The best free fitness apps for women with iPhones

The task of finding good, and most importantly, free fitness apps is already difficult enough. But sometimes, we ladies want fitness apps and services that are tailor-made for our busy lifestyles and needs.

After some thorough research and deep diving into several fitness apps, we’ve found 12 great (and free) fitness apps that are great for women with iPhones and even Apple Watches!

We broke down and separated each app into categories based on the type of app, like food trackers, workout apps, and other specialty apps.

Keep reading to see our suggestions and recommendations!

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The best free walking apps

Walking is one of the best workouts you can do. It’s a great way to start any fitness journey. But sometimes, we could all use some motivation and help to get started.

Here are some of the best free walking apps currently available on the App Store.

AllTrails

If you are an outdoor walking or hiking enthusiast, you have to download the AllTrails app. AllTrails is a hiking, camping, and outdoor activity app.

The app shows you some of the best hiking areas and trails in your area. You can also search for trails and parks in different cities too. AllTrails shows the best nearby trails and some of the least popular spots nearby.

AllTrails even has a tab that shows off the trails with some of the best views nearby!

When you’re browsing for a trail, the app lets you know what the skill level is, from easy to hard. If you have a family and enjoy spending time outside, AllTrails offers suggestions of family-friendly trails you can choose from.

The app also includes a map and navigation system to help you stay on course. You need cell service to access this. But if you invest in the pro version of AllTrails, you can download the maps for offline access.

If you want to do some other outdoor activity, the AllTrails app can help with that too.

You can also browse through some of their other activities like mountain biking, trail running, backpacking, skiing, off-road driving, camping, bird watching, horseback riding, and more!

There is also an Apple Watch app available for AllTrails. In the Apple Watch app, you can record your hike or outdoor activity. You can also connect your Apple Health information too.

AllTrails makes getting outside and exploring your area so much easier! You’ll learn about nearby trails you have never even heard of! This app is a must-have for all nature enthusiasts.

CharityMiles

CharityMiles is a unique and fun workout app. While it is primarily a pedometer app, users can also raise money for their favorite charities! What an interesting concept!

But how does that work exactly? Well, every time a CharityMiles user walks, runs, bike rides, etc. companies or friends/family members can sponsor them. A sponsorship can go for as little as 5 cents per mile.

When you sign up, you choose whichever charity you want to represent and earn money for. There are plenty of charities to choose from, and different organizations are highlighted and featured.

If you want to make it a group activity, you can make a team, or your workplace can also create a company team.

You can record your workouts directly in the CharityMiles app. But don’t worry, you can connect Apple Health to it, so all your steps get counted.

It’s a fun app to use for a good cause, plus it’s free!

The best free running apps

There are plenty of great free running apps available for every fitness level. So if running is your preferred workout method, here are our suggestions.

C25K

If you want to train to run a 5K, then you need to download C25K right now. C25K is a free running app that helps users train for 5Ks.

While this may sound intimidating for beginners, it is not. The purpose of the app is to help its users get started. Fun fact: C25K is short for Couch to 5K. Clever, right?

To get started with your training, C25K gives you one task each day to complete. You can set how many days a week you want to train.

C25K connects to your Apple Health app and records your workouts there. You can also connect your Apple Music to the app or listen to one of their available podcasts.

While there is an Apple Watch app for C25K, it is not available to free users. You must upgrade to their Zen Unlimited Pass to use their Apple Watch app.

Strava

If you like to run and don’t need any guidance but want an app that accurately records your workout, you should give Strava a try.

Strava is a fitness recording app that records and maps your jogs, bike rides, and even your swim sessions. The app is compatible with various smartwatches, and it even has an Apple Watch app.

You can quickly and easily start and record your workout in the Apple Watch app. There are a variety of activities to choose from, like running, walking, hiking, and more.

Since Strava records your workouts, you can keep track of your progress and workout trends.

Strava also has a tremendous social media aspect to the app. The app contains an online community filled with a passion for exercise.

You can join one of the app’s clubs and participate in group challenges. Or, you can add your friends and see what their workouts look like.

You can also look up popular routes in their Map section and save them. However, most of Strava’s map features are only available to their subscribers. Subscribers also have more ways to track their progress.

The best free workout regimen apps

Starting any kind of workout routine and regimen can be an overwhelming task. And if you’re a beginner, you may have no idea where to start.

No matter your skill level or experience, these free fitness apps are great for everyone.

Fit On

If you want a fitness app with a lot of content to choose from that’s not blocked behind a paywall, check out Fit On. Fit On is an exercise app with a variety of workout classes to choose from.

No matter what you like to do in your workout routine, Fit On has something that captures your attention. You can choose from various workouts like cardio, yoga, strength, HIIT, pilates, kickboxing, dance, barre, and more.

Fit On offers classes for every skill level too. They even have classes for pre and post-natal. Plus, if you have children, they offer exercise courses made for the entire family!

Along with their workout content, you also find a variety of articles relating to health and wellness. They also have guided meditations available.

Fit On has a variety of instructors in their app. For example, you may recognize some of their faces, like popular fitness Youtuber, Cassey Ho, aka Blogilates.

And if you are the competitive type, Fit On has many challenges you can join, daily streaks, and goal setting. So much is already available to use in the free version, but Fit On does offer the Fit On Pro upgrade.

In Fit On Pro, you can get meal plans, casting for your TV, premium music stations, unlimited offline downloads, and smartwatch connectivity, including the Apple Watch.

FitBod Workout & Fitness Plans

FitBod Workout & Fitness Plans is an exercise app that helps users cultivate a personal workout regimen. It is an excellent app for all skill levels, from beginners to experts.

