Movement classes are a wonderful thing, but signing up for one almost feels like a legally binding contract.
We’re filled with immense guilt and empty pockets if something comes up that prevents us from attending – whether it be overtime at work or a mental health crisis – and it often prevents us from feeling like we can show our faces at the same studio, for fear of getting a ‘the talk’ from the instructors at large; “I noticed you didn’t make it last week…”
Don’t get me wrong, yoga and pilates studios across London are largely peaceful, wonderfully inviting places. But prices are only going up, flexibility is near obsolete, and classes at ideal times are full before you can even load the website.
I’ve always been weary of yoga apps because I lack self-discipline – and that guilty feeling I get after booking a class that I know I have to attend is what motivates me. I’m realising now that that’s a relatively toxic way of engaging in supposedly meditative movement. During lockdown the world-famous Yoga with Adrienne was a saviour for myself and many others struggling with isolation and lack of movement.
Yet once the real world returned, I found myself once again un-motivated, exhausted and unwilling to engage in virtual classes after long days at work and weekends spent socialising. Thus, the time has come for me to put my laziness aside, put on my brand-new yoga set, and find a movement app which motivates me just like a real-life class would.
App criteria that I looked out for
Without further ado, I’ve reviewed some of the most popular apps and online yoga subscriptions available in the UK below.
BetterMe Health Coaching app
There is a reason why BetterMe’s health and wellness platform already has 150 million users worldwide. The app acts as an all-encompassing health coach with over 3,000 workouts and advice on nutritional and minfulness practices. You can follow its meal plans and detail your water consumption, you can set targets and track your progress.
The exercises include wall pilates - adored for its easy to follow movements, Calisthenics to build strength from the comfort of your own home using just bodyweight and Somatic to release tension and destress.
Buy now, BetterMe
Fiit
Smart TV owners will likely be familiar with FIIT as it comes pre-installed on Samsung, Sky and Amazon boxes. It can also be downloaded via the App Store and Google Play.
The app has 44 classes every single day at peak times so whether you want to slip in a pre-work sesh, have some time during your lunch break or you’re looking to round off a long day by stretching out your body, there’s a studio session to participate in. The classes range from HIIT to Pilates, yoga to circuits at every level.
Free but for more content prices start from £6.99.
Buy now, Fiit
LesMills
We were first introduced to the world of LES MILLS through a live event hosted in London’s Excel back in October 2022. The exercise label gathered fitness fans from across the UK to participate in its signature workouts, but the on-demand app-based workouts are well-established with partnerships spanning Nuffield Health, Apple, Spotify and in the metaverse on the Meta Quest devices.
The app was created by four-time Olympian and head coach of New Zealand’s track and field team Les Mills and is likely best known for its elite-level trademarked classes. BODYPUMP, BODYCOMBAT, RPM (cycling), BODYBALANCE (yoga), LES MILLS GRIT (30-minute HIIT) and THE TRIP (also cycling) were created to push you, challenging the outdated belief that you can’t get an effective workout without stepping foot in a gym. The classes are systematically updated and mixed up to keep fresh. They are presented on the streaming platform, in person or immersively in virtual reality.
Price from £4.99 a month.
Buy now, LesMills
Centr
Training like Thor is a tempting proposition. And this dream (you likely didn’t know you had) can be a reality without Tinseltown’s traditional elevated price tag. Chris Hemsworth founded Centr to give us non-Hollywood folk access to his army of experts. These include Luke Zocchi, the middle Hemsworth brother’s personal trainer, Joseph ‘Da Rulk’ Sakoda whose CV includes Navy SEALs and fire fighters and Hemsworth’s wife Elsa Pataky’s yoga instructor Tahl Rinsky. There are also chefs, nutrition experts and wellness specialists for a 360 approach to health.
Not only do you get a personalised training plan, but this comes alongside a shopping list too and meal plans for foolproof fuelling. There are over 4,000 workouts – some of which feature Chris himself and spanning muscle building, core training and HIIT classes.
Prices from £7.83 per month but there is a free trial.
Buy now, Centr
Find What Feels Good Yoga
It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Adrienne. What she’s achieved for the yoga community – essentially pioneering at-home practice – is entirely unmatched. While you can watch her videos on YouTube for free, the subscription-based content on offer on FWFG is wide-ranging, uber fun, versatile and even comes with the opportunity to engage with a global community of yogis of varying levels.
It’s not all about Adrienne either, for there are a range of other instructors with different areas of expertise who showcase their skills in an equally motivating and calming manner.
For those who are a fan of Adrienne as a person, she posts regular member’s vlogs with life updates and advice, as well as meditative videos from manifestation experts. There are full body pilates classes which don’t require any pesky equipment, HIIT-based workouts, and the entire app is wonderfully easy to navigate. You can watch any time, on any device, and even participate in live-streamed classes for extra motivation and a wonderful sense of community.
