17 Best Apps for Stretching to Fast-Track Your Flexibility Goals

Stretching is the most neglected element of fitness. Sure, it might not seem as exciting as cardio or weightlifting, but preparing your body for movement and helping it recover afterward with stretches can go a long way to improving your performance in the activities you love and preventing injury. The trouble is, we’re all so busy that adding stretching to our routines often gets pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. Technology can help! Some genuinely fantastic apps out there can help you make stretching part of your routine so you can improve your flexibility and pliability quickly and effectively. This article will help you find the best apps for stretching to help you learn how to get flexible fast.

One app that can help you achieve your flexibility goals is Pliability. This user-friendly mobility app helps you easily integrate stretching into your daily routine to improve your performance, recover faster, and reduce your risk of injury.

What Is Stretching and What Are Stretching Apps?

Stretching is a key element of fitness and wellness. It’s a simple way to increase flexibility, crucial for improved mobility and overall health. Increased flexibility means less pain and reduced risk of injury. 

Most of us spend our days sitting, hunched over computers, and this causes our muscles to contract and tighten. We are more prone to injury (like pulled muscles) and pain in that state. But, stretching daily can do wonders for our bodies. Stretching:
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• Increases blood flow, muscle flexibility, and strength
• Keeps joints healthier and more pain-free
• Prevents potential injuries
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What are Stretching Apps?

A Stretching App is a mobile phone app that guides you through stretching exercises. It is a simple way to incorporate stretching into your daily routines, whether as standalone exercises or as a warmup for Calisthenics or any other sport. You download the app on your phone and follow its Stretching Program. 

Stretching apps take the guesswork out of deciding which exercises to perform and how to do them. They also suggest specific stretching routines and ways to incorporate those moves into your overall fitness program. Most stretching apps cover two main styles of stretching: dynamic and static. 

Understanding Dynamic and Static Stretching

Dynamic stretching involves moving through the full range of motion like hip swings, arm circles, or glute bridges. Static stretching requires you to hold a muscle at the endpoint of a stretch for a specified amount of time, such as:
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• Seated hamstring stretch
• Child’s pose 
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Stretching vs Flexibility

Flexibility is a noun, whereas stretching is a verb. You practice stretching to attain flexibility. The best flexibility programs are synonymous with Stretching Programs and Stretching Apps. 

Training for strength or stamina is needed to become more flexible. Your muscles will grow in the ways they are used, which can and will lead to rigid muscle growth. Stretching is vital to attaining and maintaining flexibility and a high range of motion. 

Mobility vs Flexibility

Flexibility through stretching only measures how flexible and supple your muscles are. Mobility goes a step beyond this and combines suppleness with strength. As a standalone exercise, we favor Mobility over flexibility since it also builds muscle and, more importantly, joint strength. 

This makes Mobility Apps usually the superior choice for increasing the range of motion and maintaining sufficient strength throughout the entire ROM. Stretching Apps and programs, as well as Flexibility programs, have a place alongside other physical activities like:
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• Dynamic sports
• Weightlifting
• Calisthenics 
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You stretch before your exercise, practice, or game. On off days, a mobility program can be conducted with these activities. All Mobility Programs should also include regular stretching as a warmup before your workout or activity.

Benefits of Stretching Apps and Programs

Daily stretching has some awe-inspiring benefits, including better flexibility, mobility, athletic performance, and muscle blood flow… That is why apps that provide guidance, instruction, and support around stretching are undoubtedly worth considering. 

Stretching can be done for as little as a few minutes each day, and it is particularly useful for passive people with tight muscles. 

Apps make it easier to follow along with stretching programs and workouts compared to just stretching without one, allowing you to see:
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• Video demonstrations
• Read descriptions
• Track your progress
• Engage with other users or instructors 
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Using an app will likely increase your adherence to a stretching program. Expert guidance can also ensure that you are doing the right stretches for your goals.

