Best Fitness Apps for Apple Watch (2025): Top Picks, Setup & Pro Tips

The Apple Watch has become a cornerstone of personal wellness, seamlessly integrating fitness tracking into daily life. For many, the journey begins by "closing the rings"—a daily ritual of meeting goals for movement, exercise, and standing. While these native Activity rings provide a powerful foundation for motivation, they represent just the starting point of what is possible. The true potential of the Apple Watch as a fitness tool is unlocked through specialized, third-party applications designed for every type of athlete, from the casual walker to the dedicated gym-goer.

The shift toward data-driven, personalized wellness is not a passing trend. The 2025 ACSM Worldwide Fitness Trends survey ranked wearable technology and mobile exercise apps as the top two global fitness trends, respectively. This indicates a collective desire for real-time feedback, individualized coaching, and a more holistic approach to health, which goes far beyond simply tracking steps and calories burned. The native Apple Watch apps, while robust, often have limitations for those with more specific goals. For instance, a strength training session may only be logged as "Other" in the native workout app, which is a functional but rudimentary solution for a highly structured activity. This gap is precisely where a new generation of fitness apps shines, offering a tailored experience that caters to specific needs and transforms generic data into actionable progress. This guide provides a detailed analysis of the top-performing apps for Apple Watch, helping individuals identify the perfect digital partner for their fitness aspirations in 2025 and beyond.

Best Fitness Apps for Apple Watch — Apple Watch on a dark desk showing activity and training metrics, with iPhone Health app, AirPods, and workout gear nearby.

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Why your Apple Watch is a complete fitness system

The Apple Watch is more than a step counter. With watchOS 11, the Vitals app surfaces overnight metrics (heart rate, respiratory rate, wrist temperature, blood oxygen*, sleep) and flags when multiple metrics move outside your usual range. The Training Load feature then summarizes how hard you’ve been training over 7 and 28 days—useful for staying consistent without overreaching. Apple Support+2Apple Support+2

Related reading on Freditech:

watchOS 11 Review: Vitals, Training Load & smarter rings
Best Apple Watch Accessories

The best fitness apps for Apple Watch (2025)

1. For the Dedicated Runner and Cyclist: Strava vs. Nike Run Club

For outdoor athletes, the choice often comes down to two apps: Strava and Nike Run Club (NRC). Each app serves a distinct audience, with one focusing on competitive data and the other on motivation and coaching.

Strava — best for competitive running, cycling & community

Why it stands out: Strava functions as a social network for athletes, offering a platform where users can give "Kudos," participate in monthly challenges, and compete on "Segments"—predefined routes with leaderboards. This strong community focus, coupled with advanced metrics and competitive features, appeals to individuals who are driven by personal records and competitive benchmarks. Read more:

Apple Watch specifics: The Strava app for Apple Watch is a powerful standalone tool that operates independently of the iPhone, using the watch's built-in GPS and sensors to track activities. Users can view real-time stats such as time, distance, pace, and heart rate directly on their wrist, with the activity automatically uploading to their account once the watch is back in range of their phone. To get heart rate data, you must grant Strava permission to read health data from the Apple Health app.

Who it’s for: This app is the preferred choice for competitive runners and cyclists who find motivation in data and a vibrant social community.

Pro tip: Connect Strava with Apple Health for a single training log you can analyze anywhere.

Nike Run Club (NRC) — best for beginners & motivational coaching

Why it stands out: Nike Run Club is a standout choice because it provides a wealth of high-quality, free coaching resources often found in paid apps. The app’s key features include personalized coaching plans and audio-guided runs from professional coaches and elite athletes, which provide in-the-moment motivation and tips. The app also offers live location sharing, a valuable safety feature for runners. Read more:

Apple Watch specifics: The NRC app provides all the necessary metrics and notifications directly on your wrist, allowing you to track your pace, distance, elevation, heart rate, and mile splits without your phone. The Apple Watch Nike and the app are designed to work together as "teammates" for a better run.

