Best Online Barre Classes of 2023

The 6 Best Online Barre Classes of 2021 — Byrdie / Design by Amelia Manley

If you’ve ever thought that it takes a gym membership and heavy weights to make strides toward your fitness goals, you’re in for a surprise. Anyone who has tried an online barre class can tell you that your body weight, lots of reps, and perfect technique can be the key to revving up your fitness journey.

Barre classes incorporate the best aspects of several disciplines, including ballet, yoga, Pilates, and resistance training. Since many barre classes use only body weight and the assistance of a chair back for balance, it’s easy to get started. Need some light weights or sliders? Grab big cans of soup and some coasters and start working. Some classes may call for heavier weights, resistance bands, and balance balls.

Since the entry barrier to barre classes is low, it’s easy to see why they’ve grown in popularity. Now, classes are readily available online direct to your living room or hotel room. Here are the best online barre classes of 2023 for everybody that wants to move.

The 7 Best Online Barre Classes

Best Overall: Obé
Best Budget: Action Jacquelyn
Best for Beginners: Physique 57
Best for Live Workouts: The Bar Method
Best for Quick Workouts: Alo Moves
Best for Dancers: Ballet Beautiful
Best for Strength Training: Barre3

Best Overall: Obe Fitness

Courtesy of Obe Fitness

Key Specs

Price: $24.99 monthly or $169.99 annually
Free trial: Yes
Equipment required: Both bodyweight and equipment workouts available

Why We Chose It

Obé Fitness offers a well-rounded program that’s accessible to all fitness levels. With an easily searchable database of thousands of workouts, users can find the class length and challenge level they want. Live classes are also available daily, making it one of the best online barre classes.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Searchable database
Live classes available
Monthly challenges to keep you motivated
Workout party option

Cons

No dietary support
Monthly pricing is fairly high

Overview

Whether you’re dipping your toes into the world of barre for the first time or you’re a seasoned pro, obé Fitness offers an extensive and well-rounded selection of classes. With more than 10,000 videos in its on-demand library and daily live-streaming classes included in the monthly fee, you can do a new barre workout every day for years.

Although obé offers other types of classes, such as yoga, Pilates, cardio dance, and strength training, the class search function makes it incredibly easy to search for exactly what you want. Do you have 15 minutes and need a leg burn? Simply choose your duration, body focus, and equipment level, and go to town. You can even choose your music style, instructor, body focus, and level of impact.

In addition to flexible search options, obé is pretty affordable if you sign up for an annual plan. While the monthly price of $24.99 is roughly average for the services we researched, annual prepayment brings that price down to a very reasonable $15 a month. Not sure if you want to commit? Try obé for free for seven days.

Best Budget: Action Jacquelyn

Key Specs

Price: $0
Free trial: N/A
Equipment required: Minimal

Why We Chose It

If you’re new to the world of barre, this is a completely free way to try it. Jacquelyn has a wide variety of online barre class videos of varying lengths with little to no equipment required.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Completely free
Accessible on YouTube
Natural backdrops for many of the videos

Cons

No proprietary app or platform
More difficult to search for specific videos

Overview

Let’s be honest—sometimes it takes more than seven days of a free trial to figure out if an exercise modality is right for you. If you’re new to barre, or just need to watch the budget (I’m looking at you, inflation), Action Jacquelyn offers hundreds of totally free barre classes on YouTube.

That accessibility is a benefit and a drawback, though. While the Action Jacquelyn channel has a huge variety of free videos, it can take a bit more time to search through them to find the one you want as you’re getting to know the library. Once you are acclimated, however, you’ll find lots of options, with videos more focused on beginner to intermediate barre practitioners.

Jacquelyn recently announced a fitness app, Barre Definition, which allows users to take things off of YouTube. It comes with a monthly or annual cost of $30 or $360, respectively. There is a free seven-day trial of the app, and at the time of writing this article, early bird specials significantly reduced the cost.

Best for Beginners: Physique57

Physique 57

Key Specs

Price: $24.99 monthly or $249.99 annually
Free trial: Yes
Equipment required: Hand weights suggested

Why We Chose It

Physique57 offers a comprehensive beginner’s program that will take you from couch to confident. With the addition of a Facebook support group, healthy recipes, and more, Physique57 offers an all-in-one approach to get you started on the right foot.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Easy-to-search online platform
Class durations to fit any schedule
Body-inclusive social media and support groups

Cons

Live classes are not included in on-demand price

Overview

Physique57 is focused on barre alone and the dedication to setting students up for success shows. Not only does Physique57 offer a wide variety of barre classes, but it also provides a place for its community to grow, with groups on Facebook for students to connect. The company also has meal plans that help students create a comprehensive fitness regimen.

