The No. 1 barrier to joining a gym is cost, according to a report conducted by the International Health & Racquet Sports Association. For people who don't want to spend money on a gym membership, fitness apps can be an excellent alternative.
The fitness apps available today offer ways to help you push yourself: challenging workouts, customized routines and even personal training. Whatever kind of exercise you enjoy -- running, biking, or yoga, for example -- there's an app that can help you meet your fitness goals for very little or no money at all.
Check out 10 fitness apps that are convenient, effective -- and best of all, under $5 -- ranked in order of their popularity and versatility.
Read: 51 Healthy Food Items That Cost Under $1
The Best Workout Apps to Download to Your Smart Device
The table below shows the 10 best mobile apps that will help you get a workout -- without ever having to hit the gym. Users rave about the following apps for their convenience and the results they deliver -- with some apps requiring no equipment at all. To quickly decide which app might be right for your fitness goals, take a look at the stats for each of the mobile apps reviewed here.
Mobile App
Cost to Download
Number of Downloads (Google Play)
Google Play Rating
iTunes App Store Rating
Workout Trainer
Free
10,000,000 - 50,000,000
4.2 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars
Daily Workouts
Free
5,000,000 - 10,000,000
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5 stars
Sworkit
Free
1,000,000 - 5,000,000
4.6 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5 stars
Strava
Free
5,000,000 - 10,000,000
4.6 out of 5 stars
3.5 out of 5 stars
Calorie Counter - My Fitness Pal
Free
10,000,000 - 50,000,000
4.6 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5 stars
FitStar Personal Trainer
Free
100,000 - 500,000
4.6 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5 stars
The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout
Free
100,000 - 500,000
4.3 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5 stars
Carrot Fit
$2.99
N/A
N/A
4.5 out of 5 stars
Human
Free
10,000 - 50,000
3.8 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars
Hot5 Fitness
Free
N/A
N/A
4.5 out of 5 stars
Workout Trainer
Cost: Free
Where available: Google Play, iTunes App Store
Google Play rating: 4.2 out of 5 stars
iTunes App Store rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Number of downloads: 10,000,000 - 50,000,000 in Google Play
Best for: people who like variety
Best feature: more than 1,000 free videos
The free Workout Trainer app by Skimble is one of the top exercise apps for a good reason: Users have access to thousands of free video workouts with helpful instructions. You can choose fitness routines that suit your goals and interests, including:
Weight loss
Yoga
Running
Weightlifting
The app earns high ratings and glowing reviews from both iPhone and Android users. "This app is amazing, and the workouts sure do work," one iTunes App Store reviewer wrote. "I recommend this app to anybody who wants to be motivated to workout." Users have the option to share their workouts via email, Facebook, and Twitter, and can also connect with the Skimble community at Skimble.com.
In addition to a vast number of videos, Workout Trainer also offers:
Free virtual fitness assessment
Fresh content updated regularly
"Workout of the Week" challenges
Workout Trainer offers the option to upgrade to PRO+ membership for $6.99 per month. The upgrade includes perks like more exercise routines and no ads.
Daily Workouts
Cost: Free
Where available: Google Play, iTunes App Store
Google Play rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars
iTunes App Store rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Number of downloads: 5,000,000 - 10,000,000
Best for: people who like variety and instruction
Best feature: targeted workouts
Daily Workouts offers 10 different workouts, lasting five to 10 minutes each, for targeted body areas or overall cardio. Users also have access to 10- to 30-minute full-body workouts and more than 95 other exercises.
"I really like this app," an iTunes App Store reviewer wrote. "I just started back working out and I like how it gets my individual needs."
Developed by a certified personal trainer, Daily Workouts also features on-screen instruction and a timer. An upgraded version of the app is available for $4.99 and provides workouts and exercises for:
Pilates
Kettlebells and balls
Stretching
Sworkit
Cost: Free
Where available: Google Play, iTunes App Store
Google Play rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
iTunes App Store rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Number of downloads: 1,000,000 - 5,000,000
Best for: people who want a little bit of everything
Best feature: build-your-own custom workouts
Sworkit offers workouts that can be done anywhere without equipment. The app offers more than 200 fitness workouts. Options include:
Strength
Cardio
Yoga
Stretching
Sworkit is convenient because it offers a range of workout lengths: Choose a program that lasts as few as five minutes or one that pushes you for an hour. Sworkit users also have the option to create a custom workout routine by adding workouts to a list.
