No standing free trial · Membership about AUD $58.99/month web (US $39.99), quarterly about AUD $146.99 (US $102.99), annual AUD $339 via Apple (US $199) · One-off 8 Week Challenge and 12 Week Menopause Program are the usual entry points · No equipment required to start
Research-based, not personally tested · Assessed from the official funnel and menopause pages, app-store listings, support and pricing pages, independent Australian review sites and peer-reviewed evidence · Prices regularly verified
28 by Sam Wood Review 2026: Quick Answer
Busy women ~35+ who want short daily home workouts plus a full meal-plan system in one app, and who like the idea of a dedicated 12 Week Menopause Program to work through
You want clinician-led menopause care, pelvic-floor or hormone-phase programming, a tracked progressive-overload strength plan, or a weight-neutral approach without before-and-after framing
An Australian at-home fitness and nutrition membership: daily 28-minute workouts across HIIT, strength, Pilates, yoga, boxing and dance, plus a full weekly meal-plan system and a Mindset pillar
About 28 to 30 minutes, with shorter and low-impact options; the brand encourages daily movement, so roughly 5 sessions a week
None to start; a pair of dumbbells and a mat are the only useful upgrades for the strength and floor work
Variable: the brand leans HIIT, cardio and boxing, but genuine low-impact yoga, Pilates and returning-to-exercise options exist
Follow-along trainer team led by Sam Wood, with weekly coach check-in videos. The menopause programme is coach-led, not clinician-led
A real dedicated 12 Week Menopause Program with menopause-specific strength and HIIT, a bespoke meal plan and an education layer, but no pelvic-floor or hormone-phase content and no clinician
Low: iOS, Android and web app, Apple Health sync, runs on Mac and Apple Vision. TV casting and offline access are not documented
No lock-in, cancel any time, but the refund window is short and an independent Australian review site logs heavy billing and auto-renewal complaints; diarise your renewal
About AUD $58.99/month web, or a one-off 8 Week Challenge from about AUD $99
Annual about AUD $339 via Apple; quarterly about AUD $146.99 web
About US $39.99/month, US $102.99/quarter, US $199/year
12 Week Menopause Program from about AUD $159 (launch offer) and 8 Week Challenge from about AUD $99, bought once rather than as a subscription
No standing free trial; some Bupa Australia members can access it free through their health cover
No lock-in, but the refund window is short and refund disputes are the dominant complaint; read the terms before you buy
None: no supplement ecosystem. The only upsell is the 28 Shop for optional equipment
A genuine strength: structured weekly meal plans, more than 3,000 recipes, shopping lists, a nutritionist team and a bespoke menopause meal plan, with no calorie counting required
5.4 / 10
6.7 / 10
Quick Verdict
Worth it for women over 35 / 40? A qualified yes, if you want short home workouts and real meal-plan support, and you understand the menopause track is coach-led, not clinical.
28 by Sam Wood earns 6.7 / 10 on our research-based evaluation. It is a well-rounded package: 28-minute daily workouts, a full weekly meal-plan system with more than 3,000 recipes and shopping lists, a Mindset pillar, and, unusually for a general app, a genuine dedicated 12 Week Menopause Program with its own training and meal plan. Progressive strength and structured eating are exactly what the evidence supports for a midlife body.124 The catch is that the menopause programme is led by a certified menopause coach rather than a clinician, there is no pelvic-floor or hormone-phase content, the strength is class-based rather than a tracked overload plan, and an independent Australian review site logs a run of billing complaints.
Where to start: because there is no standing free trial, the lowest-risk entry is a one-off programme such as the 8 Week Challenge or the 12 Week Menopause Program, bought once, rather than the rolling membership. Read the refund terms before you buy, because the window is short. If your priority is clinician-led menopause care or pelvic-floor work, look at a purpose-built platform instead, and we name the strongest below.
Is 28 by Sam Wood right for you?
28 by Sam Wood is strongest for nutrition support (7.5 out of 10, against a 3.6 average across the 105 programmes scored) and weakest for painful joints (5.3 against 6.1).
| Question | Verdict | Rating | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it suits a perimenopausal body | |||
| Is 28 by Sam Wood good for pelvic floor problems?Based on pelvic floor support and low-impact design | Low, about the same as mostmost score 4.7/10 | 4.3 / 10 | |
| Does 28 by Sam Wood include perimenopause and menopause education and programming?Based on programming, education, hormone awareness and credibility | Moderate, but better than mostmost score 3.2/10 | 5.0 / 10 | |
| Is 28 by Sam Wood good for painful joints?Based on low-impact design and recovery provision | Moderate, and worse than mostmost score 6.1/10 | 5.3 / 10 | |
| Is 28 by Sam Wood manageable when your energy is low?Based on recovery provision and mind-body support | Moderate, about the same as mostmost score 5.6/10 | 5.8 / 10 | |
| Is 28 by Sam Wood good if you are new to strength training?Based on beginner on-ramp and mind-body support | Strong, and better than mostmost score 6.1/10 | 7.8 / 10 | |
| Is 28 by Sam Wood good for building bone density?Based on bone loading and progressive strength | Moderate, about the same as mostmost score 5.1/10 | 5.3 / 10 | |
| Does 28 by Sam Wood help with nutrition?Based on midlife nutrition support | Strong, and better than mostmost score 3.6/10 | 7.5 / 10 | |
| How it performs as a product | |||
| Can you fit 28 by Sam Wood into a busy week?Based on time efficiency | Strong, and better than mostmost score 7.5/10 | 8.5 / 10 | |
| Is 28 by Sam Wood worth the money?Based on value for money | Strong, about the same as mostmost score 6.9/10 | 7.5 / 10 | |
Jump to Section
Who Is Behind It
Who Is 28 Best For?
