Forget Apple Fitness+ or Peloton, this one workout app has everything you need
Getting and staying fit in today’s world should be easy. There are more gyms and free YouTube workouts than ever, not to mention the best fitness trackers to help us measure our progress. But all these choices can be crippling, which is why I’ve come to rely on one app, FiiT, when it comes to getting sweaty and stretching out.
Getting to the gym can be a chore, especially if you’re trying to squeeze in a session extra early before work, or at the end of an already tiring day. Of course, workout apps like FiiT really took off during the pandemic when gymming wasn’t an option, but they're still proving popular in our hectic, modern lives.
I think FiiT is the most immersive and addictive workout app out there, more so than Apple Fitness+, Peloton, or Nike Training Club. There are hundreds of diverse classes, from guided breathing and stretches for runners to intense “beast” cardio sessions. Classes are fun, followable, and repeatable, and you can watch them on your smartphone – ideal when traveling – or connected to your smart TV, Sky Q, or computer for a more immersive experience.
Homescreen heroes
This is part of a regular series of articles exploring the apps that we couldn't live without. Read them all here.
First launched in 2017, the FiiT app has evolved to reflect the trend for hybrid workouts, adding sections like Row and Bike to help users make the most of in-gym equipment. Training plans give you structure, while the trainers and workouts themselves keep you coming back for more.
Whether you’re a total beginner or a cardio class aficionado, FiiT can offer the guidance and motivation to reach your goals. Find out why it’s one of the best yoga apps, has 4.9 out of 5 stars from more than 45,000+ app store ratings, and why it’s been a genuine life-changer for me.
What’s on offer
I first downloaded the FiiT app to my iPhone at the start of 2020, after hearing about a free trial in several of my favorite podcasts (and yes, I am susceptible to influencer marketing). Since then, it’s had plenty of updates, and there are currently three FiiT plans.
The free-forever option gets you unlimited access to around 40 daily group classes, which friends, family, and colleagues can join too. The essential monthly subscription is $7.99/£7.99 (which is what I pay) and the unlimited option is $19.99/£19.99. These go down to $6.99/£6.99 and a reasonable $9.99/£9.99 if you pay for an annual subscription upfront and there's a full 14-day free trial so you can give the app a spin to see if it's something you'll enjoy. Having dipped in and out before, I can confirm that it’s easy to cancel if and when you need to.
The essential and unlimited plans are similar, with on-demand classes, training plans, and community challenges. They also let you connect a fitness tracker to record your heart rate, rep counting, and approximate calories burned. My Apple Watch 8 syncs perfectly with the FiiT app, and there's also support for Fitbit, MyZone, and Samsung Galaxy Watches.
By paying for the unlimited plan you also get access to AirBike, Bike, Row, and Tread classes, plus Strength classes involving kettlebells and dumbbells. This is extensive, but probably only worth it if you have access to a lot of gym equipment.
When you fire up the FiiT app, Classes, Plans, and Trainers are at the top, while the main interface is broken down into Train and Recover sections. Scroll down and you’ll see three “studios”, cardio, strength, and rebalance, and then Collections, which includes quiet workouts ideal for hotels or apartment living.
The collection for runners has personally been a huge benefit for me, encouraging me to put in the proper training and stretching to reduce my chance of injury.
Tapping on a workout brings up the level, target area, genre, and any equipment you might need. You can even toggle the music on or off – there’s FiiT’s DJ mixed music or the option to add your own Spotify connection – but personally, I love the majority of tunes in the workouts as they’ve been tailored to the moves.
Overall, the interface is clean and tidy, making it super easy to break down what you need, find a class, and get moving. Once you've found your way around, picking a class and firing it up takes no more than about 20 seconds.
Motivational trainers and stats
I’ve always been into “fitness”, and by that I mean addicted to the endorphin rush you get after a sweaty cardio session, rather than striving to look a particular way. And yet, home workouts usually make me feel like an idiot. I tried old-school DVDs like Insanity Workouts and Jillian Michaels: 30 Day Shred back in the '00s, but I never stuck with them for long before getting distracted. The movements just became repetitive and the environment was a bit sterile.
By comparison, FiiT has created a physical studio space that’s vibrant and motivating. Put simply, it keeps me coming back. When you start a workout, the trainer will give a quick intro and share what to expect. In some cases, there are two energetic instructors, demonstrating modified moves for beginners and advanced users.
During the workout, LED studio lighting reacts to the music, and as you complete moves in cardio classes you see your "FiiT points" in the top corner of the screen going up as you progress. This gamifies the exercise and is a mechanism that really taps into the social media generation of likes and hearts. For me, that dopamine hit really works to push me through hard sessions, and I've never thought of giving up halfway through – which is easier to do at home compared to an in-person gym class.
FiiT has over 40 instructors, and I’ve loved getting to know my favorites over the years, picking their classes to suit my mood and needs at the time. I’m in the UK, and there are some familiar faces from the world of celebrity, but as the app expands further into the US, new personalities are sure to be added. Every expert manages to bring good vibes only, and I always leave the mat feeling more positive.
With FiiT, I love that you can take your workouts everywhere with you. Whether you’re staying away from work, on holiday, or (like I was during the pandemic) accidentally living with your parents, it’s possible to maintain a solid routine.
All popular fitness apps do this, of course, but the addition of gym workouts will make it a compelling option for those who still love to visit in person. And it's worth pointing out that FiiT has wider compatibility with fitness trackers than Apple Fitness+ while in my opinion also being more immersive than Peloton or Aaptiv.
Most of our fitness habits don’t last because we don’t like the gym, don’t know what exercises to do, or can’t find movement that we enjoy. On my busiest days, a FiiT class might be as little as ten minutes (workout durations are between ten minutes to the 90-minute "Boss level"). But when that ten minutes becomes a daily practice, it soon becomes a sustainable, lifetime habit. I guarantee that FiiT can be fun, and easy to schedule around your working life.
I need instructors to guide and motivate me through the toughest sessions. Or to guide me through the subtle but science-backed practice of breathwork. FiiT offers all that and more. And while I’ll probably never have a “killer” body, for me, the enjoyment of movement is enough.
