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In a perfect world, we’d all be Khloe Kardashian with speed-dial access to personal trainer to the stars Gunnar Peterson (also my friend; yes, this is a not-so-humble brag). However, we can’t all be the Kardashians (or me), which is why the Future App was created.
Launched in 2019, Future aims to give the average person the star treatment with a digital personal training experience tailored to your needs. To help me get a better overall picture of the app, I enlisted the help of Garage Gym Reviews writer Caroline Lubinsky, a former NCAA D1 Women’s College Soccer player; Garage Gym Reviews head of content, Kate Meier, who is also an experienced Olympic weightlifter and certified CrossFit L1 Trainer; and Logan Block, the director of marketing operations at GGR.
In this Future app review, I’ll talk about our experiences using the app and if I think it’s worth the money.
As a special offer for Garage Gym Review readers, you’ll get your first month of Future for just $19. Click the link below to sign up!
Future App
Future
Product Highlights
- Virtual training from qualified coaches
- Personal plan designed to help reach your goals
- Great interface
- Use our link and get your first month for just $19
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Incredible user interface; very well designed and intuitive
- Choose your own coach based on your personal preferences and goals
- Lots of variety in your workouts
Cons
- No Android version of the app yet
- No real-time coaching from your trainer
- $150 per month membership cost
Bottom Line
An online training program that's staffed by real-life humans, and one of our favorite fitness apps.
More Than 500 Future Workouts Completed
The Garage Gym Reviews team doesn’t just write and create content about fitness – fitness is our life. I myself have completed more than 500 Future workouts, so it’s fair to say this review is an informed opinion. That’s the approach we take to all of our reviews.
Whether you want to know about the best folding treadmills, workout tracker, or home gym machines, we have you covered. We’re always trying the latest fitness equipment, smart home gym equipment, and the difference between investing in your own home gym vs gym membership to give you a comprehensive look at what’s out there.
When it comes to testing personal training apps and equipment, we have had our hands on just about everything: workout programs like Juggernaut, smart home gyms like Tonal, and Jason Khalipa’s program, NCFIT, just to name a few. And beyond that, Kate, Caroline and I have each run various training programs like the Wendler Method, CompTrain and others.
RELATED: The Future app made our Best Fitness Gifts list.
A Quick Look at the Future App Review
Your excuses are no longer safe when using the Future app. Don’t have any equipment? No problem. Traveling across the country? Sounds good. Only have time at 4 a.m? Even better. This digital personal training app won’t let you convince yourself that you don’t have the time, equipment, or motivation to crush your fitness goals.
Coop’s Tips Before You Buy:
- If you’re planning to go on vacation, you can add the dates under your profile in the app. This helps your coach plan around your schedule and accommodate any changes in equipment that might happen.
- Wondering if you’re doing an exercise correctly? Click the “record form” button during your workout to send a video to your coach for feedback.
Video Review
Why the Heck Should I Get the Future App?
The Future App has quite a bit going for it and would be a great option for a lot of people. However, I wouldn’t recommend it to absolutely everyone. Here’s who I think it would be an ideal fit for and who might be better off with something different:
Great for:
- People looking for a personal trainer on a flexible schedule
- Those who need motivation or accountability for workouts
- Individuals who want a PT without the hefty price tag that generally comes with in-person training
Not recommended for:
- Individuals who prefer in-person training
- People who like to follow their own programs
- Those who own an Android
Get Off Your Butt!
Once you sign up with Future, you’ll download the app. The first thing you’ll do is click the “find your coach” button on the home page. You’ll be asked a few questions about your current workout habits and what goals you’re looking to achieve. From there, Future will recommend a few coaches based on your answers. You can also disregard their suggestions if you’re feeling rebellious and take a look at the dozens of qualified options available.
Caroline decided to pick her own and chose Elle, a former professional soccer player who likes HIIT workouts. She equated it a little to a dating app, because you’re looking for someone compatible who can help you achieve your goals in a way that’s enjoyable for you.
RELATED: HIIT Treadmill Workout
Kate agrees. Although she chose a coach that was recommended to her, Kate says her coach was well suggested–the former gymnast could definitely help with her objective of gaining upper body strength for handstands.
Once you’ve chosen your coach, they’ll schedule a Facetime call with you to talk about your current fitness routine and what you hope to achieve with Future. It’s nice to connect with your coach face to face because it feels like they really care about seeing you succeed. Your coach will also check in with you every month to see how you are doing with the fitness plans they’re creating to see if any tweaks need to be made.
