Our Review of the Grokker Platform (Updated for 2024)

Life can be down right hectic on occasion.

I get it.

We’ve all been there.

Those times when we are made to feel like there just aren’t enough hours in a day.

But your sense of well-being should never take a back seat.

You mental health and physical stamina need to remain a priority if you are going to be the very best “you” you can be.

Didn’t Dr. Seuss say that in a book once or twice?

So whether you have an hour… or just a few minutes… an innovate little company named Grokker promises to help you feel happy and healthy every single day.

Their motto is simple, “Sweat it out, de-stress, or just relax with the perfect video”.

And it’s all available to stream on demand.

On your schedule.

So do yourself a favor and take a time out from “parent duty” for a few minutes… or put aside that work you brought home from the office… and just sit back and read my Grokker review.

It won’t take long… and I promise your well-being will thank me for it.

What is Grokker?

To understand Grokker, you’ll need a quick linguistics lesson.

You see, the term “grok” [pronounced ɡräk] was actually coined by American writer, Robert A. Heinlein, in his 1961 science fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land.

Since then, the Oxford English Dictionary summarizes the meaning of grok as “to understand intuitively or by empathy, to establish rapport with” and “to empathize or communicate sympathetically; also, to experience enjoyment”.

Got it?

Good.

And with that, the clever cats at Grokker decided to turn this word into a catchy company name… the rest is history.

At its core, Grokker operates as an online fitness training platform… making a wide variety of wellness content available to anyone for streaming across multiple devices (cpu, tablet and smartphone).

It operates in three main categories:

1. Fitness
2. Yoga
3. Cooking

There is also a “mind” category, which is chock full of meditation exercises and mindfulness tips.

Within each category are a plethora of subcategories, offering something for everyone… and every interest.

So let’s delve deeper into that, shall we?

Grokker Video Selections

As I touched upon, Grokker offers video’s in 3 main categories.

In fact, they offer thousands of high-quality videos…  and are continuously adding more to their library each day.

So there is always something new for you to try.

Fitness apps are broken up into these trending categories:

Yogis can enjoy these areas:

And at-home chefs can feast their eyes on these topics:

If that sounds enticing…  the good news is you can start right away with a 14-day free trial of Grokker.

The bad news is, you can’t see any of the specific class offerings until you sign up.

So I’m going to go ahead and suggest you give the trial a whirl.

I did.

Little tip: set a notification in your calendar of the cancellation date… just in case you don’t love what you see.

Although I have a sneaking suspicion that you will.

How to Get Started with Grokker: Onto the 14-Day Free Trial We Go!

Once you’ve decided to pull the trigger, Grokker will ask for some basic information to get started.

Name, an email address and password… and a method of payment to start the free trial.

You card is not charged, as with most free trials, until if and when you fail to cancel the membership… at which point you are charged a monthly or annual fee.

Once you are registered, you get a friendly little welcome message, asking you to choose from a list of categories to help Grokker offer video suggestions that best fit your needs.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll be invited to take a tour of your personalized selections.

The tour basically covers how to navigate:

• Video suggestions and challenges
• Your personalized fitness programs
• The health quiz
• A wellness tracker
• Trending videos
• Video search by duration, topic and level

For instance, upon logging on, I was shown two challenges… a “21-Day Athlete” program and the “March Mindfulness Challenge”.

There were also trending videos on:

• Easing lower back pain
• Anxiety reducing meditations
• Total body pilates

Shortcuts to the latest video additions were also on my home page, which included:

• 21-Day LIT (low impact training) Challenge
• 14-Day Sugar Reset
• Walk it Out
• Deep Sleep Release
• 7-Day Sculpt
• Gluten Free Meals

And that doesn’t even scratch the surface.

There were pages and pages of videos.

Each one listing its intended fitness level (if applicable)… be it beginner, intermediate, advanced or all levels.

It was really extensive… which is the point where I decided to abort to the “search” feature.

For the sake of time.

Which I have very little of some days.

Four kids.

Ages 8 and under.

Enough said.

If time is of the essence for you… you may want to consider doing the same.

Not that browsing isn’t fun.

Do with my advice what you will.

