top of page

10 Best Yoga Apps of 2022 | Free & Paid for Android and iOS

For beginners or pros, here are our top picks for the best yoga apps in 2022.


By PS EDITORS | Last updated August 13, 2022

 
  • Gear up, we look at the best yoga apps for 2022.

  • Ranked on content, GUI, popularity, and user reviews.

  • Top picks for beginners, pros, and budget-conscious busybodies.

  • Also, check out the best books to learn pranayama.

 
A young woman using yoga app in iPhone

Yoga apps are a blessing when financial or geographical constraints prohibit in-person classes. They are an excellent resource to learn poses, meditations, and calming breathing techniques.


We have covered the best pranayama apps for iPhone, too.


Most beginners want the benefits but don't know where to begin. So, we looked at paid and free yoga apps with skill-based programs, custom classes, and audio/video content. We researched 20+ yoga apps for Android and iOS devices to handpick the best of the best.


The apps featured below boast a combination of illustrations, videos, animations, voice, and classes for poses, yoga breathing, and meditation. Our top picks are free to download but may feature in-app purchases or a trial period. Monthly memberships range from $3 to $20 a month.


Now, the ‘best yoga app’ is, by no means, easy to define. Users have varying levels of skill, age, fitness, goals, and budgets, making it difficult to present a one-stop solution. Luckily, our roundup covers a bit of everything to help you find an ideal on-the-mat companion.


Here are the ten best yoga apps to to achieve your fitness goals in 2022.


Our Top Picks (Summary)

  1. Best Overall: Down Dog Yoga App | Read Review

  2. Best for Beginners: Pocket Yoga App | Read Review

  3. Best Multi-Use: Daily Burn App | Read Review

  4. Best Zen: Universal Breathing Yoga Breathing App | Read Review

  5. Best Free (iOS): Yoga for Beginners App | Read Review

  6. Best for Breaks: 5 Minute Yoga App | Read Review

  7. Best Value: Glo Yoga and Meditation App | Read Review

  8. Best Monthly: Asana Rebel Fitness App | Read Review

  9. Best Variety: Track Yoga App (Free) | Read Review

  10. Best Premium: Yoga Studio App by Gaiam | Read Review


1. Best Overall: Down Dog Yoga App


The best subscription-based yoga app if you want a solid full-body workout.

screenshot of down dog yoga app

From Sun Salutations to breathless Vinyasa flows, this top-rated yoga app offers rich instruction for beginners and pros. You can choose your level, style, pace, time, an even music. The app will find the best fit with a matching soundtrack.


The best bits are the areas of focus, styles of yoga, and a free version, for those who aren’t ready to loosen their wallets yet. The free version is palatable and the premium subscription allows you to download videos for offline viewing.


Key specs:

  • Platform: Android and iOS

  • Top Features: 30k+ classes, filter, search, music & 10 languages

  • Pricing: Free or $8 monthly premium membership


What we like:


Down Dog boasts clear instructions and easy-to-grasp content with a welcoming interface. It offers six different voices and 10 languages to guide you through a routine. Additionally, it's virtually rut-proof due to 30,000+ classes. The free version isn't half bad for beginners, either.


The best bits are the areas of focus, styles of yoga, and a free version, for those who aren’t ready to loosen their wallets yet. The free version is palatable and the premium subscription unlocks more content and features. Plus, you can download videos for offline viewing as well.


Down Dog mixes up the content and has many configurations to keep you from getting bored. It’s our top pick for all types of routines at varying skill levels. As for our favorite feature, we love the "Boost" option for leveling up spinal flexibility and back strength.

PROS

CONS

+ Affordable and welcoming

+ Perfect for beginners

+ Superlative Restorative and Yin Yoga

+ Highly Customizable

- Free version is limited

- Better options for advanced yogis

2. Best for Beginners: Pocket Yoga App


An affordable, beginner-friendly, and top-rated yoga app to learn asanas.

Pocket Yoga is not free but charges a one-time $3 fee, which is a reasonable price to test the yoga waters. In return, you get a comprehensive yoga app with 250+ illustrated yoga poses with detailed explanations and steps. In addition, it offers TV and AirPlay support.


This is a no-frills pick with a good cost-value ratio. It does try to compete with the big dogs and their roster of internet-famous yoga teachers. Don’t expect high-quality music, voice, or animations. Also, skip this one if you like live classes and video content.


App Highlights:

  • Platform: Android, iOS

  • Top Features: Yoga poses with illustrations and explanations

  • Pricing: $3 fee (pay once)

What we like:


You start with a choice of 27 sessions, each explaining the correct form and benefits of different yoga poses. There are 300 illustrated images, animated classes, and a voice-over to guide beginners through each pose. There is some soothing background music to set the vibe too.


