iFIT vs. Beachbody: Which App is the Best Fitness App?
BODi provides varied workouts and comprehensive nutrition guidance, while iFIT specializes in guided training for treadmills, cycles, and ellipticals.
11 min readUpdated August 22nd, 2023
JBGWritten By Jessica Braun Gervais
OVERVIEW
iFIT (free 30-day trial here) offers pre-recorded classes and is a great choice if you’re looking for training using treadmills, cycles or ellipticals, while BODi (14-day free trial and a 30-day money-back guarantee) offers a variety of live and pre-recorded classes, along with nutritional advice and eating plans.
iFIT vs. BODi
$15 per month
iFIT
Best for users with compatible NordicTrack equipment
- Instructor-led studio classes
- Instructor-led audio workouts
- 140+ workout series
iFIT Overview
iFIT is a workout technology and app connecting users with more than 60 different workout types. iFIT pairs with treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, rowers, and fitness mirrors from their partner brands, including NordicTrack, Matrix, and Pro-Form. If you have equipment from one of their partner brands, you can access their workouts directly on the equipment screen. If you use a different brand, you can still use the app by accessing the exercises through their mobile app.
Getting Started with iFIT
Before browsing the workouts, you will need to create an iFIT account. When you first sign up for the app, it’ll ask questions about your gender, height, weight, fitness goals, the equipment you have, and your desired training schedule. The app offers a 30-day trial before charging $15 per month for access for one user.
iFIT Workouts
Once you have an account, you can access the app’s dashboard. You’ll see a list of workout types to choose from:
- Treadmill: Find a variety of run, walk, and interval training workouts to do on the treadmill.
- Bike: Explore endurance and HIIT rides on your stationary bike.
- Rower: Check out speed and power training for your row machine.
- Elliptical: Try different hiking, running, or walking workouts to enjoy on your elliptical.
- Yoga: Grab a yoga mat and enjoy the collection of all-level yoga flows
- Strength: Get a full-body workout using body weight or free weights from the strength series.
- Mind: Listen to comedy, peaceful meditation, or nature sounds for a well-rounded wellness journey.
When you click on each category, it’ll bring you to a dashboard with workouts related to that category. When you find an exciting exercise, click on it for more details, such as how long the training is, what additional equipment you’ll need, and the estimated calories you’ll burn. You can also find comments and ratings from other iFIT users to see if others enjoyed it.
To start a workout, press the play button at the top of the screen once you click into an activity. Before training, the app will ask if you want to pair to iFIT equipment. Workouts all begin with a countdown clock for you to do a warm-up. There’s no guidance during the warm-up, but if you’re on a machine, you should use that time to wake up the body and prepare for your workout.
Once the warm-up timer is complete, your workout video will start. The trainer will guide you through your movements and explain what you need to do. After the training, you’ll have another countdown for your cooldown. Like the warm-up, it’s self-guided, and is your time to get your heart rate back to normal and help your body relax before the workout ends.
SIGN UP and get a FREE 30-DAY iFit trial >>
iFIT Pros and Cons
Like any workout app, iFIT has its pros and cons. Pros and cons for iFIT may differ depending on your preferences for workouts, accessibility, or exercise knowledge.
iFIT Pros
- Excellent for people with fitness equipment
- Pairs app with various equipment brands
- Estimates calorie burn
iFIT Cons
- Not many free weight or bodyweight workouts available
- No guided warm-ups or cooldowns
- Unsophisticated filtering options
12 months for $179
BODi Overview
BODi is a wellness app that helps members build healthier routines with on-demand workouts, mindset classes, and eating plans. Training is available for all fitness levels, from beginners to experts, and users can choose from various exercises, including yoga, strength training, dance, and cycling.
Getting Started with BODi
Like most other fitness apps, you’ll need an account before you can check out everything BODi offers. You can create an account by downloading the app on your smart device or making one online. There are three membership subscription offers. You can pay month-to-month for $30 per month, six months upfront for $20 per month, or a year upfront for $15. All three memberships have the same workouts and classes, but the 14-day free trial is only if you sign up for the month-to-month membership.