Good for Women Over 40?
How the Method Works
Content & Features
Nutrition
Devices & Platform
What the Research Says
What Users Report
28 by Sam Wood Price 2026
Time Commitment
Will You Stick With It?
Equipment You Need
vs Alternatives
Full Scoring
Pros & Cons
FAQ
What 28 by Sam Wood Is
28 by Sam Wood is an Australian at-home fitness and nutrition membership built around short daily workouts. The name comes from the 28-minute session: a follow-along workout you can do at home, with the trainer team spanning HIIT, strength, Pilates, yoga, boxing and dance. Around that sits a full weekly meal-plan system, with more than 3,000 recipes, automatic shopping lists and a no-calorie-counting approach, plus a Mindset pillar of guided meditations, podcasts and motivation content. The idea is one membership that covers how you move, how you eat and how you think, rather than a workout library alone.
What sets it apart from most general fitness apps is a set of dedicated programmes you can work through: an 8 Week Challenge, a Pregnancy programme, a 10-week Postnatal programme and, most relevant here, a 12 Week Menopause Program with menopause-specific strength and HIIT sessions and its own bespoke meal plan. It runs on iPhone, Android and a web app, syncs with Apple Health, and is actively developed, with a large library added through 2025 and 2026.
To place the product accurately: 28 is a weight-loss and general-fitness brand, grown out of before-and-after challenge results, that has added a genuine menopause track on top. That dedicated programme is real and it lifts the app above a purely general tool for this audience, but the surrounding membership is still built for a broad market, and that shapes the rest of this profile.
Who Is Behind It
28 by Sam Wood is made by Australian Life Tech Pty Ltd and fronted by Sam Wood, an experienced personal trainer with an exercise-science degree and more than 20 years in the industry, known in Australia from television. He is a qualified fitness professional, not a clinician, and the app reflects that: it is a fitness and nutrition product, not a medical one.
The 12 Week Menopause Program is led by Tania Monk, a certified menopause coach, functional nutritionist and women’s-strength specialist. That is a real and relevant credential, and it is more menopause-specific expertise than most general apps carry. The wider team includes a nutritionist, Ruby, a motivation expert, Craig Harper, and a women’s-health physiotherapist, Chloe Lorback, who contributes to the pregnancy and postnatal programmes.
Coach-led, not clinician-led, and no pelvic-floor lead
This is the single most important point for a woman managing menopause. The 12 Week Menopause Program is led by a certified menopause coach and functional nutritionist, not a doctor, registered dietitian or menopause physician, and there is no clinical or menopause-medical lead on the team. The women’s-health physiotherapist works on pregnancy and postnatal content, not the menopause track, so there is no verified pelvic-floor programming for menopausal members. Treat 28 as evidence-informed general support, not clinical care, and speak to your GP or a menopause specialist about symptoms, HRT or a prolapse.
Who Is 28 by Sam Wood Best For, and Who Should Skip It?
28 is built around convenience and a complete package, and that runs through the workouts, the meal plans and the programmes.
If you want short workouts you can fit in at home, the 28-minute daily session is the whole premise. For a busy woman who wants to move most days without a gym or a long block of time, that format is genuinely easy to sustain.
If you want structured eating support, this is where 28 is strongest. The weekly meal-plan system, recipe library and shopping lists do the planning for you, and the no-calorie-counting framing suits women who are done with tracking every mouthful. Very few workout apps build nutrition this thoroughly.
If you want a menopause programme to follow, the 12 Week Menopause Program gives you a real, structured track with menopause-specific training and its own meal plan, led by a certified menopause coach. As an introductory, coach-led programme it is a reasonable place to start.
If you want clinician-led menopause care, this is not the right app. There is no pelvic-floor content, no hormone-phase programming and no clinician, and the strength work is class-based rather than a tracked progressive plan. If those are your priorities, a purpose-built platform will serve you better.
Is 28 by Sam Wood Good for Women Over 40?
On the fundamentals, 28 does more for a midlife body than most general apps. Strength is a genuine pillar, with a women’s-strength specialist and menopause-specific sessions, and progressive resistance work is the intervention with the strongest evidence for preserving muscle and bone through the menopause transition.12 The meal-plan system is a real asset, because structured eating and adequate protein matter more as you age,34 and the brand offers genuine low-impact yoga, Pilates and returning-to-exercise options alongside the HIIT.
What the package gets right for a midlife body
A real strength pillar, a dedicated menopause programme, a well-built meal-plan system and selectable low-impact options are all appropriate for women over 40. The methods underneath 28, resistance training, structured nutrition and regular movement, are the ones the evidence supports for muscle, bone and cardiometabolic health in this age group.124 If you want a structured plan to follow with food support built in, the raw ingredients are sound.
