So don’t hang up your spin shoes just yet, because our guide to the best Peloton alternatives includes entries from popular brands like NordicTrack, Echelon, and SoulCycle. All of our top picks offer challenging resistance settings, competitive leaderboard action, and a vast array of classes to choose from. We’ve even plucked models from some of the best exercise bikes, and the best Peloton shoes can pair with them to maximize your output on the pedals. These Peloton alternatives range from high-spec models to budget-conscious buys, and all of the bikes are sure to work your cardio credentials to the maximum.
The best Peloton alternatives you can buy today
The Bowflex VeloCore is a Peloton competitor — and more. Although it’s not exactly a cheaper alternative — the 22-inch version costs $2,199, so it’s more expensive than the Bike — it has features you won’t find in either Peloton option (or in any other fitness bike). The VeloCore’s biggest selling point is its unique Lean Mode: When the bike is unlocked, it sways from side to side to mimic a more natural riding experience. This makes for a better workout — since balancing requires you to engage your core — and a more immersive experience, especially if you’re doing a scenic ride. The VeloCore is heavier and has a larger footprint than both Peloton bikes; this means it can accommodate heavier riders (up to 325 pounds), but it may not be the right bike if you have limited space. Bowflex offers original streaming content through its subscription service, JRNY, which costs $19.99/month after a two-month free trial. All content, which includes trainer-led workouts and scenic rides, is on-demand; there are no live classes or leaderboards. In addition to Bowflex’s content, the JRNY subscription also lets you connect to streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. If you don’t find the content to your liking, no sweat — the JRNY subscription is not required and the VeloCore is compatible with other fitness apps (including Peloton’s app). Read our full Bowflex Velocore review If you’re looking for more than just a bike, the MYX fitness bike is a “total fitness system,” like the Peloton Bike+ — but for half the price. The MYX has a 21.5-inch touchscreen that swivels and tilts just like the Bike+’s screen, but the MYX costs $1,299 ($1,499 if you want the full swath of accessories, like bike/workout mats and weights). You will need to subscribe to MYX’s streaming on-demand service, but at $29/month, it’s even cheaper than Peloton. The MYX subscription features on-demand workout videos and integrates with Apple Health. There are no live workouts or leaderboards, and the content feels more like you’re following a YouTube video than joining a community — which isn’t a bad thing, but some people need the extra push that competition or a sense of community gives. The MYX fitness bike is a budget-friendly option for people who want some, but not all, of the Peloton experience. It’s still a dedicated workout machine that keeps excuses to a minimum (it’s much easier to not work out if you need to… first find your iPad and charge it), but you won’t feel like you’re joining a cult. Read our full MYX Fitness Bike review NordicTrack’s Commercial Studio Cycle seems like it’s priced close to Peloton — the S22i, which has a 22-inch screen, costs $1,999. But the price is better than it seems, because the Studio Cycle has a 360-degree rotating screen and a trainer-led resistance feature — two of the Peloton Bike+’s big selling points. The Studio Cycle’s price also includes a one-year subscription to NordicTrack’s on-demand content service, iFit. iFit has on-demand trainer-led workouts, global/scenic workouts using Google Maps, and live workouts with leaderboards. Once the first year is up you will need to keep subscribing to the service if you want to use the screen; the most expensive subscription option is the monthly family plan, which is $39/month (the same as Peloton’s). If you’re the only one using the bike, however, you can save money with the individual plan, which is $180/year. The Studio Cycle also has a feature the Peloton doesn’t have: incline adjustment. The bike’s incline can be adjusted between -10 and 20 percent while you’re working out, which adds an extra dimension to your workout and makes for a more interesting experience. This bike does weigh more than 200 pounds — it’s one of the heaviest exercise bikes — and has a larger footprint than Peloton. As a result, it can accommodate riders who weigh as much as 350 pounds. If there’s any boutique workout that might be able to challenge Peloton’s cult following, it’s SoulCycle. Peloton’s content is excellent, but the classes hit somewhere between “boutique studio” and a more general experience. SoulCycle, on the other hand, is a very specific cardio-dance (but on a bike) type of workout. Neither is objectively better, but they are very different — and if you’re a SoulCycle addict and you know that’s the type of motivation you need, the SoulCycle bike might be a better option. That said, it’s not cheap: The SoulCycle at-home bike is $2,500 — more expensive than either of Peloton’s bikes. It has a 21.5-inch screen which does not rotate, and it doesn’t have features like instructor-controlled resistance. It does have a sturdy, lightweight frame that can accommodate riders who weigh up to 350 pounds (but it only weighs about 5 - 10 pounds more than the Peloton bikes). The SoulCycle is all about the classes and content, and the SoulCycle at-home bike does require a subscription to Equinox+ ($40/month), unless you already have an Equinox gym membership, in which case it’s free. Post-pandemic, the SoulCycle bike might end up being a little cheaper for anyone who knows they’ll be keeping their actual gym membership. Both platforms have live and on-demand classes; Peloton has a slight advantage because it has a large library, but that advantage is not as significant when there are live classes in the mix. The SoulCycle at-home bike also has a