Peloton's motivational classes made exercise bikes popular again, but the company's approach won't suit everyone. We've found the best Peloton alternatives to help you boost your cardio fitness at home without delving into Peloton's ecosystem.
While many of the best exercise bikes could make an excellent alternative, we felt that the MYX II Exercise Bike is the best option for most people. The high-quality bike is easy to use and has virtual classes, but the experience is more tailored to you.
But if you've been hestitant about Peloton because of the cost (the equipment and the subscription), Echelon Ex-3 Smart Connect Bike offers a Peloton-style experience but at a lower cost, since you need to provide your own display.
But whether you're after a standalone bike without a subscription, or you're trying to avoid the Peloton hype, we've rounded up a selection of the best Peloton alternatives you can get right now to work out at home.
The quick list
It doesn't have as many classes as Peloton, but what it lacks in variety it makes up for in customization, making the MYX II Exercise Bike more like having access to an on-demand virtual personal trainer in place of a group workout.
The Echelon Ex-3 Smart Connect Bike is cheaper than the Peloton Bike but offers a similar experience. You'll need your phone or tablet as there's no display to access the classes, but it does come with 32 levels of near-silent magnetic resistance.
If you're looking for dance-focused cardio cycling workouts, the SoulCycle At-Home Bike is your best bet. Operated by Equinox, your bike and monthly subscription give you access to SoulCycle's high-energy classes without leaving the house.
The NordicTrack Commercial S22i Studio Cycle is the closest match for the Peloton Bike+ with its 360-degree rotating display, trainer-adjustable magnetic resistance system, and virtual on-demand and live classes in the iFit workout app.
The CAROL Bike offers something a bit different; there are no classes, but the AI-powered resistance system is designed to challenge you and boost your fitness in just 9-minute bursts. It's an efficient and effective way to train.
Best Peloton alternative overall
After working out with the MYX II Exercise Bike, we felt that it is the best Peloton Bike alternative overall. You'll still need to take out a monthly subscription on top of the initial investment cost, and there are fewer classes, but the MYX's personalized approach really pays off.
If Peloton thrives on the group environment, MYX takes a more customized path, so you feel like you're working out with an on-demand personal trainer instead of a fitness instructor. But there are still classes too, which is one of the reasons this is such a compelling alternative.
Plus, you can use the large display to do spin classes, off-bike strength training, and cycling workouts. And for those bike-free workouts, you can swivel the display, so you don't need to load up the app on your phone or another display — just roll out a mat and you're good to go.
During testing, we liked that the bike was adjustable so that you can easily find the perfect set up, even if you're sharing the equipment between multiple people. However, the main difference between this and the Peloton bikes is the resistance system; Peloton opts for magnetic resistance, while MYX uses friction-based.
- Read our full MYX II Exercise Bike review
Best budget Peloton alternative
The Echelon EX-3 is $250 cheaper than the entry-level Peloton Bike, but it still rivals Peloton's resistance system with 32 levels of near-silent magnetic resistance for you to increase the intensity of your ride.
It's a good option if you're on a budget, but you will need to add your phone or tablet, as the bike doesn't come with a built-in display — just a device holder. And you'll need to download the Echelon app (and subscribe) to access the on-demand and live classes.
The Echelon membership costs $39.99 per month, which also gives you plenty of off-bike routines, including yoga, Pilates, and strength-training workouts. And you can share your membership with up to five other people.
On paper, it's a very similar experience to the Peloton Bike but for less money. However, we did find that the seat wasn't as comfortable, especially for extended periods, and the resistance mechanism wasn't quite as smooth either.
Best premium Peloton alternative
Before Peloton, there was SoulCycle. The boutique spin brand helped popularize the type of high-intensity cycling classes we now associate with Peloton, but this was largely an in-person experience, until the company partnered with Equinox to develop the SoulCycle At-Home Bike.
The two brands don't use exactly the same training techniques — Peloton has a large variety, SoulCycle focuses on cardio-based dance workouts you can do on a bike — so whether this will suit you depends on how you like to exercise.
