Freeletics Review (2024): Is this the best fitness app?
There are a lot of fitness apps out there but Freeletics has stood out among the crowd.
If you're trying to get yourself in shape, especially while traveling, an app could be the perfect companion for the road.
Instead of hiring a coach or personal trainer, you can just download an app that gives you workouts, keeps you accountable, and tracks your progress.
Freeletics has stood out for a few reasons but the fact that it's marketed as a bodyweight training program that can go anywhere meant it had to be tested by Fittest Travel.
We're always looking for the best products for travelers - from jump ropes to protein bars.
So, let's jump right into our review of Freeletics.
Bodyweight - The Free One
Here's a rundown of what exactly Freeletics is. There are a few different apps that make up the Freeletics package - Bodyweight (the most popular one), Gym, Nutrition, and Running.
For this review, we're going to stick to the one that I recommend most for travelers - bodyweight.
First, the free version. It's a fitness training program with 10-30 minute bodyweight workouts that require no equipment.
There are over 900 workout variations and they cover all of your major muscle groups.
It comes with tutorial videos to help you with exercises you don't know and to get the right form on them.
You'll get started by filling out the basic information about yourself - gender, fitness level, and goals.
The home page is filled with exercise challenges that are posted every few days.
One day it might be fifty push-ups, the next could be ten pull-ups. Some are really challenging, like ten one-arm push-ups.
You can also comment on them and discuss with others your thoughts on the exercises.
There's also leaderboards for points, workouts, and running - perfect for anyone who loves some competition and gets motivated by getting their name up there. And of course, there's a dashboard for you to see your profile and monitor your progress.
Plus, if you need accountability checks, Freeletics will send you notifications and reminders.
The workouts are high-intensity and circuit-style, meaning you go from exercise to exercise without resting. Only at the end of a round do you get a few seconds to rest.
The first one I did was a burner. When I say burner, I mean specifically my abs.
There were heavy doses of exercises that worked my abs and it left my midsection burning. This made me happy of course, because I started Freeletics in March - with every intention of getting a ripped core in time for summer.
After my first workout, I felt confident that I had chosen wisely.
The first workout I did was called Prometheus:
30 Mountain Climbers
10 Push-Ups
30 Sit-Ups
50 Jumping Jacks
30 Seconds Rest
20 Mountain Climbers
7 Push-Ups
20 Sit-Ups
20 Squats
50 Jumping Jacks
30 Seconds Rest
10 Mountain Climbers
5 Push-Ups
10 Sit-Ups
10 Squats
50 Jumping Jacks
Look at that workout. No only is it guaranteed to smoke you, but you can do it anywhere and with no equipment. That's why this app is perfect for travelers.
You can also choose different variations of each workout based on your goal - endurance, standard, or strength. The one above is standard. The strength one includes the more difficult exercises like pistol squats and jackknives.
The exercises are demonstrated by a video as you do them, complete with a timer, and a progress bar to let you know how much work you still have left to do.
At the end of the workout, your time is recorded, you can make any notes you wish to about the workout or the exercises, and you're awarded points.
With the free version of Freeletics, you choose your workouts. If you want a personalized training program, you can upgrade to The Coach.
The Coach
The paid version is called "The Coach" and is a personalized digital trainer.
It's a program developed for you based on your age, weight, goals, abilities, and availability.
You can choose the equipment you’ll be using - dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, or all three. You can also choose bodyweight or running.
Training and nutrition cost $3.83 a week, while only training costs $2.68 a week. You can pay $114.99 upfront for a year of training and nutrition or $74.99 for only training.
With the purchase of either one, you'll get access to personalized training plans in the Bodyweight, Gym, and Running apps.
You can choose a subscription period of three months, six months, or a year. Beware, it automatically renews.
See also: Tonal vs OxeFit vs Tempo
Freeletics Nutrition
I didn’t try the nutrition coach, but here’s some insight into what it’s about.
Daily plans with recipes and portion sizes (more than 330 easy recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
Individualized nutrition plans, based on your goals and preferences.
Tips for those who are busy or eat out frequently.
You can register for free and give it a shot.
Freeletics Pros and Cons
Pros
Easy to use app with great tracking software.
The workouts are effective and get progressively harder (they will adjust based on your feedback).
Coach (the paid version) is not expensive and can be considered a solid investment.
Time commitment is relatively small - the workouts are short but high intensity.
The free version provides over 900 workouts.
Good for working out at home or while traveling.
Cons
Not ideal for anyone looking to gain size and strength. Better suited for fat loss, conditioning, and endurance.
Many complaints about payments and customer service.
Below average app design - quite a few apps do this better (Fitbod is our favorite)
Our Thoughts
Freeletics is a decent option for anyone who is working out at home or who travels frequently and needs the assistance of an app to guide them along.
Both the free version and the paid version will act as a digital personal trainer for you that travels with you - the paid version does that a bit better but the free one is good.
Freeletics is a decent fitness app but it’s not the best. There are better choices available to you, so if you’re willing to spend money on a workout app, I’d look elsewhere.
If you do try Freeltics, my recommendation is to try the free version for a few weeks. See how you feel about the exercises, workouts, and the app as a whole. If you like it, upgrade to the Coach.
Having access to personal trainer courses can make all the difference in how much progress you make and how quickly it happens.
Freeletics on Reddit
Reddit is a great place to see what people are saying about something before you commit to it and Freeletics is no different.
You can read the comments here about what many Freeletics users have to say based on their experience with the app.
Freeletics Alternative
As I said above, Freeletics is a decent app. My recommended alternative to Freeletics is Fitbod - everything about it is superior.
Customer service, functionality, fitness goal choices, and app design were all much better with the Fitbod app. Read our full Fitbod review to learn more about it and if it’s right for you.
If you’re looking for more alternatives, we’ve got you covered.
Check out our picks for the best travel workout apps or the best fitness apps for home workouts.
