Yoga Studio: Classes and Poses Reviews

First, I have a personal hatred of subscription apps. When your subscription ends, you have nothing. 😡I’d greatly prefer to pay for it outright, even if it’s a steep price or if I have to pay again for new content. However, I’ve been wanting to get back into yoga and was dead tired of the DVDS I bought way back when. (I also have a personal hatred of yoga classes, so that’s out.) I decided to give Yoga Studio a try. I figured I’d know within 7 days (the free trial) if I liked it. And I do! It actually only took three days to decide I love it. I love that there’s something for my years away from yoga self that makes me feel I can do it again but is challenging, too. The variety is also impressive. In over month of practicing at least three times per week I’ve only repeated classes because I particularly liked them. There is plenty of content to do a new class every day. I also like being able to create my own class “mixes” from other classes. The teachers are clear and calm and the music is not intrusive. I like that it syncs with Apple Health automatically, and I like the calendar that tracks your sessions and allows you to schedule classes for reminders. I really do love Yoga Studio. The only thing I’d change is switch from subscription to purchase.

I think I began using YogaStudio roughly 4-5 (maybe even 6)years ago. There was nothing as awesome as this for free then and even for the new price point, there is still nothing that much compares. I do look out of curiosity but I am astounded that YogaStudio still leaves a lot of other yoga apps in the dust especially when it comes to clear rich and straightforward instruction .

I've started this review several times and realized, I think I have sent it and haven't. I continue to rely heavily on YogaStudio and only one other that is more pricey but is worth it. I had generally liked the direction of things until the hip hop yoga. I am a fan of hip hop but I am not sure this was the best matched instructor or best use of innovation. Despite that, I do look forward to some of the other things that are coming. We are overdue for some pranayama. So thanks! In my humble opinion, I'd hoped to see some expansion of the various essentials, like a 15-minute intermediate essential practice for balance or a deeper dive into the the different kinds of sun salutations. I am a big fan of the earth salutations(noting there are a lot of balancing poses in those practices) and earth meditations. Overall, keep coming with the great offerings. We are all growing.

Donna Kiel/Compassionate Cynic

When Yoga Studio first moved to a monthly subscription model, it locked out all its previous buyers who had paid a flat fee expecting to have their purchase for keeps. After having happily used it for years, I was furious when YogaStudio automatically updated and locked me out, hence the review below. FWIW, Gaiam seems to listen to its customers: They eventually allowed previous buyers to access their purchase again via the Restore function. I am therefore changing my rating to a cautious 4/5 stars. While I am a fan of this product, to some degree I am still wary that Gaiam may try to pull the rug out from under me at some point.

PREVIOUS REVIEW - 1/5 stars
I paid $3.99 as a one-time purchase for YogaStudio back in January 2015 and have happily used it since. With this newest update, it has moved to a tiered subscription model that forces even existing users who have already paid for YogaStudio to select a monthly plan to continue using it. It's like charging a new monthly rental fee to someone who has already paid for a movie years ago from the iTunes store. I would like the developers to either help me downgrade my app to the previous version that I had already paid for - or to refund me my money, thank you.

App seems purposefully designed to make it difficult to figure out subscriptions because there doesn’t actually seem to be anywhere in YogaStudio to look at the different subscription models and what you get access to. You have to be prompted for a subscription by YogaStudio by trying to access a paid resource. I looked everywhere in settings on YogaStudio and the closest thing they have is the Subscription Info section which basically tells you how a subscription works but doesn’t actually provide details or give you an option to select one. The only place you can actually do it is through the Purchases section of your iCloud settings AFTER you’ve already signed up for a trial subscription which conveniently is not explained anywhere on YogaStudio . They defaulted me to the yearly subscription so I am grateful I found it before my trial ran out. Wasn’t satisfied with the courses either. I am new to yoga so I started with the beginner courses that did a pretty good job of explaining the starter poses in 10 min sessions but then after a few classes jump immediately into stuff I’m not experienced with in a 30 min session that went way too fast for me to figure out what I was supposed to be doing and added tools to the workout I conveniently couldn’t find out would be used in the next class until after I got my subscription. I’ve cancelled my trial and will be seeking other resources.