Starting Your Future App Workouts
Depending on how many days a week you want to workout, your Future coach will design a custom plan for you for the entire week. By Sunday evening, you should be able to see what you have to accomplish so you can plan accordingly. At first, I was a little nervous there wouldn’t be any rest days, but these are luckily planned into your schedule for you.
Since Caroline decided she wanted to improve her mile time and get better at pull-ups, her coach had her complete a baseline workout to see where she could get better. Kate didn’t do a baseline workout – she jumped head first into the programming because she let her coach know she was an experienced Olympic weightlifter.
When you’re ready to begin your planned workout for the day, you’ll simply launch the app, click “view workout,” and “start.”
From there, your coach will likely talk to you about what to expect for the exercises. When the workout begins, there is a person on the screen who is demonstrating the exercises as they should be performed. A semi-robotic voice tells you what equipment you need (like dumbbells or resistance bands) and what movement you’ll be doing. The voice also gives you cues during the workout. If you aren’t sure you are doing a movement correctly, you can record your form to send it to your coach. While you may not get cues in real time on your movement, you can at least get feedback for the next time.
Kate especially liked that the app works with your watch, and you can easily tap a button to move through your workout. This eliminates having to run over to your phone frequently. You can also easily pause your workout to take extra time to breathe or warmup. Kate also was able to cast the workout from her phone to her TV at home.
Both Logan and Caroline mentioned that they liked being able to rate how the workout felt after it was completed. Your coach is then able to make adjustments based on your feedback to make your workouts even more tailored for you.
Accountability and Flexibility
Almost every morning, my coach sent me a motivational quote and encouraged me to get my workout in. I don’t normally have an issue with accountability, but it was nice to know my coach was in my corner and wanted to see me succeed. If you’re someone who struggles with sticking to a workout plan, the Future app is a great option for you because you’ll have a real person gently nagging you to get going.
However, just because the Future coaches want you to workout doesn’t mean they can’t or won’t accommodate for extenuating circumstances. Since they are actual humans (and not robots planning your workouts), they understand that life happens. People get injured and have off days and your coach is there to help you pivot accordingly. Caroline hurt her back a month into trying Future, and her coach switched up her workouts to be more low-impact and rehab focused, which was really helpful for her. This shows me that regardless of your level, a Future coach can help you improve.
The only big downside with this app is the price. Don’t get me wrong – $149 per month is not even close to the cost of getting an actual in-person PT on your case multiple times a week. However, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this can be out of some people’s budget. If you can afford it, I’d definitely recommend it as a less stressful way to workout since it eliminates the aspect of having to plan your own workouts.
Technology
The Future app works only with Apple products, and an Apple Watch is required to use the service. This is worth noting because you need one in order to get the most out of the Future programming.
An Apple Watch seamlessly syncs with Future once you download the app for the watch. The watch then tracks your Future workouts for you without you having to remember to start a workout on the device, which is great in my opinion. Plus, you won’t have an opportunity to fudge the workout, because your trainer will be able to see your daily calories burned, activities, heart rate, and workouts completed. This adds an extra layer of accountability alongside the kind, but firm prodding of your coach.
Three-Year Update: Is the Future App Still Worth It?
In a word, yes. Coop is approaching his three-year anniversary later this year and he says he doesn’t see himself stopping any time soon.
“I think the biggest evidence of my feelings toward Future is that I’ve used it every week since September 2020. I also pay for my wife to use it, I’m that big of a believer.”
Cooper Mitchell, GGR founder and home gym equipment expert
Kate admits she didn’t think she’d still be with Future after doing the initial review, but two years later and she’s still with it. The program has actually helped her after she suffered a weightlifting injury that needed surgery.
“I have a great relationship with my Future coach,” she says. “She has helped me stay on track…[she] programmed one-arm, core, and lower-body exercises to keep me moving. She got creative so my workouts were still varied, never boring. Once I got my PT work, she added that into my workouts, which kept me accountable to doing PT (which everyone knows is the hardest part of PT).”
That accountability factor and personal touch, Kate adds, is the main reason she’s continued with Future. “That, and not having to think at all about what my workout is because a professional has programmed it for me according to my goals, my abilities, and my equipment.”
