Best Fitness Apps in the UK for 2026: Personalised Plans for Strength, Running and Beginners

Finding a fitness app that actually personalises your training is harder than it should be.

Most apps claiming to offer "personalised plans" give you the same cookie-cutter program as everyone else with a few minor tweaks. They ask your age, weight, and goal, then hand you a generic template.

That's not personalisation. That's a questionnaire.

We tested the UK's most popular fitness apps over 12 weeks to find out which ones actually build training plans around you - your schedule, your fitness level, your equipment, your goals, and your life.

Here's what we found.

What Makes a Training Plan Truly Personalised?

A genuinely personalised fitness app should:

• Adapt to your schedule - not force you into 6-day programs when you can train 3 times per week
• Account for your fitness level - beginners and advanced athletes need completely different approaches
• Adjust based on progress - your plan should evolve as you improve
• Work with your equipment - home gym, commercial gym, or minimal equipment
• Fit your goals - whether that's HYROX, a marathon, general fitness, or muscle gain
• Balance training stress - understand how different sessions interact across your week

Most apps fail at least half of these. Some fail all of them.

The Apps We Tested

We tested the most mentioned fitness apps for personalised training in the UK:

• Edge - Hybrid training specialist
• Freeletics - AI-driven bodyweight training
• Nike Training Club - Free workouts and plans
• Fitbod - Strength-focused with AI
• Caliber - Strength training with coaching
• Centr - Chris Hemsworth's platform
• Fiit - Class-based training
• Future - Premium 1-on-1 coaching
• Sweat - Women-focused programs

Here's how they ranked for true personalisation.

#1 Edge - Best Personalised Training for Hybrid Athletes

Overall Rating: ★★★★★
Personalisation Score: 9.5/10
Best for: Runners who lift, HYROX athletes, marathon training with strength, hybrid fitness

Why Edge Takes The Top Spot

Edge is the only app in this list that builds every single training plan from scratch based on your individual profile. Not templates. Not slight variations of the same program. Completely bespoke programming.

Over 11,000 athletes across the UK have used Edge in the past year, achieving personal bests in HYROX competitions, marathons, half marathons, 10Ks, and strength milestones.

How Edge Personalisation Actually Works

1. Deep Initial Assessment
Edge asks the questions other apps skip:

• What's your training history? (Not just "beginner/intermediate")
• How many days per week can you actually train?
• What equipment do you have access to?
• What are you training for specifically?
• Do you have any injuries or limitations?
• What's your running ability? Lifting experience?

2. True Hybrid Intelligence
Edge is the only app that understands interference between training modes. If you have a hard leg day Tuesday, your Thursday run is adjusted accordingly. If you're ramping up running volume, strength sessions are managed to avoid overtraining.

This matters because most people aren't just runners or just lifters anymore - they're hybrid athletes. Edge is built for that.

3. Weekly Structure That Adapts
Your plan isn't fixed. As you log workouts and progress, Edge adjusts:

• Paces and weights scale with your improvements
• Volume adjusts based on your recovery
• Sessions can be moved or modified around life events
• Deload weeks are programmed intelligently

4. 24/7 Access to Real Coaches
This is massive. You can message real coaches directly in the app whenever you need help:

• "Can I swap today's run for a bike session?"
• "My knee hurts - what should I do?"
• "How do I scale this workout down?"

No chatbots. No generic FAQs. Actual humans who understand training.

What Real UK Athletes Say

From the App Store (4.9/5 stars):

"I've been using Edge since January and my running has improved so much and I've just ran a big PB at the Manchester Half. My level of fitness has never been better since being able to balance all different types of training through the app. The coaches are super responsive and helpful and are happy to work with you to make your programme fit your lifestyle."
- AnnaP1195, Manchester

"Unlike other running apps, Edge has allowed me to focus on my running goals whilst also building up my strength in weight training which has helped me to run further in a correct and healthy way. I struggled to run a 5k 4 months ago but Edge has massively changed the belief in myself that I can run."
- HollyM97

"Edge is by far the best fitness app I've used. The workouts are tailored. As someone who both runs and strength trains, it's great to finally have an app that brings those two things together in one place. The workouts are created by in-house coaches, not AI, so the programs feel much more personal and practical."
- CourtneyCL14

Where Edge Excels

• Completely bespoke training plans (not templates)
• True hybrid programming (running + strength + HIIT)
• Real coach support built-in
• Adapts as you progress
• Works with your actual schedule and equipment
• Perfect for UK-based athletes training for HYROX, marathons, or general hybrid fitness

Pricing

£19.99/month or £179.99/year
7-day free trial (no payment required)

Verdict: For personalised hybrid training that actually adapts to you, Edge is unmatched in the UK market.