I’ve been using YogaStudio everyday for the last three months. It’s one of the better yoga apps for sure. The upgrade from version 3 wasn’t that clean. I had previously purchased the “full content upgrade” early on in version 1 and that would restore all the original yoga programs through version 3. With version 4, that purchase will not restore, so I was forced to sign up for the subscription model to access YogaStudio content. I also had all my yoga sessions tracked in the calendar for the last three months, which was nice to refer to to track my consistency. That data did not make it through the upgrade from version 3 to version 4, so now I have an empty calendar view. I’m assuming that data is now lost for good. It would be nice for the developer to honor my original upgrade purchase and unlock the content, but they may be forcing everyone to the subscription model; many developers are doing that now so they have a more sustainable revenue. The new version of YogaStudio seems to work well with the exception of a few rough edges in the fit and finish department – some of the images used in parts of YogaStudio don’t look optimized for large Retinal displays like the iPad Pro 12 or the iPhone X. Given the issues with the upgrade and restoring pervious purchases, I’m lowering my rating to 3 stars (from 5)

First, like other reviewers have said, this used to be hands down the best app on my phone. I recommended it to literally anyone who would listen. I paid a flat fee for it up front, and used it on a regular basis. But then at some point they forced an update that locked me out of my account for several weeks. After loads of emails and updates, they finally have YogaStudio functioning again, but I have not been able to recover my custom classes.

I’m really frustrated with this whole experience because they made a very similar transition on their meditation app but without all the nonsense and without blocking you from using it for any length of time. I understand asking us to pay for content, but you can’t change the terms of your purchase agreement without some kind of advance notice. Based on our original agreement, I owned YogaStudio as it previously existed on my phone.

The original app experience made me think quite highly of Gaiam - a brand that really wasn’t on my radar before. But after this whole mess, I’m really disappointed and feel like they don’t work with integrity to spring this kind of change on a product that’s already been purchased without requiring opt-in agreement prior to any changes. I won’t be buying any other Gaiam products anytime soon.

EDIT: See my review below which I initially gave one star. They responded! I love YogaStudio and find it to be the best yoga app I’ve used. I’m so glad thankful they’ve honored previous subscribers’ memberships. I had started using another app which I didn’t like as much. This one is great due to the interface being so simple and logical. You can find classes easily that fit your needs and the moves are varied within each routine. The other one I used had a lot of reputation and the explanations were t clear so I had to pause a lot. I also like the voice abs music options. Thanks!!

SUGGESTION: it would be nice to have different duration options for each of the classes. For example, one of my go to options is beginner balance and there is only a 30 minute option. I have to choose other routines if I want 60 minutes. It would be nice to have 15, 30, 60 minutes for each routine. Honestly, I preferred the look of the previous app. Much more intuitive to have the categories all visible on each page and then have trees under each.

I already paid $5 for YogaStudio and now you’re charging me for a subscription?? Unethical. I love YogaStudio but guess what - you lost my business.

After using YogaStudio for about 1 week, I subscribed for the annual subscription. I have now been using YogaStudio and its various classes and features for about 2 months. This perfectly supplements my in studio classes. You can customize your classes by selecting from a very good number of poses (not all, but A LOT). Custom classes are seamless. The “pre-loaded” classes are a great selection and the sequences are well put together. They break down the classes by levels (Beginners, Intermediate, etc.) and then those categories are broken down into various classes like Strength, Flexibility, Relaxation OR a combination class! There is even a section you can go to to review the poses and their variations, almost like a study flip card. I find when I am not on the mat, I am reading about new poses and reviewing poses I already practice well. Very well thought out app. There are a few advancements I think they will make in the near future, including adding more and more poses (at least I hope!) but as YogaStudio stands it is very well done. I suggest it to everyone I know, even the technologically challenged because it is so easy to use!- Namaste