Who it’s for: NRC is an excellent choice for beginners and casual runners who are looking for high-quality, free coaching and a supportive, motivational environment.

2. WorkOutDoors — best for outdoor maps & navigation

Why it stands out: The app puts a wealth of data on your wrist for runs, hikes, and bike rides, with more customizability and features than the native Workout app. It offers detailed vector maps that can be downloaded for offline use, over 600 data fields that can be endlessly configured, and the ability to follow routes from a GPX file. It also allows for gesture controls, such as a double-tap, to mark a new lap, which helps make up for the Apple Watch's lack of physical buttons. workoutdoors.net

Apple Watch specifics: The app provides a powerful standalone experience, using the watch's built-in GPS to track activities without the need for an iPhone. Maps are available worldwide and can be downloaded to the watch for offline use, making it ideal for navigating in unfamiliar areas. Users can view a trail of "breadcrumbs" to see where they have been and a compass to point back to the starting point. Apple

Who it’s for: Trail runners, hikers, and gravel riders—anyone who needs on-wrist mapping and advanced, in-depth data typically found on a dedicated sports watch like a Garmin.

3. TrainingPeaks (inside Apple’s Workout app) — best for structured plans

Why it stands out: TrainingPeaks allows athletes and coaches to create and execute structured workouts for running, cycling, and swimming directly from the Apple Watch using the native Workout app. This integration provides real-time workout prompts, telling users when to push and when to rest, which helps to eliminate the need for a separate app. The workout data is automatically synced back to the TrainingPeaks platform for detailed analysis, providing a complete picture of an athlete's training history. TrainingPeaks, DC Rainmaker

Apple Watch specifics: The integration allows for structured workouts to be displayed right in the Apple Workout app. It can provide targets for heart rate and pace for outdoor runs, and power, heart rate, and cadence for indoor and outdoor rides. This integration complements the watch's native Training Load feature to show how sessions add up week-to-week.

Who it’s for: Dedicated athletes on a specific training plan, those working with a coach, or anyone preparing for a race.

Pro tip: Use Training Load in watchOS 11 to see how these sessions add up week-to-week. Apple Support

4. Gentler Streak — best for balanced training & recovery

Why it stands out: The app’s core mission is to promote balanced training by celebrating rest and recovery as much as activity. It provides a visual “Activity Path” that shows a user’s healthy intensity zone and gives readiness guidance to help them avoid overtraining. This unique approach earned it the title of Apple Watch App of the Year in 2022 and helps users feel less guilty about taking rest days. Gentler Streak: Workout , TrackerApple

Apple Watch specifics: The app presents the “Activity Path” and readiness indicators directly on the watch, giving users real-time guidance on whether to push or prioritize rest.

Who it’s for: Anyone who finds the native Apple Watch's "closing the rings" philosophy too aggressive and is prone to burnout or overtraining .

5. Zones for Training — best for heart-rate zone coaching

Why it stands out: Zones for Training is an app specifically designed to help users monitor and train within their heart rate zones. It provides a clean, easy-to-read dashboard of color-coded zones during a workout, making it easy to see exercise intensity at a glance. It supports over 70 different workout types, making it a versatile tool for various activities from running to strength training. Apple

Apple Watch specifics: The app uses the Apple Watch's heart rate sensor to provide real-time zone data directly on the wrist. Users can see metrics like duration, active calories, heart rate, and distance.

Who it’s for: Runners, cyclists, and other athletes who prefer to train based on heart rate zones rather than pace or power.

6. For the Strength Trainer & Gym-Goer: Hevy, SmartGym, and Strong

For those whose primary goal is building muscle and tracking progress in the gym, generic fitness apps can fall short. The inability to easily log exercises, sets, and reps within the native Apple app’s interface creates a clear demand for more specialized tools. Hevy, SmartGym, and Strong have emerged as leading solutions, each offering a distinct approach to weightlifting.

Hevy — best for strength training & gym logs

Why it stands out: Hevy is a popular workout tracker praised for its simplicity and community-driven approach. It helps users track lifts and implement progressive overload by logging sets, reps, and weights. Its social feed allows users to see what their friends are lifting, creating a motivating and supportive environment.

