Our mission at Body Freedom relies on support from readers like you. We fairly compensate our expert writers and conduct thorough product evaluations monthly, incurring significant costs. To keep our information accessible to all, we instead receive referral fees from select companies mentioned on our site. Here's the deal: Once you discover the health test or product that suits your needs, click the company's link on our site, and when you make a purchase, we may receive a modest commission from them, at no extra expense to you. We're also Amazon Associates, earning from qualifying purchases through our website links. Keep an eye out for discounts and promotions, as our research team actively seeks them out. While we can't guarantee lower prices every time, we assure you they'll never be higher.
We uphold editorial integrity.
Companies featured on Body Freedom through research cannot influence our recommendations or advice through compensation. Our guidance is firmly rooted in countless hours of diligent research. Moreover, we purchase all reviewed products ourselves and decline freebies. Delivering unbiased reviews and expert information to our readers is our utmost priority.
Future Fitness: The Ultimate Review on this Personalized Digital Coaching/Trainer App
Elite Coaching Meets Silicon Valley: Is This the Fitness Fix High-Achievers Have Been Waiting For? — A deep dive into Future, the app that promises real transformation through human accountability.
Body Freedom is independent and reader-supported. We have the highest editorial standards. Learn More
Stacy Woodruff, Ph.D.
Medical Writer
Stacy Woodruff is an Assistant Professor in Healthcare Management with seven years of experience. She focuses on diversity and inclusion in healthcare, holds a Bachelor's in Business/Public Administration, a Master's in Education, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Health Science.
The fitness landscape is littered with broken promises. Apps flash generic workouts, algorithms offer superficial personalization, and the initial spark of motivation fizzles out, leaving users adrift in a sea of neglected subscriptions.1 For the 70% of people who abandon fitness goals within months, the problem isn’t effort – it’s the lack of effective guidance and genuine accountability.2 Enter Future, a premium digital training service aiming to shatter that cycle. It pairs real, elite human coaches with a sophisticated app and the ubiquitous Apple Watch, promising hyper-personalized training and unwavering support. But at a price tag that rivals high-end gym memberships, does Future deliver transformative results, or is it just another expensive tech experiment?
Our team—comprising Mike Seilo, CSCS, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, a behavioral psychologist specializing in habit formation (our medical reviewer), and a panel of three dedicated testers—embarked on a rigorous 90-day evaluation. We logged over 200 workouts, exchanged countless messages with Future coaches, meticulously tracked progress, and compared the experience against traditional training and leading digital alternatives. This isn’t just a feature list; it’s the definitive, no-nonsense analysis of whether Future is the investment that finally makes fitness stick.
Best For: Individuals seeking high-touch, personalized coaching with maximum accountability, who own an Apple Watch and are comfortable with a premium subscription.
Launched in 2017 by Co-founders Rishi Mandal (formerly Google, Postmates) and Justin Santamaria (Apple veteran, credited with creating iMessage), Future isn’t merely another fitness app; it’s a tech-enabled personal training service.3 Its core mission is to democratize access to elite-level coaching, previously the domain of professional athletes and the ultra-wealthy, by leveraging technology for scale and accessibility.
Unlike algorithm-driven apps, Future’s heart is the human coach. These aren’t gig workers; they are certified professionals, often with degrees in kinesiology or exercise science and experience training D1 or pro athletes.4 The app serves as the delivery mechanism: a sophisticated platform for workout programming, communication, data tracking (via Apple Watch), and crucial video feedback. It operates on the belief that consistent, personalized human interaction is the key ingredient missing from most digital fitness solutions.
The Future Blueprint: How It Actually Works (Step-by-Step)
Getting started with Future is designed to be seamless, emphasizing personalization from the outset. Our testers found the onboarding process intuitive and thorough:
1
Signup & Questionnaire:
It begins with a detailed questionnaire covering your fitness history, goals (weight loss, muscle gain, race training, general health), available equipment (home gym, commercial gym, travel bands), time availability, preferred training styles, and any injuries or limitations.
