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Aaptiv Review

Sunday, March 26th

2023 Online Fitness Program Reviews

Aaptiv Review 4 Star Rating

Aaptiv

4 Star Rating
  • 7-day free trial
  • $14.99/month
  • $99.99/year
  • Students can save 50% on monthly and yearly memberships
  • Over 6,000 audio and video workouts
  • Uses the music you love, not generic tracks
  • Classes can be downloaded to use offline

Aaptiv has made some big changes since our last evaluation. It used to be an audio-only platform, but now it incorporates video training as well. There are over 6,000 audio and video sessions you can use here, with 30+ new classes added every week.

Audio tracks are like having your own personal trainer

Those audio tracks are what really sets Aaptiv apart from other online fitness apps, though. Do you really need to watch a video to know how to run? Isn't it a distraction to have to watch an instructor on an elliptical when all you need is a coach? Aaptiv makes working out on your own more like a one-on-one training experience or a studio session: load up one of the workouts and follow the instructions. Granted, for something like yoga or strength training, you might need to use videos until you're familiar enough to follow verbal cues like "jump or step back to chaturanga" and "inhale as you reload the movement on the way up" .

Training programs help you hit goals

You can also use any of Aaptiv's multi-week plans to make progress in a specific way. How about a six-week training plan for your first 5k? A four-week plan to move from walking to jogging your first mile? There are programs for weight loss, flexibility, healthy pregnancy, and many more.

Connect to popular cardio equipment and wearables

A recently-added feature we love here is being able to connect LifeFitness equipment to the Aaptiv app. All of your machine-tracked data, from distance to duration, will be shown in real time on your phone and saved to your workout history. That's in addition to previously-established integrations with most wearable fitness trackers (like Apple Health and Fitbit).

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Free one-week trial plus short previews online

Like most online fitness services, Aaptiv gives you a week to try it out for free; at the end of the seven-day period, you'll be switched over to a monthly membership for $14.99 or a yearly plan for $99.99 unless you cancel in advance. It's never our favorite when we have to enter our credit card info to get the free trial, but it's pretty common in the industry. And, while you can't preview any of Aaptiv's video workouts before signing up, there are audio samples on the main page for Yoga, Outdoor Running, Elliptical, Indoor Cycling, Treadmill, and Strength Training.

Students get a 50% discount

By the way, your Aaptiv membership is 50% cheaper if you're a student. Just verify your student status with UNiDAYS (through the link on the Aaptiv site) and you'll be good to go.

Lots of praise from app users

Aaptiv gets plenty of five-star reviews. On the Apple App Store, more than 55,000 people took the time to leave a rating, averaging 4.7 stars; Google Play's numbers are a little lower (11,000 ratings averaging 4 out of 5 stars) but still good. Aaptiv users appreciate being able to download workouts for offline use (because who wants to use up that kind of data while on a long run or rely on the gym's spotty WiFi?), give lots of kudos to the trainers on the platform, and praise recent updates that let you toggle between Aaptiv soundtracks and user-selected playlists.

Solid choice for working out

Does Aaptiv have every single function you'll find in an online fitness app? No. You won't get meal plans or food tracking, and the video selection here takes a backseat to audio tracks. However, it's one of the only platforms that makes it so easy to take a workout with you, ideal for anyone who really prefers audio sessions and leans on videos for variety or some initial instruction. And, Aaptiv is constantly innovating, so we expect to see their video content continue to expand going forward. Aaptiv should be on your list of online fitness platforms to try.

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.

The Best Online Fitness Programs Compare Online Fitness Programs Compare Online Fitness Program Reviews What are the best Online Fitness Programs Best Online Fitness Program Reviews

Online Fitness Program FAQ

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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!

Compare Online Fitness Programs

Select any 2 Online Fitness Programs to compare them head to head

best-online-fitness-programs
  • FitOn
  • Jillian Michaels
  • SHRED
  • Aaptiv
  • Fitness Blender
  • Daily Burn
  • Beachbody On Demand
  • Booya Fitness
  • Obe
  • Transform
  • All Out Studio
  • Centr
FitOn vs Jillian Michaels FitOn vs SHRED FitOn vs Aaptiv FitOn vs Fitness Blender FitOn vs Daily Burn FitOn vs Beachbody On Demand FitOn vs Booya Fitness FitOn vs Obe FitOn vs Transform FitOn vs All Out Studio FitOn vs Centr Jillian Michaels vs SHRED Jillian Michaels vs Aaptiv Jillian Michaels vs Fitness Blender Jillian Michaels vs Daily Burn Jillian Michaels vs Beachbody On Demand Jillian Michaels vs Booya Fitness Jillian Michaels vs Obe Jillian Michaels vs Transform Jillian Michaels vs All Out Studio Jillian Michaels vs Centr SHRED vs Aaptiv SHRED vs Fitness Blender SHRED vs Daily Burn SHRED vs Beachbody On Demand SHRED vs Booya Fitness SHRED vs Obe SHRED vs Transform SHRED vs All Out Studio SHRED vs Centr Aaptiv vs Fitness Blender Aaptiv vs Daily Burn Aaptiv vs Beachbody On Demand Aaptiv vs Booya Fitness Aaptiv vs Obe Aaptiv vs Transform Aaptiv vs All Out Studio Aaptiv vs Centr Fitness Blender vs Daily Burn Fitness Blender vs Beachbody On Demand Fitness Blender vs Booya Fitness Fitness Blender vs Obe Fitness Blender vs Transform Fitness Blender vs All Out Studio Fitness Blender vs Centr Daily Burn vs Beachbody On Demand Daily Burn vs Booya Fitness Daily Burn vs Obe Daily Burn vs Transform Daily Burn vs All Out Studio Daily Burn vs Centr Beachbody On Demand vs Booya Fitness Beachbody On Demand vs Obe Beachbody On Demand vs Transform Beachbody On Demand vs All Out Studio Beachbody On Demand vs Centr Booya Fitness vs Obe Booya Fitness vs Transform Booya Fitness vs All Out Studio Booya Fitness vs Centr Obe vs Transform Obe vs All Out Studio Obe vs Centr Transform vs All Out Studio Transform vs Centr All Out Studio vs Centr
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