Related Reading

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• Does Stretching Help You Lose Weight
• How to Release Tight Muscles
• Is Stretching Good for Arthritis
• Is Yoga Good for Stretching
• Morning Stretching Routine for Beginners
• Benefits of Stretching in the Morning
• Mobility Stretching Routine
• Daily Stretch Routine for Flexibility
• Mobility Exercise Routine
• Daily Stretching Routine for Men

17 Best Apps for Stretching

1. Pliability: The App for Mobility Training 

Pliability, formerly known as ROMWOD, is a fitness app focused on mobility training. Initially developed for CrossFit athletes, the app now offers daily routines and structured programs to help a broader audience improve flexibility and range of motion.

Pliability takes yoga routines and tailors them for performance-oriented individuals and athletes. The app features a vast library of high-quality videos designed to improve:
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• Flexibility
• Aid recovery
• Reduce pain
• Enhance range of motion
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Pliability provides daily-updated custom mobility programs for those interested in optimizing their health and fitness. It also includes a unique body-scanning feature to pinpoint mobility issues.

Pricing

Pliability offers a monthly plan of $17.95 USD per month and a yearly plan of $179.95 USD per year. A free seven-day trial is available.

2. StretchIt: Flexible Stretching Goals

StretchIt is all about setting and reaching your stretching goals to improve movement and flexibility. The app offers a variety of classes that combine stretches from:
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• Yoga
• Gymnastics
• Bodyweight training
• Pilates
• More
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Each stretching class is sorted by categories such as bendy back, full-body stretch, or splits. 

One of the great benefits of this app is that you can filter the various classes by length and difficulty to suit any time constraints or skill level. StretchIt offers curated training programs and challenges, where you'll take before and after pictures to track your progress. 

The app will ask for feedback after each class you take to further guide you toward the next one or challenge to help you push your flexibility (safely) and reach your stretching goals.

Pricing

StretchIt offers a free trial and charges you once that period ends. Monthly access costs $19.99, while annual access is discounted to $160. 

3. Stretch & Flexibility at Home: Practical for Any Level

The Stretch & Flexibility at Home app is ideal for any skill level—whether you can barely touch your toes or have mastered the splits. One of the app's benefits is the stretches for specific needs. For example, you can practice particular stretches designed for the body after a long run or choose one of the many pain relief stretches the app offers for whichever area of your body might be ailing you that day. 

The app offers dynamic stretching and stretching exercises for:
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• Flexibility
• Warm-up exercises
• Stretching routines
• Stretching for runners
• Much more
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Stretch & Flexibility will lead you through various stretches using a voice and video guide, demonstrating how each move is done properly. 

The app will also track your exercise sessions and the calories you burn after each exercise. 

Pricing

The app offers multiple exercises and stretches for free, but if you want access to all the stretches, you must sign up for a subscription. The subscription service offers a free trial at first and then charges $4.99 per month or $19.99 per year. 

4. Start Stretching: Simple and Straightforward

Start Stretching is perfect for beginners who want to incorporate some stretches into their daily routine but are interested in committing up to 10 minutes daily. The app's interface is easy to use, and the stretches are simple to implement. 

Clear Illustrations but No Video Tutorials

Unlike other apps, which offer video tutorials for each position, this app only has illustrations for each stretch. They’re easy to follow, but the lack of video tutorials is something to consider when downloading Start Stretching. 

Short, Equipment-Free Workouts

You can use the in-app timer during your stretching exercises and adjust the length of time to hold each stretch. We love the Start Stretching app because the exercises are short (just a few minutes each) and require no equipment.

Pricing

The app is free to download and use and doesn’t require any trial period or subscription payment. 

5. Bend: Pain Management and Prevention

We like Bend for its practical approach to pain management and prevention and its proactive aim of helping users maintain and gain flexibility as they age. Bend aims to get you stretching every day. It reminds you at your chosen times to honor your commitment to stretching and then tailors its suggested routines to the goals you've set. 