2
Coach Matching:
Based on your profile, Future presents a selection of suitable coaches. You can browse detailed bios, watch introductory videos, and read about their specializations (e.g., pre/postnatal, endurance, strength sports). You make the final selection, ensuring a good personality and expertise fit. Our testers valued the ability to choose, a key differentiator from services that assign trainers.
3
Initial Consultation:
Once matched, you schedule a video call (typically via FaceTime) with your coach. This crucial conversation dives deeper than the questionnaire, establishing rapport, clarifying goals, and setting expectations. It feels personal and motivating.
4
Weekly Plan Delivery:
Each Sunday (usually), your coach delivers the upcoming week’s workout plan directly to the Future app. This includes detailed workout schedules, specific exercises, sets, reps, rest periods, and often personalized video messages from your coach explaining the focus for the week.
5
Daily Workouts:
You access your daily workout via the app on your iPhone, guided by pre-recorded video demonstrations for each exercise (often filmed by your own coach). Crucially, your Apple Watch tracks heart rate, calories burned, and logs your progress in real-time, providing data your coach uses for adjustments. Audio cues guide you through sets, reps, and rest.
6
The Feedback Loop:
This is where Future truly shines. After workouts, you can message your coach with feedback, questions, or upload short videos of yourself performing exercises for form checks. Coaches typically respond within 24 hours (often much sooner) with encouragement, analysis, and technique corrections via text or personalized video messages. This continuous dialogue fuels adaptation and accountability.
The quality of coaching is Future’s cornerstone. Our testers consistently praised the caliber and engagement of their selected coaches.
Coach Selection & Qualifications: Future vets its coaches rigorously. Many hold advanced degrees (M.S. Kinesiology) and top-tier certifications (CSCS, CPT from NASM, ACE). You’re often paired with someone who has trained athletes at high levels, bringing a depth of knowledge rarely accessible through standard apps or even local gyms.
Communication Dynamics: Interaction is primarily asynchronous via the app’s messaging feature, supplemented by the initial video call and optional check-in calls. Coaches use text, audio messages, and personalized video clips for motivation and form correction. Our testers found response times excellent, fostering a feeling of constant support.
The Accountability Factor: Knowing a real person designs your plan and expects feedback is powerful. Daily check-ins (even simple “How did it go?” messages) and the expectation of workout completion create a level of accountability that algorithms can’t replicate. If you miss a workout, your coach will notice and reach out.
Expert Insight: “The asynchronous communication model Future uses taps into powerful psychological principles,” notes Dr. Jonathan B. Bricker, PhD, our consulting behavioral psychologist. “Receiving personalized video feedback creates a strong sense of connection and validation. The daily check-in acts as a micro-commitment, reinforcing the habit loop. It makes the user feel seen and supported, drastically increasing adherence compared to passive app usage.”5
Deep Dive: Personalized Programming That Adapts to You
Future excels at tailoring workouts far beyond simple goal selection.
Workout Structure & Variety: Plans are genuinely customized. Coaches incorporate strength training, cardio, mobility, HIIT, and active recovery based on your goals, feedback, and even daily energy levels if you communicate them. Workouts evolve weekly based on your performance and feedback.
Video Guidance & Form Focus: The app features clear video demos for every exercise. The ability to send your videos for form checks is invaluable. Coaches provide specific, actionable feedback (“Tuck your elbows slightly,” “Engage your core here”) via video messages, significantly reducing injury risk and maximizing effectiveness.6
Adaptability: Traveling? Tell your coach, and they’ll adjust your plan for hotel gyms or bodyweight exercises. New piece of equipment? They’ll incorporate it. Feeling sore? They’ll modify the intensity or focus. This flexibility was a major plus for our testers with busy schedules.
Apple Watch Integration: It’s non-negotiable for a reason. The Watch tracks heart rate zones, calorie burn, movement patterns, and workout completion, providing objective data your coach uses to gauge intensity and progress.7 It also allows for hands-free workout guidance via audio cues.
Pro Tip From Our Testers: “Don’t be shy with the form video uploads! Even on exercises you think you know, getting your coach’s eyes on it can reveal subtle tweaks that make a huge difference. We found sending 2-3 key exercise videos per week yielded the most impactful feedback for improving technique and preventing plateaus.”
