Ladder vs Peloton: Which Workout App Is Better for Strength Training?

Ladder and Peloton are two popular fitness apps that provide convenient, app-based workouts. Both apps have built loyal communities and offer professionally programmed workouts, but they take two very different approaches to fitness.

Ladder is primarily focused on strength training with coach-led workouts, while Peloton has long been known for its vast library of instructor-led (follow-along) classes that include everything from cycling and running to strength training and yoga.

So, which app is better? The answer depends on your goals, workout style, and which app helps you stay more consistent.

Ladder Overview

Ladder is a fitness app that’s built around strength training. Unlike many other apps that simply give you a giant library of workouts to browse, Ladder members join a “team” led by a coach who guides them through a structured workout program.

Pros

• Progressive programming
• Multiple coaching styles (and coaches to choose from)
• Strong community
• New workouts released regularly
• Home and gym options

Cons

• Choosing between teams (coaches) can feel overwhelming
• Some programs require more equipment than the average home exerciser owns
• Programming isn't specifically designed for women over 40 or those navigating perimenopause

Peloton Overview

Remember when Peloton first hit the scene, and it was all about their spin bike? Peloton has come a long way since then and now has a stand-alone app that includes a library full of thousands of workouts that cover:

• Strength
• Running
• Walking
• Yoga
• Stretching
• Meditation
• Cycling
• Bootcamps

If you’re the type of person who loves variety and switching things up, Peloton definitely has one of the most robust libraries of workouts to choose from.

Pros

• Huge workout library
• Fun, engaging instructors
• Wide variety of workout types
• Great for cardio lovers
• High-quality production

Cons

• So many options can make it difficult to know what to do next
• Strength classes don't always follow a long-term progression
• It requires more planning and intentionality if your goal is building strength over time

How Simply Strong Compares

Simply Strong takes a different approach than both Ladder and Peloton. Instead of offering thousands of individual workouts or multiple coaches to choose from, Simply Strong provides one clear strength training plan that builds month after month.

The focus isn’t on novelty and giving you endless choices; it's on helping you make consistent strength gains and body composition changes. The main focus of Simply Strong’s programming is progressive overload, which is key for strength gains, muscle building, and results for women over 35.

Simply Strong App programs include:

• 3-5 day weekly splits available
• 30 or 45 minute daily options
• Designed for women 35+ who want results without fluff
• Home workouts using dumbbells and resistance bands
• Progressive overload built into every program

Rather than wasting precious time trying to figure out what workout to do for the day, the Simply Strong App allows you to just open the app and complete the workout that’s scheduled for that day. Rather than wondering what workout to choose each day, you simply open the app and complete the workout that's scheduled for that day.

Coach-Led Classes vs Structured Programming

One of the biggest differences between Peloton, Ladder, and Simply Strong is that Peloton and Ladder offer classes that are follow-along, meaning that the instructor is doing the workout with you on the screen. This format works well for some women because they like the energy and accountability it can create during the workout.

Simply Strong, on the other hand, takes a self-paced approach. Instead of following along with a live or pre-recorded workout class, you move through each workout at your own pace while following a structured training plan that includes form cue video demonstrations and written form cues.

Although a self-paced format might be new and unfamiliar to some women, the flexibility this approach offers is a major advantage. Instead of trying to keep up with an instructor on the screen, you have the opportunity to focus on proper form, rest for as long as you’d like between sets, and fit your workout into your schedule without feeling like you have to keep up with anyone. Plus, you can listen to your own music, audiobook, or podcast while you work out.

This approach is excellent for women who want to get stronger, build muscle, and change their body composition and who don’t need the “rah-rah” energy that often comes with follow-along workouts.

Programming Philosophy

One of the biggest predictors of long-term success with strength training is following a program that progresses over time. Ladder does a great job of incorporating progressive programming within its coaching teams. Simply Strong emphasizes progressive overload in every program, using planned progressions, repeated movements, and structured workout splits.

Peloton does a great job of offering quality strength workouts as well, but the philosophy is to select individual classes based on what sounds good that particular day, which gives the overall experience less structure and more uncertainty, especially for women in midlife who want to know the effort they are putting into their workouts is going to pay off.

Support Beyond the Workouts

In the fitness world, workouts are only one part of building strength and staying consistent. Questions during the process will inevitably come up:

-What weight should I use?

-How do I modify this exercise?

-Is my form correct?

Ladder app offers support through its coaching teams and in-app community feature; however, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to connect directly with the coach in charge of the program. The same can be said for Peloton; you receive group motivation through the workouts and vast member community, but you don’t have the opportunity to connect 1:1 with a coach or instructor.

Simply Strong offers a combination of a private app member community of women with direct 1:1 messaging access to the certified personal trainer who creates the workouts, so you never feel like you’re on your own or being given canned or standard responses. Many women appreciate knowing that there’s a real person behind the workouts who’s available to them when they need it.

Which App Is Right for You?

Honestly, Ladder, Peloton, and Simply Strong are all great in their own right.

Choose Ladder if you:

• Enjoy coach-led strength training
• Like being part of a coaching team
• Want both home and gym options

Choose Peloton if you:

• Love workout variety
• Enjoy instructor-led classes (follow along)
• Want cardio, yoga, mobility, and strength all in one app

Choose Simply Strong if you:

• Want a structured strength training plan without the guesswork
• Prefer home workouts using dumbbells
• Want progressive overload built into your workouts
• Value access to a real trainer for questions
• Enjoy being part of a supportive community of women

If you want more information on how we recommend you choose your workout app, give this article a read.

The Bottom Line

Ladder, Peloton, and Simply Strong are all excellent fitness apps, but they each serve different types of exercisers. If you’re looking for follow-along workouts that have a ton of variety, Peloton is hard to beat. If you like coach-led training and multiple coaching programs to choose from, Ladder is excellent.

If your goal is to build strength through a structured fitness program that’s designed specifically for the needs of women, Simply Strong offers a straightforward approach that’s centered on progressive overload, expert-designed programming, and a tight-knit community.

The best workout app is never the one with the most features or the largest celebrity backing; it’s the one that helps you stay consistent enough to see results.