Peloton App Review: Is the Peloton App Worth Buying If You Don't Own The Peloton Bike?
Peloton
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When you think of the word “Peloton,” you may just think of their iconic indoor bike that popularized the company. But did you know that Peloton also created a workout app that can be used without purchasing their bike, treadmill or row machine? The Peloton app offers a number of activities you can do at home with minimal equipment including strength training, boxing, yoga, meditation, Pilates and stretching to name a few. Because it offers a variety of classes including quick, 10-minute sessions, the Peloton app is especially ideal for the busy professional or parent who often find themselves on a time crunch to fit some physical activity into their lives. If you’re interested in trying out Peloton’s workout app, here’s everything you need to know to get started.
Peloton App Key Features
- 1,000+ on-demand classes are available to view at any point in time
- New live classes are available daily
- You don’t need a Peloton Bike+, Tread or Row in order to use the Peloton app
- You can engage with the Peloton app community. For example, you’re able to high five fellow workout partners and video chat with them
- Cost: $12.99/month
Pros
- Users are able to choose workout length time
- The Peloton app probably has the best music library of any fitness app and you can select workouts based on your favorite music genre or artist
- Use the Peloton app on your cell phone, tablet, computer or tv while at home or traveling - anywhere you have a wifi connection
- You are able to earn achievements which keep track of our workouts and receive a badge for hitting certain goals such as “50 cardio classes,” daily, weekly or monthly streaks
Cons
- Mainly directed towards those with a weight loss goal. If your goal is to gain muscle, you may be better off using another app such as Future
- Not ideal for those who prefer attending in-person workout classes or going to the gym to be held accountable
- Expensive if you intend to add a Peloton Bike+, Peloton Tread or Peloton Row in addition to needing to upgrade to the All Access membership at $44 per month
What is the Peloton App?
The Peloton app is a digital fitness app that can be downloaded onto your phone, smart watch, tablet, smart tv or computer. The Peloton community has over 5.9 million members on the platform in addition to thousands of on-demand classes to choose from as well as a selection of daily live workouts as well. Many people will think of the Peloton Bike+ when they hear the company name but the truth is that that is just one piece of what the Peloton experience has to offer.
Peloton
There are many different types of workouts that the app has to offer which do not require purchasing the Peloton Bike+, Tread or Row machines. Plus, as a member, you'll get access to a number of class types that you can do in the comfort of your own home such as Pilates, yoga, strength training or stretching. If you would like to step outside, the Peloton app also offers an outdoor running class which is an audio class where your instructor keeps you on a set pace for the duration of your run. You have the opportunity to also filter your workout by instructor, class length, intensity level ranging from beginner to HIIT (high intensity interval training) or even your personal music preference. Whether you choose an on-demand class or a live workout, there is a leaderboard showing how you rank against others who have completed the same workout.
The Peloton app is supported by a number of Smart TV apps such as Apple TV, Fire TV, Android TV, Roku and Chromecast. The app is supported by a number of smart watches such as the Apple Watch, Garmin Vivoactive 3 and Fitbit Versa 2, which can help track metrics such as your heart rate and calories burned. You also have the option to use a dedicated Peloton heart rate monitor as well. The Peloton app has a 4.9 out of 5 star rating based on over 686,000 Apple App Store ratings. The app costs $12.99 per month for the basic plan but you can try the app for free for 30 days to see if it's a good fit. If you already have a home gym and want to participate in group fitness classes or simply want to change up your fitness routine, the Peloton app may be just the thing to keep you motivated.
Related: The Best Fitness Apps
What Classes and Workouts Does the Peloton App Offer?
Users can choose from a large catalog of classes including strength, boxing, running, cycling, yoga, meditation, rowing, Pilates, barre, cardio, stretching, walking and hiking. Some classes are more individualized than others; for example, outdoor running is an audio class where your instructor helps keep you on the correct pace by explaining when to pick up the pace or slow down.
Certain classes, like strength training, may require equipment such as dumbbells while others don’t. This makes the Peloton app a good choice if you don’t always have access to workout gear. Peloton app users are also able to sign up for training programs such as “Go The Distance: 5K,” which is intended to improve your 5K performance in six weeks. This specific program is four workouts per week ranging from 10 minutes to 45 minutes per day. This program varies the distance, time and intensity of your workouts so that one day you could be doing a 20 minute walk or run and another day you may do a longer 45 minute endurance workout. You are also able to take different class types such as warm up or cool down as short supplemental classes to any type of workout. Workouts can range from five to 60 minutes long. You can also select different intensities in each genre such as warm up, beginner or high intensity so you can be sure that there are classes that fit your fitness level at every step in your fitness journey.
Does the Peloton App Provide Access to Trainers?
There is no direct access to the Peloton Instructors. You do have the ability to select classes based on your choice of trainer (and Peloton offers over 30 to choose from) and you may get an occasional shout out from your trainer if you participate in a live class, but as of publish time, users don’t have the ability to engage in back-and-forth interactions with them. There are other ways that Peloton app excels in making you feel as though you are part of a supportive community. There’s a leaderboard that features a list of members in your class when you participate in a live session that shows you how you rank among fellow app subscribers based on which activity you’re doing. You are also able to support each other by clicking “High Five” to send some encouragement.