Where it falls short is the depth of the menopause layer. The strength is class-based follow-along rather than a tracked progressive-overload plan, so you have to drive the loading yourself. There is no pelvic-floor content, no cycle or hormone-phase programming and no clinician, and the education layer, while real and member-praised, is introductory rather than clinical. The brand’s before-and-after, weight-loss heritage also leans towards body composition, softened by the no-calorie-counting messaging but still present, which will not suit every woman.
The wider picture: 28 is a strong all-rounder with a real menopause programme, which is why it scores above a purely general app on menopause fit, but it is not a clinical menopause solution. If you value convenience, food support and a programme to follow and you are comfortable steering your own strength progression, it can serve you well. If you want pelvic-floor work, hormone-phase awareness and clinical grounding, a purpose-built platform will serve you better.
The capability breakdown below scores 28 against what the research says midlife and menopausal women benefit from. It is strong on nutrition, beginner on-ramp and mind-body support, and thinner on the pelvic-floor and clinical rows that capture whether a programme is built for menopause at a clinical level.
This is the perimenopause and menopause assessment, and it is separate from the overall score. Twelve things a programme either does for a midlife body or does not, each scored out of 10 with my reasoning next to it. Together they produce a single menopause fit score, and that becomes one of the nine categories in the overall scoring below.
How 28 by Sam Wood Fits Perimenopause, Menopause & Beyond
Women Over 40 is our most important criterion, and here's the full breakdown behind it.
28 by Sam Wood is strongest for beginner on-ramp, and weakest for pelvic floor and recovery & deload, in our menopause and midlife capability assessment for women over 40.
At a glance
What the app teaches about perimenopause and/or menopause, not whether the training suits a midlife body.
| Capability | Score | Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Right training for a midlife body | |||
| Low-impact | 6.5/10 | Some | Genuine low-impact options (yoga, Pilates, returning-to-exercise and injury levels, adjustable difficulty), though the brand leans HIIT, cardio and boxing. |
| Progressive strength | 6/10 | Some | Strength is a real pillar with a women’s-strength specialist and menopause-specific sessions, but it is class-based, not a tracked progressive-overload plan. |
| Bone loading | 4.5/10 | Minimal | Strength and impact work give incidental bone-loading benefit and midlife-muscle messaging, but there is no explicit bone-density programming or progression. |
| Recovery & deload | 4/10 | Minimal | Recovery is supported via yoga and meditation, but there is no structured deload and the move-every-day ethos underplays rest. |
| Menopause education and programming* | |||
| Menopause programming | 6/10 | Some | A genuine dedicated 12-week menopause track with menopause-specific strength and HIIT and a bespoke meal plan, though a fairly light challenge rather than deep phase-based programming. |
| Pelvic floor | 2/10 | None | No verified pelvic-floor training in the menopause track; the women’s-health physio contributes only to the pregnancy and postnatal programmes. |
| Hormone awareness | 4.5/10 | Minimal | Real menopause and metabolism awareness through symptom check-ins and trackers, but no cycle or phase-synced training and no clinical hormone guidance. |
| Menopause education | 5/10 | Some | A real, member-praised education layer (weekly coach check-in videos, menopause toolkit, over-40 content), but coach-led and introductory rather than clinical. |
| Expert credibility | 4.5/10 | Minimal | Led by a certified menopause coach and functional nutritionist plus an experienced-PT founder, with one genuine women’s-health physiotherapist on staff, but no menopause physician or clinical lead. |
| Whole-woman support | |||
| Mind-body support | 7.5/10 | Strong | Strong: guided meditations, podcasts, a dedicated motivation expert, a large community and seven-day human support. |
| Beginner on-ramp | 8/10 | Strong | Excellent: multiple selectable levels, injury and returning options, short no-equipment sessions, adjustable at any time. |
| Midlife nutrition | 7.5/10 | Strong | A genuinely well-built nutrition system (structured meal plans, nutritionist team, bespoke menopause meal plan, whole-food and protein emphasis) that most rivals lack. |
ScaleBest-in-classStrongSomeMinimalNone
What the sources say: Scored from the official site and menopause pages, app-store listings, support and pricing pages, independent Australian review sites and peer-reviewed evidence (Aug 2026); hands-on pending.
* What the app teaches and programmes around menopause, not whether the training suits a midlife body. Many programmes that score low here are still a good fit, they simply never use the word. A high score is not proof either: a few menopause videos added to a general library lifts this score without changing the training.
These are evidence-informed suitability ratings, not clinical measurements. They combine exercise science with product-specific research and, where indicated, hands-on testing, alongside multi-source verification, and are approximate. Individual response varies. A starting point, not medical advice. How we score menopause fit
How 28’s Method Works
28’s method is simple and repeatable: a short daily follow-along workout, a structured weekly meal plan and a Mindset habit, delivered as a rolling membership or as a fixed programme such as the 8 Week Challenge or 12 Week Menopause Program. The short-session format lowers the barrier to consistency, which matters more than any single workout for a midlife body that does not recover the way it did at 30.
