These apps and services are responding to coronavirus pandemic with free information

Chance Miller | Apr 2 2020 - 3:28 pm PT

A handful of useful applications and services are going free for the coming weeks in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. These include at-home fitness applications, news outlets, and much more. Read below for all of the details.

Updated on March 23 and March 29 with new freebies and promotions.

Nike Training Club

Nike has made all of its Nike Training Club Premium workouts free until further notice:

At Nike, our world is sport, but sport is not our whole world.

We’re evolving as the world evolves and we want to help you stay healthy and active with your fellow teammates because now, more than ever, it’s one of the most important things for all of us.

We’re all playing as one team, so starting today and until further notice, we’re giving free access to NTC Premium to all Nike Members.

You can download the Nike Training Club app on the App Store to get started.

Sling TV

Sling TV is offering free access to a variety of news channels during the COVID-19 outbreak:

Our goal is to provide Americans with free access to news and entertainment. That’s why SLING TV is providing channels like ABC News Live, plus thousands of shows and movies for the whole family, with no paid SLING TV account required.

You can sign up and get started on Sling’s website and learn more at our sister site 9to5Toys.

CARROT Fit

If you appreciate the snarky nature of the CARROT Weather app, then CARROT Fit might be perfect for you. The app features a collection of 7-minute workouts that are described as “punishing.”

CARROT is a sadistic AI construct with one simple goal: to transform your flabby carcass into a Grade A specimen of the human race. She will do whatever it takes — including threatening, inspiring, ridiculing, and bribing you — to make this happen.

CARROT Fit is available on the App Store as a free download, compared to its normal price of $4.99. The app will be free for the next two weeks.

Down Dog apps

Down Dog makes a handful of popular fitness services for iPhone and iPad, including apps for Yoga, HIIT, and more. To help people stay active and engaged during the coronavirus outbreak, Down Dog is making all of its apps — Yoga, Yoga for Beginners, HIIT, Barre, and 7 Minute Workout — free.

Due to the current outbreak, many people are avoiding gathering in large groups, including at yoga studios and other fitness spaces. We believe that stressful times like these are precisely when people need wellness practices the most, and we are committed to doing our part to help out.

You can download the collection of Down Dog apps on the App Store. The apps will be free until May 1 for all users and until July 1 for students, teachers, and healthcare professionals.

Dark Noise

One of my favorite apps on iOS is Dark Noise, which offers a wide-ranging library of different noises. This includes things like campfires, rain, thunder, white noise, and much more.

Dark Noise is a simple yet powerful way to play ambient noise to help you sleep, focus, or relax. Each of the 30+ high quality sounds features a delightfully animated icon that brings the sound to life. Deep integrations with iOS make it easier than ever to start an ambient noise with a tap or even your voice!

Dark Noise is available on the App Store for $3.99, but developer Charlie Chapman has opened the TestFlight beta to everyone during the coronavirus pandemic. “Maybe it’ll help people cope if they can simulate the sound of an office space or coffee shop while stuck in their homes,” Chapman said on Twitter. You can join the Dark Noise TestFlight beta for free here.

Headspace

The popular mindfulness and guided meditation app Headspace is going free for US healthcare professionals who work in public health settings through the end of this year:

What’s going on right now is a challenge for everyone. But you, our healthcare professionals, are particularly overburdened. Headspace wants to be here for you and support you as best we can. Helping you be kind to yourself, and your own health, during this difficult time.

If you’re a healthcare professional, you can learn how to redeem your subscription on the Headspace website. Everyone else can download the Headspace app on the App Store for free with in-app subscriptions.

Planet Fitness

Planet Fitness is encouraging people to remain active at home during the coronavirus pandemic through a series of live workouts. The classes will be streamed live on Facebook every day starting today at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET. They’ll be free for everyone:

Exercise can reduce stress, help you stay healthy, and keep you feeling great. So, we’re offering FREE in-home workouts, live-streamed daily, for all Planet Fitness members and non-members alike. Workouts will be led by our trainers and surprise celebrity guests.

The Planet Fitness app for iOS also offers hundreds of workouts that can be done from anywhere. These workouts are free for members and non-members. Download the Planet Fitness app on the App Store.

Peloton

Peloton is offering an extended 90-day free trial to its at-home workouts application during the coronavirus outbreak. The in-app workouts don’t require you own any Peloton equipment, and include yoga, HIIT, stretching, and other categories. Check out our full review from last year for all of the details.

You can download the Peloton app on the App Store to get started.

News publications remove paywalls

Last but not least, many news publications are removing their paywalls to make it as easy as possible for readers to stay up to date on the coronavirus pandemic. Some outlets are completely removing their paywalls, while others are removing paywalls specifically on coronavirus stories.

Below are some of the national sources doing so, but be sure to check your local papers as well.

Some other offers include:

19 Minute Yoga — Free live-streamed yoga classes on YouTube
The Year Without Pants — Free guide to remote working
Take Control of Working From Home Temporarily — Another free guide to temporary remote working
GOLD’s AMP — 600 audio and video workouts free until May 31
Alto’s Odyssey and Alto’s Adventure free for the next week
Apple Books offers “stay at home” collection of free read-alongs for kids, cozy mysteries, and audiobooks
Chris Hemsworth offers Centr workout videos for free for six weeks when you sign up online
TripIt offers free Pro memberships to help track travel changes
Caribu — Free video calling

Added on March 29:

Hulu adds free ABC News for all users
Body by Yoga offers free online classes for 1 month
Babbel offers free language learning for K-12 and college students
Mindfulness app Aura offers 3 months free
Sling TV continues to expand its free lineup of channels
Plex makes Live TV feature free for 3 months, here’s how to get set up on Mac, iPhone, Apple TV
Public speaking app Speeko offers free memberships to healthcare and public health professions

Added on April 2:

Down Dog extends freebies until May 1 for everyone and until July 1 for students, teachers, and healthcare professionals
NDI HX Camera app for iPhone goes free (regularly $19.99) for turning your iPhone into a 4K webcam
HBO to offer 500 hours of free programming, including full seasons of VEEP, Silicon Valley, and much more
Novorésumé offering free templates for resumes and cover letters.

Any others?

I’ll be keeping this list up to date over the coming weeks with any other applications and services that offer expanded availability during the COVID-19 outbreak. Have any suggestions? Let me know down in the comments or on Twitter.

App Store editorial team is on top of things. I can't think of a better assortment of app categories to highlight today. 👌 pic.twitter.com/6pi0sDplga

— Ryan Christoffel (@iryantldr) March 16, 2020

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