Look, if there’s one thing that I’ve taken away from the pandemic, it’s that sometimes, even when you physically can leave your house, to do something like, idk, go to the gym, you just don’t quite feel like it. A yoga practice alone in my living room grants me 10x more peace than a packed workout studio ever could, anyway. Luckily, the sky’s the limit when it comes to fitting in a quick flow at any time of day, thanks to the many, many, (many) yoga apps out there rn.
Since the much-loved form of exercise is an easy way to de-stress and stretch out sore muscles, I’m not gonna let decision fatigue turn you off from becoming your best yoga-loving self. Instead, just peep through this curated list of the best yoga apps that you can download on your iPhone or Android. We based our faves on a combo of stellar reviews, overall rankings, aaaand price, ofc!
If you’re still feeling meh about hitting up an in-person studio (I get it!), wanna graduate from watching YouTube yoga workouts, or just generally like getting sweaty in private (lol, sorry not sorry), these yoga apps were made for you. Happy posing!
1. Best for your breathwork practice
Universal Breathing–Pranayama Lite
Free on the App Store, Dhs18.33 on Google Play
If you’re more into the zen and breathing side of yoga, this app offers a series of exercises that’ll help you with that. The exercises are synced with music (and fun animations) to show you how to breathe properly to relax your mind with meditation. Each session lasts 15 minutes.
2. Best for working on flexibility
Lotus Yoga
Free download with in-app purchases on the App Store and Google Play
While the highly-rated app is specifically designed to help you with your flexibility, it has SO many other great features. You can set up a yoga plan anywhere from five days to six weeks, while also bopping along to some v solid Spotify playlists.
3. Best for body positivity
The Underbelly
Free to download and Dhs37/month for a subscription on the App Store and Google Play
The yoga workouts on this app (led by yoga teacher and writer Jessamyn Stanley) aim to promote both peace of mind and peace of body. Stanley has personally created hours of routines that are suited for a variety of different body types and shapes. Stretching + self-love = the best combo
4. Best for beginner yogis
Daily Yoga
Free to download or Dhs253/year on iTunes and Google Play
If you’re looking to take up a new healthy yoga habit, Daily Yoga has one- to two-week programs that will help you get into the flow (get it?) of practicing regularly. Check out the two-week Yoga Basics for Beginners program, which provides users with a daily pre-recorded class to follow. Each day, you’ll get a reminder to get your downward dog on and suggestions for what session or program to take next.
5. Best for a custom practice
Yoga Studio: Mind & Body
Free to download or Dhs37/month for a subscription on iTunes and Google Play
Want to choose your own yogi adventure? This app’s class-building feature allows you to customize the moves you do during your practice. Just pick the poses you want from the app’s library, then use the smart-link function that strings the postures together into one cohesive flow you can follow via video.
6. Best flow to keep you focused
Down Dog
Free or Dhs37/month or Dhs220/year with a membership on iTunes and Google Play
With more than 30,000 classes, Down Dog is workout-rut proof. To find your perfect practice, choose your yogi level, the type of workout you want (say, a quick flow or sun salutation), what you want to focus on (like hip openers or restorative poses), how much time you have, how fast you want to flow, and a soundtrack. Boom. Repeat as needed.
7. Best for the cardio-obsessed
Glo
Dhs88/month for unlimited classes on the App Store
Hey, cardio heads, Glo has classes to complement your regularly scheduled sweat sessions. Just search for your sport in the app, and you’ll see an array of sequences made to stretch the muscles you use the most and strengthen the ones you don’t. And with classes ranging from five minutes to two hours, you can choose a practice that works with your schedule.
8. Best for anyone who lives in athleisure
Alo Moves
Dhs73/month on the App Store and Google Play
Yoga pros and Insta-stars like Briohny Smyth and Koya Webb lead you through nearly 1,000 classes from vinyasa to straight-up meditation. If you’re looking to score some likes by posting your own yogi handstands, check out Alo Move’s handstand workshop. You’ll progress through a series of nine classes that help you prep for the handstand and teach you how to crush it. Oh, and you get one month free when you buy any Alo Yoga apparel.
9. Best quickie practice
5-Minute Yoga Workouts
Free on the App Store and Google Play
Open the excuse-proof app, press start to kick off the sequence of the day, and you’ll see a photo of the move, a description of how to do it, and a minute-long countdown clock for how long you should hold each pose. After five of them, you’re done, and you get a new set every time you open the app. Bonus: It’s free!
10. Best for a heavy sweat sesh
Asana Rebel
Free or Dhs59 for Rebel Pro on the App Store and Google Play
If you’re looking to get your butt-kicked yogi style, this app turns up the burn by adding strength exercises, like planks, push-ups, squats, and high-intensity intervals to its classes. Each instructional video is shot in a gorge space, like tropical locales, so you have something pretty to look at while your muscles are crying. Need a breather? Try some of the app’s low-key sequences that focus on slow stretches, easy flows, and balance.
Via Cosmopolitan US