I’ve used the product for years precisely because it didn’t use subscription as a business model. I was under the impression this company was better than the others who jumped on the greed wagon of subscription but I was wrong. I’ve lost trust for this company and no longer believe their message. For those of us who have had this product, the least they could’ve done is grandfathered us in for a complimentary year. I feel let down and ripped off. Sure they’ll continue to obtain customers but I won’t be one of them. It’s my understanding that even when you subscribe, if it is at the lower tier, you will see ads. If this is true, it confirms the motivation is greed and not a desire to make a great product. Surely, there was a better way. Ugh.

UPDATE: Well, I’m eating humble pie. YogaStudio listens to its customers. For that, I’m changing my review from 1 (grumpy star) to 4 stars. Going with 4 stars as I haven’t actually tried a session yet but I am cautiously optimistic. The developer explained that they did indeed grandfather-in their previous customers. I am so so happy to have my yoga app back. Thank you.

Let me start off by saying that this is the absolute best yoga app on the market! I've used these classes for years, almost religiously, and could not be happier with the smooth interface, plethora of focus-specific classes, and overall simplicity of YogaStudio . It is very user-friendly and guides you through each pose, indicating specifically how to mantain proper form. That being said, as many others are, I am extremely disappointed to see that your company does not see the value in their "legacy" or "long term" customers. This is pretty unethical and has truly destroyed this lovable, iconic app. I would've been more susceptible to donating if prompted to keep YogaStudio free; it was such a success. I purchased YogaStudio in one of the earliest versions and have used it ever since. I would love to see you guys show your appreciation to your original legacy customers by giving us full access to YogaStudio without paying for a subscription, or at the very least offer a permanent subscription discount. However I know that I, personally, will not change the company's decisions and reasons for doing so. Just sharing my thoughts. Thank you for an amazing app and I sincerely hope you can once again share your love for your long time customers.

**update: The subscription fee isn't my problem. If you charge for new classes and features, fine. But, it's basically bait and switch on YogaStudio I already bought. I should be refunded my purchase or allowed to continue with original functionality. I did not update anything and this automatically has killed YogaStudio and is unusable without a subscription.

I love YogaStudio! Here's what I like: the beginner studio takes you rough a variety of poses and gives you tips as to proper positioning and things to do to enhance the moves as well as what to watch for to avoid injury. I love that the moves graduate to intermediate and then to advanced, though I'm not to that level yet. I love that there is a bank of positions that you can wTch and try individually without doing a whole class. I like that there are classes of different length which encourages me to yoga even when I'm short on time. The music and calming voice is perfect for allowing me to calm my mind nd spirit. I like that there is a calendar that tracks my yoga days and classes performed. I have been doing the beginner classes for about 2 months now and I definitely feel better, more flexible and stronger. The classes download quickly and don't take up much space on my iPad. YogaStudio is phenomenal. I have never Been happier with an app purchase than I am with this.

I am a long time user, and must say that YogaStudio has helped me to practice yoga at home with short lessons. I was really irritated when they went to a subscription model and that they locked me out of the classes that I had bought, but that has since been fixed. I am a pretty simple user and don’t really need all the new content that they have posted, so I have stayed away from subscription and just kept what is working for me. I must say that every time I click on new content that might be interesting, YogaStudio takes me directly to offering the subscription model - doesn’t tell me what the class is or what it is about. It just begs me to convert to a subscription. Since I am such a simple user, I might be interested in buying a series - maybe desk yoga, but don’t need 90% of the new content offered. I was going to recommend YogaStudio to a friend of mine, but didn’t feel comfortable because I didn’t want her to come back and tell me that she was hounded to buy a subscription. It was much better when you could just buy YogaStudio at one price like I did, or if you could buy what you needed and not have to pay for stuff that you won’t use via a subscription. Too bad - it was such a nice app at one point.

