Here’s my honest review of Apple Fitness Plus: I tried it for 7 days.

Reviewing fitness content is part of my job as a wearables tester. In fact, it’s a perk of the job. Typically, my workouts include whatever activities are required to test out a device’s heart rate monitor, GPSAccuracy and a few niche modes of exercise (plus a few extra yoga sessions to soothe my apparently failing joints). Repetition periods can lead to long, tedious neighborhood runs and repetitive interval training on a stationary bicycle.

I tried out a whole platform this week without any specific device. I walked, swam, and cycled to discover what Apple has to offer its paid subscribers. Check out my honest review of Apple’s iPhone. Apple Fitness PlusAfter seven days of use.

As any other workout appApple Fitness Plus is designed to help users achieve their fitness goals. The platform features a vast library of prerecorded workouts, led by first-rate instructors. These classes include Core, Dance, HIIT and Meditation, Mindful Cooldown, Pilates and Rowing. You can either choose your own workouts each day or follow curated programs that meet specific goals and themes.

Apple recently opened the Fitness Plus experience to anyone who has an iPhone and is willing to pay the fees. The Fitness Plus subscription fee is $9.99 per month, or $79.99 annually if you choose to pay annually. New users can try the service for a month free of charge. You can get an iPhone for free when you buy it. Apple WatchApple TV, iPad or Apple TV. New users can even get three months of free service before you have to spend.

Apple Fitness Plus provides a unique experience for Apple Watch wearers. Your heart rate increases when you wear your Apple Watch while exercising. caloriesActivity stats and a list of your activity will be displayed on-screen. This allows you to see how close your rings are in real-time. This helps users stay motivated and monitor their intensity throughout their workout.

Apple Fitness Plus can be used with or without a watch. It is a powerful platform for engaging in quality content and guided exercise. The service is for you if you enjoy structured workouts and a positive motivation. It allows users to have the accountability and motivation of group fitness classes from the comfort of their own homes. Apple Fitness Plus is for you if you don’t like the smell of yoga studios or hate the idea of wearing yoga pants outside of your home.

Apple Fitness Plus has a lot to offer, even if you take it at face value. You can access high-quality instructions from the comfort of your own home. You will find an almost endless number of workouts, ranging in length from five to 45 minutes for a dozen types and even meditation. Although the maximum 45-minute time limit might seem a bit too short for some serious athletes I can see why you could double up by taking two classes at a time.

The easiest way to dig in is to select a workout type from the scrollable banner at the top of the app’s home screen. That’ll open a menu of workouts available for that exercise. If you’re new to a particular type of workout, like cycling, for example, the menu header includes a brief description of the workout’s benefits. To learn how to get started, you can also view the Getting Started video. If this isn’t your first rodeo, (or, in this case, ride), you can skip down to the workout list or filter the options by trainer, time, or music.

Apple Fitness Plus trainers are a highlight. I was impressed by the variety of ages, genders, and bodies. In the week that I used the service, I met multiple instructors who I truly enjoyed. I wouldn’t say I am easily put off by people, but I didn’t expect to immediately find favorites either. If Bakari isn’t as nice in real life as he seems in his videos, I will be devastated.

The trainers also make appearances in each other’s videos to offer extra bodies and options for modifications. I appreciate the alt HIIT moves as a low-impact workout, even though my knee was repaired earlier in the year. I could have used more modifications to the Dance workout that I tried. Unfortunately, it turns out there’s no special set of moves for users with no rhythm.

Before you start a workout, you can read a short description of the class and watch a preview video to see what you’re in for. You can even look at the music. These landing pages are useful, but not foolproof. I would love to see the courses rated according to difficulty within the app, just like other fitness apps.

Apple Fitness Plus is a platform that’s accessible to everyone. This is why there is no difficulty rating. Classes are simple and navigation is easy. Maxing out at 45 minutes, the platform’s workouts are meant to help users fit fitness into their daily lives. You don’t need to stick to a gym schedule. You can exercise at your own pace, with little equipment and no commitment. I can tell you that I was able do more than a dozen exercises in one week. All it took was to move my couch a few times.

The app can also be considered too basic. The classes may be too easy or too short if you are very invested in a particular type of exercise. Live classes are not available if you’re using an app like PelotonThis may be an adjustment for human interaction. I don’t enjoy working out with others, but the recorded structure works well for me.

Apple Fitness Plus totes have two unique features, the Time to Walk or Time to Run audio experiences. Time to Walk contains stories about famous people, who are clearly also walking. Usually, the person describes the area where they are walking and then tells stories of their life or work. Each session also includes a few of the headliner’s favorite songs.