The illustrations and descriptions are detailed and provide English and Sanskrit names on top. The search function, one of the best features, allows you to filter by type, difficulty level, or alphabetically. And, for off-grid yogis, the app works without internet connectivity.

PROS

CONS

+ Beginner-friendly content

+ Superlative illustrations and pose directory

+ TV and AirPlay Support

+ Does not need internet connectivity

- No videos, only illustrations

- Limited routines for advanced yogis

3. Best Multi-Use: Glo Yoga App


Formerly YogaGlo, this one’s got the goods and the big-name instructors to back it.

Glo Yoga App 7-day free trial screenshot

The Glo app for yoga gives you access to one of the best yoga video libraries curated by certified instructors. The content includes classes for pilates, pranayama, and meditation. Users can whet their curiosity with a 7-day free trial before committing to a monthly subscription.


The app lets you curate your workout based on skill level, intensity, duration, and more. You can search for classes from some of the best yoga experts in different styles of yoga like Annie Carpenter and Nikki Costello. It runs original music tracks to match your mood and pace too.


App Highlights:

  • Platform: iOS and Android

  • Top Features: Varying styles, online classes for all levels

  • Pricing: $15 monthly subscription

What we think:


The Glo user interface and partner yoga content deserve top commendation. We tried the trial version and found it incredibly easy to navigate. Moreover, it makes (helpful) recommendations based on your history, although it takes a while for the algorithm to kick in.


The filters are fantastic, allowing you to find just about anything. You can also opt-in for live yoga classes on the fly and add videos to your library. The app works smoothly on all Android and iOs devices and is compatible with Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV among other things.


Again, this is not a free yoga app, but you can use the trial period to test the waters. $15 might seem pricey, but the content is the next best thing to an in-person yoga class. In our eyes, Glo offers the best value if you are looking for a yoga-only monthly subscription.



4. Best Zen: Universal Breathing


The best yoga app for learning breathing techniques and pranayama.

A yoga app that focuses on pranayama techniques instead of poses? It seems like someone else shares our vision of broadening and expanding yoga content beyond the iron grip of asana. If you are curious or onboard, this is the top-rated app to learn the breathing aspects of yoga.


Universal Breathing helps you master the breath – the first hurdle towards attaining the mind-body-consciousness connection. The techniques are easy to grasp and the background music is lovely. You need 15 to 20 minutes a day to work your way to advanced instructions.


App Highlights:

  • Platform: Android and iOS

  • Top Features: Breathwork and pranayama techniques

  • Pricing: Free


What we think:


The app walks you through pranayama techniques with an elegant and perceptible user interface. Users can start with the basics of breathing, built-in modules, and customize sounds, ratios, and other parameters as they progress. It has a comprehensive course for beginners, too.


Please note that there is no asana content, meaning this isn't the right yoga app for learning poses. There is some scope to use it for breathing meditation, mostly make-shift. Also, it’s best to consult your doctor before you begin pranayama if you have any underlying health conditions.

PROS

CONS

+ Comprehensive pranayama techniques

+ Intuitive and warm interface

+ Breathing for focus, reducing stress, etc.

- Some users report performance issues

- No yoga poses or routines

- No updates in a while

5. Best Free (iOS): Yoga for Beginners


Yoga Daily Fitness and Yoga for Beginners are two of the top-rated free yoga apps in the current landscape. We picked Yoga for Beginners because we enjoyed the content. We use an iPhone and Yoga Daily Fitness is Android-only.


The app won’t disappoint if you have realistic expectations (read: you get what you pay for). The interface is decent and features are relatively limited. But there is lots of high-quality content to get started. An, it's well structured and easy to follow, for the most part.


App Highlights:

  • Platform: iOS, Android (Now Available)

  • Top Features: Illustrations, challenges, 30-day workout plan for beginners

  • Pricing: Free

What we think:


The content is above average and 100% free. In other words, you get a lot more than what you pay for. The step-by-step instructions for yoga poses and the 30-day workout plan are a great place to start. Advanced yogis have very little to gain from it, though.


A few more challenges or sample flows would have been a great addition, but you can't nitpick with free yoga apps. If you like music, we recommend the free version of Glo Yoga as the best in the combo category. But this one is not bad to roll out the mat and get started.

PROS

CONS

+ Elegant, non-intimidating UI

+ Costs nothing

+ Good illustrations and challenges

- No custom routines

- Tricky to navigate at times

- Lacks depth (cues) and variety

6. Best for Breaks: 5 Minute Yoga App


The best yoga app to squeeze in a quick workout when you have minutes to spare.

5 minute yoga app screenshot

The 5 Minute Yoga app delivers a daily sequence of five poses with a 60-second timer. Look at the image, get into the pose as the timer counts down, repeat the process 5 times, and stop saying you are too busy for yoga. The best part is you get a new sequence every time you open the app.