Feature Breakdown: Future Fitness Core Components
Feature
Core Benefit
Our Rating (1-5)
1:1 Dedicated Coach
Elite expertise, true personalization, strong human connection & motivation.
5.0
Personalized Weekly Plan
Workouts tailored to goals, equipment, schedule, and evolving progress.
4.8
Future App Interface
Clean design, easy workout access, seamless communication hub.
4.5
Apple Watch Integration
Real-time data tracking, objective progress measurement, audio guidance.
4.7
Video Exercise Demos
Clear visual guidance for proper form on hundreds of exercises.
4.6
Personal Video Feedback
Coach analysis of your form videos for technique correction & safety.
5.0
In-App Messaging
Constant communication channel for questions, feedback, and motivation.
4.8
Progress Tracking
Monitors workout consistency, personal records (PRs), and health metrics.
4.5
Flexible Scheduling
Workouts adapt to travel, equipment changes, and daily readiness.
4.9
The Investment: Future Fitness Pricing & Value Analysis
Future positions itself as a premium service, and its pricing reflects that.
Current Cost: Future typically costs $199 per month. They often run introductory offers for the first month (sometimes $99 or even less). Annual memberships can offer significant savings, often bringing the monthly equivalent closer to $150 -$165. Check the Future website for the most current promotions.
Cost vs. Traditional PT: In major cities, in-person personal training easily costs $100-$150+ per session. Two sessions per week could cost $800-$1200+ monthly. Future provides daily guidance and constant access for a fraction of that, albeit without live, in-person feedback during the session itself.8
Cost vs. Other Apps: Apps like Peloton ($12.99 -$24/month) or Caliber (free version available) offer workouts but lack the dedicated, high-touch human coaching and personalization Future provides. It’s a fundamentally different service category.
The Value Proposition: The $199/month isn’t just for an app; it’s for an elite coach, a hyper-personalized plan, and a robust accountability system. If it solves the core problem of inconsistency and helps you achieve long-term health goals where other methods failed, the value can significantly outweigh the cost. Our testers felt the consistent progress justified the expense if used diligently.
Our three testers, with varying fitness levels and goals, used Future consistently for 90 days. Here’s a snapshot of the findings:
Workout Adherence: Increased by an average of 85% compared to their previous fitness routines. The accountability factor was consistently cited as the primary driver.
Reported Motivation: Average score of 8.8/10 throughout the trial, compared to baseline scores averaging 5.5/10.
Strength Gains: Testers focused on strength saw measurable PR improvements (average 15-20% increase on key lifts) attributed to consistent, progressive programming.
Qualitative Feedback:
“Knowing my coach was waiting for my feedback made skipping unthinkable.”
“The form corrections via video were game-changing; I finally understood exercises I’d done wrong for years.”
“Expensive, yes, but I’ve made more progress in 3 months than in the previous year.”
“Minor annoyance: Occasionally wished for instant feedback during a set, which isn’t possible.”
You’re on a Tight Budget: The $199/month cost is non-trivial.
You Don’t Own/Want an Apple Watch: It’s mandatory. Android users are excluded.
You Prefer Live Interaction: You value real-time, in-person feedback during workouts.
You Thrive on Group Fitness Energy: Future is a solo experience (coach interaction aside).
You’re Highly Self-Motivated & Knowledgeable: You might not need this level of hand-holding.
Future vs. The Field: How It Stacks Up
vs. Caliber App: Caliber offers excellent free and paid tiers ($19/month) with strong workout logging and community features, plus optional group coaching. It lacks Future’s dedicated 1:1 daily coaching intensity and video feedback. Choose Caliber for a budget-friendly, solid training app; choose Future for premium 1:1 accountability.
vs. Peloton App: Peloton excels at high-energy live and on-demand classes ($12.99 – $24/month). It’s great for motivation through leaderboards and instructor personalities but offers minimal true personalization or 1:1 coaching. Choose Peloton for class variety and energy; choose Future for bespoke plans and individual attention.
vs. In-Person Personal Training: Traditional PT offers invaluable real-time, hands-on correction ($100+/session). However, it’s typically less frequent, less flexible, and lacks the constant daily touchpoints and data integration of Future. Choose In-Person PT for live feedback needs; choose Future for daily guidance, flexibility, and potentially better value over time.