How to Use the Peloton App
Once you download the app and are signed up, you’re ready to get started. Tap the classes tab and you will find thousands of classes to choose from. You can narrow down your search by selecting a class category such as strength, yoga or meditation. You can also filter your search by choosing a specific instructor, workout time or even a music genre. The Peloton app has great playlists to get your heart pumping that include hip hop, hard rock, EDM, pop and more. You can also tap on a class to learn more about it before you commit to completing it. Your screen will show you the equipment you need, a description of the workout, difficulty level as well as what songs will be played. You can also bookmark a class to take it at a later time.
Do you like working out on a schedule? You’re able to schedule your workouts to best suit your needs and you’ll even get a notification reminder a few minutes before your class is scheduled to begin. The Peloton app also lets users sign up for programs and collections which consist of a couple of weeks worth of workouts set on a schedule to help you achieve your fitness goals.
Peloton App Smart Watch Compatibility
The Peloton app is compatible with the Apple Watch, Garmin, Fitbit and Samsung watches. A great benefit to this is the ability to broadcast your heart rate onto the screen. One thing you can’t do with a smart watch is open the Peloton app on your in order to start a class. Instead, think of your watch as a supplemental tool to help gather your metrics since you’ll still need to stream your workout on a phone, tablet, computer or smart TV.
Peloton App Cost and Subscription
Generally, the Peloton app costs $12.99 per month. However, if you’re a member of the military, a first responder, a healthcare worker, educator or student, you can subscribe at a discounted rate. Students can expect to pay $6.99 per month and all other categories mentioned can expect to pay $9.99 per month. Keep in mind though that these membership plans are only good for one user.
Peloton also offers a Guide Membership for $24 per month. This allows access to a personal guide to strength training with world class instructors which is good for up to five people in your household. For an additional $295, you can purchase the Peloton Guide camera that shows you performing exercises on screen. This will allow you to compare your form to a class instructor and make adjustments as necessary. It will also track your movements and give your personalized recommendations on any improvements that can be made.
Then there’s the All-Access Membership which unlocks all Peloton live and on-demand content for your Peloton cardio equipment (this includes the Peloton Bike+, Row and Tread). This membership will run you $44 per month but will allow your entire household to set up separate accounts to track their progress.
How Does the Peloton App Compare to Other Fitness and Workout Apps?
Peloton App vs Apple Fitness+
Apple Fitness+ is one of the few apps that’s cheaper than the Peloton app at $10 per month. Apple Fitness+ offers classes similar to what the Peloton app offers (such as strength, HIIT, yoga, meditation and Pilates), but seems to lack the feeling of community Peloton offers. Apple Fitness+ also does not offer live classes.
Peloton App vs Daily Burn
Daily Burn is another comparable workout app that features a new workout every morning and is also available on demand if working out early in the morning isn’t your thing. The app may be better suited for those who are interested in sticking to a stricter regimen and costs $20 per month after a 30-day free trial period.
Peloton App vs Centr
Centr is an app that takes a one stop shop approach by offering nutrition advice and recipes as well as providing workouts all in one app. Centr offers a more hands-on approach to overall health, mental wellness and working out and may be overwhelming for those interested in a slow start. Centr is also more expensive than the Peloton app with the option to subscribe at $30 per month on a rolling contract or join at $10 per month for an entire year.
Peloton
Peloton App FAQs
Does the Peloton App help you lose weight?
The Peloton app will help you increase your physical activity and burn more calories. However, it is important to seek dietary advice from a Registered Dietitian in conjunction in order to lose weight effectively and safely..
Is the Peloton App easy to cancel?
You can cancel your subscription at any time. It is a relatively simple process that is slightly different for every platform. If you are on the Apple IOS platform, it is as simple as canceling the subscription within your Apple ID. If you are on the Android platform, you can handle this within the Google Play Store. You must turn off the auto-renew option at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.
Do you need internet to use the Peloton App?
You are able to preload classes to use at a later time. However, you will still need a minimal internet connection in order to display a leaderboard or your metrics. You can connect the Peloton app to a personal hotspot in situations such as this. Think of this as a means of reducing buffering if you do not have the best internet connection.
Do I need a Peloton Tread or Peloton Bike to use the Peloton App?
You do not need a Peloton Tread or Peloton Bike+ in order to use the Peloton app. The basic Peloton app subscription that costs $12.99 offers workouts that don’t require any equipment at all.
Check out our Peloton Tread and Peloton Bike reviews!
Final Thoughts
The Peloton app is a great resource for anyone looking to workout in the comfort of their own home. This is perfect for busy professionals, parents or people who don’t want to head to the gym for every sweat session. You don’t need a Peloton Bike+ or Tread in order to participate in the workouts as the app offers various types of classes that require minimal to no equipment. The Peloton app does a great job providing a motivating environment and offering live classes to help you reach your fitness goals with a variety of workouts. If you’re on the fence, take Peloton up on their offer of a 30-day free trial with no commitment.
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