Missing those in-person yoga classes you used to attend and looking to get that zen feeling back? You’re not alone.
You could see if your favorite yoga instructor livestreams any of their classes on Instagram Live, or you could look at three of the best online yoga platforms out there today: Yoga International vs Glo vs Gaia.
These companies partner with top yoga instructors and meditation practitioners to develop thousands of hours of yoga and mindfulness content for people to access on their devices.
For these online platforms, this means they’re able to scale classes WAY more than they could normally do at a physical yoga studio, which might only fit 20 people.
And this also means they’re able to charge way less to their subscribers. We’re talkin’ a monthly cost that’s about the same as a single in-person class. In fact, most yoga classes cost between $15 and $25 a pop.
But these platforms offer more than just online yoga classes. They also create structured courses, programs, challenges, workshops, recipes, and a whole lot more. But which one’s right for you?
What is the best online yoga class platform? Yoga International vs Glo vs Gaia
The answer to this question depends entirely on your personal preferences and what you’d like to get out of subscribing to a platform like these three. But to get the juices flowing, let’s start by breaking each down into some key criteria.
Pricing: Yoga International vs Glo vs Gaia |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $10/mo if paid annually, or $20/mo | $30 per month | $8.25/mo if paid annually, or $12/mo |
| App Store rating | 4.7 ✩ (5,972 ratings) | 4.9 ✩ (19,237 ratings) | 4.8 ✩ (61,881 ratings) |
| Free Trial | 30 days | 7 days | 7 days |
| # of classes | 1,900+ | 4,000+ | 8,000+ |
| Live classes | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ |
| Desktop, mobile, tablet | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Apple TV, Roku, etc. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Apple Watch | ❌ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Vinyasa yoga | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Hatha yoga | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Yin yoga | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Meditation & breathing | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Yoga therapy | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Pilates | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Community factor | ✔ | ✔ | ❌ |
| Food & natural remedies | ✔ | ❌ | ✔ |
| Documentaries & TV | ✔ | ❌ | ✔ |
| Offline streaming | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Website |
Is Yoga International worth it?
With over 500+ expert teachers, Yoga International delivers top tier yoga and meditation classes to over 300,000 customers each day. They currently offer over 1,900 classes with new ones added daily. These typically range from 20-60 minutes and check all the boxes, and more: Vinyasa, restorative asanas, AcroYoga, yoga therapy, breathing exercises, etc.
If they’re looking for even more structure than their classes, consider joining one of their 250+ members-only courses. These range from beginner to advanced levels of experience and are measured in hours — some even over 200+ hours! Yoga International also has over 60 programs, like their 7-day AcroYoga challenge or a 30-day Yoga Gratitude challenge. Getting your yoga fix in at home will always have its pitfalls, but it’s clear that their team is putting a lot of work into mitigating these.
Not sure how to strike that Peacock Pose? Me neither, but it’s all good. Yoga International’s site has thousands of super in-depth, intuitive articles that are full of tips and pose tutorials to help us out. Though to be honest, I doubt I’ll ever hit a proper Firefly.
They also offer 200+ guided meditations and breath-work classes, as well as tips on how to get the most out of your meditations. And if you’re looking for some mental stimulation, check out their podcasts.
How much does Yoga International cost?
If you pay month-to-month, Yoga International costs $19.99/mo. But if you choose to pay for a full year up front, that gets knocked down to $9.99/mo (a savings of 50%).
They’re also offering the most generous free trial of the three platforms – a full 30 days to try them out and decide if you’re impressed. Note that on their homepage, they only offer a 14 day trial — but all the links I use in this article (like this one) will get you 30 days.
Side note! If you’re a beginner or novice to yoga and need to up your gear game, I’ve found some great yoga equipment reviews here.
Yoga International Reviews: What do others say?
Yoga International boasts an impressive 4.3 star rating on Trustpilot (of 2,730 ratings) and a 4.7 star rating on the App Store (of 5,972 ratings). Reading through dozens of reviews, it’s clear the #1 issue (and virtually the only issue, for that matter) is reported by people who had been charged after their free trial had ended. In some cases, Yoga International was at fault. And in others, the customer was at fault. This same pattern is shared by both Glo and Gaia, so my best advice is to (as always) be ultra-cognizant of when your free trial is scheduled to end.
Is Glo Yoga worth it?
Glo is sort of the “Jack of All Trades” when it comes to online yoga and mindfulness websites. They deliver the same robust yoga offerings as competitors, but also really set themselves apart in the mindfulness and pilates areas. Overall, they feel like the most convenient option when it comes to delivering exercise and instruction content across all platforms.
Glo also boasts over 4,000 on-demand classes, ranging from five minutes to over two hours long. (If anyone manages to watch every single one, I’ll buy you dinner). So whether you’re looking for yoga, meditation, pilates, or are just browsing to see what’s out there, Glo’s probably got you covered. Our team loves that “discovery” component, which is particularly nice for less experienced yogis who are newer to the world of mindfulness.
