Almost everyone at some point has used a fitness tracking app or similar to track their health, calories, BMI, workouts and more. We’ve all had those motivated moments to change our life around at 2am at night. If you’ve decided to keep track of your fitness, we have a list of great fitness tracking apps for you. Our writing team have explored the top fitness tracking apps available in Australia in 2024, tailored to your device preferences and whether or not you use a fitness watch.
Exploring Health Apps for Fitness Watches
Combining health apps with fitness watches guarantees more precise data tracking and provides enhanced functions, hence improving the user experience. Choosing a device-supported app usually makes the best sense for these reasons:
- Accuracy and Features: Apps built for particular watches or bands can provide more exact tracking and greater capabilities.
- Data Synchronisation: Syncing data across platforms like Google Fit or Apple Health can give a complete picture of your health by merging data from several trackers to give more accurate general health assessments.
Top Fitness Tracker Apps Without Wearable Devices
Not everyone likes to wear around a fitness tracker watch. In fact, there’s a definite movement of people reverting back to analogue watches with beautiful mechanical interfaces, or the simplistic retro digital LDC of the eighties. Without additional hardware, here is a selection of the best apps you could use straight on your phone:
Image source: https://www.nike.com/au/ntc-app
Price: Free
Available on: Android, iOS & Apple Watch
For fitness buffs searching for a complete and easily available workout tool, Nike Training Club is clearly one of the best options. Its large collection of more than 500 free, top-notch exercises spanning all fitness levels is well regarded as a quality resource. The programme is praised for its elegant and easy-to-use layout, which facilitates navigation among several exercise categories. The workouts will be both demanding and gratifying regardless of your level of experience.
The Nike Training Club app gets great marks for making premium content publicly available, providing a wide selection of activities that might replace a gym subscription despite some small negatives. Users who want a regimented exercise schedule free of further equipment and at no cost especially benefit from it.
Pros:
- Wide range of free workouts
- High-quality instructional videos
- Customisable fitness programs
Cons:
- Limited tracking capabilities
- No hardware integration
- Single program limitation at a time
Price: Free
Available on: Android & iOS, Connects to all major fitness devices
Renowned for its massive food database, which facilitates exact dietary monitoring and planning, MyFitnessPal is a complete nutrition and fitness tracking tool. Highly adaptable to accommodate different dietary requirements and fitness objectives, the app also effortlessly connects with many other health applications and devices to measure activity, plan workouts and give you nutrition insights on your workout data.
Although the basic edition is free and has basic tracking tools, the premium subscription provides advanced tools including detailed nutritional breakdowns, ad-free experience, and personalised insights, so especially valuable for consumers dedicated to thorough health monitoring and improvement. Some people find the user interface cumbersome.
Image source: https://www.myfitnesspal.com/
- Comprehensive diet tracking
- Large food database
- Barcode scanner for easy food logging
- Premium version required for full features
- Advertisements in the free version
- Can be time-consuming to log everything accurately
Price: 28 Day trial, then $5/month and $2.5o/month for students
Available on: Android & iOS, Syncs to all major apps and devices
Runners and cyclists especially enjoy Strava, a multifarious fitness tool with strong monitoring capabilities and social aspects, which makes it appealing for individuals who value a community-oriented style of exercise. Though some of the more sophisticated functions are locked behind a subscription, its user-friendly interface covers over 30 sports, offers thorough analytics, live tracking, and route planning.
Using tools like segments and leaderboards, the app shines in inspiring drive and competitiveness. Its’ safety tool, Beacon, improves user security throughout activities. Both casual and professional athletes will find Strava attractive since it can turn a smartphone into a complete fitness tracker.
- Excellent for route tracking
- Strong community features
- Segment challenges enhance competitiveness
- Basic features are free; more advanced features require a subscription
- Privacy concerns with shared routes
- Can be heavy on battery usage
Image Source: https://www.strava.com/
Price: Free version available, Premium: $2.50/month (annually), $5.99/month (monthly)
Available on: Android & iOS
Designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of fitness enthusiasts, MapMyRun by Under Armour is a complete run-tracking tool allowing users to log over 600 distinct activities. Although both free and premium MVP versions are available, the latter provides enhanced capabilities including live monitoring, tailored training regimens, and comprehensive analytics—especially helpful when used with Under Armour’s HOVR shoes for in-depth running form insights.