BODi Workouts
One of the unique aspects of BODi is its workout blocks. Every month, BODi curates a mix of strength training, cardio, core work, and mobility drills into blocks. Each week of the month, BODi releases five workouts for members to complete that week. The goal is to do one session a day with two rest days to help build routine and consistency. There are four different blocks for you to choose from each month.
- All-BODi: A mix of strength training, cardio, core work, and mobility drills for a full-body workout.
- Bike: A blend of strength training and cycling with endurance and speed rides.
- For Beginners Only: Back to basics with low-impact cardio, strength, core, and mobility workouts with lots of instruction and guidance to build your confidence.
- Iron: Traditional weight lifting to build strength and power.
Blocks are great for individuals who feel overwhelmed by fitness apps because the app makes daily workout choices for you. However, if you want more variety or selection in your sessions, you can browse BODi on-demand workouts through the app. On-demand training has ten categories:
- Cycling: Workouts for a stationary bike with some floor exercises using bodyweight, resistance bands, or dumbells
- Strength: Training sessions using dumbells, resistance bands, and weight benches to build strength
- Cardio: A mix of cycle and HIIT workouts to increase your heart rate and improve your cardio
- Bootcamp: Workouts including a combination of cardio and strength movements for a full-body workout
- Pilates: Sculpting and mobility moves that you can do on a mat without a Pilates machine
- Barre: Improve your balance, mobility, and flexibility with the help of a barre or chair
- Core: A mix of bodyweight and resistance band workouts to strengthen your core
- Yoga: Grab a yoga mat and work on your flexibility and mobility with these yoga flows
- Meditation: Clear your mind with a 10-20 minute guided meditation
- Dance: Enjoy a full-body cardio and strength workout with these dance routines
Once you find an activity that interests you, tap it for more details. All workouts will tell you how long they are, the difficulty (all levels, beginners, intermediate, advanced), and what equipment you’ll need. You can filter all workouts by duration, music genre, type, body part, fitness level, and equipment. To start a session, click the play button on the video.
SIGN UP and get a FREE 14-DAY BODi trial >>
BODi Pros and Cons
BODi is an excellent all-around fitness app, but it has its pros and cons. Pros and cons for BODi may differ depending on your preferences for workouts, accessibility, or exercise knowledge.
BODi Pros
- Beachbody Coaches offer motivation
- Workouts, eating plans, and mindset videos
- Videos come in Spanish and French
BODi Cons
- Some workouts lack variety
- Must sign up for membership for free trial
- Can only filter workouts by equipment or no equipment
iFIT and BODi are popular fitness apps that help users build a strong body and mind. When comparing iFIT vs. Beachbody, both apps have easy-to-follow workouts and meditation videos for all fitness levels. While more expensive, BODi includes nutrition plans for members, and iFIT offers a free trial and is a better option if you want to use equipment with your workouts. Each app has its benefits, and understanding their differences can help you decide which might be a potential fit for your fitness goals.
Similarities iFIT vs BODi
Workouts for All Levels
iFIT and BODi have a wide selection of exercises to improve cardio, strength, flexibility, and mobility. They also both have videos for all fitness levels, so no matter your physical fitness goals, you can find training to meet your needs on both apps.
Mindfulness Videos
Mental health is becoming more popular among fitness apps. Both iFIT and BODi provide guided meditation and other mindfulness videos to help relieve stress and anxiety.
Differences Between iFIT and BODi
Workout Types
Both apps have workouts to improve cardio, strength, flexibility, and mobility. However, to get the most out of the iFIT app, you’ll want access to a fitness machine such as a cycle, treadmill, row machine, or elliptical. BODi does have many cycling workouts, but it’s better for individuals using dumbbells, resistance bands, or body weight.
Nutrition Advice
One main thing that sets BODi apart from iFIT is the nutrition guidance. BODi has a nutrition section on the app with eating plans, recipes, and educational tools to help you understand nutrition’s role in fueling your exercise and body. Some educational nutrition videos are under the “mind” category on iFIT, but they’re not as helpful with implementing healthier eating practices as BODi.