Just one glance at Physique57’s social media will show users why it’s so popular—it features people of all sizes, gender identities, and races, with monthly rep challenges accessible to anyone. The focus on beginner techniques makes it the best online barre class for beginners. Since barre involves smaller movements, technique becomes very important and the absolute beginners series creates a strong base for growth.

There’s a lot to love about Physique57’s in-person classes as well, and you can attend one if you’re in New York City; Carmel, Indiana; Philadelphia; or Montvale, New Jersey. That won’t be included in your app price, though, so be prepared—live classes are a bit pricey at $40 for a single class. Try out the app for free first. A seven-day trial is available and you can easily complete the beginner’s series in that time to see if you like it.

Best for Live Workouts: The Bar Method

The Bar Method

Key Specs

Price: $30 monthly or $275 annually
Free trial: Yes
Equipment required: Minimal

Why We Chose It

The Bar Method features ten live-streamed classes per week, all included in your monthly subscription fee.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Live classes included in the monthly price
Reputation for excellence with more than 20 years of experience

Cons

Most expensive of the platforms listed
May be intimidating to beginners

Overview

As with any group fitness class, the energy in the room is a big part of keeping users engaged. The Bar Method is the OG barre class—the company’s been at it for more than 20 years and claims to be the originator of the form. Not only does it have hundreds of on-demand classes to choose from, but it also features ten live-streamed classes every week.

Unlike some services, The Bar Method includes live-stream classes in your monthly price—which is a bit higher than other services on this list at $30 per month if paid monthly. While the price may be a bit higher, barre devotees will enjoy having new workouts available daily.

The Bar Method also offers the longest free trial that we found, clocking in at two weeks. With 14 days to try it out, you’ll know for sure whether you want to swing the steeper fee or not.

Best for Quick Workouts: Alo Moves

Alo Moves

Key Specs

Price: $20 monthly or $199 annually
Free trial: Yes
Equipment required: Minimal

Why We Chose It

Alo Moves has a workout for you, even if you’re short on time. With classes starting at just five minutes long, you can find a routine that fits any schedule.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Affordable
Easily searchable database
Can download videos for offline viewing

Cons

No live classes available

Overview

Sometimes you just have five minutes to squeeze in a workout. While you won’t transform your body in that amount of time, if you do short workouts regularly, the efforts add up. Alo Moves honors that idea with an abundance of short barre-focused workouts that can give you a quick burn to power your day. Have more time? Settle into a more comprehensive routine. Workouts range from five minutes to almost an hour.

Alo Moves’ barre workouts are easily searchable using the filtered database tool. One of the best parts of the platform is the programs. Search for barre on the Programs page and you’ll find 13 programs that will guide you through five or more workouts, easily mapping out your barre workouts for the year.

Alo Moves isn’t strictly a barre platform—it also offers meditation, yoga, strength, and HIIT workouts. Try it free for seven days before you sign up for one of the most affordable options on this list.

Best for Dancers: Ballet Beautiful

Ballet Beautiful

Key Specs

Price: $39.99 monthly, or pay per class
Free trial: No
Equipment required: No

Why We Chose It

Ballet Beautiful zeroes in on the dance elements of barre and allows you to feel the burn while living out your ballet-dancer dreams.

Pros & Cons

Pros

More dance-focused than other barre classes
Personalized workout playlists with monthly challenges
Discounts on apparel and equipment with monthly membership

Cons

More expensive than other platforms
No discount for quarterly or annual memberships
Live streams are only available monthly

Overview

Be honest—barre classes scratch that ballerina itch that so many of us have that never really goes away. If you ever harbored dreams of satin pointe shoes and pirouettes, Ballet Beautiful incorporates the music and artistry of classical ballet and the high repetition and low intensity of barre classes.

Mary Helen Bowers, the founder of Ballet Beautiful, has the chops to back up her program—she was a professional ballerina for years and trained Natalie Portman for her role in Black Swan. The program has plenty of beginner material explaining the basic movements of ballet as well as short routines that focus more on barre exercises.

The one drawback? Ballet Beautiful is one of the priciest platforms on the market at $39.99 a month, with no free trial period. Users can try single classes for a smaller fee before they decide to take the plunge into the monthly option. If you love ballet, it’s likely worth it to get inspired and feel like you’re living out your dreams of dancing. If you’re just looking for a good sweat sesh, there are more affordable options out there.

Best for Strength Training: Barre3

Barre3

Key Specs

Price: $29 monthly or $240 annually
Free trial: Yes
Equipment required: Not required, but encouraged

Why We Chose It

Barre classes are known for high repetitions with low weights, but Barre3 introduces the next level of strength training, flipping the formula to slow movements with heavier weights. This could be the plateau-buster you’ve been looking for.