For users dependent on accurate tracking data, the app has drawn criticism for uneven GPS accuracy and synchronisation problems with devices like the Apple Watch, therefore impairing the user experience. Apart from that, MapMyRun is still a preferred tool for runners and cyclists both because of its route planning features and ability to interface with many devices.
Pros:
- Comprehensive tracking for distance-based sports
- Integrates with many third-party apps
- Audio feedback during workouts
- Set challenges to stay motivated
Cons:
- GPS can drain phone battery quickly
- Some features locked behind a premium subscription
- Accuracy can vary depending on phone model
Price: 7 day trial, $6.67/month (annually), $12.60/month (monthly)
Available on: Android & iOS
Particularly for individuals searching for a strong, AI-driven personal trainer experience, Fitbod is praised as a flexible fitness software. It is appropriate for both home exercise afficionados and gym-goers since it can produce very customised workout routines depending on the user’s prior activity, fitness goals, and accessible equipment.
The app adjusts exercises to satisfy particular fitness requirements. Fitbod’s attractiveness to people dedicated to long-term fitness success is further enhanced by its features including automated programme adaptations and tracking of muscle recovery to avoid plateaus.
Fitbod has drawn some criticism, meanwhile, for its simplicity of AI and restricted exercise variants, which would not satisfy more expert athletes or those needing more complex training schedules. However, its all-around capabilities and simplicity of use make it a popular choice for users seeking organised support free of personal trainer expenses.
Image source: https://fitbod.me/
- Tailored workout plans
- Adapts based on past workouts
- Integrates with Apple Health
- Requires a subscription for full access
- Limited cardio workout options
- Interface can be complex for new users
Price: Free trial available, premium deals from $10-$30/ month
Available on: Android & iOS
Along with tailored fitness plans like the 28-day SmartCoach programme, the Daily Yoga app provides a great range of tools that appeal to both beginners and experienced yogis including varied yoga sessions, guided meditations, and also Pilates. Although its thorough material and community tools that inspire user participation are much valued, some users have complained about technical problems and poor customer service.
Daily Yoga is still a preferred tool for people trying to improve their practice since it provides a 7-day free trial and interoperability across several platforms, therefore making it accessible and practical for a worldwide audience.
Pros:
- One of the best personalised app experiences
- Suitable for all levels
- Community and coach support
Cons:
- High-quality videos require a premium subscription
- Some user interface elements can be confusing
- Limited offline functionality
Price: Free trial available, Premium ranges from $3-$5/month | $250-$299 lifetime access
Available on: Android & iOS
Perfect for individuals looking for rigorous, quick training sessions, Freeletics is a dynamic exercise tool known for its customised HIIT-based workouts. The software customises programmes to meet personal fitness levels and equipment availability, therefore improving the efficacy and involvement of workouts. Leaderboards and challenges among other community elements provide a competitive environment that inspires players to push their boundaries.
Although very helpful for moderate to experienced fitness buffs, beginners could find the intensity taxing. Subscription levels provide complete features, including nutritional advice and thorough training paths, therefore placing Freeletics as a flexible workout solution for home use.
- Bodyweight workouts with no equipment necessary
- AI coach adjusts to your feedback
- Motivational community support
- Intense for beginners
- Subscription needed for personalised features
- Limited nutritional guidance
Image source: https://www.freeletics.com/en/
Cons of Using Fitness Apps Without a Wearable Fitness Device
Using fitness applications without a wearable device does limit the accuracy and personalisation of data.
Many of these applications approximate data, based on broad inputs like age and gender, which results in less exact tracking of calorie burn and activity levels.
Unlike wearable gadgets that provide real-time changes and personalised feedback, standalone applications cannot instantaneously respond to your body’s changing needs during a workout, hence producing less customised advice and may be less effective tracking of fitness.
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