Aaptiv Review

Sunday, March 26th

2023 Online Fitness Program Reviews

Aaptiv

• 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).

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.