Whether you want to decrease stress and anxiety, reduce pain, improve athletic performance, increase range of motion, and target specific body parts (i.e. tech neck), Bend will suggest moves to help you achieve it. 

‍Pricing: $29.99 per month

6. Calm App: Mindfulness and Movement

The Calm App is acclaimed for a reason. With trusted experts and a proven track record, it is a leader in mindfulness and meditation. That's why longtime users were thrilled when it offered movement and stretching videos. 

These short, gentle routines are geared toward helping you to feel better, less stressed, more mobile, and alert. Incorporating these movement videos into your day is simple and easy, and afterward, you will no doubt feel:
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• Less stiff
• Less pain
• More renewed and relaxed
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Pricing: $14.99 per month

7. Alo Moves: Yoga and Stretching

Although yoga can include more variety, including spirituality, meditation and breathing components, a yoga flow, and a stretching routine may often include similar movements. Alo Moves is worth considering if you prefer stretching as part of a yoga routine. 

A Comprehensive Fitness and Wellness Platform

This app is an excellent choice for stretching and mobility work. Alo Moves offers options for restorative yoga and stretching, which are great ways to unwind from the day or recover from a workout. Oh, and speaking of workouts? Alo Moves is also a full-service workout app containing thousands of fitness classes ranging from HIIT to core and mindfulness and meditation offerings.

‍Pricing: $20 per month

8. Peloton: Not Just for Cycling

Peloton might be best known for cycling workouts, but it offers many other modalities, including strength and stretching routines. Its flexibility and mobility work come in ranges of intensity that can support beginners as well as advanced exercisers.

You can filter classes by time—from 5 minutes to 20—level, instructor, and even type of music. In addition to stretching classes, Peloton also offers yoga classes for even more mobility work.

‍Pricing: $12.99 per month. 

9. Yoga Anytime: Live and On-Demand Classes

Yoga Anytime is another app fitness experts love for mobility and stretching routines. Gia Calhoun, a certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor, loves Yoga Anytime for stretching and mobility. The app allows you to download your favorite videos or hop into a live class, and various fitness experts and stretching and mobility classes are available at your fingertips. 

Calhoun says users feel right in the studio because the platform includes live classes with live students virtually. Plus, if you’re not into live courses, you’ll never get bored with their on-demand offerings: The app boasts unlimited access to a library of over 3,100 videos.

‍Pricing: $18 per month

10. Cali Move Mobility 2.0: The Best for Flexibility and Strength

The Cali Move Mobility Program is one of the best stretching apps. It is not merely a Stretching Program, however. From its core, it focuses on building both flexibility and joint strength. All in preparation for doing Calisthenics or any other activity requiring a full range of motion power. 

Cali Move does a good job combining and separating the need for warming up before a workout and delivering standalone exercises.

Pricing

Six payments of $18.99/month. This is not a subscription. After the six payments, you won't be charged further, but you will still keep access.

11. VahVa Fitness Movement 20XX: Flexibility and Strength Combined

If you want to combine strength exercise with flexibility, agility, and mobility, VahVa Fitness Movement 20XX is your ideal partner. VahVa Fitness holistically combines elements of strength and mobility exercise, taking inspiration from animalistic movements. The result is an efficient, standalone exercise routine that builds mobility and strength.

‍Pricing: One-time payment of $497 or 3 monthly payments of USD 167

12. Stretch Exercise: Accessible and Free

Stretch Exercise has a free plan, which makes it very accessible to download and try. The app is an excellent introduction to the world of stretching, and if you’re just looking for ideas and recommendations, Stretch Exercise could be all you need.

We’ve selected Stretch Exercise as the best free option and think it is excellent for beginners and those who have never done any stretching before.

‍Pricing: Free, with ads

13. Beachbody On Demand: Variety is the Spice of Life

Although Beachbody On Demand would be considered a more general “fitness” app, the sheer amount of content your membership gives you access to, means if you want to follow stretching routines, Beachbody On Demand (recently rebranded to “BODi”) has more than enough to keep you busy. 

