The best online fitness classes and subscriptions to get your sweat on at home

No matter how much we hate the #newyearnewyou posts, we must admit that there's something quite inspiring about starting over fresh in the new year. All our days of skipping leg days are behind us, and we can finally start over with some brand new fitness goals.

If you're sick of fighting over the leg press at the gym, or can't motivate yourself to get to part-rave part-spinning class every morning, we know just the thing that can motivate you and get you sweating from head to toe again. Still wondering what we’re talking about? A fitness subscription - obvs.

Our fab selection of online fitness classes will hit the spot and have you feeling strong and revitalised in no time. Oh, and you'll also have the perfect excuse to flaunt your cute AF gym leggings again. Check out our list of the top online fitness subscription classes.

Keep in mind that while some of the services are not charged in GBP, they are still available to use in the UK. The prices listed below are accurate at the point of publishing, but they are subject to change.

The best fitness subscriptions

Yoga is perhaps the most soothing and therapeutic form of exercise. It’s also one of the easiest to practice at home given that in most cases, no equipment is required. Gaia offers an impressive range of classes based on different styles, themes, durations and intensity levels. Whether you’re an aspiring yogi or one that’s been practising for years – Gaia has something for everyone.

As well as yoga classes, you’ll have access to a host of guided meditation classes, as well as exclusive series and inspiring documentaries from leading experts and researchers. In other words, you’ll get a lot of bang for your buck.

Gaia offers three plans: a monthly fee of £8.99, an annual plan of £75 for additional access to Gaia publications, or the premium annual plan of £229 for access to all Gaiasphere live events, past and present. With all three plans, you get a handy free seven-day trial and the opportunity to cancel at any time.

Frame your body, mind and life with on-demand, or live-stream exercise classes for every mood, goal and fitness level.

Ranging from prenatal fitness to disco yoga flow and even musical-inspired dance classes, Frame takes the meaning of home-exercise to a whole new level. If WFH has simply tired you out, you can opt for one of the relaxing stretching classes, or even better – a sound bath. If you’re feeling giddy, the 80s aerobics and 90s cardio classes will get you even more pumped and energised.

Guided by a team of fun instructors who are absolute pros, working out from home will no longer feel like a chore. You’ll be challenged to work hard, reach your goals and have fun doing it.

If you feel like trying but don’t want to commit to a monthly subscription just yet, you can enjoy two live classes for only £8 to get a taste. Then, you’ll be able to upgrade to a month's worth of live classes for £25.

If you prefer on-demand classes, the one-month subscription will cost you £10.99, falling to £9 per month and £6 per month for quarterly and yearly subscriptions, respectively.

P.volve is a modern fitness workout unlike all the rest. Designed with a focus on the underlying mechanics of our joints – you know, those things that creek every time we stand up - P.volve offers hundreds of low-impact exercise classes that will get you sweating in no time.

Between meetings, chores and catching some evening downtime, it’s often difficult to find a free slot for exercise. That won’t be the case with P.volve. The functional fitness classes are designed to fit into your busy schedule, varying between 10 to 40 mins, depending on what you have time for.

If you struggle to keep organised, don’t sweat it. P.volve also allows you to create your very own customisable plan based on your goals, and targeted workouts will be recommended as a result.

Unlike other services, P.volve offers nutritional advice and a large array of recipe videos to learn how to stay fuelled for your workouts.

For a one-month subscription, the fee is £14.62, with a two-week free trial to help you test the waters in advance.

No matter your ability or experience with workouts, WithU is the audio fitness app which boasts over 1600 workouts which can be done anywhere, with or without equipment.

We love how the app is totally beginner-proof, yet will quickly get you sweaty.

WithU has a plethora of fun workouts for you to choose from - no matter your mood or fitness goal. During the routine, you follow a 3d avatar throughout which really helps keep your form and rhythm in check.

What's more, they have a roster of world-class coaches are on hand to provide personalised support and unwavering motivation in every single workout. Whatever your fitness goal, WithU can help you reach it.

The highly-rated fitness app contains a range of workouts including guided runs, yoga, pilates, boxercise, indoor cycling, HIT and more. The best part? There are plenty of free workouts on the app, meaning you can test it first before you decide to commit. To upgrade to an unlimited account, it costs £9.99 a month or £79.99 per year.

Tired of struggling to watch your laptop during a virtual class, or prefer to take your workout outdoors? We’ve got you. Allow us to introduce you to Aaptiv.

Aaptiv is an audio-based fitness subscription that lets you meet your fitness goals when and where you please. You can catch over 4,000 workouts and structured programs across several categories. The audio classes are guided by expert Aaptiv trainers alongside motivating music in every genre imaginable to get you pumped.

If you’re more of a visual person and prefer watching your online classes for a little more oomph, don’t worry. Aaptiv has recently introduced video workouts into its catalogue, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds.

A yearly plan costs £73 with a full money-back guarantee. If you’re not convinced yet, you can enjoy a 7-day free trial to try it out.

Barrecore classes are made up of low-impact, ballet-inspired workouts that pack a punch.