Apple Watch specifics: The Apple Watch app provides a seamless, phone-free experience for strength training, allowing users to view routines, track progress, and use a rest timer directly from their wrist.

Who it’s for: Individuals who want a straightforward, intuitive tool for logging gym workouts and enjoy a social element to their training.

SmartGym — best for AI-powered personalized training

Why it stands out: SmartGym’s unique selling point is its use of artificial intelligence to create customized workouts based on a user’s goals, skill level, and available equipment. The AI can even suggest changes as a user progresses, effectively acting as a personal trainer in their pocket. The app offers a library of over 690 pre-installed exercises with animations. Read more:

Apple Watch specifics: It is a standalone application, allowing the user to leave their iPhone behind while still tracking their workout details, heart rate, and calories burned . It also allows personal trainers to manage their students from the watch.

Who it’s for: Individuals who need more structure and personalization in their training and want an AI-driven tool to help them create and progress through routines.

Strong — best for simple and intuitive logging

Why it stands out: Strong is a highly-praised workout tracker renowned for its simple and intuitive interface, which allows users to log workouts as effortlessly and quickly as possible. Users and critics agree it's the "best workout tracker app for serious weightlifters" because it strips away unnecessary gimmicks and distractions to focus on core utility. The app includes advanced statistics and charts to visualize progress over time, as well as features like an auto countdown timer and a plate calculator. AppleStrong

Apple Watch specifics: The app has a fully-featured Apple Watch companion app that allows users to log entire workouts from their wrist without needing their iPhone. It's focused on set-timers and quick edits on the wrist. Strong Help Center

Who it’s for: Lifters who want a clean and simple way to log their workouts, track personal records, and follow a progressive overload routine.

7. AutoSleep — best for sleep tracking & trends

Why it stands out: AutoSleep is a powerful and privacy-focused app that automatically tracks sleep without the need for manual input . A one-time purchase, it stands out for its in-depth metrics and a unique "Sleep Rings" system that visualizes sleep duration and quality . It provides a "Readiness" score based on heart rate variability (HRV) and waking pulse, which helps users understand their physical and mental state and decide whether to train hard or prioritize recovery. Apple

Apple Watch specifics: The app uses the Apple Watch's sensors to automatically track sleep, including heart rate, HRV, blood oxygen, and respiration rate, when worn to bed . It offers complications for the watch face and a smart alarm designed to wake the user in a lighter sleep cycle .

Who it’s for: Anyone looking for detailed, automatic sleep analysis and long-term trend data to optimize recovery and overall well-being . Apple Support

8. WaterMinder — best for hydration reminders

Why it stands out: On-watch logging, scheduled reminders, and widgets/complications for “sip nudges.” waterminder.com )

Who it’s for: Office athletes and endurance folks who forget to drink.

9. For the All-in-One Fitness Enthusiast: Apple Fitness+

Apple Fitness+ — best for guided workouts with on-screen metrics

Why it stands out: The service's primary strength is its tight integration with the Apple Watch and the wider Apple ecosystem. During a workout, key metrics like real-time heart rate, calories burned, and Activity ring progress are displayed directly on the screen of a connected iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, providing immediate, visual feedback. The service also offers a gamified "Burn Bar," which compares your performance to other users of a similar weight who have completed the same workout, helping to encourage a higher level of effort. Its content library is extensive, with over a dozen workout types, including HIIT, Strength, Yoga, and Dance, and classes ranging from 5 to 45 minutes. The trainers are highly praised for their diversity and for offering modifications, making classes accessible to various fitness levels.

Requirements & trials: New subscribers can receive a free trial, and those who purchase an eligible new Apple device can get three months of the service for free. The subscription costs $9.99 per month or $79.99 annually and can be shared with up to five family members.