Boredom isn't an excuse either and the app works on iOS and Android. It’s a free app but there is a $3 and $7 monthly plan to access additional content. However, this is more of a novelty for people with some experience rather than a yoga app for beginners or serious practitioners.


App Highlights:

  • Platform: iOS and Android

  • Top Features: 5 poses with explanations and a countdown timer

  • Pricing: Free or $3 & $7 monthly subscription


What we like:


Friendly interface, fantastic concept, and simple operation! Anyone can start with 5-minutes and everyone should. As a free yoga app, you may find the content lackluster, but the poses are well-explained, and the images are excellent. The cheapest upgrade is a reasonable $3 per month.


In our eyes, the app is beginner-friendly, excuse-proof, and perfect for a quick routine. When life gives you 'busy,' this app helps you make the best of it. It averages around four and a half stars from nearly twenty thousand reviews, which speaks to the merits of the concept.

PROS

​CONS

+ A quick workout anytime, anywhere

+ Excellent images and explanations

+ Fresh content, updated regularly

- Not ideal to learn complex stuff

- Not for advanced yogis

- The free content is mediocre

7. Best Multi-Use: Daily Burn App


The best yoga app to bring a fitness studio into your living room.

Daily Burn is a top-rated resource for customized yoga classes based on your fitness needs. While it's a great multi-use app, we recommend it as the ultimate yoga app for cardio junkies. The name gives that away, doesn't it?


Bring your yoga wheels and expect things to get sweaty.

If you don’t want to make a schedule, Daily Burn will analyze your details and create a yoga schedule with relevant videos and nutrition based on your skill level and goals. There are plenty of options to customize, too.


App Highlights:

  • Platforms: iOS, Android

  • Top Features: Yoga videos with diet plans and rest days

  • Pricing: 30-day free trial w/ $19.95 monthly renewal


What we like:


Poses and practices galore, DB is our top pick for a committed yogi. Customize. Download. Follow-along. Rest. Repeat. Better yet, try the free trial before you commit and mix it up with Pilates classes. You can also download a Bluetooth heart rate monitor for biofeedback.

The monthly package includes functional workouts, trainer time, and challenges to improve your range of motion, flexibility, and strength. The price is steep if you want light stretching. We recommend the app to yogis who love regular classes and are willing to pay good money for it.

PROS

CONS

+ Feature-rich app

+ Easy to navigate and customize

+ Beginner-friendly content

+ TV and AirPlay Support

- Price may seem prohibitive

8. Best Monthly: Asana Rebel Fitness App


A holistic app for yoga and fitness enthusiasts with an in-studio experience.

Asana Rebel is a health and lifestyle app with content to improve sleep, productivity, and energy levels. Available for Android and iOS, you can use it to create and customize your fitness plan based on your age, diet, gender, weight, and other relevant inputs.


Once you sign up, you opt for a free version or a monthly or annual subscription with a 14-day money-back guarantee. It's one of the top-rated and most-popular yoga apps on Apple iTunes, with 60k+ reviews on the Apple App store, averaging 4.7 stars at the time of this review.


App Highlights:

  • Platform: iOS and Android

  • Top Features: Hybrid-fitness, meditation, and lifestyle content from leading experts

  • Pricing: Free (limited) or $15.99 monthly subscription


What we like:


Since their debut in 2015, Asana Rebel has become one of the top-rated apps for committed yogis and fitness enthusiasts. The app offers a personalized plan and goal-based approach that may work for those who love exercising with a definitive routine.


The holistic content features a good mix of workouts, breathing exercises, meditations, and recipes. A monthly premium subscription to Asana Rebel can cost anything between $4.91 and $15.99 based on the duration of your commitment.


The yoga app integrates with other apps on your device and supports content in 8 different languages. However, it's not the best choice if you are looking for free yoga apps to achieve your health goals. The free version can be frustrating because the content is very limited.

PROS

CONS

+ Ideal for all fitness levels

+ Various styles, recipes, and 8 languages

+ Excellent filter and search function

+ Learn from world-class yoga teachers

- Not ideal to learn complex stuff

- Not for advanced yogis

- The free content is mediocre

9. Best Variety: Track Yoga App (Free)


Broke? You can still learn from a top-rated app for yoga, pranayama, and meditation.


Track Yoga App Screenshot Free Version

There are times when we need a nudge and a push to move forward. If you need incentives and enticements, Track Yoga has a score-based system to unlock content - like Candy Crush, but more productive.


The classes cover just about everything and the content is user-friendly. Pick a pose and learn it with step-by-step instructions after picking a class. It may not be as comprehensive as yoga apps with premium memberships, but it's the best you can get without forking out a dime.