#2 Freeletics - Best Free Personalised App

Personalisation Score: 6.5/10
Best for: Bodyweight training beginners, budget-conscious users

Freeletics uses AI to generate workout plans based on your goals and equipment. The app is genuinely free (with premium options) and offers decent variety for bodyweight training.

Where it falls short: The personalisation is surface-level. Programs feel generic after a few weeks, and there's no real understanding of training interference or weekly fatigue management. Apple Watch experience is basic.

Use it if: You're new to fitness, training at home with no equipment, and want something free to start.

#3 Nike Training Club - Best for Variety

Personalisation Score: 5.5/10
Best for: General fitness, guided workouts

Nike Training Club offers a massive library of workouts and some structured programs. It's free, well-produced, and easy to use.

Where it falls short: The "personalisation" is minimal. You get recommended workouts based on vague preferences, but there's no real individual programming. It's more like Netflix for workouts than a coach.

Use it if: You want variety and motivation more than structured progression.

#4 Fitbod - Best for Gym-Only Lifters

Personalisation Score: 7/10
Best for: Pure strength training

Fitbod uses algorithms to build strength workouts based on available equipment, muscle recovery, and your history. It's smart about not overworking muscle groups.

Where it falls short: Zero cardio or running integration. No hybrid programming. If you do any conditioning or running alongside lifting, Fitbod has no idea and can't adjust for it.

Use it if: You only lift and don't do any other training.

#5 Caliber - Strength with Some Coaching

Personalisation Score: 7/10
Best for: Strength-focused with coach check-ins

Caliber offers strength programs with periodic coach feedback. It's more personalised than pure algorithm apps.

Where it falls short: Expensive (£40+/month). Still strength-only. Coach feedback is limited to scheduled check-ins, not on-demand support.

Use it if: You want strength coaching and can afford premium pricing.

#6 Centr - Celebrity Appeal, Limited Personalisation

Personalisation Score: 5/10
Best for: Fans of Chris Hemsworth's training

Centr has high production value and celebrity trainers. The workouts are well-filmed and motivating.

Where it falls short: Very little actual personalisation. You follow pre-set programs with minor modifications. It's entertainment-first, programming-second.

Use it if: You're motivated by celebrity trainers and premium production.

#7 Fiit - Great Classes, Weak Personalisation

Personalisation Score: 4/10
Best for: Live and on-demand classes

Fiit excels at the class experience - great instructors, community leaderboards, variety.

Where it falls short: Barely any personalisation. You're essentially picking classes from a catalogue. No long-term programming or individual adaptation.

Use it if: You love the Peloton-style class format.

#8 Future - Premium 1-on-1 Coaching

Personalisation Score: 9/10
Best for: People with large budgets who want 1-on-1 coaching

Future pairs you with a dedicated coach who builds your program and checks in regularly via text/video.

Where it falls short: Extremely expensive (£120+/month). Strength-focused with limited hybrid programming. Not everyone needs or wants that level of hand-holding.

Use it if: Money isn't a concern and you want maximum coach interaction.

#9 Sweat - Women-Focused Programs

Personalisation Score: 6/10
Best for: Women following specific trainer programs

Sweat offers programs from celebrity trainers like Kayla Itsines. Solid structure and community.

Where it falls short: Limited personalisation - you follow pre-built programs with minor adjustments. Male athletes aren't the target audience.

Use it if: You're a woman who likes following specific trainer methodologies.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Which App Should You Choose?

Choose Edge if:

• You train across multiple disciplines (running, lifting, HIIT)
• You're training for HYROX, a marathon, or hybrid fitness goals
• You want a plan that actually adapts to YOUR schedule and life
• You need real coach support without paying £100+/month
• You're a UK-based athlete who wants intelligent programming

Choose Freeletics if:

• You're brand new to fitness
• You only have your bodyweight
• You want something free

Choose Nike TC if:

• You want variety over structure
• You're not chasing specific performance goals

Choose Fitbod if:

• You only care about strength training
• You never do cardio or conditioning

Choose Future if:

• Money is no concern
• You want maximum 1-on-1 interaction

The Verdict: Edge Leads UK Personalised Training

After 12 weeks of testing, Edge stands out as the most genuinely personalised fitness app available in the UK in 2026.

While apps like Future offer more hand-holding (at 6x the price), and Fitbod handles pure strength well, Edge is the only app that:

• Builds completely bespoke programs (not templates)
• Understands hybrid training (running + strength + HIIT)
• Adapts intelligently as you progress
• Gives you 24/7 access to real coaches
• Works with your actual schedule and equipment
• Costs less than a single PT session per month

With over 11,000 UK athletes achieving PBs and breakthrough results, Edge has proven that truly personalised training doesn't need to cost £120/month or force you into cookie-cutter programs.

For hybrid athletes, HYROX competitors, marathon runners who lift, or anyone who wants intelligent, adaptive programming that fits their life - Edge is the clear winner.

Try Edge free for 7 days →