Openfit also recently merged with Beachbody On Demand, giving you even more workouts and programs to follow along with

‍Pricing: $179 per year

14. Future: Custom Fitness Coaching

Future isn’t a self-proclaimed “stretching app”, but the service pairs you with a relevant fitness specialist who creates a custom workout program based on your goals. If you’re serious about getting more flexible, you can select an appropriate coach and let them provide you with the guidance and structure needed to stay motivated.

‍Pricing: $199 per month

15. Down Dog: Customizable Yoga

Down Dog is one of our best yoga apps - for good reason. No two Down Dog routines are the same, which is something I love about the app. There are over 60,000 configurations, and each yoga-based stretching session will be catered to your chosen practice, experience, and pace with your chosen instructor and music genre. 

So whether you do yoga every day or you're looking for the best yoga stretches for beginners, you're sorted.

‍Pricing: Initial cost: Free. Subscriptions start at $12.99

16. Stretch Club: For Desk Dwellers

If you spend most of your day sitting at a desk, Stretch Club could be one of the best stretching apps. Of the many programs available on the app, I found the most unique ones focused on realigning posture and issues related to desk work. 

‍Pricing: The initial cost is free to download. Additional extras are $8.99 per month.

17. Fiit: A Top Workout App With Stretching Routines

Fiit is perhaps best known as one of the top workout apps, with its professionally produced classes and range of celebrity trainers. Nevertheless, it also offers stretching routines for those interested in paying for a premium app and getting state-of-the-art features.

‍Pricing: Starting at $7.99 per month

Related Reading

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• Hamstring Stetches
• Quad Stretches
  
• Ballistic Stretching
• Thigh Stretches
• Chest Stretches
• Types of Stretches
• Dynamic vs Static Stretching
• Best Mobility Stretches
• Best Lower Body Stretches
• Best Stretches for Athletes
• Stretches for Arms

How to Choose the Best Stretching App for Your Needs

Pinpoint Your Purpose: What Do You Want the Stretching App For?

Why do you want a stretching app? This simple question can help you narrow your options significantly. Not all stretching programs are created equal; some are better suited for certain purposes than others. 

For example, if you want to stretch before a workout, the stretches will be less intense than, say, doing yoga. Think ahead of what you will use the app for, and you can save time and hassle. 

We can determine five core reasons for using a stretching app:

1. As a warmup before calisthenics exercise or similar fitness workouts

2. As a warmup before dynamic sports like track, football, or soccer

3. As a standalone exercise to increase or maintain flexibility

4. As a standalone exercise to improve mobility and strength

5. As a standalone exercise in-between (calisthenics) exercise days

Look for Easy Navigation & a Bug-Free Experience

Look at the app itself and how it navigates. Are the sections where you need to be easily accessible? Is the information clear? How is the quality of the videos and pictures?

This is a somewhat subjective field, but most people will agree that an easy-to-use app is a slog to wrestle through. We like it to be easy and bug-free so we can get right to our stretches without fighting the software. 

Choose a Stretching App with Effective and Responsible Exercises 

Last but not least, the stretching program itself needs to be effective for what you’re aiming to accomplish. This means different things for different apps, of course. But we can still determine whether the exercises are effective, whether the routine is effective and sound, and whether the moves are selected with care.  

Related Reading

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• Best Workout Apps for Beginners
• Non Yoga Stretches
• Best Fitness Apps for Men
  
• Best Free Workout Apps for Women
  
• Best Bodybuilding App
• Workout Planning Apps
• Bend App Cost
• Best CrossFit Apps

Improve Your Flexibility with Our Mobility App Today | Get 7 Days for Free on Any Platform

Improving flexibility can help athletes perform better by enhancing their:
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• Mobility
• Stability
• The overall range of motion
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This improves athletic performance, reduces injury risk, and quicker recovery times. For example, improving flexibility can help athletes execute movements with better form, leading to improved performance and fewer injuries. 

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