Fitbod Review 2023 – Can This Fitness App Really Help You Build Muscle at Home?

Toward the end of 2021, I was trying to build more muscle mass but was faced with something of a conundrum. For one, I had no desire to join an expensive gym membership and deal with the hassle of driving there every day.

But I also couldn’t (and still can’t) do any high-impact, high-intensity exercises because they give me horrible migraines that last for days afterward.

That’s why I was so excited when I discovered the Fitbod app – it’s a muscle-building app that you can use without forking out hundreds of dollars a month for a membership or doing high-intensity exercises.

After researching the Fitbod app and reading rave reviews on the app store, I decided to give it a try. Over a year later, the app has gotten even better. That’s why I thought I would take some time to share my Fitbod review with you for 2023.

**Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this blog post, which means if you make a purchase after clicking on one, I may earn a commission. Full Disclaimer here.**

Overview of the Fitbod App

Fitbod is a fitness app that was developed to help people get fit and improve their strength training ability with or without a gym. The app was released in the App Store in 2015 and has enjoyed great success, ranking amongst the top 100 health and fitness apps.

Its primary benefit is that it allows users to build muscle at home with whatever fitness equipment they have – even if that’s no equipment at all!

Fitbod Cost

You can download Fitbod for free, and they do offer a free trial, but there is no real free version; membership is required to use the app long-term.

The pricing of the Fitbod Elite Membership is quite affordable, with two subscription options available: The yearly subscription is $79.99, or you can pay $12.99 per month. Both plans offer unlimited access to the app’s exercise library, and you’re able to customize your routine and experience as much as you want.

You can cancel your plan at any time – for Apple users, it’s as simple as navigating to “subscriptions” in your phone’s settings and discontinuing the plan.

This pricing is slightly below the average cost for apps of this caliber. For instance, the SWEAT app is $20 per month or $120 per year, while the Jillian Michaels app monthly subscription is $19.99 or $99 per year.

To be fair, the Fitbod app is less flashy than the other two I mentioned, with no celebrity trainers or specific programs to follow. However, it is absolutely as effective, which we will get into now!

Equipment Required

You don’t need any equipment to be a Fitbod elite! The app is designed to be used both at home and in the gym, depending on what you prefer. However, if you do opt for minimalistic workouts, I would still suggest investing in a set of dumbbells, some quality workout shoes, and a sturdy workout mat.

My top recs are:

• The Gorilla Mat (read full review)
• This neoprene dumbells set (for beginners)
• These cross-trainer shoes (for ladies)

Features

Auto-Generated Workouts that Feel Tailor-Made

The Fitbod app uses your history, fitness goals, and fitness level to make sure that you get the most out of each of your workouts. Each time you complete a Fitbod workout, Fitbod will take into account your feedback and create tailored workouts to better match your abilities.

This means that as you progress in your fitness journey, your workouts will progress with you.

Highly Customizable

As I mentioned earlier, Fitbod allows you to design your own fitness plan with any available gym equipment you have on hand. Whether it’s a bodyweight-only workout or not, Fitbod will make sure that it works for you.

You can also set the workout duration and fine-tune the type of workout from strength training, timed intervals, supersets, cardio recommendations, warm-up sets, and cooldowns.

Targeted Muscle Usage Tracking

The app also keeps track of muscle usage so that you don’t overexert or miss any muscle groups. This helps to make sure that you’re allowing enough time for muscle recovery, letting you target the areas that you want to focus on most while avoiding injury caused by overtraining.

Demonstrations of Exercises with Videos and Descriptions

One of the downsides to fitness apps is that – if you’re a beginner – you might not know how to perform the exercises correctly, and you don’t have a personal trainer there to tell you if you aren’t.

Fortunately, Fitbod provides videos and descriptions for each exercise in the workout so that you can understand how to do them properly.

This ensures that you are getting the most out of your workouts, as well as avoiding any potential injuries caused by incorrect form. Additionally, the app also gives you tips on how to adjust the exercises so that they work better for your body.

First Impressions

I’m really impressed with the programming and development of the Fitbod app. It’s made with high-quality programming that ensures the fitness app runs smoothly and efficiently, with very few hiccups.

I also immediately noted the gender-neutral aesthetics of the Fitbod app. (Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I need a fluorescent pink color scheme in every app I use, am I right?)

The design is simple, modern, and easy to navigate. It’s not overly flashy or complicated, so it doesn’t distract from the main purpose: helping you stay fit and healthy without having to leave your home.

Thoughts on Using FitBod

I have been using Fitbod for over a year now, and it has become an integral part of my workout plan – I have very few complaints! Here’s the highlight reel of my thoughts on this great app:

As I mentioned earlier, one of the things I really appreciate about FitBod is how easy it is to use. It has a simple, straightforward interface that makes it really easy to get started and figures out what you need to do.

I don’t have to waste time with a lot of bells and whistles; I can just get right down to business and get my workout in.

The biggest plus for me is that the app is more focused on muscle-building than calorie-burning. If you’re looking to lose weight or just get a good cardio workout, this probably isn’t the app for you. But it’s perfect if you want to focus on the following:

• building muscle tone and strength
• bodyweight-only workouts or
• lifting weights

I love that you can easily swap out exercises if there’s one you don’t want to do. For example, I don’t like doing core exercises like situps or crunches because they tend to put too much strain on my neck and cause migraines. With a couple of taps, I can swap out crunches for Russian twists or bench toe taps.

I do have one issue that slightly mars my FitBod review. When you start a workout, the app will cycle through each exercise and make a sound each time you finish a set, so you know when to move on to the next exercise.

However, sometimes I notice it doesn’t count one of the sets, so you’ll go to log workouts, and it will say it’s not finished. This can be annoying, but it’s not a major flaw.

Example Workout

Here’s an example of a 15-minute workout I’m about to do – you can see the generated workout is split into two sets, one with four exercises (single dumbbell sumo squat, dumbbell bicep curl, pushup, and pike pushup) and the second set has only one exercise (leg raise).

The app will always set it up so that it’s either two sets of 45 seconds each or three sets of 30 seconds each. I can tap on any of these exercises to swap it for another one or to see a breakdown with the instructions, demonstration videos, or history.

I can also change to different muscle groups if I want to target something else.

Once I finish the workout, it will be added to the log, and I can view past workouts on the app’s calendar, including the reps and weight I did and the number of calories burned per session.

Fitbod Review: Final Verdict

Overall, Fitbod is one of the greatest apps for strength training and muscle building at home. It is affordable, easy to use, and filled with effective workouts that are sure to help you reach your fitness goals. After using it for over a year, I highly recommend giving this great fitness tool a try if you’re looking for an efficient way to build muscle tone.

If you’re interested in discovering other workout apps designed to help keep you fit and healthy, be sure to check out my other reviews too!

Pros

• Easy-to-use interface
• Free trial and affordable compared to other apps
• Customized workouts with a variety of training styles
• Focus on muscle building
• Affordable price point
• Gender-neutral design

Cons

• Occasional issues with counting sets
• App may be too minimalistic for some – no celebrity trainers, community, popular workout program, etc.
• Not the best app if your only goal is to torch calories

FAQ