Structured eating works, but the active ingredient is adherence, not the brand
28’s meal-plan system is a real strength, and the evidence backs the general approach: an energy-controlled, mostly whole-food eating pattern reduces weight and visceral fat in postmenopausal women, but the trials make clear the active ingredient is the calorie control and the adherence a structured plan makes easier, not any branded diet.4 Adequate protein on top of that helps preserve muscle as you age.3 So credit 28 for making structured eating easy to follow, but read its results as the product of consistency, not a proprietary formula. The strength side follows the same logic: the format is sound, but the progression is yours to drive.
The same realism applies to the menopause track. A dedicated 12-week programme with menopause-specific strength, HIIT and a bespoke meal plan is a genuine step beyond a general app, but it is a fairly light, coach-led challenge rather than deep, phase-based or clinical programming. Treat it as a structured, evidence-informed starting point, not a substitute for menopause care.
Content and Features
28 is unusually complete for a home-fitness app, strong on workouts and nutrition and thinner in the clinical and pelvic-floor areas this audience often needs. The table separates what is included from what is missing, because for a midlife woman the gaps matter as much as the library.
| Feature | Included? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| On-demand workouts | Yes | Daily 28-minute sessions across HIIT, strength, Pilates, yoga, boxing and dance |
| Live classes | Partial | Some live sessions; on-demand is the core |
| Recovery and mobility | Partial | Yoga and Pilates included; no structured deload and a move-every-day ethos |
| Meditation and mindfulness | Yes | A dedicated Mindset pillar with guided meditations and podcasts |
| Nutrition guidance | Yes | Full weekly meal-plan system, 3,000+ recipes, shopping lists, no calorie counting |
| Menopause education | Partial | Real coach-led layer: weekly check-in videos, a menopause toolkit and over-40 content, introductory rather than clinical |
| Menopause programme | Yes | Dedicated 12 Week Menopause Program with its own training and meal plan |
| Pelvic-floor content | No | None verified in the menopause track; the physio works on pregnancy and postnatal |
| Cycle or hormone-phase programming | No | Menopause programme is not phase-based |
| Symptom tracking | Partial | Menopause toolkit has trackers; not a full validated symptom tracker |
| Structured programmes | Yes | 8 Week Challenge, 12 Week Menopause Program, Pregnancy, 10-week Postnatal |
| Community | Yes | Large private Facebook communities, including a menopause group |
| Clinical advisory board | No | Certified menopause coach and one women’s-health physio; no menopause physician or clinical lead |
Nutrition
Nutrition is a genuine pillar at 28, not an afterthought, and it is one of the app’s strongest cards for this audience. Membership includes a structured weekly meal plan built by a nutritionist team, more than 3,000 recipes, automatic shopping lists and a whole-food, higher-protein emphasis, with a deliberate no-calorie-counting approach. The 12 Week Menopause Program adds a bespoke menopause meal plan on top. For a midlife woman, protein needs rise with age and matter for holding on to muscle,3 and a structured, mostly whole-food pattern is a proven way to manage weight and visceral fat after menopause, as long as you understand the benefit comes from the calorie control and adherence a plan makes easier, not from a branded diet.4 Very few workout apps build nutrition this thoroughly, and it is a large part of why 28 suits women over 40.
Devices and Platform
28 is a phone-first app with a web option. It runs on iPhone, Android and a web app, syncs with Apple Health, and works on a Mac and Apple Vision through the iOS app, so sessions and activity flow into your wider health picture. TV casting and offline access are not clearly documented, so if training without a signal or on the big screen matters to you, confirm both at signup. The app is actively developed, with a major library added through 2025 and 2026 and regular version updates, which suggests the platform is being maintained rather than left to drift. For a woman who trains from a phone or tablet at home, the setup is straightforward.
What the Research Says
The methods 28 is built on are well supported for midlife women. Progressive resistance training improves bone mineral density and physical function in postmenopausal women, and does so safely under sound technique, as the LIFTMOR trial showed.1 Resistance training also changes body composition in this group, though the evidence is a useful reality check on 28’s class-based approach: one controlled trial found middle-aged women needed higher training volumes to drive muscle gains after menopause, which is exactly what a follow-along format without tracked progression can struggle to guarantee.2 On the food side, adequate protein supports muscle preservation with age,3 and an energy-controlled, mostly whole-food eating pattern reduces weight and visceral fat in postmenopausal women.4
The picture is more mixed for menopause symptoms, and it is important not to overclaim. Exercise improves some quality-of-life domains for women with menopausal symptoms but not others, so it is not a blanket fix.5 It can reduce insomnia severity, although the evidence for improving overall sleep quality is weaker.6 For hot flushes and night sweats, the most authoritative review concludes there is insufficient evidence that exercise is an effective treatment.7 28 does not market itself as a treatment for these symptoms, which is the right call.
The wider health bodies agree on the direction of travel: strength work at least twice a week and regular activity are core recommendations for women as they age.91011 28 delivers the strength, activity and structured nutrition; what it does not deliver is the pelvic-floor, hormone-phase and clinical layer.
