Comparison

pliability vs Essential Gyms

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

pliability

Enhance flexibility, mobility, and recovery with guided stretching routines. This app offers personalized programs, progress tracking, and integrates with fitness devices to help users move better and prevent injuries.

Highlights
  • 1,700+ guided stretching routines
  • Customized mobility training programs
  • Instant start, no equipment required
  • Mobility Test for personalized assessment
  • Short, effective workouts (12-20 mins)
  • Offline video downloads
  • Integrates with WHOOP, Garmin, Apple Health
Features
Read full description

Improve flexibility, recover faster, and move better with pliability - the Official Stretching Partner of HYROX and the mobility app trusted by elite athletes. pliability is your daily stretching, mobility, and flexibility coach. Guided routines help you loosen tight hips, relieve back pain, increase range of motion, and build consistent recovery into your training - for athletes, weekend warriors, and anyone who sits too much. ■ WHY ATHLETES CHOOSE PLIABILITY + Trusted by Tia-Clair Toomey, Laura Horvath, Jake Dearden and thousands of gyms worldwide + Official Stretching Partner of HYROX + Featured by Runner's World, Men's Health, Well+Good, and Inc. Magazine + 1,700+ guided stretching and mobility routines + Programs built by world-class coaches and physical therapists ■ WHAT YOU GET + Daily stretching routines, 12–20 minutes each + Targeted sessions for hips, back, shoulders, hamstrings, and neck + Recovery flows to reduce muscle soreness after workouts + Deep flexibility programs - splits, backbends, overhead mobility + Yoga-inspired mobility flows for every level + No equipment required - start instantly ■ PERSONALIZED TO YOU + Recommended sessions built around the areas you care about, refreshed every week + Set your session length before you start: short, medium, or long + Ask in your own words: "15 minute hip opener before a run" + Save favorites and build your own sessions ■ BUILT FOR EVERY ATHLETE + HYROX, CrossFit & functional fitness + Running, cycling & endurance sports + Weightlifting & strength training + Golf, swimming & combat sports + Yoga, Pilates & general wellness ■ MEASURE YOUR PROGRESS (iPhone + iPad) Our Mobility Test uses advanced on-device technology to measure your active range of motion. + Personalized 3-minute assessment + Detailed report with custom stretching recommendations + Track improvement over weeks and months ■ TRAIN ANYWHERE + Stream on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or AirPlay + Download any routine for offline sessions + Short sessions fit any schedule ■ CONNECTS TO YOUR DATA + Syncs with WHOOP, Garmin, and Apple Health + See how mobility work affects your recovery scores + Build smarter recovery into your training load ■ MIND-BODY FOCUS + Breathwork and mindfulness cues in every session + Calm your nervous system while you move + Build a stretching habit that actually sticks Ready to move better? Download pliability and start your 7-day free trial. Get the full library of stretching, mobility, yoga, and recovery routines - trusted by HYROX, CrossFit champions, and athletes who train for performance. Stretch. Move. Recover. pliability move more human.™ Terms of Service: https://pliability.com/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://pliability.com/privacy-policy/

About

Essential Gyms

Access personalized workout plans and nutrition guidance from certified trainers. Improve sports performance with expert coaching and utilize state-of-the-art gym equipment for your fitness journey.

Highlights
  • Personalized workout plans
  • Nutrition and lifestyle guidance
  • Sports performance training
  • State-of-the-art gym equipment
  • Certified personal trainers
Features
Read full description

Health Transformations Our certified personal trainers are here to help you transform your body. They will create a personalized workout plan tailored to your needs and provide guidance on nutrition and lifestyle changes. Sports Performance Training Our experienced coaches will guide you through challenging workouts that will help you build strength, endurance, and agility, just like a professional athlete. State-of-the-Art Equipment Our gym is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to help you get the most out of your workout. From cardio machines to weightlifting equipment, we have everything you need to reach your fitness goals. Download the app and book a session today and start seeing results!

Screenshots

pliability4 screens
Essential Gyms4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Essential Gyms at none against pliability's 2. Essential Gyms also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0.0 vs 16.6). pliability's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 19 months) and ratings volume (10K vs 1). On price, rating and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. pliability sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Essential Gyms asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Essential Gyms holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: pliability has 10K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

pliability ships an update every 6 days, Essential Gyms every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
pliability versus Essential Gyms: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterpliabilityEssential Gyms
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (10K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews40.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings10K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 19 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple TViPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.613.0.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size263 MB18 MB
Age rating12+4+
Developerpliability, LLCSamuel Pitcairn

Customer experience

pliability

All ratings10,128 ratings
Positive95.8%
Neutral1.0%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews557 reviews
Positive40.8%
Neutral9.0%
Negative50.3%

Essential Gyms

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

pliability

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Inability to cancel subscription easily
  • Recurring charges even after cancellation
  • Mobility assessment not accurately detecting issues
  • Syncing issues between app and website
  • Airplay and Chromecast functionality not working reliably

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to mute or adjust volume of voiceover and music separately
  • More personalized and adaptive mobility programs based on assessment
  • Integration with Apple Health and other fitness tracking platforms
  • Improved navigation and search functionality
  • Offline mode for routines

Essential Gyms

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

pliability

Subscriptions2
  • Athlete Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • Athlete Annual Subscription7 Days trial$179.991 Year
None

Essential Gyms

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is pliability free?
pliability is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Essential Gyms free?
Essential Gyms is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, pliability or Essential Gyms?
Essential Gyms is rated higher. pliability averages 4.8 out of 5 from 10K ratings, while Essential Gyms averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do pliability or Essential Gyms have ads?
pliability shows ads; Essential Gyms does not.
Which is updated more often, pliability or Essential Gyms?
pliability ships an update every 6 days, and Essential Gyms every 19 months. Most recently, pliability was updated on October 27, 2026 and Essential Gyms on October 16, 2026.

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