Community
Community is a big part of fitness, and both apps have a community approach. iFIT doesn’t have as many ways to interact with other members, but you can see what other members are saying about workouts when you click into the details of any session. On BODi, you can connect with a free accountability partner for motivation and access to peer support groups for additional encouragement.
iFit vs BODi Features Comparison
| Features | iFit | BODi |
|---|---|---|
| Live + On Demand Class | Only live races | Yes |
| Home & Gym Workouts | Yes | Yes |
| No-equipment Workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Single Month Option | Yes | No |
| Nutrition Planning | Yes, limited | Yes |
| Audio-led Classes | Yes | No |
iFIT Equipment List
iFIT-connected exercise equipment enables you to maximize the iFIT app features by streaming workouts directly to the cardio or strength machine’s HD-connected screen. This includes treadmills, bikes, ellipticals, rowers, fitness mirrors, and strength systems from NordicTrack, ProForm, Freemotion, Weider, and Matrix.
The iFIT app has both bodyweight-only and resistance or cardio equipment-based classes. In general, you may see the following equipment used in iFIT classes:
- Dumbbells
- Kettlebells
- Yoga Mat
- Resistance Bands
- Yoga Block
- Yoga Strap
- Foam Roller
- Looped Resistance Bands
- Heart Rate Monitor
- Exercise Bike
- Rowing Machine
- Cross-Trainer or Elliptical Machine
- Treadmill
- Cycling Shoes
iFit Workout Classes
Studio Classes
iFIT studio classes include pre-recorded instructor-led workouts set to music. iFIT app studio workouts currently being offered include:
Audio Workouts
Audio-led classes you can do on the go, at home, or the gym.
Live Events and Races
iFIT’s only live option featuring races and events for cycling, treadmill, elliptical, and running activities.
Global Workouts
Workouts that allow you to choose the terrain or destination and follow along with an iFIT trainer while you explore beaches, waterfalls, mountains, and even jungles around the world.
Progressive Series
Train for races or milestones with progressive workouts that improve fitness over time.
iFIT Plans
| Plan Type | Price | Offers |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Monthly Plan | $15/mo | All iFIT’s on-equipment fitness content, including Global Workouts, Live Workouts, Studio Classes, and more. Members can also get iFIT workouts that require no equipment, including pilates, yoga, boxing, and strength training classes. |
| Individual Annual Plan | $180/year | Same as the individual plan but billed annually. |
| Family Monthly Plan  | $39/mo | Same as individual plans but members can add up to 4 additional users to the account. |
| Family Annual Plan | $396/year | Same as a family monthly plan but billed annually. |
BODi Equipment List
BODi has one piece of equipment, the BODi Bike, which allows you to stream live and on-demand classes on and off the bike using a 360 degree swivel touchscreen.
BODi app classes feature a mix of bodyweight only exercises and workouts that use equipment. In general, you may see the following equipment used in BODi classes:
- Dumbbells
- Resistance Bands
- Resistance Loops
- Pull-Up Bar
- Yoga Mat
- Kettlebells
- Stability Ball
- Foam Roller
- Medicine Balls
- Plyo Box
- Yoga Blocks
- Heart Rate Monitor
BODi Plans
| Plan Type | Price | Offers |
|---|---|---|
| 3-Month Membership | $89 | All workout programs, BODi Blocks, nutrition plans and recipes, master classes and personal development, tracking tools, BODi community, and 30-day money-back guarantee.  |
| 6-Month Membership | $119 | Same as a 3 month plan, just billed annually. |
| 12-Month Membership | $179 | Same as a 3 and 6 month plans, just billed annually. |
| BODi Bike Studio | Varies, but includes price of bike and 3-year BODi membership. | Access to all workout programs, BODi Blocks, nutrition plans and recipes, master classes and personal development, tracking tools, BODi community, and 30-day money-back guarantee. |
BODi Workout Classes
BODi has hundreds of programs and workouts.