YogaStudio has some pretty decent classes...but I was doing the Yoga Nidra class, which was classed as a mental health practice, and the guide kept saying over and over again- “no mistakes! If you make a mistake, start over” in reference to breathing exercises. It wasn’t like ‘there are no mistakes, you can’t make a mistake because because there are no mistakes’ it was ‘don’t make mistakes, if you make a mistake you will mess it up’ Who on earth thinks it is a good idea to promote a practice as a mental health practice for anxiety etc, and then make a mantra out of telling people over and over not to mess up the breathing in negative language? Literally, i would be in a rhythm and the guide would say “no mistakes, if you make a mistake start over” and of course my breathing would get disrupted at that moment and I would start to feel stressed about not messing up the breathing. There is an obvious lack of training here on the part of the instructor. All she has to say is ‘if you lose count, don't worry, just start back at the beginning’ and the importance of the counting is conveyed without a reprimand or judgement statement. I think this is a huge oversight and the yoga nidra practice should be re-recorded without the unhelpful negative language.

*** After reading a lot of people’s troubles re:signing in after update: I had that problem a few times but haven’t had that occur in about a year. I honestly don’t know what I did, but I don’t have to sign in every time it does an update now.

I’m not a huge fan of subscription based apps but this is one I break the rules for. It’s not as good as an actual class but I can subscribe for three months and pay slightly more than the same price I’d pay for a class in a studio. There is a good variety of classes for all levels. It doesn’t replace the in studio experience entirely but it gives you a flow to follow and that makes it easier than figuring. One out on your own because sometimes you just want to yoga without having to worry about what pose you should Do next. I noticed that there isn’t a restorative focus search when you are looking for classes. They have relaxation. So when doing a search the Rodney Yee restorative class doesn’t show up which is kind of ironic, since his hip opening beginners sequence does show up.

I love YogaStudio and all that it offers. I only have two suggestions that would make it better for me to be able to give it 5 stars. One, I feel there is too big of a jump between beginner level classes and intermediate. I do not know about the jump from intermediate to advanced because I am not ready yet but from what it looks like it doesn't look like as big of a jump. There needs to be a more gradual building from one level to the next. Maybe a beginner 2 or advanced beginner before moving on to intermediate. I would like more instruction on how to gradually build to the next harder version of certain poses. The second suggestion I have is to add the option for a different voice instructor. Maybe a male voice and maybe have a visual of a male instructor to go with it. Other than those two suggestions I highly recommend YogaStudio for anyone wanting to get started in yoga that cannot go to a class.

Update: thank you again for your reply. Turns out the 42 sessions were removed from the studio by the next to last update. I did find them with your tip, so thanks for that. Perhaps steps can be taken to ensure future ‘updates’ do not remove existing classes from the original users. Took almost an hour to restore the 42 missing sessions. Have upgraded to 2 stars based on customer support.

Update: thank you for your reply. I have NO 60 minute classes remaining in the studio and only one 30 minute class remains.

I purchased YogaStudio in 9/13 and loved it for years! Then they started having problems with updates screwing up YogaStudio , and then went to subscription based services and didn’t grandfather in any of the original purchasers. They said they weren’t going to mess with any of the “old” classes, only that we wouldn’t get any of the new additions or subscription updates. They lied. Now every time they do an update, they remove a couple of the original classes from the studio. Today’s update removed the last of the 30 minute classes, previous updates removed all the 60 minute classes. I’m going to stop doing any updates to YogaStudio before I lose all of my originally purchased features.

I have had YogaStudio for many years. I purchased it back when it was purchase only with no subscription. I used it off and on then let it fall by the wayside. Until I was diagnosed with breast cancer. After my final reconstructive surgery, I felt driven to not only return to my previous level of health, but to push myself farther and stronger. I returned to Yoga Studio to find it had changed. I was very glad to be able to restore my purchase and retrieve the original free classes. (Like many others, I don’t want a subscription service). I worked my way through the beginner classes and moved on to intermediate. I quickly realized that I needed to add in some weight training to strengthen my core and muscles for the more challenging poses. I am now using yoga and weight training to feel stronger, more balanced and more at peace with myself than ever before. Thank you, Jules, for gently guiding me through the classes.