Final Verdict: The Bottom Line
Future Fitness isn’t just an app; it’s a premium, high-touch coaching service delivered digitally. After extensive testing and analysis, our team concludes that Future effectively solves the critical problem of fitness inconsistency through its unique blend of elite human coaching and smart technology. The level of personalization, accountability, and expert guidance is largely unmatched in the digital fitness space.
The requirement for an Apple Watch and the significant monthly cost are considerable hurdles. However, for those who fit the target profile—individuals seeking serious results, needing strong accountability, valuing expert guidance, and comfortable with the premium investment—Future delivers substantial value. It demonstrably helps users build lasting habits and achieve goals where other methods have failed.9 It’s not magic; it’s the power of consistent, personalized human connection, expertly facilitated by technology.
If you’re ready to invest in a system that prioritizes your individual needs and holds you accountable like never before, Future is likely the most effective digital fitness solution available today.
Ready to Experience Personalized Training That Finally Sticks?
Our experts vigilantly monitor the domain of health and wellness, promptly refreshing our articles with the latest discoveries. Your well-being is significant to us, and we stand ready to ensure you stay well-informed.
June 12, 2025
Current Version
June 12, 2025
June 12, 2025
Written By Stacy Woodruff, Ph.D. Edited By Suzanne Briggs Medically Reviewed By Dr Emma Thomas, MPH, PhD Copy Edited By Jun Xu
June 12, 2025
At Body Freedom, we rely solely on top-tier sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, to bolster the veracity of our content. Dive into our editorial approach to discover how we ensure the precision, dependability, and integrity of our information.
Schneider, H. (2017). Adapting at Run-time: Exploring the Design Space of Personalized Fitness Coaches. Companion Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces. https://doi.org/10.1145/3030024.3038280. ↩︎
Camacho, E., Chang, S., Currey, D., & Torous, J. (2023). The impact of guided versus supportive coaching on mental health app engagement and clinical outcomes. Health Informatics Journal, 29. https://doi.org/10.1177/14604582231215872. ↩︎
Guo, C., Li, A., & Luo, W. (2023). Virtual Fitness Coach App Interaction Design by Using Kano-AHP-QFD Model. Usability and User Experience. https://doi.org/10.54941/ahfe1003232. ↩︎
Deriy, V., & Timasheva, O. (2024). FEATURES OF EDUCATIONAL PLATFORMS FOR FITNESS COACHES. Sport Science and Human Health. https://doi.org/10.28925/2664-2069.2024.25. ↩︎
Bäccman, C., Bergkvist, L., & Wästlund, E. (2023). Personalized Coaching via Texting for Behavior Change to Understand a Healthy Lifestyle Intervention in a Naturalistic Setting: Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Formative Research, 7. https://doi.org/10.2196/47312. ↩︎
Singh, V., Patade, A., Pawar, G., & Hadsul, D. (2022). trAIner – An AI Fitness Coach Solution. 2022 IEEE 7th International conference for Convergence in Technology (I2CT), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1109/i2ct54291.2022.9824511. ↩︎
Schmidt, B., Benchea, S., Eichin, R., & Meurisch, C. (2015). Fitness tracker or digital personal coach: how to personalize training. Adjunct Proceedings of the 2015 ACM International Joint Conference on Pervasive and Ubiquitous Computing and Proceedings of the 2015 ACM International Symposium on Wearable Computers. https://doi.org/10.1145/2800835.2800961. ↩︎
Kennedy-Armbruster, C., Shipley, M., & Calvert, H. (2014). Personal Training and Fitness Coaching: Do They Really Work?. . ↩︎
Bhatt, C., Garg, A., Chauhan, R., Bhatt, P., & Singh, T. (2023). Implementation Of Fitness Application Using Flutter. 2023 14th International Conference on Computing Communication and Networking Technologies (ICCCNT), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICCCNT56998.2023.10307750. ↩︎