So if and when you decide to conduct a search, Grokker simply asks you select the following:

1. Duration of video
2. Topic
3. Level or Intensity

For example, I chose:

1. 15-25 minutes
2. Fitness
3. Medium intensity

I was given the option at that point of narrowing my search down even further by:

1. Type of workout
2. Body part
3. Equipment

But more about my experience later. 

I know… you can’t wait!

Once you select a video, you are not only able to view it… but also learn all about the instructor (whom you can choose to “follow” if you really like him/her).

There is also a summary of the video, “At a Glance”… so you can know what you’re getting into before you start.

And if you aren’t ready to view it right then and there… you can schedule it or add it to your collection.

You can also share it or comment on it.

You can “like” it with a little heart icon.

Awwwe.

Grokker’s community message board is great for inspiration… or if you have any questions.

Also, once you begin watching a video, it is automatically linked to your “Wellness Minutes” and/or “Monthly Activity” tabs.

You’ll even get a little message at the end of your video letting you know how many minutes you’ve earned.

Similarly, once you’ve finished a fitness video, your activity log will update.

Another cool feature I particularly liked was that Grokker works with Apple Health, Fitbit, and Garmin devices… making your fitness tracking and syncing a cinch!

Now that we’ve got the hang of accessing and tracking videos, let’s move onto instructors.

The Grokker Instructors

So, as with Skillshare and other popular online “lifestyle” streaming services, anyone can be a Grokker instructor.

That is anyone with proven knowledge and experience with a specific skill set.

Once accepted, they can eventually become Grokker Experts.

Experts star exclusively in the Grokker Premium Videos.

You can learn from the likes of:

• James Beard – and other award winning chefs
• NCAA athletes
• Royal Marines
• Nationally celebrated yoga instructors

Profiles of some of Grokker's expert yoga instructors.

Among others.

By simply clicking on an Expert's avatar (distinguished by a ring of coral around them), you’ll gain access to their bio page… where you can learn more about their interests and specialities.

You can even @mention an Expert in a comment on their video page to immediately get their attention.

Follow as many Grokker Experts as you like and Grokker will notify you when they release new videos.

Sounds Great… But How Much does Grokker Cost?

Now that I’ve got you chomping at the bit to try Grokker out… I bet you’re wondering how much it costs.

After all, nothing this good is left dangling in the air for free.

Is it?

No. Seldom not.

Grokker does offer a 14-day free trial.

They even sometimes offer a 30-day free trial for accepting their monthly challenge… but after that it’s $14.99 per month for a Premium Membership.

Or $119.88/year for an annual plan… which works out to only $9.99 per month.

That, my friends, is a pretty sweet deal… and cheaper than most gym memberships you’ll find.

Plus, you don’t need to pay for child care if you’re enjoying Grokker in the comfort of your home.

That’s a savings in itself!

A Premium Membership gives access to:

• UNLIMITED Grokker Premium videos
• Full access to non-premium videos
• Watch on mobile, tablet, web and TV
• Ask Grokker Experts questions

Yes, you can cast or stream Grokker to your tv.

Depending on your carrier, you can download the Grokker app directly onto your smart television and watch videos on the big screen anytime you want.

Currently, Grokker is compatible with:

1. Apple TV
2. Comcast Xfinity On Demand
3. Roku
4. Google Chromecast
5. Running an HDMI cable from your computer to the set

Additional fees may apply.

There are also often coupons and promo codes to be found out there… to help you score a free week or two, maybe even a month, of Grokker.

Here is a good place to start.

A Family Affair… with Grokker

So, yeah… I gave Gokker a spin.

And I made my kids try it out with me.

My husband refused.

He always does (case in point, my Blue Apron review)…

It’s ok.

I love him anyway.

He’s got other things going on.

But, yeah, so the kids and I tried a couple of videos out.

Yoga

The kids yoga section wasn’t too extensive… if I’m being honest. There were seven videos in all, the longest of which was about 28 minutes.

The majority of them were less than 10 minutes, some even less than 2 minutes.

The longest one was lead by Jodi Komitor, Founder of Next Generation Yoga for Kids.

Jodi’s videos are geared towards children ages 7 & up… which is conveniently the age of my oldest daughter.

She loved the video!

Jodi made it fun… as if seamlessly marrying adult yoga moves with a kid’s anatomy lesson. It was cool.

No real pose names were used, but they were executed.