Who it’s for: It is an ideal choice for people who are deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem and want a wide variety of professionally-guided classes without a complex setup. Its approachable nature and diverse content make it a great option for both beginners and those who enjoy a diverse workout routine, but its 45-minute maximum class length may not be sufficient for serious athletes.

App Name	Best For	Pricing	Key Pros	Key Cons
Apple Fitness+	Guided Workouts & Variety	$9.99/month	Seamless Apple integration, diverse content, motivational trainers	No live classes, maximum 45-minute workouts
Strava	Competitive Running & Cycling	Free, with subscription at $11.99/month	Large community, competitive leaderboards, excellent data analysis	Some advanced features require a paid subscription
Nike Run Club	Beginner Runners & Motivation	Free	Free coaching plans, audio-guided runs, live location sharing	Lacks advanced data analysis compared to competitors
Hevy	Strength Training & Gym Logs	Free, with subscription	Intuitive tracking, social community, easy progressive overload	Advanced timers and exercise logging could be improved
SmartGym	AI-Powered Personalized Training	Free, with subscription	AI-driven custom workouts, tracks progress with charts, standalone Watch app	Initial bugs were reported, but recent updates have fixed them

*Pricing information is based on public data and may be subject to change. Many apps offer a free tier or a free trial period.

Expert Tips to Maximize Your Apple Watch Workouts

Beyond selecting the right app, a few expert-level tips can help users get the most out of their Apple Watch. These insights address common user pain points and ensure the fitness data is as accurate and useful as possible.

Manually Adding a Forgotten Workout

It is a common scenario to forget to start a workout on the Apple Watch. Fortunately, the Health app on the iPhone allows for manual data entry to ensure all activity is counted. To do this, an individual can open the Health app, navigate to the Browse tab, and select Activity. From there, by tapping Workouts and then Add Data in the top-right corner, they can enter workout details such as start and end times, and total calories burned. This manual entry will update the Activity rings on the watch, providing a more accurate record of the day's efforts.

Mastering Strength Training Logs

As previously noted, the native Workout app's method for logging strength training is limited. An individual can start a workout, choose "Other," and then, at the end, name it "Strength Training". However, this method does not track specific exercises, sets, or reps. Apps like Hevy and SmartGym were built to address this deficiency, offering a streamlined process that allows for detailed logging of every movement, which is essential for tracking progressive overload and long-term strength gains.

The Importance of Syncing

A frequent question from users is why third-party app data doesn't sync correctly to the native Apple Health and Fitness apps. The key is to ensure that the app has the necessary permissions. The user should check the Health app on their iPhone and go to the Data Access & Devices section to verify that the third-party app (e.g., Strava) is allowed to read and write data. Properly configured permissions are critical for ensuring a complete and accurate log of all workouts and health metrics.

How to choose the best fitness app (step-by-step)

Define one clear goal: 5K PB, build strength, hike routes, sleep better, or hydrate more.
Check Apple Health integration: Your app should read/write to Health for a unified history. (Strava and NRC do; Fitness+ shows live metrics.) Strava Support, Apple Support
Match features to your goal: e.g., maps & navigation for hikers (WorkOutDoors), structured intervals for runners (TrainingPeaks in the Workout app), readiness for recovery days (Gentler Streak / Athlytic). TrainingPeaks, DC RainmakerApple
Confirm watch-first design: You should be able to start/stop workouts on the watch and see the metrics you care about. (Customize metrics in Fitness+ and Watch Workout.) Apple Support
Sanity-check against guidelines: Target ~150 minutes/week of moderate activity (or 75 minutes vigorous)—apps that track weekly minutes and load help you hit this safely. CDC

Conclusion: The Right App is the One You Use

The Apple Watch is a formidable tool for health and fitness, but its power is truly realized when paired with a fitness app that caters to specific needs. The "best" app is not a universal choice but a personal one—it is the app that motivates an individual to be consistent, offers the right tools for their goals, and ultimately becomes a seamless part of their routine. Whether that is the all-in-one convenience of Apple Fitness+, the community-driven competition of Strava, the free coaching of Nike Run Club, or a specialized strength tracker like Hevy or SmartGym, the first step is to simply choose and begin. The journey to a healthier, more active life is a personal one, and the right app is the perfect companion to guide the way.

