A new consumer market for fitness and health apps and devices has exploded in recent years and doesn’t show signs of slowing down. As a result, industry predictions say that by 2018 half of the nearly 3.5 billion smartphone and tablet users globally will have downloaded health apps.
Like you, they’re turning to mobile apps to help them take more control of their health. Why? Because they’re affordable, convenient, and easy to use.
And, they can tell you at a glance the state of your fitness or vital signs like heart rate, sleep, and calories, for example. They can even help you monitor your breathing and stress levels.
A Few Interesting Facts
Here’s a few other interesting facts you probably didn’t know about mobile fitness and health apps:
• Even though the number of fitness and health apps on the market tops 250,000 in 2018, just a handful account for half of all downloads.
• More than 90% remain free to download (many with optional pay-to-use premium features).
• Fitness apps lead the way in this mobile revolution and women are one of the leading adopters of fitness apps globally.
Popular Fitness Apps
Given the multitude of health apps out there, which ones are best for you? Okay, let’s start with this list of some of the most popular:
1. Sworkit
(iOS/Android/Web, free)
There’s simply no excuse to stay on the couch with Sworkit (a portmanteau for Simply Work It). Because the creators’ mission is to make getting fit easier for the average person, you can choose from workouts that last 5-60 minutes. And bonus, no equipment is needed so there's no big expense either.
Video demos for strength, stretching, cardio, pilates, and yoga feature real trainers while the pro version includes trainer support. Sworkit can also boast that it closely meets American College of Sports Medicine training guidelines.
3. Runkeeper
(iOS/Android, free and pro)
With a community of 50 million runners behind it(!), Runkeeper is one of the most popular fitness apps in the world. The app is geared to running, hiking, and fitness walking and syncs with FitBit devices. Like similar apps, it depends on your phone’s GPS to track your activity.
Runkeeper delivers 5K, 10K, and marathon training plans from expert coaches. It also calculates pace, speed, distance, and time and gives audio cues for each. In addition, it keeps you moving with Spotify's music streaming service.
4. Strava
(iOS/Android/Web, free and pro)
Premier running and cycling app Strava is packed with performance data. It conveniently syncs with your smartphone, GPS watch, heart monitor or power meter. You can also share your activity stats with an international community of friends and followers.
If you love to compete, Strava’s pro version maps your route and ranks you on a leaderboard against other Strava users. Other premium features include live feedback and personalized coaching (including streamed training videos) and even more analytics essential for anyone using third-party fitness trackers.
Honourable mention:
RideWithGPS
5. AllTrails
(iOS/Android, free and pro)
Access more than 50,000 trails across North America with AllTrails. It has a well-organized menu and easy navigation with useful features for hiking, mountain biking, and trail running.
You'll find great trails with informative user reviews. You can even filter your trail searches by child-friendly, wheelchair-friendly, and dog-friendly trails.
Furthermore, you can measure time, distance, elevation, and chart your progress with your GPS. Snap photos along the way and share them. The app’s pro version even offers National Geographic maps, map editing, and printing.
6. FitRadio
(iOS/Android, free and pro)
Music-streaming workout apps match your movement to the music’s beats per minute (BPM) and boost your performance and pleasure from the workout. FitRadio is one of the most popular music-streaming apps around when it comes to rocking your routine.
Get the free app for music mixes from professional DJs across a range of workouts from Zumba, cardio, yoga, crossfit, spin, and more.
For those who want uninterrupted streaming, the pro version delivers commercial-free listening. In fact, you can choose from thousands of music playlists sourced from more than 40 different music genres.
7. Instant Heart Rate
(iOS/Android, free and pro)
The most-downloaded heart rate monitoring app (more than 25 million users) measures your heart rate within 10 seconds.
How? Simply by placing your fingertip over your smartphone camera lens. The flash of the camera then captures the subtle colour change in your skin when your heart beats.
The app allows up to five free measurements and you can tag each measurement with details of your activity at the time. Importantly, the pro upgrade lets you save more measurements, hides ads, and generates useful graphs so you can tap the app's full potential. Also, it's a lot more convenient to use than being hooked up to a monitor while you run or cycle.
Health Apps that Rock
8. Shopwell
(iOS/Android, free)
Changing your diet? Make healthier food choices with Shopwell. This is an app created by registered dieticians so you know you're getting the real deal.
Shopwell lets you scan grocery products for health ratings on over 350,000 items. While the database may not be exhaustive it does list more than 4,000 different kinds of yogurt, for example.
At the same time, you get expert nutrition advice that's especially useful if you have allergies or want to avoid certain additives. You can also conveniently connect your grocery store loyalty card to receive personalized food recommendations.
9. Headspace
(iOS/Android, free and pro)
This guided meditation and mindfulness training app is the brainchild of a former Buddhist monk and has created quite a buzz.
As of 2018, the company reported 31 million people have downloaded Headspace. Active users include Arianna Huffington and Richard Branson (and it's available as an inflight channel on Branson’s Virgin Air).
For beginners, Headspace offers free daily guided meditations that gently introduce the basics. You also have the option to continue with monthly or annual subscriptions to unlock a variety of mindfulness meditation exercises.
Honourable mention:
Calm
10. Sleep Genius
(iOS/Android, free and pro)
Sleep Genius is based on research to help astronauts get to sleep and is fully endorsed by NASA. This app may be ideal for you if you’re looking for more than just sleep monitoring or white noise.
Most importantly, it's designed to help you fall asleep quicker, sleep more deeply, and train your brain to learn a new wake-up rhythm. Loaded with sleep tips for users, you also receive a weekly personalized sleep report by email.
Honourable mention:
Pzizz
A Healthy Lifestyle
All things considered, fitness and health apps aren't a silver bullet for living a healthy lifestyle. But they do make it easier for anyone who especially wants a portable and flexible way to monitor and improve their health.
You Might Also Like These
• The Drivers Behind Digital Health Apps
• 10 Ways Music Can Make or Break Your Workout
• My Big List of Health and Wellness Resources
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