App Highlights:

  • Platforms: iOS and Android

  • Top Features: Classes and freestyle workouts for every level

  • Pricing: Free


What we like:


With the Track Yoga App, it's easy to set goals and find Hatha Yoga classes based on your current skill level. The classes are curated by top yoga experts and cover everything from relaxation to post-run yoga, and losing weight.


Can’t touch your toes? Try the flexibility series. Feeling blue? Try asanas to alleviate depression. No matter where you are at, there is something to get you moving, which is why we think it's one of the best free apps to stay fit and motivated, yoga-style.


Beginners can find lots of well-structured content to progress at their own pace. There is an abundance of freestyle workouts covering Sun Salutations, Yoga for Abs, Morning/Bedtime Yoga, and more. Track Yoga also boasts the best HD capability among free yoga apps.

PROS

CONS

+ Free app for yoga

+ Point-based content unlocking

+ Well-structured content

+ Excellent value considering the price

- Lacks pose modifications

- Can't enroll in 2 programs simultaneously

10. Best Premium: Yoga Studio App by Gaiam


One of the top-ranking yoga apps, famed for its HD videos and high-quality instructions.



The Gaiam yoga app lets you select a time frame, skill level, and focus. Based on this, you can find poses and commentary to follow along. If you don't want personalized content, choose from over 150 pre-made classes that are 15, 30, or 60 minutes in duration.


You can filter classes based on themes (runners, back pain, prenatal) and focus (balance, strength, flexibility). There are some big-name instructors too, like Rodney Yee, author of a best-selling pranayama book. It is free to download with weekly, monthly, and yearly subscriptions.


App Highlights:

  • Platforms: iOS and Android

  • Top Features: Pose block, 1700 yoga clips, Smart Link

  • Pricing: Free or $10+ subscriptions

What we like:


The Gaiam yoga app has something for everyone, regardless of skill level. It scores top marks for the interface, customization options, music, and commentary. The free version is perfect for beginners, but you cannot choose music to create playlists or schedule and track classes.


There are 25 hours of HD videos with 1700 clips, 280+ poses, 15+ guided meditations, and breathing exercises. The app offers excellent back pain relief routines and yoga for runners. Our favorite feature is the 'focus' combination, and the HD videos look fantastic on Apple TV.


Prana Picks: Our Favorite Apps to Learn Yoga


The Down Dog app is down for enthusiasts of every skill level and strikes a good balance between content, structure, features, and price. The Pocket Yoga app costs very little but has a reasonable amount of content for beginners, mostly illustrated poses with explanations.


Track Yoga is more in-depth if you want a free app to learn yoga on iOS and Android devices. Lastly, Asana Rebel and Glo Yoga apps are on the money. The former offers holistic content and the latter is one of the best yoga apps to create an in-studio experience in the living room.

 

Frequently Asked Questions


How much do yoga apps cost?


There are numerous free yoga apps that don’t cost a dime. However, they generally offer limited content, often with a paywall. Paid yoga apps either charge a one-time fee ($3 to $5) or offer a monthly or yearly membership ranging from $5 to $20 a month.


Are paid yoga apps worth the money?


Yoga apps offer a lot of value if you enjoy using them. Some apps charge a one-time fee and others have weekly, monthly, and annual subscriptions. It's worth the investment if you like structured content with filtering and customization options and personalized routines from world-class yoga instructors. And, you get all that from the comfort of your home, of course.


How many days a week should one do yoga?


Beginners should practice yoga three to five times a week based on their health and fitness goals. You should ease into a new practice and maintain a consistent schedule. You can increase the number or intensity of sessions per week as you progress and your fitness levels improve.


Which yoga app is best for weight loss?


Daily Burn and Asana Rebel are the best yoga apps for weight loss. If we had to choose one, we'd say Asana Rebel has the best high-intensity workouts and weight loss tips. They outshine the competition because of the recipes and diet plans included in the monthly membership.


Our Selection Criteria


Prana Sutra brings to surface the best gear, props, and learning resources for yoga and spiritual practices. All products or services are handpicked by our writers and editors independently.


After researching 20+ yoga apps, we narrowed it down to our ten top picks. The selection was based on attributes like user interface, content quality, pricing, and user reviews.

That said, it's a Herculean task to check the free and paid versions on Android and iOS devices.


Despite the technical difficulties and frustrating paywalls, we compared notes to conclude what yoga apps work well on each platform with and without upgrades. We created a versatile compilation since we understand there are many different reasons to download apps for yoga.

 
Photograph of Vineet Kaul, Prana Sutra Chief Editor

Vineet Kaul is a musician and writer/editor with a penchant for Vedanta literature, Ayurveda, and Yoga. As a writer, he has been nominated for Best of the Net, Pushcart Prize, and other prestigious awards. On the mat, you can find him immersed in Nada Yoga, Mantra Meditation, Pranayama, and other spiritual practices stemming from Tantra and Kashmiri Shavism.

 



Comments


bottom of page