My favourite series is the Yoga for Every Day of your Cycle – which includes high-energy classes to engage with during your follicular phase, and calming meditative practises to enjoy during your luteal phase.
Buy now, Find What Feels Good Yoga
The Soul Sanctuary
Another option founded by a fantastic YouTube-based yogi named Cat Meffan, The Soul Sanctuary app builds on the community that the instructor has created online. Known for hosting global retreats all over the world, from Portugal and the UK to Sri Lanka and Mexico – in being a member of The Soul Sanctuary you’ll be the first to know when waitlists open.
Though the subscription, you’ll get access to over 180 videos filmed by various instructors, as well as an array of monthly benefits which include: two new 60-70 minute yoga flows, two 30 minute yoga flows, a guided meditation video, a movement breakdown video, access to a private community and monthly Q&A with Cat.
Unlike other applications, The Soul Sanctuary explicitly states that it’s probably not the best option for beginners – unless you already have good body agility and strength.
It’s that little bit more expensive than FWFG and, in my opinion, doesn’t offer anything different. As such, it really comes down to whose YouTube channel that you ‘vibe’ with more – and if you’re a Cat Meffan method lover, it’s certainly worth the price. Ultimately, that unnecessary price bump is what affected my overall rating.
Buy now, The Soul Sanctuary
Yoga Down Dog
Yoga Down Dog has a very different approach to questionnaires.
Rather than getting personal about your height and weight, it offers the option to choose how long you’d like to engage in individual exercises and poses before encouraging you to choose the kind of music you’d like to play in the background – with options ranging from upbeat to ambient and quiet. It then asks you to choose which area you’d like to focus on, whether it be abs, glutes or a full body movement session.
You can then choose whether you’d like to do a yoga, barre, HIIT, pilates, meditation or prenatal yoga class – all of which have varying lengths and mindful, engaging instructors. The app is refined, calming, high quality and home to hundreds of options for beginners and experts alike.
For those who aren’t fussed about accessing an expansive online community and are looking for a budget-friendly app which can help you meet your fitness and mental health goals, I’d highly recommend Yoga Down Dog.
Buy now, Yoga Down Dog
Asana Rebel
In order to create a personalised feel, before creating an account with Asana Rebel you’re encouraged to answer a few questions about yourself. I preferred this to being immediately bombarded by a payment page.
The app asks you to pick three or more goals, and I selected options like ‘build healthy habits,’ ‘more energy every day,’ and ‘tight and toned body’. However, you can change these goals later down the line. It asked for my height and weight – the latter which I don’t actually know for my own mental health. This is where it went downhill for me. I love yoga because it’s for all shapes, sizes and encourages a beautiful sense of self-love. I didn’t want to input a ‘goal weight’.
Nevertheless, if that’s something you’re looking for – Asana Rebel curates small, realistic goals to help you achieve your target. The app tells you that you only need to engage in 10 minutes a day to achieve very real results.
With circuit plans that include moves like squat jumps and plank twists, it’s clear to me that Asana Rebel offers a more gym-like experience with a virtual personal trainer. As a pure and simple vinyasa lover, this simply didn’t suit me. It is, however, one of the better value-for-money options on the market.
Buy now, Asana Rebel
Glo
Offering over 9,000 classes featuring over 25 different yoga styles, new classes released daily via livestream and on-demand and the option to utilise personal coaching and class plans – I was sceptical that Glo was about quantity over quality.
It’s another app which encourages you to personalise your process by answering a series of questions. Though you get your fist seven days free, it’s a whopping $30 / £23.18 a month with an option to save by paying annually instead. From what I gathered via the free trial, the glamorous Glo app certainly isn’t worth the same as what one might spend on yearly in-person classes.
While it’s got over 30,000 five-star reviews on the app store and a bustling online community, I think you can get the same from apps like FWFG and The Soul Sanctuary for a more affordable price.
Buy now, Glo
Yoga Studio
When logging into Yoga Studio for the first time, it feels remarkably like the Peleton model. It tells you how many other Yogis have logged on today, and how many are currently practicing with you. It then gives you key stats like your total practice time in days and hours, as well as your longest practice session to date.
It’s by far the best option for complete beginners, since it breaks down each pose and the potential modifications you can make to them as you advance. You can choose between a variety of teachers, yoga styles and even keep track of your favourite pose positions and collections.
While its intentions are brilliant, I can’t help but feel that Yoga Studio classes felt soulless and almost AI-like. It does, however, offer brilliant value for money in the grand scheme.
Buy now, Yoga Studio
Verdict
Other than applications with affiliated YouTube channels, there’s no such thing as a non-subscription-based yoga app. Go figure. I think that’s why apps developed by Yogis with dedicated grassroots following feel so genuine – they’ve been developed over time to offer more than the already expansive classes available for free, with a fabulous community feel and an inherent sense of passion. That’s why my favourite yoga apps of 2024 are Find What Feels Good Yoga and The Soul Sanctuary.