FAQs

What fitness app works best with Apple Watch?

There isn’t a single “best” for everyone—pick based on your goal:

Strava for running/cycling & community; it syncs both ways with Apple Health.
WorkOutDoors for on-watch vector maps, routes, and highly configurable data screens—ideal for trail runs/hikes.
TrainingPeaks → Apple’s Workout app for coached, structured intervals with on-wrist prompts.
Apple Fitness+ for guided studio classes with live watch metrics on iPhone/iPad/Apple TV.

What is the #1 fitness app?

There’s no universal #1—App Store charts vary by region and season. For scale, Strava reports a community of 120M+ athletes globally, making it a top pick for endurance sports. For guided workouts, Apple Fitness+ is the first-party option, and Nike Run Club is a strong free choice for plans.

Is the Apple Watch good for fitness?

Yes. The built-in Workout app tracks dozens of activities with goals and detailed summaries, and your history lives in the iPhone Fitness app. Battery is designed for “all-day” use (varies by model and usage).

What apps does Apple use for fitness?

Workout (on Apple Watch) to start/record workouts.
Fitness (on iPhone/iPad) to review activity/workouts; also the home for Apple Fitness+ classes.
Health (on iPhone) as the central repository that aggregates data from Apple Watch and third-party apps/devices.
Apple Fitness+ subscription for guided studio workouts with on-screen metrics.

Can an Apple Watch check blood pressure?

No—Apple Watch doesn’t measure blood pressure on its own. You can pair a validated external cuff (e.g., Omron) and log readings via its watch/iPhone app, which can write to Apple Health. Note the ECG app cannot detect high blood pressure.

Which is better: Fitbit or Apple Watch for fitness?

It depends on priorities. Fitbit excels at sleep metrics (Sleep Score/Readiness) and multi-day battery; Apple Watch excels at iPhone integration, on-device Workout, and Fitness+ classes with live metrics. Choose Fitbit if sleep analytics + longer battery are your must-haves; choose Apple Watch if you want the tightest iOS/app ecosystem and broad third-party support.

What fitness app is totally free?

Free options: Apple’s Workout and Fitness apps (built-in), Nike Run Club with free training plans, and Strava’s basic tier for recording/sharing. Some advanced features in third-party apps require subscriptions.

Is MyFitnessPal good?

Yes—if your goal includes nutrition. MyFitnessPal is a widely used calorie and macro tracker with an Apple Watch app. It links with Apple Health so workouts/steps sync, but many advanced features live behind Premium/Premium+ tiers—check current pricing before upgrading.

What is the Workout app on Apple Watch?

Workout is Apple’s on-watch exercise app. Pick a workout (run, cycle, strength, HIIT, swim, etc.), set goals (time/distance/calories), and get real-time metrics and a summary afterwards. Start it from your watch—no iPhone needed during most activities.

Is Apple Fitness any good?

For guided classes, yes. Fitness+ streams studio-quality HIIT, strength, yoga, cycling, rowing, and more—your Watch sends live heart rate/calories to the screen. It supports Family Sharing and Apple One bundles. Try the free trial to see if the coaching style fits you.

What is the best app to track steps on Apple Watch?

The Watch already counts steps (view in Fitness/Health). If you want steps as a watch-face complication, Pedometer++ is a popular, lightweight choice; alternatives include StepsApp.

How much is Apple Fitness per month?

$9.99/month in the U.S. (or $79.99/year) with a free trial for new subscribers; it’s also included in the Apple One Premier bundle in supported regions.

Author Credentials

Wiredu Fred is a technical SEO and content specialist with a passion for wellness technology. With a background in both technical writing and lifestyle journalism, Fred combines data-driven insights with a deep understanding of fitness trends to help readers make informed decisions about their health. Fed's expertise is grounded in the latest research and practical, real-world application, ensuring that every piece of content is not only informative but also genuinely trustworthy.