Best Online Workout Programs Of 2024 (2024)

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To choose the best online workout programs, the Forbes Health editorial team assessed over 20 available programs, ranking and determining star ratings based on:

• Monthly membership cost
• Free trial availability
• Whether the website has a companion app
• Device compatibility (iOS/Android)
• Types and levels of classes available
• Size of on-demand video library
• Availability of live workouts
• Availability of health data integration

Whether you’re using an app, streaming a class via a website or working with a coach online, there are two main formats for at-home workouts—either one-on-one or in a group, says Jordan Syatt, a personal trainer, certified nutrition coach and founder of Syatt Fitness in New York. Classes might be live or pre-recorded, but you can access them whenever it’s convenient. All you need is a Wi-Fi connection to get started.

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Online workout programs offer users privacy, convenience and variety. However, the biggest perk of online workout programs is often their affordable prices, says Syatt. Ranging from free to about $25 per month, online workout programs are often more budget friendly than gym memberships or in-person group fitness studio memberships.

Research shows that three to six days per week of 30 to 50-minute duration at-home workouts rival public workouts for weight loss and aerobic conditioning. Furthermore, a recent study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found individuals who participated in four weeks of live-stream workouts experienced improved well-being, reduced anxiety and enhanced sleep quality. However, the study also had a high dropout rate, with 50% discontinuing their participation after four weeks of the eight week trial^[2]Wilke J, Mohr L, Yuki G, et al. Train at home, but not alone: a randomised controlled multicentre trial assessing the effects of live-streamed tele-exercise during COVID-19-related lockdowns. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2022;56:667-675. .

Online workout programs do come with certain risks. Injuries resulting from at-home exercise increased by nearly 48% from 2019 to 2020, according to a survey conducted by Medicare Marketplace using U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission data^[3]Medicare Advantage. Feeling the Burn: At-Home Exercise Injuries Surge During Pandemic. Accessed 1/07/2023. . Syatt recommends beginners hire an in-person trainer for 30 days to learn proper form and technique before attempting an online program on their own. With this foundation, an individual can be knowledgeable enough to avoid incorrect form that may lead to injury, he says.

For example, jumping exercises, such as burpees (a combination of a squat, push-up and vertical jump into the air) and box jumps (a jump from the floor to an elevated surface), are not beginner-friendly exercises and should be avoided unless you’re an advanced athlete, says Syatt. What’s more, these types of exercises aren’t meant to be done at high-rep ranges for a cardio workout. “I’ve seen CrossFit coaches give clients 100 jumps in a workout. That’s when people tear their Achilles off the bone,” he says, adding that exercises on unstable surfaces (like a Bosu ball) can also be unsafe without proper foundational fitness knowledge.

Anyone can call themselves a fitness coach these days, so it’s important to confirm the credentials of the program or instructor you choose, says Bret Contreras, Ph.D., a personal trainer, researcher and author of Glute Lab based in Las Vegas. Before signing up for an online program, verify the instructor’s credentials, certifications, education and experience, he advises.