What Users Report
Store ratings are excellent, but an independent Australian complaint platform tells a rougher story, and the gap is the point. On the Apple App Store, 28 holds about 4.8 out of 5 from roughly 29,000 Australian ratings, and Google Play sits near 4.8 from about 1,720 reviews with more than 100,000 installs. On ProductReview.com.au, however, it scores around 3.1 out of 5 from roughly 370 reviews, with weak sub-scores for value, customer service and fees. A small Trustpilot presence sits near 2.3. Store ratings capture engaged in-app members; the independent site captures the billing experience, which is where the frustration collects.
What users praise: the short, doable workouts, the meal plans and recipes, the sense of a complete package, the community, and the menopause programme and over-40 content, which members single out as unusually well-considered for a general app.
What users criticise: billing and refunds are the dominant complaint on the independent site, including auto-renewal charges and refund disputes, with consumer-regulator context in Australia. Some feel the strength side lacks tracked progression, and there is little pelvic-floor or clinical menopause depth. As a research-based profile we treat menopause suitability as evidence-informed rather than settled, and we weight the billing pattern as a real caveat.
28 by Sam Wood specifications
- Free trial
- None (no standing free trial - confirmed by Katy and official sources)Source: https://28bysamwood.com
- Cancellation
- No lock-in contract; cancel any time (store subs via Apple/Google). Refund window is short (many complaints); cancel before renewal. Some Bupa AU members get it free.Source: https://28bysamwood.com
- Session length
- 28 to 30 minSource: App Store / `https://28bysamwood.com`
- Who makes it
- Sam Wood (experienced PT, exercise-science degree, ex-Bachelor Australia, 20+ yrs; NOT a clinician). Company: Australian Life Tech Pty Ltd. Menopause programme led by Tania Monk (certified menopause coach, functional nutritionist, women’s strength specialist - non-clinical). Nutritionist Ruby; motivation expert Craig Harper; women’s-health physio Chloe Lorback (pre/postnatal only). NO clinical/menopause-medical lead.Source: https://28bysamwood.com/meet-my-team
- Still maintained
- Actively developed (v2.0.29 Jul 2026); 12 Week Menopause Program launched; TXO/Tiff Hall library added Oct 2025
- What is included
- On-demand classes: yesLive classes: partlyRecovery content: partlyMenopause education: partlyStructured programmes: yesMeditation: yesNutrition guidance: yes
- Women over 40
- Pelvic floor work: noMenopause clinician involved: noInjury modifications: partlyBone-health focus: partlyModified progressions: partlyCycle syncing: noPrenatal options: yes
- Devices and access
- Offline downloads: partlyCasting to TV: partlySubtitles: partlyWearable sync: partly
- Support
- Clinical advisory board: noCommunity: yesSupplement upsell: partly
- Last verified
- 15 August 2026
28 by Sam Wood Price 2026: What You Actually Pay
28 is an Australian brand, so AUD is the reference currency and US prices differ. There is no standing free trial, so the usual entry point is either the rolling membership or a one-off programme bought once. Prices below are indicative and were verified in August 2026; confirm your exact price at signup, because app-store pricing runs higher than the web.
| Plan | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly (web) | About AUD $58.99 (US $39.99) | Rolling membership; about AUD $68.99 via the app store |
| Quarterly | About AUD $146.99 web / $149.99 Apple (US $102.99) | 3-month plan |
| Annual | About AUD $339 via Apple (US $199) | Best value per month; website annual figure not published, confirm at signup |
| 8 Week Challenge (one-off) | About AUD $99 | Bought once, not a subscription; common entry point |
| 12 Week Menopause Program (one-off) | About AUD $159 (launch offer) | Dedicated menopause track with its own meal plan |
| Free trial | None | No standing free trial; some Bupa Australia members access it free |
Read before you subscribe: no free trial, short refund window and billing complaints
Go in with eyes open on the money. There is no standing free trial, so you pay before you try, and the refund window is short. On the independent Australian review site ProductReview.com.au, 28 scores around 3.1 out of 5 against the 4.8 on the app stores, and auto-renewal charges and refund disputes are the dominant complaints, with consumer-regulator context in Australia. The lowest-risk way in is a one-off programme, such as the 8 Week Challenge or the 12 Week Menopause Program, bought once rather than as a rolling subscription. Whatever you choose, read the checkout, note the renewal date, and cancel through the correct channel before it renews.
Cancellation and refunds: there is no lock-in contract, and you can cancel any time. App-store subscriptions are managed through Apple or Google, and uninstalling the app does not cancel a subscription. Some Bupa Australia members can access 28 free through their health cover, so it is worth checking your policy before you pay.
Not sure 28 by Sam Wood is the right programme for you?
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Time Commitment: Weekly Schedule and Session Length
| Scenario | Sessions/week | Session length | Weekly total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core daily workout | 5 | 28 to 30 min | 140 to 150 min |
| 12 Week Menopause Program | 3 to 4 | 28 to 30 min | 85 to 120 min |
| Short or low-impact option | 3 to 5 | 10 to 20 min | 50 to 100 min |
| WHO activity guideline target | 5 | 30 min moderate, plus 2 strength days | 150 min |
Because the sessions are short and home-based, 28 flexes easily around a busy life, and a typical week sits at or above the WHO activity guideline of 150 minutes plus two strength sessions.9 The strength emphasis is the part that matters most for a midlife body, so the useful question is not whether you can hit the minutes but whether you keep loading the strength work, since the follow-along format leaves the progression to you.
