The Openfit app delivers live-streamed home workouts and personalized feedback from certified trainers starting at $8 a month — here's our review

• Openfit offers live, personal trainer-led classes, on-demand workouts like HIIT, Pilates, and kickboxing, and also helps you plan out daily meal plans.
• Starting at just $8/month, the app is available to stream classes via Android and IOS devices, as well as through Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire TV.

I'm no stranger to the gym, but I always prefer working out in the comfort of my own home. When I had the opportunity to test Openfit, a fitness platform that provides live trainers who can watch you in real-time, I was a bit apprehensive.

The app offers workout programs and meal plans complete with full recipes and nutrition information. Despite my reticence, I tried out a wide variety of the workouts the app offers, and was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked the live classes.

What the workouts are like

The Openfit app provides a mostly typical list of available classes across a variety of workout types. Though what's offered isn't unlike similar apps, having the ability to choose between a number of different class styles is a useful feature (and did well to keep me motivated). Here's everything Openfit offers:

• Strength training
• Barre & Pilates
• Walking & running
• Cardio & HIIT
• Yoga
• Weights
• Kickboxing
• Stretching
• Treadmill

The workouts in these categories are largely made up of live classes that are made available on-demand after they air. There are also on-demand pre-recorded programs such as a toning and sculpting class called XB Pilates or a quick-hit, full-body workout called Tough Mudder T-Minus 30.

During the workout, a trainer talks you through the moves, and a timer shows how much time is left in each exercise. On some workouts, there's a prompt to enter your reps and weight, which I found to be quite helpful as I often forget to keep track (which makes it hard to improve in future workouts).

When the workout is over, the app lets you view your stats, both overall from every workout and from that individual workout, as well. Stats include data like what exercises you did and how long you worked out for.

What it's like to join a live class

Unlike other live workout apps I've tried, Openfit limits the number of participants in each live trainer-led class. I often had to sign up for live classes in advance and sometimes wouldn't even be able to access a class as it was already full.

Before it begins, you're able to chat with the trainer to let them know any goals, injuries, or limitations you have (or to just say hello). I found it motivating to see other people join in the chat — it gave me the feeling other people were working hard along with me even though I was alone in my living room.

When you begin a live class, you have the option to turn your camera on so the trainer (not other participants) can see you. If you turn your camera on, be prepared to get called out by name at some point in the workout, too. This is a great motivator for people who are used to group workout classes or working one-on-one with a personal trainer. I've found that when calling out people individually, the trainers mostly offer motivation but they'll sometimes give pointers for improvement, too.

In the first live workout I did, the trainer commended me on the depth of my squats and also made a nice comment on my daughter playing in the background. That level of personalization isn't often found in other live-streamed group fitness classes.

Other features of Openfit

Openfit also offers access to a wide range of recipes and meal plans, as well as a weight and food tracker. Meal plans consist of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks every day. The platform provides a decent variety and it's interesting to see a fitness brand offer more than just the fitness output but a sound diet plan, as well.

There's also a section on the app to buy Openfit's own supplements, which include post-workout recovery, pre-workout fuel, and a plant-based protein shake (I didn't get the opportunity to try these, however).

Pricing options

Openfit is available in three different pricing options, all of which offer the same library of live and on-demand classes, personalized daily meal plans, and access to expert insight and feedback. However, the main difference between the three plans comes down to how often you want to be billed. Here's a rundown of each tier:

• $8/month: For the $8/month membership, Openfit charges you once per year at a base price of $96. You're able to cancel at any time.
• $10/month: At this tier, Openfit charges you $60 once every six months.
• $13/month: Though it's the most expensive tier, it's also the lowest initial price point as Openfit charges you $39 every three months.

Each plan automatically renews unless you physically cancel it, so if you plan on stopping your membership, double-check the auto-renewal is canceled under your account settings.

A few cons to consider

Despite the very personal experience when you turn your camera on for a live class, I still found many of the workouts to feel a bit impersonal when I wasn't exercising live.

I'm used to watching the trainer complete the workout along with me as they simultaneously motivate and give pointers but it just felt different with Openfit. In many of the workouts, the trainer does a voice-over while somebody else demonstrates the moves in front of a white background. This presentation style felt a bit disjointed to me, and took me out of the experience.

I was also frustrated that availability varies by device. While everything seems to be available on the iPhone app, I wasn't able to access its live workouts on AppleTV. Openfit's website also notes that workouts are not available via tablet apps.

The bottom line

Openfit is a good option for people who want to get feedback from a personal trainer but can't make it to a gym. The app is available on IOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire TV/Stick/Cube — though there are some limitations for tablet users, along with the fact that live classes aren't available on AppleTV.

The monthly subscription for Openfit starts at $8/month, which is much less than you'd spend on a gym membership or personal trainer (or a number of other pay-to-play fitness apps). For anyone looking for a wide variety of fitness options with the feel of a group class, Openfit is worth checking out — just don't expect the same level of interactivity in its on-demand classes as what it offers during its live streams.

• Should you buy it? If you enjoy taking live-streamed and on-demand fitness classes and want something new, then yes. However, there's a big difference between what Openfit offers in terms of the experience between its live offerings and the on-demand library. The live classes will have the trainers calling you out by name and helping work on your form while the on-demand classes feel a bit more hollow and disjointed.
• What are your alternatives? If you like the feel of joining a live workout class but don't need a trainer to see you, Peloton has a wide range of live and on-demand classes. For people who don't like the live option, BeachBody on Demand offers similar workout programs.

Pros: Real-time feedback from personal trainers, wide variety of workouts, nutrition and meal plan included

Cons: Functionality varies by device, trainer-led classes can feel impersonal when re-watching a previously recorded workout