I’m no yogi… I enjoy it here and there, but have yet to actually take a class or do a set longer than 15 minutes.

But I enjoyed this video as well.

I’m not sure if it were the exercises itself, or my daughter’s expression… but it was fun.

We also did a 10-minute video with instructor, Sarah Kline, and her niece. It was geared at ages 2.5 and up… but was fun for my 7 and 5-year-old girls.

The niece in the video was 10… and impressively flexible, if I might add.

Overall, the short video was a positive way to channel and redirect some of that crazy energy kids have… especially after a long day at school, or being trapped inside on a rainy day.

I have to say, I felt a bit calmer after being trapped inside with the kids on a rainy day.

Seriously.

And my abs hurt a tad.

So that was a bonus.

Maybe I should give yoga a try?

Anyway, over all, while the quantity of videos was somewhat lacking… the quality seemed to be there.

And that is what I was looking for with the kids.

The adult yoga was a lot more extensive… you just need to find the one that suits you.

There were all types… weather sitting in your chair at the office, or sitting on your living room floor.

I came across  breathing centric, core centric, whole body centric.

Like I said… a lot to choose from.

I opted for Steffy White’s Yoga for Abs and Core… an intermediate level video.

I had four c-sections… it’s my challenge area.

But I will prevail!

So, yeah, White is an instructor from London… and did give my abs some burn for 8 minutes and 40 seconds.

I thank her for that.

Besides the yoga, I did give a few fitness videos a peak.

After all, that is more my jam.

I like running… kickboxing… strength training…

Pushing my limits.

Getting the heart rate up.

Fitness

So I betrayed my longtime “friend”, Charlene Johnson (creator of Turbo Jam), and gave Denise Austin’s Kickboxing Cardio Fat Blast Workout a shot.

I wasn’t into it.

It was very outdated, and presented by BeFit (an Amazon channel and quasi competitor of Grokker).

More on BeFit later.

I also tried a video called Kickboxing: Sculpt your Body, presented by Amy Dickson of Exercise TV.

That was more my speed.

High Intensity.

Short duration (about 21 minutes).

And while I did sweat and get my heart rate up…  I honestly prefer group videos, where there are people for me to choose from whom I can possibly relate to.

Most of the Grokker videos are solo instructor, not class… so if that’s what you’re looking for, it may be more difficult to find.

But if you want to feel like you’ve got a one-on-one trainer… than Grokker fitness videos may be just the ticket.

Cooking

As far as cooking videos go… I wanted to watch a few that my entire family would enjoy.

So, I started with “Elevated Scrambled Eggs”… a video presented by a handsome young lad named Byron Talbott.

Hey, I’m married… not blind.

He had a very simple twist on scrambled eggs, that I think my kids will really enjoy.  And they only took two minutes to make.

Additionally, the music playing in the background of the music was super catchy… made watching fun. My 4-year-old even danced while watching it with me.

I dare say, I may choose to follow Byron Talbott… purely for inspiration in the kitchen.

Shush now.

I also watched a video, Classic Italian Pesto, by John & Sage.

London based Culinary Instructor, Sage Russell, shared his recipe for classic Ligurian pesto using basil, parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil in this Grokker Premium video.

To be honest, I wanted to see if it looked as good as my pesto… which I’m quite proud of.

He used the same ingredients as I… had the same technique… so I wasn’t overly impressed.

But I was hungry after watching.

Still, for those who never made pesto… I’d recommend giving this guy’s video a watch.

As an Italian, I hold my pesto by some pretty high standards.

What Russell did do that I don’t; however, is refer me to his partner John… who shows you how to make your own pasta.

I just don’t have the time… but definitely may try it with the kids one of these days.

Looked delicious!

One thing I don’t do in the kitchen is bake… at least not much.

Especially from scratch.

If you ask my mom, “Nicola no bake!”.

It’s sort of this running joke.

Baking is so exact, if you get the measurements wrong ever so slightly… the entire dessert can flop.

Cooking leaves a little more room for creativity… which I enjoy.

That being said, I gave the video “Baked Stuffed Peaches with Amaretti” a gander.

Didn’t look too terribly difficult.

And I could almost smell the peaches from the oven.

Once peaches are in season… I will definitely give these a try with my little chefs.