Another great thing is that Glo has apps on the major streaming devices (Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV) and the Apple Watch. Being able to watch yoga and pilates classes on the Apple TV app, as opposed to having to use your browser on the TV to visit Glo website, just makes intuitive sense. And the Apple Watch app is nice for meditation exercises. These two points certainly aren’t deal-breakers, but I think they do say something about Glo’s Development team thinking of their customers.
Whether you’re looking for a one-off class or you want to tackle a multi-week challenge, Glo’s got a lot to offer. Just grab your mat and blocks, and Glo! Not proud of that one, sorry…
How much does Glo cost?
Glo costs $30 per month. Without the annual discount that Yoga International and Gaia offer, Glo is the most expensive option. But their extensive course offerings, beautiful user interface, and flexible cross-device support makes the price bump well worth it.
They also currently offer a 7 day free trial, so there’s no real harm in giving them a shot.
Glo Reviews: What are others saying?
While Glo doesn’t have a presence on Trustpilot, there are plenty of reviews out there about them. For one, they’ve got a stellar 4.9 star rating on the App Store (of 19,237 ratings).
The majority of reviews out there are overwhelmingly positive. Although as mentioned before, some folks had issues with being mistakenly charged after their free trial had concluded, and chose to voice their frustrations with harsh one star reviews.
Is Gaia worth it?
Gaia takes a bit different of an approach than Yoga International and Glo. While they do offer more yoga and meditation content than you’ll ever need, their subscription always includes tons of thought-provoking shows, documentaries, films, and videos. With themes ranging from astronomy, to the extraterrestrial, to practical tips toward finding enlightenment, there’s really no sense trying to pinpoint what they’re providing their community. But broadly speaking, everything boils down to teaching people about their own consciousness.
Much like Glo, Gaia has built apps for use on mobile, desktop, tablet, AND a few major streaming apps: Chromecast, Roku, and Fire TV. Although they don’t have the Apple TV and Apple Watch apps that Glo does. Considering how video-centric Gaia’s platform is, the lack of Apple Watch support is forgivable. But it would be nice to see an Apple TV app in the future, even if Apple TV only has 12% of the market share for OTT streaming devices.
How much does Gaia cost?
If you pay month-to-month, Gaia costs $12mo. But if you decide to roll with their annual plan, it’ll only cost you $8.25/mo (a savings of 31%). They also offer a higher tier, Live Access plan at $24.93/mo. This is everything their annual plan offers, plus the ability to participate in immersive workshops and events — both live and on-demand.
Of the three platforms, Gaia offers the least forgiving free trial, at just seven days. BUT if you use this link, you should get 2 weeks for just $0.99. So realistically, this is generous enough to give you a sense of whether or not you’re comfortable committing to the full annual plan. Just be sure to give it a fair shot in those first seven days that you sign up.
Gaia Reviews: What are others saying?
Gaia has insane reviews on both Trustpilot and the App Store (4.8 star of 61,881 ratings).
Reading through Gaia’s reviews was interesting, to say the least. The majority of responses were very positive (with the occasional mistaken credit card charge) but there were also some people rambling on about how dangerous 5G is. The word “sheeple” may have been sprinkled in there occasionally, too. I guess the whole “consciousness expanding” component of Gaia’s content really brings some characters to the table.
Which online yoga class platform is right for you? Yoga International vs Glo vs Gaia
A lot of people out there pay for both in-person yoga classes and a subscription to a meditation app, like Headspace. The three services we review here give you the best of both worlds: unlimited yoga classes at the pace of your lifestyle and all the resources you could possibly need to become more mindful.
Yoga International is a great fit for people who want the most robust at home yoga studio out there — and pretty much just that. It gives you the option to dabble in mindfulness, meditation, and pilates, but Yoga International has stayed true to its roots over the years — yoga. World-class coaches, extensive classes, courses, and programs will put you on track to become the most relaxed, flexible yogi you’ve ever been. And their cross-device support ensures you can do so from anywhere, anytime.
Glo is a beautiful hybrid between Yoga International and Gaia. It has an even larger offering of classes than Yoga International, but that’s because they have more in the realm of meditation and breathing exercises. They’re also less reliant on solely offering video content, meaning you can use their Apple Watch app to listen to meditation classes the same way you would Headspace. And their streaming options are even more versatile than other platforms, so whatever streaming device you have at home, you’re covered. Glo does cost more than the other two (if you take annual plans into account), but for tens of thousands of people out there, the tradeoff is well worth it.
And last but not least, Gaia is the best bit for people who want to look beyond just yoga and mindfulness. They’re looking to seriously look inside themselves and humanity to expand their conscious. Gaia’s seemingly infinite selection of documentaries and TV series touch on topics that most folks may have never even thought of before. People who roll with Gaia started their search for an at home yoga studio, but once they realized their subscription could include a whole new world of eye-opening video content, they were sold.
Regardless of which of these three online yoga classes you roll with, you won’t be let down. Give their free trials a shot if you’re still on the edge (and don’t forget to cancel if you’re not hooked!) and let us know your thoughts. We’d love to hear them!
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