan of Beachbody On Demand, plus $19.95/month for BODi
$179/year for both Beachbody On Demand and BODi
30-day money-back guarantee on annual plans

Beachbody On Demand can feel a little overwhelming as you try to figure out which program to follow. Fortunately, both memberships include access to a 1:1 coach if you need some advice. Pricing can be convoluted here, and recent ratings from users say that the app can be a huge hassle to use. Your money might be better spent on a different online fitness platform unless you really love Beachbody On Demand's instructors and programs.

Read Full Review

See Program

Centr

Free trial for one month
$29.99/month
$59.99/quarter
$119.99/year
Over 1,400 workouts to choose from
800 recipes across four meal plans (regular, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan)

The idea behind Centr isn't bad: take Chris Hemsworth's team of experts and offer their workouts and nutritional advice to the world. Unfortunately, the delivery is subpar compared with other online fitness options: the workouts themselves tend to be basic and boring, the meal plan recipes are often unrealistic, and many people have found themselves locked into an annual membership they never asked for - despite canceling during the free trial period. Even being able to work out with Thor himself isn't enough reason to use Centr.

Read Full Review

See Program

Read Full Review

See Program

Read Full Review

See Program

The 12 Best Online Fitness Programs

Which Online Fitness Program is the Best for You?

To answer that question, you should start with an idea of what you're hoping to accomplish. Are you at the very beginning of your fitness journey and need some gentle, encouraging guidance to get started? Do you have a gym membership but you're not quite sure what to do when you get there? Are you frequently traveling for work and looking for a way to exercise no matter if you're in Manhattan or Miami?

There are platforms that fit all of those situations - and so many others. Another consideration is whether or not you're looking to combine nutritional changes with your online fitness choice. Some services give you an all-in-one, with meal plans and workouts to choose from, while others specialize just in exercise.

Continue reading below

What are the best Online Fitness Programs

Online Fitness Program FAQ

What is online fitness?

Online fitness programs are workouts you can do from anywhere. They might include step-by-step instructions on how to do different strength training exercises or provide a fast-paced cardio workout that you follow on a video. In addition to focusing on improving physical strength, online fitness programs sometimes help with meal planning to improve your overall health.

How can I track my progress with online fitness?

Many online fitness courses come with a series of classes that build on each other. This will help you get stronger each day and build on the progress you have made. Many fitness program apps also let you record how long you exercised, what types of exercise you did, what you ate that day, and track some of your vitals. This keeps you accountable for the frequency of your workouts and helps you see areas where you could improve.

Why do online fitness when I could go to the gym?

An online fitness program is one of the most convenient ways to get your exercise in. You don't have to leave your house, but you still get your own kind of personal trainer. Have you ever had a plan to get to the gym, but the hassle of having someone watch the kids, getting dressed, driving to the gym, and having to see other people prevented you from getting there? You're not alone. Having a workout plan you can do from home will likely increase the consistency of your exercise.

What is the cost of online fitness?

It is reasonable to spend $10 - $20/month for full access to an online fitness course. If you pay for a few months at a time or buy a year-long subscription, you'll end up saving money. Luckily, most online fitness programs offer a free trial so you can see what they have to offer and try out a few days of workouts before deciding if you want to continue long-term.

What devices can I use for online fitness?

You could use your phone, computer, or tablet to view your fitness course. Whatever is most conducive to the type of workout you are doing will work for most fitness apps. Some apps even have Bluetooth capability that will sync with your heart rate monitor, Apple health, or other fitness resources to give you the best overview of your progress.

Do I need the internet to do online fitness?

If you want to update your fitness app or stream any of the workouts on-demand, you'll need access to the internet. However, if you know ahead of time that you'll be away from the internet and want to have one of your courses accessible, some online fitness programs allow you to download videos and/or guides to your device. This would be useful if you're going to be camping or traveling in an area where you aren't sure you'll have a good connection, but don't want to skip a workout.

What types of workouts are included with online fitness?

Some online fitness courses are geared toward one type of workout (cardio, strength training, kickboxing, etc.), while others give you a taste of everything. If you have a home gym with weights and cardio equipment, you might want to do strength training exercises that allow you to use your resources. Some people prefer fast-paced classes online like Zumba, while others want to practice mindfulness with yoga. Chances are, no matter what online fitness program you go with, there will be hundreds of different workouts that target all areas of the body and give you enough variety that you'll never get bored or run out of challenges.

How should I choose an online fitness program?

When deciding what online fitness program to go with, ask yourself what your goals are. Are you wanting to lose weight? To tone your upper body? To feel healthier overall? Knowing the purpose behind your workout will be the first step. It also helps to know what kinds of exercise you do and don't like. If you choose a program all about weight lifting, but you don't like that kind of strength training, odds are you won't stick with it long. Most online fitness programs allow you to customize the way you want to work your body and cut out things you don't want to do.

Continued from above...

Either way, most online fitness platforms work in roughly the same way: take advantage of a free trial, then decide if a paid membership is right for you. On a budget? No problem: there are several excellent choices that let you access tons of workouts at no cost. Yes, you'll probably be invited to upgrade to a paid plan, but feel free to ignore that and work out using just the regular content and tools.

Now that you've given it some thought and have an idea of what your online fitness "wish list" would include, it's time to start browsing what's available. You might feel a little overwhelmed at first, with so many choices and new ones popping up all the time. Don't stress. Here are some criteria to keep in mind that will help you narrow them down:

On-demand, live stream, or both? Most platforms feature an on-demand library of classes, but some of today's most popular online fitness brands give you the best of both worlds. How important is it to you to be able to take a live class? If you're transitioning from a gym/studio environment to home workouts, live workouts might help you feel more engaged.
Cost. What's the most you want to spend for an annual or monthly membership? Or maybe you're only interested in what you can get gratis. When it comes to online fitness platforms, you don't necessarily get more by spending more: many paid memberships add features like premium music or extra workouts, but you can still get plenty with a free account.
Variety. The more classes and workout genres a platform carries, the less likely you are to get bored and walk away. It's okay to choose a service because it has your favorites, but make sure it has a few workout types that are new to you - when you're ready to try something different, it'll be waiting for you.
Reputation. Check out what users of the online fitness platform have said. Are the workouts basic - or challenging - enough? How's the music? If it uses an app, does it work consistently? Does the service deliver what it promises? Is it worth the money if you pay for a membership?

To help you choose the online fitness program that's going to be the best fit for your goals and lifestyle, Top Consumer Reviews has evaluated and ranked today's most popular services. We're sure you'll find the perfect way to take your fitness to the next level - on your own terms!