Will You Actually Stick With It?
Time BarrierShort 28-minute home sessions and low-impact options make it easy to fit training into a full day
Boredom RiskA broad mix of HIIT, strength, Pilates, yoga, boxing and dance, plus meal plans and challenges, keeps it varied
Motivation FadeApp-driven engagement often wanes after the first few months,8 and a class-based plan with no tracked progression can start to feel repetitive
The consistency question
28 is built to keep you engaged, with daily short sessions, meal plans that remove the what-do-I-cook question, a Mindset pillar, weekly coach check-ins and large communities. The research backs the general idea that app-based coaching lifts activity, with the caveat that the boost is strongest in the first three months.8 If you value convenience and food support, the format is genuinely easy to sustain; the risks are that the strength stops progressing without your input, and that the billing friction some members describe drains goodwill. Choosing a fixed programme first is one way to test the fit before committing to a rolling subscription.
What Equipment Do You Need for 28 by Sam Wood?
Dumbbells
The single most useful buy for the strength sessions; add load as you get stronger, since the plan will not track it for you
~$25 to $50
Exercise mat
Cushions the Pilates, yoga, floor and recovery work; kinder on the joints
~$20 to $45
Resistance bands
Handy for warm-ups, mobility and scaling exercises up or down, and easy to travel with
~$15 to $30
A quick heads-up: some of the buy links above are affiliate links, so if you buy through them we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. We only point to kit worth owning.
28 needs no equipment to start, and the core sessions are designed to be done at home with nothing but space, so the barrier to beginning is genuinely low.
28 by Sam Wood vs Pvolve, FitOn and Caroline Girvan
28 assessed on a research basis from the official app, funnel and menopause pages, support and store data. Competitor prices and ratings are approximate; verify each on the platform before subscribing.
| Feature | 28 by Sam Wood | Pvolve | FitOn | Caroline Girvan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Our score | 6.7 / 10 | 8.3 / 10 | 7.3 / 10 | 7.6 / 10 |
| Monthly price | ~AUD $58.99 web (US $39.99) | $24.99/mo · equipment from $199 | Free; Pro $29.99/yr (~$2.50/mo) | $12.99/mo ($8.33 annual) |
| Free trial | None; one-off programmes from ~AUD $99 | 14 days (card required) | Free tier, no time limit | 600+ free YouTube workouts |
| Best for | Meal plans + a menopause track | Low-impact functional strength, menopause, joint health | Budget variety | Structured strength |
| Equipment required | None to start; dumbbells and mat useful | Bundle recommended ($199); bands + dumbbells work for most classes | Minimal | Dumbbells |
| Session length | 28 to 30 min | 5 to 60+ min; 20-min sessions plentiful | 5 min to 1 hour | 30 to 45 min |
| Injury modifications | Partly: injury and returning-to-exercise levels | Yes + dedicated injury series (knees, back, hips, shoulders) | Limited; FitOn Rehab via employer or insurance only | Moderate (form videos) |
| Perimenopause content | Dedicated 12-week programme, coach-led; no pelvic floor | Very strong: Menopause Strong, pelvic floor, endometriosis, clinical study | Content available, no dedicated methodology | None |
| Coaching style | Follow-along + weekly coach videos | Verbal throughout; demos alongside you | Instructor-led | Caroline-led |
| Nutrition included | Full meal-plan system, 3,000+ recipes | Not included in streaming | Meal plans + 500 recipes (Pro only) | Meal ideas + articles |
| Community forum | Private Facebook groups, incl. menopause | Included | Live sync with friends, challenges | Social media only |
| App Store rating | ~4.8 (AU); ProductReview 3.1 | Not publicly listed in UK App Store | 4.9 (US, 283K ratings) | 4.2 (US, 641 ratings) |
| Best suited to women aged | ~35+, busy, want food support | 35 to 55, perimenopause, joint issues, busy schedule | ~35+, budget-conscious | ~35+, confident lifters |
28 by Sam Wood vs Pvolve
This is the head-to-head that matters most for this audience, and it comes down to breadth against depth. 28 is the broader package: short daily workouts, a full meal-plan system, a Mindset pillar and a dedicated menopause programme, all in one Australian membership. Pvolve is narrower but deeper on menopause specifically, with joint-aware, pelvic-floor and clinician-informed movement built for the transition. If you want convenience, food support and a menopause track to follow, and you are happy that it is coach-led, choose 28. If you want training genuinely designed around menopause, with pelvic-floor work and clinical grounding, Pvolve is the more specialised choice.
28 by Sam Wood Weighted Scoring: How the 6.7 / 10 Was Calculated
Scores are evidence-informed, on our 9 weighted criteria, with a confidence tag per row because this is a research-based profile rather than a hands-on test. See how we score for the full method and weightings.