It's not cheap either. At $2,500 for the bike (at MSRP, though you can occasionally find it for around $1,500), it's more expensive than either of Peloton's bikes. Plus, you need to subscribe to Equinox+ for $40 per month to get access to all the classes on the smartphone app and built-in display.
It's definitely an expensive option but there is one silver lining: if you're already a member of one of Equinox's 107 fitness centers, then you get complimentary access to Equinox+, which could make it more viable in the long run if you want to augment your in-person sessions with virtual spin classes.
Best Peloton alternative for multiple users
While some others on this list compare more closely to the standard Peloton Bike, the NordicTrack Commercial S22i Studio Cycle is a full Peloton Bike+ alternative, and not just because of its almost $2,000 price tag.
It also has a 360-degree rotating screen and the magnetic resistance system automatically adjusts during streamed classes according to the instructor's guidance, just like the Peloton Bike+ experience.
But 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, helping more closely mimic the road cycling experience should you want it.
And because the bike is designed for studios (hence, the Commercial Studio branding), it's designed to accommodate riders up to 350 lbs, though to do this, it has a larger footprint than the Peloton bikes and it weighs 200 lbs, so its not easy to move.
To get access to all of these features, you do need to take out a membership to iFit, NordicTrack's virtual workout app. There used to be different plans depending on how many people you wanted to use it, but now there's a single one-year plan that'll set you back $396 and supports up to five user profiles.
Best value Peloton alternative
The CAROL Bike is a great Peloton alternative, but in a different way to the rest of the bikes here. Instead of virtual group classes, the bike comes equipped with an AI-powered resistance mechanism to learn how you train.
Over time (so long as you take out a CAROL subscription), the bike will gradually adjust the resistance settings so that you always have a challenging, but achievable, workout that'll boost your fitness and strengthen your muscles.
And if you're not into Peloton's longer classes, the good news is CAROL's sessions only take nine minutes to complete, replacing a standard 45-minute ride, so they're an ideal option if you're pushed for time.
Of course, this raises the question of cost. If you only use it for 10 minutes each day, it's an expensive option, especially if you factor in the $19.99 monthly membership. But it's also important to find a style of exercise that suits you.
If the short workouts make you feel motivated and you can stick to them every day, then it's a great value option. Plus, you can always do more on the bike if you fancy taking a more casual, less-intense ride.
- Read our full CAROL Bike review
How to choose the best Peloton alternatives
Before you start to consider a Peloton alternative, it's important to nail down what is it you don't like or want from Peloton that makes you want a different exercise bike, as this will help narrow your choices.
If you're not a fan of the workout style employed by many of Peloton's instructors, then you'll want to look for a smart exercise bike that comes with a variety classes or at least different style of training, like the MYX II Exercise Bike.
It's also important to consider the bike's resistance system. Most smart exercise bikes come with magnetic resistance, except the aforementioned MYX II, which uses a friction-based system instead.
You should also factor in whether you want the trainer to be able to automatically adjust the resistance for you during a class, so you can focus on your training, like on the NordicTrack Studio S22i Commercial Bike, which shares this feature with the Peloton Bike+.
But when it comes to a true Peloton alternative, the software is as important as the bike itself. If you're looking to keep the cost down, you can find bikes that allow you to cycle without a subscription. However, most lock features or resistance adjustments behind a monthly or yearly membership, like Peloton does.
FAQs
Is Echelon as good as Peloton?
On paper, Echelon's offerings match Peloton's. Both brands manufacturer high-performance home workout equipment, both have a membership, and both offer live spin classes.
The main difference is the types of virtual workout on offer. Peloton's primary focus is live classes that you can join to train at the same time as other Peloton users, with a live-updating leader board.
Echelon does offer live classes, but fewer than Peloton, and the balance tips towards on-demand sessions instead. So, which is best for you will depend on how you like to train; at a pre-scheduled time or when you have a spare moment.
However, Peloton has a large following thanks to its personable and motivational instructors. Not that Echelon's aren't also great at keeping you moving, but Peloton is known for that experience and each instructor is a celebrity in their own right, with a dedicated following on and off social media.