free ride option that connects with Netflix and Disney+, because sometimes people just want to ride casually and watch murder documentaries and Peloton doesn’t seem to get that. The Echelon Connect EX-5 doesn’t come with a screen, but it has a dedicated tablet mount (which rotates 180 degrees for off-bike workouts), as well as a much lower starting price of $1,239.98 (though this does not include delivery). The Connect EX-5 is more than just a bike with a tablet mount, though. It also has built-in Bluetooth to connect to your tablet; combine this with Echelon’s FitPass subscription, which costs $39.99/month, and you can see your workout stats and metrics. Echelon’s FitPass has both live and on-demand streaming workouts, as well as leaderboards so you can compete against your friends. It’s not quite the fully integrated system that a bike with a built-in screen has, but it’s pretty close. If you want a built-in display, the Echelon EX-5s has an attached 22-inch touchscreen and still undercuts Peloton at $1,639.98. One for UK users looking for Peloton alternatives - the spin studio Digme are offering users the option to buy or rent the Keiser m3i Lite exercise bike. A Digme at Home subscription is included with the rental bikes and is free for a year with the purchase of the bike. The subscription gives you access to multiple Live or On Demand workouts, as well as the studio‘s HIIT and yoga classes. If you do buy the bike, once your year’s free subscription is up, you will need to pay £30 a month to continue using the platform, but the year free does still make this a saving compared to Peloton. At 44 inches tall, 26 inches wide and 51 inches long, the bike is pretty bulky and despite having wheels, it‘s too heavy to realistically move from room to room. The silent magnetic resistance is pretty impressive - we were able to test this bike first thing, without waking the household. That said, the lack of screen is the main drawback here. There’s a small console that tells you your distance, speed, cadence and resistance level, but you’ll need to have your own tablet or laptop to really enjoy the classes. Overall, this is a nice option if you don’t want to commit to buying an exercise bike long term, but compared to Peloton, the lack of screen is a big drawback.
What to look for when choosing the best Peloton alternative
Resistance: Type and adjustment The main part of an indoor exercise bike is its flywheel: The heavy disk that spins, creating resistance for your workout. A heavier flywheel requires more power to start moving (and has more momentum when you’re already moving) and feels more like you’re actually riding a bike outside, on the road. A lighter flywheel requires less power and starts and stops quickly, but may not be able to give you the same satisfying grounded experience you’ll get from a heavier flywheel. Flywheel weight doesn’t necessarily correlate to resistance generated, however — the type of resistance and number of resistance levels is what will actually affect your workout. There are two main types of resistance on connected exercise bikes: Magnetic and friction. Magnetic resistance uses magnets to create a magnetic field, the strength of which determines resistance. Friction resistance uses wool pads to physically press on the flywheel to increase (or decrease) resistance. Magnetic resistance has several advantages —it’s quieter and adjusting between levels is smoother, and it requires almost no maintenance since no parts are actually touching. Friction resistance isn’t loud when properly maintained, but without regular maintenance the wool pads will start to squeak, and also need to be replaced periodically as they wear down. Higher-end bikes tend to use magnetic resistance; budget picks cut costs with friction. The Peloton Bike and Bike+, Bowflex VeloCore, NordicTrack S22i, SoulCycle at-home bike, Echelon Connect EX-5 and Keiser M3i all have magnetic resistance; the MYX Fitness bike uses friction. The number of resistance levels and how resistance is controlled are also important. Most indoor spin bikes feature a manual knob that you twist to increase or decrease resistance, but some have digital controls. The NordicTrack S22i has 24 levels of digitally-controlled resistance, which can be useful because it allows you to select the exact level of resistance needed. The S22i also has resistance adjustment buttons built into the bike’s handlebars, so you don’t have to lean down to adjust. You don’t always need to be able to select a specific resistance level — if you prefer workouts like SoulCycle, where it’s all about feeling, you may want a bike with a manual knob and more nuanced resistance; the Bowflex VeloCore, like the Peloton Bike, has 100 levels of resistance. Subscription costs The hardware is only half the equation — if you want the full fitness experience, you’ll have to pay extra. The good news is that subscribing usually includes more than just stats and metrics — with a subscription, you can use your bike’s screen to watch custom content, including on- and off-bike workouts, scenic rides through different cities (or exploration through Google Maps), and on some bikes you can even watch your favorite streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. The bad news is that if you choose not to subscribe, you may not be able to use the screen at all — or, in the case of the Echelon Connect EX-5, you may not be able to see any of your stats or metrics while you’re working out. Delivery costs Other hidden costs include delivery — Peloton, Bowflex, SoulCycle, and MYX offer free shipping; while NordicTrack and Echelon charge an extra $199. Accessories Accessories, such as hand weights and dumbbells, compatible heart rate monitors and fitness trackers, and bike and exercise mats, are often sold separately. Some bikes (Peloton and SoulCycle) come with clip-in pedals you’ll need to either buy special shoes, which cost about $100-$140 a pair. Check out our picks for the best shoes for Peloton and indoor cycling.