Future App Specs
| Price | $149 per month |
| Compatible With | Apple Watch, iPad or iPhone Only (iOS); downloadable in the App Store |
| Country Available | United States |
| Gym Membership Required | No |
| Ability to Change Coaches | Yes |
| Corporate Wellness Options | Yes |
Future App vs. Peloton App—Which One’s Better
Peloton App
Peloton App
Product Highlights
- World-class workout classes
- Variety of fitness routines
- On-bike and off-bike workouts
- Don't need a Peloton bike to sign up for the app
Pros & Cons
Pros
- World-class programming
- Not just bike workouts
- Can be used all over the world
- Keeps tracks of all training metrics
- Train from the comfort of your own home
- 30-day free trial
Cons
- Costs $39 per month
- Required to access Peloton Bike's features
Bottom Line
The Peloton app is one of the best training programs we've come across on any piece of exercise equipment.
If you’re someone who enjoys group fitness classes, go with the Peloton App. In fact, you could consider the Peloton app a fitness school since it has a seemingly endless variety of live and on-demand fitness classes from cycling (of course) all the way to yoga (and yes, there are also strength classes). And in case you’re wondering, you don’t need a Peloton Bike to have the Peloton app—actually, some non-Peloton bikes can be synced to the Peloton app so your trainer can control your speed and resistance.
Related: Peloton app review
The Future App, on the other hand, is better for people who prefer one-on-one training and want their coach to customize the workouts to their fitness goals and needs. Future coaches can also help you develop a routine if you’re on vacation or maybe suffer an injury.
Who Should Buy the Future App
- People who prefer one-on-one training
- Anyone looking to pursue a specific goal
- Those who want a fitness app that adapts to your busy life and travel schedule
Who Should Buy the Peloton App
- Those who prefer group fitness classes
- Anyone who enjoys switching up fitness routines
- Those who want a more budget-friendly fitness app
Future App vs. JuggernautAI—Humans or Robots?
JuggerNautAI
JuggernautAI
Product Highlights
- Use code "GARAGEGYM" for a discount on JuggernautAI training.
- Smart powerlifting and powerbuilding program from Chad Wesley Smith, an accomplished strength athlete and owner of Juggernaut Training Systems.
- Uses information such as your weight, training history, current fitness level and training load, personal records, goals, and ideal training schedule to create strength and hypertrophy blocks to prepare you for powerlifting or bodybuilding meets.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Extremely intuitive app experience
- Super smart and responsive AI
- Offers a two-week free trial to see if you like it
Cons
- Not the same as working with a real coach
- Dashboard is a little confusing at first
- Only for strength training (no cardio workouts)
Bottom Line
JuggernautAI compiles your information to create a personalized powerlifting and powerbuilding workout experience.
JuggernautAI is, as its name implies, an artificial intelligence-based app that personalizes workout programs based on a fitness assessment and whatever data you input. We’ll be honest, it’s really cool and it’s shockingly affordable considering the high-quality workouts it produced for us. At only $35 per month, it’s much more affordable than the $149 Future subscription.
Related: JuggenautAI review
As cool as the AI technology is, there are some people who get better results from interacting with a human. A human coach, even if they are talking to you virtually, will be able to pick up on cues that a robot can’t (until they become self-aware, that is). Also, it’s easier to ignore a robot’s “accountability alerts” so if you’re someone who needs an accountability buddy we’d recommend Future.
Of course, you need to be willing to pay for it and it’s not cheap, but we feel the customer service makes it well worth it.
Who Should Buy Future App
- People who prefer human-to-human interactions
- Those who don’t mind paying for a premium service
- Anyone looking for a coach who can pick up on cues that a robot can’t
Who Should Buy JuggernautAI
- People interested in AI technology
- Those who don’t need personal coaching
- Anyone on a budget
Customer Experience
Future definitely stands behind its service: if you don’t love the app within the first month of using it, you’ll get a full-refund. I also like that you’re able to cancel whenever without going through hoops of fire like some fitness memberships make you do. You can also easily switch out your coach if you want to try someone new by clicking “profile,” “account,” and “switch coach.”
I don’t love that there isn’t a live chat option or a phone number to call with questions. If you scroll to the bottom of the website, you will see an “FAQ and Contact us” link. However, the page is all FAQs without an obvious way to contact customer service for help. I did keep hunting, and after clicking various questions, I found an email address: help@future.co. It is worth noting that they don’t make it a simple process to find a method to contact them.