Time to Walk was a new obsession for me. I regularly walk a few kilometres per day so it was easy for me to incorporate this feature into my routine. Each episode felt like peeking behind the curtain into the life of someone I’d only ever known in a single dimension. Most times, the episode didn’t last the entirety of my walk, but I didn’t mind because I liked the chance to get lost in thought afterward as well. However, I eventually found myself playing episodes while editing photos or prepping dinner, which isn’t exactly the point. I also became deeply enchanted by Dr. Jane Goodal’s story and may or may not have watched Tarzan after she talked about how much she loved the book as a kid.

On the other hand, I couldn’t buy into Time to Run. This feature provides curated playlists and run coaching by a Fitness Plus instructor. Every episode features a location that an instructor describes between songs and shares photos throughout the run. The series is confusing and distracting for me personally. Don’t get me wrong; I’m all about keeping my mind off my level of sweating or the volume of my breathing. However, Time to Run didn’t offer that type of welcome distraction; it was more of a disruptive and constant reminder that I was still, in fact, running.

Many users have positive comments about the feature. It’s likely best suited to those new to running or just starting on their training journey. Apple Watch users will appreciate the automatic sync between your workouts and your Apple Watch. Fitness appIt is also very helpful. For now, though, I’ll be sticking with Spotify playlists and my own thoughts.

Apple Fitness Plus has Artist Spotlight for those who are musically inclined. It offers workouts that are based on and grouped around popular artists. There are currently collections from a wide range of artists such as Elton John, The Rolling Stones and, of course Taylor Swift. The classes in these collections feature the artist’s music and draw inspiration from their song’s lyrics. Sometimes it feels forced. In others, it’s just fun. The feature could use more variety, as Apple does a decent job adding content frequently.

You can add a favorite workout to your library when you find it. It is not possible to organize workouts in your library into folders. There isn’t really any way to organize your library coherently. I would love to be able to access my library and find just yoga workouts, or browse through all my Strength classes. In an ideal world, Apple would add difficulty ratings as well so I could open my library and easily find a moderate, cycling workout while I’m still half asleep at 6 AM.

Apple Watch integration is Apple Fitness Plus’s most popular feature. Personally, I can ignore a cheering trainer cheering me on. What I can’t ignore are numbers.

An Apple Watch displays your heart rate, calories burned, fitness rings, and other vital information right on the screen. This allows you to see all of your important stats in real time. As you work towards earning on-screen kudos, you can literally see your rings close by. Throughout the workout, prompts will alert you to your heart rate. Similar to a Burn Bar, it shows you how you compare to other users with the same weight. It turns out I can be highly motivated by a “Behind the Pack” alert.

The Fitness Plus workouts sync automatically with your Apple Watch to begin workouts and record data to the Fitness app. The Summary tab allows you to instantly view your stats after a workout. You can use your watch to play Time to Run or Time to Walk workouts. You can also use the watch to pause or play workouts on your Apple TV or phone.

Unfortunately, no app can help you get in shape. If I got a six-pack every time I downloaded a core workout app, I’d have entirely too many abs. How much effort and time you put into Apple Fitness Plus will determine whether or not it helps you reach your fitness goals. Apple makes it easy to combine both. Classes are lively and efficient. Trainers are clear, helpful, and easy-to-follow. The app isn’t perfect, but it has a lot of tools that make working out easier, and in some cases, even fun.

If you’re a creature of habit, there is a good chance a trial period with Apple Fitness Plus will turn into regular use. The workouts are so manageable it’s easy to talk yourself into a quick spin before work or a HIIT class after dinner. A few Programs are available for more specific training, such Stay Active During Pregnancy and Get Ready For Snow Season. These, along with more Collections, could help the app. Collections can be compared to Programs in that they help users keep their eyes on specific fitness or mindfulness goals. The 30-Day Core Challenge and Wind Down Before Bedtime are two examples. These sets make it simple for new users to build momentum. The options are limited, however.

Apple Fitness Plus was refreshing and more fun than my regular review experience. Although the workouts were challenging enough to be productive, they weren’t so difficult that I was afraid of the next one. The app is simple to use, and it’s a great experience when you have an Apple Watch.

However, I can’t imagine relying on Apple Fitness Plus exclusively for my workouts. As mentioned earlier, I don’t see using the app for running, which is one of my main forms of cardio. There are no swim workouts, for obvious reasons. Finally, it was difficult to find meditation classes that I wanted to take again or instructors I felt comfortable with.

Your fitness level will determine whether Apple Fitness Plus is worth it. For serious athletes, I can see adding a few classes per week to spice up your routine. This app is worth $9.99 per month, although similar content may be available elsewhere for free. The app is great for beginners and anyone who is new to fitness. It is worth paying the monthly fee to improve your fitness and have fun while working out.