The app is super customizable and flexible. You tell it your skill level, goals, and equipment you have to work with, and it creates a fitness plan tailor-made for you.

The app has three tabs: workout, recovery, and log. The workout tab gives you your workout for the day. The recovery tab shows you what muscles your activity targeted. And the log tab has a calendar with your progress.

In addition to its content, FitBod has some other great features! The app can integrate into your calendar, which can be helpful for those of us who struggle to commit to a consistent schedule.

When you do a workout with FitBod, it is super easy to keep track of each exercise and its reps. They also have videos and descriptions of how to do the training.

Plus, if you do not like one of the workouts suggested, you can always swap it out for something different.

FitBod also has a great Apple Watch app counterpart. You can use the iPhone app and the Apple Watch app simultaneously, and both update in real time.

The only con with FitBod is that free users cannot log unlimited workouts. It appears that free users can only log about three activities. If you want unlimited access to the app, you must upgrade to FitBod Elite.

But if you don’t want to pay for the service, take note of the exercises you did and how many reps and make your routine!

The best free yoga apps

If you’re more of a yogi or want to start a yoga practice, there are plenty of free yoga apps to try. Here are some of our favorites.

Daily Yoga

Daily Yoga is a yoga app that has a variety of yoga courses available for every skill level. You can take a test to determine your exact skill level and your body type.

The app is well organized. You can choose sessions based on your preferred duration, skill level, and more. Daily Yoga also has guided meditations and music you can listen to.

Daily Yoga has a decent amount of free content available to watch. And the app clearly labels what is included in the free version. The app also has a library of different yoga poses you can learn.

When you’re ready to start a course, you can stream it straight from the app, download it for offline use, or cast it to your Apple TV.

You can connect your Apple Health information to the Daily Yoga app, and there is also an Apple Watch app available.

While Daily Yoga does a good job of labeling what is available to free users, their subscribers have access to more content and personalized features.

Yoga for Beginners

Don’t let the name fool you; yoga for Beginners is a yoga app for every skill level. It offers a variety of yoga classes for different lifestyles and personal needs.

You can also learn some essential yoga tips and techniques like breathing exercises.

Each session is more like an audio lesson with an animated drawing of the pose and a countdown of how long you need to stay in each position.

If you want to create a custom yoga practice, you can add all your favorite poses in the custom tab in the app.

You can monitor your daily progress in the app and get daily streaks. You can also record and track your weight and BMI in the app.

Everything in the app is free to access, but an ad plays before starting your session. The Yoga for Beginners app is very user-friendly and easy to use.

The best free fitness and food tracker apps

A lot of times, the most popular fitness apps on the App Store are dieting and food-tracking apps. Lots of them are not free to use, like Weight Watchers or Noom.

But there are some free ones like Healthi (formerly known as iTrackBites), which we have mentioned before. But there are several other free apps to consider.

MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is a free fitness and health-tracking app. It offers calorie counting and activity tracking services perfect for anyone who wants to live a healthier lifestyle.

This app has been around on the App Store for a long time, and it remains popular.

Most users use MyFitnessPal to lose weight, get fit, and even manage stress. It’s a great app to use, no matter what your fitness goal may be.

The app’s homepage has a lot of blog posts and even videos to watch to help its users with their fitness journey. However, there is also some promoted and sponsored content included too.

The diary section of the app is where users can track their daily calorie intake, water consumption, and exercise routines. It also has a tab where you can monitor your weight loss progress.

Under the More tab, you find many other additional features like their recipe database and plans. While most of MyFitnessPal’s plans are only available to premium members, two are available for free users.

One thing MyFitnessPal does great is how you can integrate additional fitness apps and devices with it. Under the More tab, you can connect any additional exercise app like Strava, C25K, and more.

You can also connect your Apple Watch or another fitness tracker to your MyFitnessPal. It also has an Apple Watch app you can use!

The Apple Watch app is handy. You can see your daily nutrient progress, add water, quickly add meals, and check your step count.

MyFitnessPal offers so many features to their free users, but some things are blocked behind the premium paywall.

Without a premium membership, you cannot access their workout routines, AI food logging, meal plans.

While some of their premium services are interesting, they’re not necessarily needed, especially since so many other apps offer identical services for free.

Lose It!

Lose It! is another calorie-tracking and weight-loss-focused app. Like MyFitnessPal, it has been around on the App Store for a very long time.

It is a good app for setting health and fitness goals and logging your daily meals and workouts.

The app’s homepage has your daily stats and information. You can see summaries of your calorie intake, macronutrients, and Apple Watch activity.

It also shows you the daily tasks you should complete, like tracking your meals, weighing in, and more.

There is also a separate tab to log your meals and exercise. In this section, you can see their recommendations for how many calories you should allot for each meal, which is an excellent and helpful feature.

There are also tabs to check your weight loss goals and access the Lose It! online community. Lose It! also has an Apple Watch app to monitor your progress and add to your daily logs.

The Lose It! app has a decent amount of basic features available for free users. Some basic health features like water intake, sleep tracking, and additional goal tracking are only available for premium users.

Since there are so many great apps out there that offer those “premium” services for free, there’s no real need to invest in the premium version of Lose It!

Final thoughts

Nowadays, you don’t need an expensive gym membership or subscription service to get a good workout. There are so many free fitness apps available on the App Store.

Typically, I like to use YouTube when I work out, but I enjoy a great fitness app too!

C25K, AllTrails, Yoga for Beginners, and CharityMiles were some of my personal favorites. I also enjoyed using Fitbod, even though I was very sore the next day.

What are some of your favorite fitness apps? Let us know!