This is the overall score, and it asks a broader question: how good is this programme, full stop. Nine categories, each weighted by how much it matters to a woman in perimenopause or beyond, which is why Muscle Potential counts for more than Value for Money. The Women Over 40 Specificity row is the perimenopause and menopause fit score from the twelve capabilities above, carried through.
| Category | Weight | Score | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time Efficiency | 15% | 8.5 | 28 to 30 minute home sessions with no equipment, plus shorter low-impact options, fit easily into a busy week. |
| Muscle Potential | 18% | 5.5 | Strength is a real pillar with menopause-specific sessions, but it is follow-along classes with no tracked progressive overload. |
| Women Over 40 Specificity | 10% | 5.4 | The 12 Week Menopause Program lifts it above general apps, but it has no pelvic-floor content, no hormone-phase programming and no clinician. |
| Joint Friendliness | 12% | 6.5 | Real low-impact yoga, Pilates and returning-to-exercise options, but the brand leans towards HIIT, cardio and boxing. |
| Recovery Compatibility | 10% | 5.5 | Yoga and meditation help with recovery, but there is no structured deload and the move-every-day approach underplays rest. |
| Programme Structure | 12% | 7 | The 8 Week Challenge and 12 Week Menopause Program give a clear path, though you have to drive strength progression yourself. |
| Value for Money | 8% | 7.5 | The membership includes a full meal-plan system and one-off programmes lower the entry cost, but there is no free trial and the refund window is short. |
| UX and Design | 8% | 6.5 | Runs on iOS, Android and web with Apple Health sync, but TV casting and offline access are not documented. |
| Nutrition Integration | 7% | 8.5 | Weekly meal plans, 3,000+ recipes, shopping lists and a menopause meal plan, well beyond most workout apps. |
| Overall | 100% | 6.7 / 10 | Research-based score; hands-on test pending. |
Scoring notes: time efficiency and nutrition integration rate highest, because the 28-minute format is genuinely easy to sustain and the meal-plan system is unusually well built for a workout app. Programme structure and value also rate well, helped by the fixed programmes and the option to buy them once. Muscle potential is middling because strength is class-based follow-along rather than a tracked progressive plan. The women-over-40 score sits at 5.4, above a purely general app because the 12 Week Menopause Program is real, but capped by the absence of pelvic-floor content, hormone-phase programming and a clinician. Recovery and UX are marked medium-confidence, the rows most likely to move once the app is used over time.
Final Weighted Score
6.7 / 10
A well-rounded home-fitness and nutrition membership with a real menopause programme, but coach-led not clinical, with no pelvic-floor content and a billing-complaint history
28 by Sam Wood Pros and Cons
Pros
- Short, doable 28-minute home workouts that fit a busy life
- A full weekly meal-plan system with 3,000+ recipes and shopping lists, which the evidence supports for a midlife body34
- A genuine dedicated 12 Week Menopause Program, led by a certified menopause coach
- Strength is a real pillar, with menopause-specific sessions12
- Genuine low-impact yoga and Pilates options alongside the HIIT
- A Mindset pillar plus large, supportive communities
- Excellent beginner on-ramp with selectable levels and no equipment needed
Cons
- Menopause programme is coach-led, not clinician-led, with no clinical lead
- No pelvic-floor content and no hormone-phase programming
- Strength is class-based follow-along, not a tracked progressive-overload plan
- No standing free trial, short refund window and billing complaints on an independent Australian site
- Weight-loss, before-and-after heritage that leans towards body composition
- No structured deload, and a move-every-day ethos that underplays rest
- TV casting and offline access are not documented
Similar programmes we partner with
Close to 28 by Sam Wood, if it is not quite right for you
These are not part of this review’s score. Each shares a goal or training style with 28 by Sam Wood, and each is worth a look if it is closer to what you need.
A polished UK studio-style HIIT, strength and yoga app with great variety and a motivating community, but HIIT-leaning with weak recovery, a modest be…
A huge, well-produced workout and nutrition library with a dedicated hormone programme in Belle Vitale. Strong value, but the mainstream library skews…
A well-structured AI coach app with genuine strength progression, but a high-impact default that is hard on midlife joints, no menopause programming,…
Deep, credentialed pelvic floor and postpartum programme; not a menopause platform. $30/month or $180/year.
Affiliate links, at no extra cost to you. I buy my own subscriptions and a commission never moves a score or a position. Full disclosure.
28 by Sam Wood FAQ
Partly, and more than most general apps. 28 has a genuine dedicated 12 Week Menopause Program with menopause-specific strength and HIIT and its own meal plan, led by a certified menopause coach, which is why it scores above a purely general app on menopause fit. But it is coach-led, not clinician-led, with no pelvic-floor content, no hormone-phase programming and no clinical lead. It is a reasonable structured starting point, not menopause care. For pelvic-floor and clinically grounded training, a purpose-built platform such as Pvolve is a better fit.
28 is an Australian app, so AUD is the reference. Membership is about AUD $58.99 a month on the web (US $39.99), about AUD $146.99 a quarter (US $102.99) and about AUD $339 a year via Apple (US $199); app-store monthly pricing runs higher at about AUD $68.99. There is no standing free trial, but you can buy a one-off programme instead, such as the 8 Week Challenge from about AUD $99 or the 12 Week Menopause Program from about AUD $159. Confirm your exact price at signup.