Pros & Cons

Pros

Huge variety of workouts to choose from, including heavy resistance programs
Modifications make classes accessible to all
Focus on mindfulness as well as physical fitness

Cons

Strength workouts require equipment
No live classes available

Overview

You’ve pulsed, you’ve flexed, you’ve done thousands of repetitions of standard barre moves and you love it. But when it’s time to build muscle rather than just tone, lifting heavier weight is key. Barre3 is one of the only online barre classes that offers a focused program for strength training that integrates heavier weights with slower repetitions.

Barre3 features a huge variety of workouts—over 500 at any given time—with new classes added weekly, so getting bored is out of the question. It also incorporates more mindfulness and breathing techniques than many other platforms, so it feels like barre with a side of yoga and meditation thrown in, and we’re not mad about it.

The only thing missing from Barre3 is the option for live classes, but if you live close to one of their more than 170 studios, you can pop in for the group experience. If not, try it out for 14 days free and see how much stronger you feel.

Final Verdict

There are so many online barre classes available now that it can be hard to choose just one. We believe that obé Fitness offers the most well-rounded experience, with varying class durations, live classes, and a very user-friendly searchable database to make finding the perfect routine simple. It’s also one of the most reasonably priced plans, especially if you opt for the annual plan.

If you’re new to barre, Action Jacquelyn’s free YouTube channel is an excellent place to start and see if you resonate with the methodology. And for barre devotees, Barre3 offers so many diverse classes and programs that you’ll never get bored or plateau again.

Guide to Choosing the Best Online Barre Classes

Are Online Barre Classes Worth It?

Barre classes offer a way to firm and tone muscles with little equipment, making it an extremely accessible workout for everyone. Many barre classes use proprietary choreography that adds energy and focus to your workout, which can be helpful when practicing alone in your home. Research shows that modalities that strengthen core muscles, like barre and pilates, can increase stability in the spine and improve balance.

How to Choose an Online Barre Class

Barre classes are as individual as the people who take them. Consider these factors when choosing an online workout class.

Fitness level: If you’re new to a discipline, choose a platform that has ample classes to teach you the proper technique to avoid injury and maximize your progress. If you’re a more seasoned barre student, make sure your online studio provides a range of more challenging classes.
Budget: If you’re strapped for cash, YouTube has thousands of workout videos to choose from. Once you’ve found a modality that resonates with you and your body, you can invest in a service that emphasizes it.
Schedule: if you know you need short workouts but the platform you like only has 45-minute classes, keep looking. Fitting in fitness is important and there’s a service out there for every schedule, no matter how busy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Barre Classes Good for Strength Training?

Yes. barre classes use high repetitions of each exercise to strengthen and tone muscles. Those repeated repetitions will create lean muscle rather than bulk, so barre may not be the right choice if you’re trying to bulk up. Barre was created to help you achieve a dancer’s lithe body.

What Muscles Does Barre Work?

Barre works numerous muscle groups, but the greatest focus is on a strong core. Different routines focus on different muscle groups, such as legs, butt, and arms, but all workouts will have some focus on the core. The desired result is a body that is properly aligned and supported using the core as the foundation of the body.

In addition to strengthening muscles, barre has mental health benefits, according to barre instructor Karissa Bollinger.
“The scientific benefits of barre are so incredibly vast as they increase and optimize mental health and create new neural pathways in your brain while you move your body in ways it isn't accustomed to in your typical day-to-day,” says Bollinger. “You can expect to experience elevated mood, increased productivity, and more strength and cardio capacity by training your body this way.”

Do I Need Dance Experience to Take a Barre Class Online?

No. Although barre is influenced by ballet, yoga, and Pilates, it has become its own modality and feels much more like an exercise class than a dance class. While there will be some choreography, it is typically fairly easy to follow.

How Many Times a Week Should I Practice Barre?

While every workout routine is individual to you, the Centers for Disease Control recommends 150 minutes of physical activity per week. Barre classes are a great way to get those minutes in, but you will feel muscle fatigue if you’re not used to it. Start with one to two classes a week and add to that when you feel ready.

Methodology

To choose the best online barre classes, we looked at more than 15 different platforms. We considered a variety of class lengths, experience levels, instructor credentials, and formats, including live classes when available. We chose platforms that had credentialed leaders, a track record of success, and a strong focus on barre philosophy if they featured other methodologies as well.

Edited by Ally Hirschlag

Article Sources

Byrdie takes every opportunity to use high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.