Mind

I watched two mindfulness videos as well…

One was on the effects of sleep and weight loss by Chris Mohr. Mohr  has a PhD in Exercise Physiology, RD (Registered Dietitian), and MS in Nutrition.

It was a very simple, almost powerpoint-esque presentation… and made some good points.

Things I sort of felt I already knew… but still.

It was decent.

The second was “Calm the Mind” with Dr. Catherine Wikholm. She is a Clinical Psychologist, Author, and Speaker.

She is a graduate of Oxford, and very knowledgeable.

And also easy on the eyes.

See… I am fair.

You guys should check her out!  

In all seriousness, the video was a great relaxation tool for me… when the kids weren’t screaming or pulling on my leg, asking for their fourth snack of the day.

Ok, I’ll have to try this one again after they go to bed.

But from what I could tell… the video was great.

Did what it was supposed to do.

Or would have… had I not been in “mom mode”.

I will be checking it out again later for sure.

Grokker vs. The Other Guys

Grokker does what it wants to well.

Still, there is some competition out there… competition that claims it’s just as good.

Or “does the same thing”.

Competition like:

Daily Burn

Similarities to Grokker:

• Daily Burn offers a variety of workouts to choose from—more than 150 videos of yoga, cardio, and toning routines
• Cost of $14.95 per month
• A large and devoted community of users, who converse and offer tips and solidarity via online forums

Key Differences to Grokker:

1. Every morning at 9 a.m. EST, the channel streams a live 30-minute workout you can follow along with thousands of other Daily Burn users or rewatch later
2. A 30-day free trial, allowing access to those daily live workouts
3. The option to pay an additional $50 per month for one-on-one coaching
4. No cooking

Glo

Similarities to Grokker:

• Yoga heavy

Difference to Grokker:

• Quality of Yoga instructors – each video is taught by some of the most renowned yogis across the globe—giving you a rare (and exceedingly thrifty) opportunity to learn from the best
• $18.00 per month
• No cooking videos

Beachbody on Demand

Similarities to Grokker:

• Offers a wide selection of fitness videos
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Stream on tv, mobile device, cpu, tablet
• 14-day free trial

Difference to Grokker:

• Customized meal plans to work in conjunction with exercise
• Focus on nutrition and weight loss/gain
• No set monthly plan, pay per program option (price varies)

BeFit

Similarities to Grokker:

• Offers a wide selection of fitness, yoga, mediation videos on demand
• Offers recipes

Difference to Grokker:

• Specified “dance” video category
• Requires subscription to Amazon Prime video* and BeFit service to enjoy streaming content
• * Amazon Prime video 30 day free trial, $12.99 per month after that.
• * BeFit 7-day free trial, $6.99 per month after that with Prime Video subscription

To be frank… I had to look really hard to find a streaming service that came close to matching Grokker.

There really is nothing like it… as far as the wide array of content available for the price.

I honestly had to stretch to include these sites… because they really aren’t the same.

Share some similarities, sure.

Differences, definitely.

Many of these other sites either required you to join a 3rd party service, pay per service, or worked nutrition into the mix.

That or they only specialized on one thing (like yoga, so I didn’t include those).

While these that I mentioned do offer a variety of wellness and fitness videos, they all wanted me to work a little too hard to get what I wanted out of them… in my opinion.

Grokker is simple.

Clear.

Pay one price… choose a video (or two, or three)… and go have at it.

Final Thoughts: Grokker Review

If I want a diet program, I’ll join weight watchers.

In fact, I did.

It works.

23 lbs and counting…

If I want to incorporate exercise into my life, without having to join a gym… I’ll join Grokker.

While I’m only a few days into my free trial, I can speak to the diversity.

My kids are interested in it.

I’m interested enough to possibly keep it going.

But I’m also a creature of habit… and have a family of six to feed and clothe… drop everything for when asked.

See, like many moms… I’m kinda like a superhero, who puts herself last.

That is why it was so important to include my kids.

If this is something they can enjoy with me… in addition to me… then maybe, just maybe, I can justify the cost.

Which, again, isn’t much.

But as a parent… it may be more than someone wants to budget.

For single people… it’s a drop in the bucket.

Your situation is yours.

And so is the decision.

What I will say is this…

If you can pull it off financially, Grokker is worth the investment in yourself.

Hands down.