Customer Reviews
With over 91 ratings on Trustpilot, the Future app receives a solid score of 4.7 out of 5. Customers enjoyed the tailored aspect of the workouts and the accountability from having a personalized coach. People also mentioned that the app was simple to use and the coach could always change your workouts based on what equipment you have on hand.
In terms of negative feedback, a few people complained that the workouts they were receiving didn’t seem personalized to them and they also wished there was a nutrition aspect to the app. However, these less than positive reviews were few and far between.
Final Verdict of Our Future App Review
Here are my thoughts on the Future App summarized: it’s awesome. Whether you’re someone who wants to get back into fitness, are insanely busy, or want to personal train on your schedule, this app is probably for you. The real barrier can be the price (for some people) and if you don’t have an iPhone. Otherwise, this app is genuinely one of the best I’ve used in its category because it is so personalized to your individual goals and needs.
Lastly, I want to give a specific shout-out to my coach on Future, Jacob Sheeter. We’ve been working together for over A YEAR (seriously, I’ve been training with Future and Jacob now for more than 365 days and over 200 workouts.)
Final Rating
Future App
The Future app is a great training app for most people, whether you've been training for years or you're just getting started. The personalization of this app according to your personal training goals is what makes it so special.
Product Brand: Future
Product Currency: $
Product Price: 149
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.3
Future App FAQs
How does Future work?
Future is essentially a virtual personal training service. Your coach will ask you questions about what kind of workouts you like to do, what your goals are, and what equipment you generally have on hand. From there, they will create workouts weekly that help you get closer to your goals. There is also an accountability aspect to it where your coach will encourage you to complete your workouts and also remind you when you’ve missed one.
How much is Future each month?
Future is $149 per month. However, if you sign up using our link above, you’ll get one month for just $19!
Can you pick your own coach with Future?
After answering some questions about your fitness habits and goals, you’ll get a few trainers recommended to you based on your answers. You are able to disregard the suggestions and take a look at all the trainers offered and pick your own.
Do my goals have to be cardio or strength training specific?
Nope! You can have pretty much any goal under the sun. Your coach is there to support you on your fitness journey, regardless of your fitness level. That can look like anything from workouts for general weight loss, achieving proper form on push-ups, or being better about completing warm-ups to prevent injury.
Does Future offer a free trial?
Future doesn’t offer a free trial, though they do offer the first month at $19 so you can see if you like it.
What comes in the future welcome kit?
The Future welcome kit comes with an Apple Watch (if you don’t already own one) and a Future-branded water bottle (which you’ll need during the workouts they put you through).
Further reading
In the last year, an overwhelming number of people finally realized what I’ve known for a long time: working out at home rules (thanks, COVID). More than ever, exercise enthusiasts are building gyms right in their own houses. The best home gyms around have barbells, exercise bikes, dumbbells and more.If you’re looking for a home gym, specifically, for your home gym, there’s a lot on the market. A “home gym” could refer to an all-in-one squat rack, a cable cross machine, an interactive screen and any other piece of equipment that essentially works the majority of your muscle groups. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the multitude of options available, so I put together the list of the pieces I like best. Read more
In a perfect world, we’d all be Khloe Kardashian with speed-dial access to personal trainer to the stars Gunnar Peterson (also my friend; yes, this is a not-so-humble brag). However, we can’t all be the Kardashians (or me), which is why the Future App was created. Launched in 2019, Future aims to give the average person the star treatment with a digital personal training experience tailored to your needs. To help me get a better overall picture of the app, » Read more about: Future App Review (2023): Personal Training with a Twist (2-year Update) » Read more
The Genesis Deadlift Jack has upped the game by providing a lightweight and very durable deadlift jack that will take up almost zero space in any commercial or home gym. At a pretty great price, the Genesis Jack should rank near the top of any deadlift jack list. Read more
In a perfect world, we’d all be Khloe Kardashian with speed-dial access to personal trainer to the stars Gunnar Peterson (also my friend; yes, this is a not-so-humble brag). However, we can’t all be the Kardashians (or me), which is why the Future App was created. Launched in 2019, Future aims to give the average person the star treatment with a digital personal training experience tailored to your needs. To help me get a better overall picture of the app, » Read more about: Future App Review (2023): Personal Training with a Twist (2-year Update) » Read more