Combining elements of ballet, Pilates and yoga, Barrecore classes will sculpt your body in just a few weeks, and get your muscles working hard. High-intensity but low-impact, the classes are suitable for any age, fitness level and ability.

While we can’t promise that you’ll turn into the Black Swan overnight, Barrecore has received rave reviews from clients who see a flatter tummy and perkier bum in no time. These classes are also ideal for those looking to strengthen their muscles without bulking up.

The great news is that Barrecore is offering new customers three classes for the price of two. After that, you can access all Barrecore live-stream classes for £80 per month, or simply top-up as you go for £7.50 per class.

We’re sure you’re no stranger to the fitness craze that is the Peloton bike, which has given “home fitness” a whole new definition.

Whether you’re willing to splurge on the actual bike or treadmill is completely up to you, but if you enjoy sweating profusely during high-intensity livestreamed workouts, we definitely think it’s worth your while.

If not, a Peloton membership is still available to anyone with a smartphone or tablet, where you’ll be able to access thousands of live and on-demand classes that don’t require any equipment. Peloton offers a diverse selection of workouts, spanning from running, walking, strength training and even audio-only classes for outdoors. The app is also available on Fire TV if you feel like enjoying your workout on a bigger screen.

The Peloton App Membership costs £12.99 per month.

There’s a dupe to nearly everything these days, and Echelon fitness is an affordable alternative to the Peloton, fighting its way to the home fitness bike throne.

At starting price, the Echelon bike will cost you £799, a stark contrast to Peloton which will set you back £1,750. Again, you don’t need to purchase a bike to become a member. The Echelon United membership includes hundreds of equipment-free classes, be it yoga, boxing or upper body and core workouts. World-class trainers are there to coach and motivate you through your fitness transformation, helping you reach those ambitious goals.

If you find it difficult to fit exercise into your busy schedule, Echelon provides classes ranging from five to 45 minutes to help you break a sweat at any point during your day. The difficulty level of workouts varies from complete beginner to absolute pro, so you can get your sweat on no matter where you’re at in your fitness journey.

A one-month Echelon United membership will cost you £29.99 - while a yearly subscription falls to £24.99 per month. For even better value, a two-year subscription costs £19.99 per month.

If you’re looking to knock your fitness goals out of the park, Les Mills is here to help.

Giving members access to thousands of online workouts, from dance to boxing, and everything in-between, world-class instructors and members of the community are there to keep you motivated while you’re becoming the best version of yourself.

Programs are tailored to a variety of fitness levels, and workout plans span between three to 12 weeks. If you’ve got any hyperactive children looking to blow off some steam, Les Mills also offers fun exercise classes for children.

The one-month subscription fee is £12.99, the three-month is £35.97, while the annual subscription will cost you £119 per year. You can download the Les Mills app on practically any device, including your Fire TV. What's more, you can get a free 30-day trial to see if it's right for you.

Founded by fitness guru Grace Beverley, Shreddy is an app that makes exercising easy. The high-energy workouts and real-time classes will make you feel like you’re at an actual fitness studio, giving you that extra push you need during those home workouts.

Not only does the app have a Newbie guide for those who are just starting out, it also includes hundreds of delicious and nutritious recipes that you can tuck in to. You can also connect with Shreddy’s unique community of over 100,000 women from all over the world, discussing recipes and workouts, making your journey feel less lonely.

The prices range from £9.99 per month, £24.99 per quarter or an annual fee of £79.99. Shreddy is currently offering up 40 per cent off for new joiners, so now's the time to commit.

The “all-in-one” fitness app, Tone & Sculpt was designed to help women build inner and outer strength.

Cardio, HIIT and mobility workouts for beginner, intermediate and advanced users to meet their fitness goals – Tone & Sculpt truly has it all. The weekly planner embedded within the app will also let you plan ahead, stay accountable and track your progress.

Thousands of customisable healthy meal recipes are included, suitable for a wide range of dietary requirements. The recipes contain a thorough breakdown of macronutrients so that you know exactly what’s going in your body, and you’ll also be able to track the most crucial component to staying healthy – your water intake.

Starting off with a 14-day free trial, you’ll then have the option of progressing to a one-month subscription of £13.99 per month, a quarterly subscription of £34.99 or an annual subscription of £84.99.

Is ‘too much exercise’ a thing?

We’re always hearing about the benefits of working out. Mood enhancement, anxiety reduction – the ‘exercise effect’ is very real. If you don’t believe us, an intriguing study by Yale){href='http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(18)' target='_blank' rel='noreferrer noopener' class='add-referrer-link'} confirmed that people who performed a moderate amount of exercise were less sad than those who did none. Big shocker.

But with countless fitness subscriptions and videos at our disposal, it can be easy to get ahead of ourselves, and ‘over-exercising’ is a thing, too. You’re probably thinking we’re crazy, we just said exercising is good. Well, the story doesn’t end there. The study also showed that hitting the gym more than five times a week was actually less beneficial to people’s mental health, compared to gymming between three and five times a week.

So, while getting those home workouts in is important for our mental health, don’t be too hard on yourself. Take it easy and try not to overdo it – after all, you’ll be doing yourself a favour.