"I have been working out on my own for some months, but this app is a nice way to break up my routine and give it some variation," one Android user wrote. "I like that I can focus on different things, and it helps me specifically work towards my goals."
For even more convenience, the free Sworkit app syncs with:
Apple Health
MyFitnessPal
Fitbit
RunKeeper
Jawbone
Strava
MapMyFitness
Azumio
DailyMile
Garmin
Misfit
Moves
Striiv
Withings
Sworkit Premium costs $4.99 monthly or $39.99 yearly and features perks such as:
No ads
Exclusive workouts for beginners and older adults
Customizable exercise intervals
Ability to save unlimited custom workouts
"Ask a trainer" feature
Strava
Cost: Free
Where available: Google Play, iTunes App Store
Google Play rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
iTunes App Store rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Number of downloads: 5,000,000 - 10,000,000
Best for: runners and cyclists
Best features: GPS tracking of runs and rides; option to set up challenges with friends
Strava is the best fitness tracker for runners and cyclists who want an outdoor fitness experience with a social aspect. Strava lets you track your route, time, rate and elevation gain. You can analyze and compare your activity with local users, friends, and even professional athletes, or set up challenges with other users. Strava users can give and receive support to and from friends, pros, and other workout buddies, and they have the option to share their activity on Facebook or Twitter.
Outside the free app, Strava also offers web-only features including route building and group activities. Upgrading to Strava Premium costs $5.99 per month or $59.99 annually and provides perks such as:
Personalized coaching
Live performance feedback
Exclusive and detailed analysis after every activity
Calorie Counter -- MyFitnessPal
Cost: Free
Where available: Amazon, Google Play and iTunes App Store
Amazon: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Google Play rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
iTunes App Store rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Number of downloads: 10,000,000 - 50,000,000
Best for: people who want to track the details of what they consume; people who want to lose weight
Best feature: easily tracks calories, diet and exercise
Calorie Counter by MyFitnessPal is a food diary app to accompany workout routines. The free app includes a step counter and a growing database of over 5 million foods so you can log what you eat and note your calorie intake. Calorie Counter even offers an option to import recipes so you can easily track dishes you eat often.
"I never downloaded any nutrition apps because I used to calculate all that myself because most apps don't go that in depth," a Google Play reviewer wrote. "But in order to really understand which foods are good and which are bad, you have to see the whole complete picture, and this app does it."
Calorie Counter offers several helpful features, including the ability to:
Create a personalized diet and exercise program.
Receive personalized goals.
Get feedback on your calorie and nutrient intake.
Use the in-app barcode scanner to scan packaged food.
Share with friends to motivate each other.
Connect with others in the MyFitnessPal community.
The premium version of Calorie Counter costs $9.99 per month or $49.99 per year and offers the options to:
Enjoy an ad-free experience.
Receive VIP customer support.
Gain exclusive access to original recipes, meal plans, and nutrition tips created by the MyFitnessPal in-house nutrition and coaching team.
Read: 33 Expensive Services You Should DIY
FitStar Personal Trainer
Cost: Free
Where available: Google Play, iTunes App Store
Google Play rating: 4.6 out of 5 stars
iTunes App Store rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Number of downloads: 100,000 - 500,000
Best for: people who want to work out with guided instruction outside the gym
Best feature: customized workouts
FitStar Personal Trainer is like a gym membership in your back pocket. The free app periodically delivers new workout moves to challenge users and keep them engaged. FitStar Personal Trainer allows you to adjust workouts to suit your goals and fitness level and gives you the option to match up with other users for some friendly fitness competition.
For $7.99 a month or $39.99 a year, you can get access to premium features, including:
HD videos that show how to do the moves and provide step-by-step coaching, motivation and tips
Routines that last between seven and 60 minutes
Ability to sync with Google Fit, Fitbit, MyFitnessPal and Strava
Coaching tips from football legend Tony Gonzalez
Custom audio tracks and streaming music support
"As a stay-at-home mom, this is awesome," an iTunes App Store reviewer wrote. "I can fit in my daily workout around my kids' busy schedule, pause when needed, and track my progress over time. I can also take my workout anywhere with me."