If I had any suggestions, it would be to please add a few more free classes for the “old school” yogis.

Purchased this yoga app years ago (like many others) and have loved using it. My wife and I have done 100s of classes at this point and they are still our go to for relaxing yoga at home. I love how customizable YogaStudio has been with respect to classes, poses, and even music.

I recently updated YogaStudio and was very sad to find that they had moved to a subscription model for all new content. This would not be too bad on its own, as I have wonderfully benefitted from updates over the years with new content, and I've long thought the developers of YogaStudio deserve to be paid for their new work. However, I am particularly disappointed that I am unable to download any of the content that I previously had access to, unless I had already placed those classes in my studio. This is particularly frustrating as there are certain types of classes where I had not progressed to intermediate or advanced, and it now seems I will not have the chance to. I hope this can be rectified in future updates, as I have been a huge fan of YogaStudio previously and have recommended it to others.

I discovered and downloaded the free version of Yoga Studio in 2015 and created a regular practice because of it. As a novice it let me go at my own pace and over time I built strength and stability. When the first big upgrade took place, I was happy enough with YogaStudio to subscribe. But then as new upgrades occurred, I frequently found myself locked out of YogaStudio . I even lost my entire history on YogaStudio and all my custom classes in one of the updates. I was advised to register solve the problem. My subscription is paid through the Apple Store—I haven’t registered with Gaiam as it seems as though there are too many steps to take to be given access if one is already a loyal customer. I recently gave YogaStudio a 1 star rating out of sheet frustration. Long story short: my access has been restored and I’ve been able to upgrade without losing it again. I haven’t got back the history I lost but since that time YogaStudio has remained stable. I still use it regularly, and appreciate the new classes. Thank you.

I had YogaStudio years ago, then the interface had an update and it was much harder to navigate and some of the content was unavailable. I deleted off of my device and now I just tried it again as I miss the original content that I had with a one time fee. Now I have to commit to a subscription to view anything - and my original purchase doesn’t mean anything?! Wow. I am taken aback by such a slap in the face kind of move from this company. I understand needing to generate income, but burning bridges is not a way to do it. I spoke highly of your app at one point and no longer will do so. The growth and updating of your app on the backs of existing customers whom have already paid for content and then locking them out and forcing them to pay a subscription is very disappointing to say the least. I tried the “restore” option and it got me nowhere either.
I only choose to support companies that have integrity and appreciate their customers (old and new). With that being said I would have given less than one star if I could.
I hope that this review is a teachable moment for your company of how to treat your customers better especially during growth and upgrading of your brand.

I’ve been a long-time user of YogaStudio. As someone who makes very, very little, the one time low price made yoga accessible for me.
Then came Gaiam, and I felt like, oh no. Here comes this bigger company to squeeze everything they can out of a humble little app.
BUT after using YogaStudio for a while, I have been very pleased! I do get to keep what I had originally downloaded before by clicking “restore purchases”. And I do like that more and more practices keep getting added. I loath doing subscriptions, and really wish there would be a “lifetime membership” option, BUT the subscriptions are very reasonably priced for everything you get. It should not be too difficult to save up for a year’s membership, let alone a couple dollars a month. I’ve shopped around and saw other yoga apps charge 4-5 times what Yoga Studio charges, and yoga-studio is the best option!
There are ads for Gaiam’s products, and I was originally put off, but really they are not intrusive, don’t mess with my practice, and I know Gaiam is a fair company with good products. I really like how inclusive they are and how accessible they have been making everything for everyone! So I’m looking forward to the journey and can’t wait to see what comes next.
The changes seem genuinely good, to actually support people while still making enough to run and improve on their app. Hope more people will give it a chance! ❤️❤️❤️👍🏻👍🏻