No. The 12 Week Menopause Program is led by Tania Monk, a certified menopause coach and functional nutritionist, not a doctor, registered dietitian or menopause physician. Sam Wood is an experienced personal trainer with an exercise-science degree, not a clinician. There is one women’s-health physiotherapist on the team, but she works on the pregnancy and postnatal programmes, not the menopause track. Treat the content as evidence-informed general support and speak to your GP about symptoms or HRT.
No, there is no standing free trial. The lowest-risk way to try it is a one-off programme, such as the 8 Week Challenge or the 12 Week Menopause Program, bought once rather than as a rolling subscription. Some Bupa Australia members can access 28 free through their health cover, so it is worth checking your policy before you pay.
Regular exercise may ease insomnia severity for some women, but the evidence for improving overall sleep quality is weaker, and the most authoritative review finds insufficient evidence that exercise treats hot flushes. 28’s menopause content is coach-led and general, so do not expect it to target these symptoms directly. Speak to your GP or a menopause specialist about persistent symptoms.
If you want short home workouts and real meal-plan support in one app, and you like the idea of a menopause programme to follow, yes, it is one of the more complete options and the food support is a genuine strength. If you want pelvic-floor work, hormone-phase programming or clinician-led care, a purpose-built platform is the better choice. Because there is no free trial, a one-off programme is the lowest-risk way to test the fit.
There is no lock-in contract, and you can cancel any time; app-store subscriptions are managed through Apple or Google, and uninstalling the app does not cancel a subscription. The refund window is short, and an independent Australian review site logs a run of auto-renewal and refund complaints, so note your renewal date and cancel through the correct channel before the next charge.
No. You can start with no equipment at all, since the core 28-minute sessions are designed for home. A pair of dumbbells is the most useful upgrade for the strength work, because the plan does not track your loading for you, and a mat helps for the Pilates, yoga and floor work.
Final Verdict
6.7 / 10
28 by Sam Wood is a well-rounded at-home fitness and nutrition membership with a real menopause programme, but it is coach-led, not clinical. The short daily workouts, the full meal-plan system and the Mindset pillar are genuine strengths, and the methods it uses, progressive strength and structured whole-food eating, are exactly what the evidence supports for a midlife body.124 The dedicated 12 Week Menopause Program, led by a certified menopause coach, lifts it above a purely general app for this audience.
The gaps are the ones that matter most for menopause. There is no pelvic-floor content, no hormone-phase programming and no clinician; the strength is class-based rather than a tracked progressive plan; and there is no standing free trial, with a short refund window and a run of billing complaints on an independent Australian site. None of that makes it a bad app; it makes it a strong all-rounder to choose with your eyes open.
Best for: busy women over 40 who want short home workouts and structured meal-plan support in one app, and who like the idea of a menopause programme to follow.
Not ideal for: women who want clinician-led menopause care, pelvic-floor or hormone-phase work, a tracked progressive-overload plan, or a weight-neutral approach without before-and-after framing.
Testing status: scores are evidence-informed and provisional; a hands-on score is pending. If we trial the app over time, we will upgrade this page with first-person notes and a hands-on score.
Sources & Further Reading
- Watson SL, et al. (2018). High-Intensity Resistance and Impact Training Improves Bone Mineral Density and Physical Function in Postmenopausal Women (LIFTMOR). Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. doi.org/10.1002/jbmr.3284
- Isenmann E, et al. (2023). Resistance Training Alters Body Composition in Middle-Aged Women Depending on Menopause: A 20-Week Control Trial. BMC Women’s Health. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37803287
- Bauer J, et al. (2013). Evidence-Based Recommendations for Optimal Dietary Protein Intake in Older People (PROT-AGE Study Group). Journal of the American Medical Directors Association. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23867520
- Bajerska J, et al. (2018). Weight Loss and Metabolic Health Effects from Energy-Restricted Mediterranean and Central-European Diets in Postmenopausal Women. Scientific Reports. nature.com/articles/s41598-018-29495-3
- Nguyen TM, et al. (2020). Exercise and Quality of Life in Women with Menopausal Symptoms: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7579592
- Qian J, et al. (2023). Effects of Exercise on Sleep in Menopausal Women: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Medicine. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37181372
- Daley A, et al. (2014). Exercise for Vasomotor Menopausal Symptoms. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25431132
- Romeo A, et al. (2019). Can Smartphone Apps Increase Physical Activity? Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30888321
- World Health Organization (2020). Physical activity guidelines: adults aged 18 to 64. who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity
- Menopause and exercise: staying active through the transition. The Menopause Society. menopause.org
- NHS. Menopause and looking after yourself: exercise and physical activity. nhs.uk/conditions/menopause
Related Guides
What To Do Next
Not sure this is the right programme for you?
- → Take our 2-minute quiz for a personalised recommendation.
- → See our best workouts for perimenopause rankings.
- → See our best workouts for women over 40 rankings.
- → Compare menopause-built options in our Pvolve profile.
- → See how we score every programme using 9 weighted criteria.