The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout
Cost: Free
Where available: Google Play, iTunes App Store
Google Play rating: 4.3 out of 5 stars
iTunes App Store rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Number of downloads: 100,000 - 500,000
Best for: people who like variety
Best feature: over 1,000 workouts with more than 20 intensity levels
If you have seven minutes, you have enough time to get in a workout with this app. Whether you're new to exercise or consider yourself a fitness buff, the free Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout could be a helpful app to use in your workout regimen. The app features videos that guide users through exercises with varying intensity. The app's Smart Workout feature acts as a personal trainer, and users have the option to share workouts and progress with friends.
"I am not one for exercise, and this app is great for showing me each step as you go thru [sic] the work out and allows you to pause at anytime," one Google Play reviewer wrote. "It was free and comes with lots of options where other apps just give you one workout and make you pay for more."
The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout app offers helpful features such as:
Post-workout assessments
Customization of workout routine
Personalized challenge levels
Carrot Fit
Cost: $2.99
Where available: iTunes App Store
iTunes App Store rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Best for: people who want a tough, drill-sergeant type to whip them into shape
Best feature: snarky commentary that comes with interval training
If you need a drill sergeant rather than a cheerleader to push you during a workout, then Carrot Fit could be the ideal app for you. The app's instructor, Carrot, declares herself the "fitness overlord." Instead of words of encouragement, you'll be threatened, ridiculed and bribed into getting fit. And when you meet fitness goals, you'll unlock app upgrades and other rewards.
One of the more unique fitness apps on the market, Carrot Fit features "7 Minutes in Hell" workouts built around exercises with novelty names, such as "Dragon Mating Dances" and "Celebrity Face Punches."
The app costs $2.99 and also features:
Weight log
BMI calculator
Workout reminders
Rewards, including app upgrades and "permission to watch your friend eat a bag of potato chips"
"Lots of snark and nerdy allusions," one iTunes App Store reviewer wrote. "I immediately thought of the video game Portal, as a reviewer below also alludes to. It's also amazing to me that the calories from my workout from this auto sync into the health app which then auto syncs with my Lose It app, meaning I don't have to log the workout myself."
Human
Cost: Free
Where available: Google Play, iTunes App Store
Google Play rating: 3.7 out of 5 stars
iTunes App Store rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Number of downloads: 10,000 to 50,000
Best for: people who want a fitness tracker that motivates
Best feature: counts active minutes, not steps
The Human app offers a straightforward workout approach with some motivation. The free app encourages you to reach a "Daily 30" (30 minutes of physical activity) and lets you send or receive nudges and high-fives from other users. Human tracks your movements and lets you know when you've hit your goal. You can view your daily activity on a map and see how you compare with people in your city or neighborhood.
"I can't lie; my life has changed from using Human," an iTunes App Store customer wrote. "It's an incredible app, they keep adding new features which make it more appealing -- it's awesome! Try it for a week and see the results."
Upgrade to premium membership for $2.99 a month and enjoy perks such as:
A premium Human badge on your profile
Ability to view 90 days of workout history and compare activity
Priority support and first access to new premium features as they're released
Hot5 Fitness
Where available: iTunes App Store
iTunes App Store rating: 4.5 stars
Best for: people looking for a total workout or an add-on to their existing regimen
Best feature: videos that are well-designed and easy to follow
Jump right into fitness training with this free download created by Weight Watchers. You can get a full-body workout or focus on a particular area with Hot5 Fitness workouts. Whether you're looking for five minutes of core work at the end of an intense run or a 45-minute, full-body workout, this app can deliver it. The free version is limited to the five-minute workouts, but Weight Watchers members enjoy premium access for free.
The app earns strong ratings and favorable reviews from users: "I love that it makes it easy for me to fit in a quality workout, even on a busy day," wrote one iTunes App Store reviewer.
Perks of the premium version of Hot5 Fitness include:
Full video access with different levels of intensity
Option to build custom workout playlists
Ability to track Weight Watchers FitPoints earned from workouts
If you aren't a Weight Watchers member, you can access the app's premium features at prices that vary from $1.99 to $14.99, depending on your area.
Related: Oprah's Weight Loss in O Magazine Boosts Weight Watchers Stock 7 Percent
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 10 Cheap Fitness Apps to Replace Your Gym Membership