BODi live and on-demand classes include:
- Cycling
- Strength
- Cardio
- Bootcamp
- Pilates
- Barre
- Core
- Yoga
- Meditation
- Dance
BODi Fitness Blocks
Structured programs that last three weeks and includes five workouts per week.
- All-Bodi Block: Innovative strength training, cardio, core, and mobility work.
- Bike Block: High-energy mix of cycling and strength training.
- Beginners Only Block: Low-impact workouts for beginners.
- Iron Block: Traditional weight lifting focusing on building lean mass and muscle definition.
- Super Block: Workouts with Super Trainers as they remake hit programs.
Some of the more popular programs include the following:
P90X
Tony Horton’s revolutionary full body resistance training workouts that focuses on muscle building, core, and plyometrics.
21 Day Fix
Autumn Calabrese’s 30-minute workouts focusing on strength and cardio. Also includes meal plans.
Shaun T Fitness
14 Shaun T programs featuring bodyweight only routines.
PiYo
Perfect combination of Pilates, yoga, and cardio.
Insanity Max
Cardio and HIIT daily workouts.
Cize
Dance cardio workouts
80 Day Obsession
Autumn Calabrese’s 80 workouts.
Barre Blend
Fun fusion of ballet barre, Pilates, and cardio interval training.
iFIT vs. BODi Comparison Chart
| iFIT | BODi | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $15 per month | $15 per month (annually) |
| Trial Period | 30 days | 14 days |
| Best For | People with compatible NordicTrack equipment | People who want a pre-programmed workout schedule |
How to Choose a Fitness App
Whether deciding between iFIT and BODI or another fitness app, there are a few things you’ll want to consider to help determine which is the right fitness app for you, including equipment needs, the level of guidance you’re looking for, and non-workout offerings.
What equipment will you need?
Before committing to a fitness app, ensure that you have enough workouts to try using your equipment. BODi uses more dumbbells and resistance bands and is a better fit for people with a small at-home gym. iFIT is primarily for people with access to a treadmill, cycle, or elliptical at home or a gym. While there are bodyweight and free weight workouts, there’s probably not enough to justify a year’s subscription.
How much guidance are you looking for?
Most fitness apps are good at using videos from trained fitness experts to guide workouts. However, not all fitness apps provide warm-ups and cooldowns, which are essential to training. iFIT gives you a countdown to do a warm-up but doesn’t guide what to do, whereas BODi includes a guided warm-up as part of your workout.
Beyond the warm-up, every fitness app gives a different level of guidance throughout the workout. Both iFIT and BODi do an excellent job of explaining the setup and proper form for various movements. However, some trainers on both apps are better at giving cues and reminders throughout the workout than others. Try different trainers within each app to understand which works best for you.
What devices is the app compatible with?
Most fitness apps work with iOS and Android, which makes it easy to use on nearly any smartphone or tablet. However, some apps sync with equipment such as treadmills, bikes, or heart rate monitors to access the workout directly on the device screen. The advantage of syncing with your equipment is you’ll get a more accurate reading on calories burned, mileages, and heart rate.
Do you want more than workouts?
Fitness apps continue to grow more diverse to include nutrition and mental wellness features for a complete mind/body approach. If you’re looking for a total wellness package, apps like BODI might be a better fit because of their nutrition and meal guidance. However, if you’re strictly looking for workouts or meditation, iFIT may be enough.
Bottom Line
Both iFIT and BODi offer well-rounded workouts and mindfulness videos, but BODi does go the extra step with nutrition guidance. There’s more diversity in the BODi workouts, but it’s difficult to filter for workouts you want to try and BODi costs more. iFIT is a better choice if you’re looking for guided training for treadmills, cycles, or ellipticals. When you take into account cost, experience, trainer expertise, and functionality, we’d recommend iFIT overall, especially because it includes a free trial, whereas BODi forces you to sign up for a month-to-month option.
To try iFIT free for 30 days, visit their website.
More iFit Guides from GymBird Experts
More BODi Guides
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