Tonal Review: Our Experts Put the Smart Home Gym to the Test

The high-tech home workout system is designed to provide a whole-body exercise program. Our reviewer says her Tonal has been life-changing.

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In the past, trying to reach your strength training goals often meant paying for an expensive gym membership. In addition to the financial cost, you had to factor in the time spent commuting to and from the gym. You could save time and money in the long run by setting up a home gym, but you'd miss out on interaction with a coach or trainer in the process.

Fortunately, technological advances in home workout equipment like the Tonal system have made it easier to pursue the best of both worlds.

Tonal is a high-tech smart gym that makes starting an effective strength workout as easy as stepping into the next room. It has a cable resistance system with multiple attachments, so there is no need for additional equipment. Users can choose between instructor-led sessions or work out independently using the demonstrations on the large touchscreen. There are also a variety of workouts outside of strength training that include high-intensity interval training (HIIT), cardio, dance, yoga, Pilates, and more. As a dietitian and wellness product reviewer, I've tried (and stopped using) several pieces of fitness equipment. However, more than two years after my Tonal was installed, I still use it consistently.

This Tonal review describes my experience using it, including details about the equipment, workouts, accessories and other features. I also spoke to fitness expert Rachael Gonzalez, NASM-CPT, ISSA Strength and Conditioning Coach, about Tonal's workout modes and how they can benefit users.

How I Rate Tonal

Based on my experience, I give Tonal an overall 5 out of 5 rating. The only category where it didn't receive a score is assembly, which doesn't apply since professional installation is required.

Here's a look at the scoring breakdown, on a scale of 1-5:

Overall: 5 out of 5

I'm extremely satisfied with the Tonal equipment and programming. It's also nice to be able to do a full strength workout without having lots of free weights taking up space or needing to pay for a gym membership and leave the house.

Durability: 5 out of 5

The equipment is durable and I haven't had any issues with it. It can be noisy when you're moving the arms, which may be a concern for people installing it on a shared wall. I had one arm that clicked slightly for a while, but following the troubleshooting instructions on the Tonal website helped with that.

Feel and comfort: 4 out of 5

Some weightlifting moves don't feel entirely safe or stable (especially with a past knee injury), so I usually replace those moves with ones I'm more comfortable with. The handles, bar and rope accessories themselves are comfortable to hold and easy to use.

Optionality/Adjustments: 5 out of 5

Tonal automatically adjusts weight as you progress, which is really nice. It's also easy to replace moves within a workout, which has been helpful in certain instances. For example, during pregnancy you're supposed to avoid twisting moves, so when I started lifting again after my first trimester, I was able to easily sub out these moves.

Functionality: 5 out of 5

Tonal has worked very well and drastically improved my strength. When I started using Tonal in 2021, I was in the bottom 25 percent of all women. Now I'm in the top 28 percent, and watching my score increase has motivated me to keep improving.

Tonal at a Glance

• Price: $3,995+
• Membership: $59.95 per month
• Dimensions: 50.9 inches high x 21.5 inches wide x 5.25 inches deep (additional clearance needed to extend arms fully)
• Display: 24-inch touchscreen
• Max weight: 200 pounds (100 pounds per arm)
• Training types: Strength, HIIT, cardio, dance, yoga, recovery, mobility, barre, Pilates, pre/postnatal
• Accessories: No accessories are included; a bundle that contains the smart rope, smart handles, smart bar, weight bench and foam roller is an additional $495, or you can purchase each separately
• Warranty: 2-year limited warranty
• Return: 30-day money-back guarantee

What is Tonal?

The Tonal machine is a wall-mounted smart mirror with a built-in touchscreen and two large, adjustable arms. You can choose between an on-demand or live instructor-led class or do your own exercises using the Free Lift option. Throughout each class and in Free Lift mode, a trainer explains how to adjust the arms and attach accessories and demonstrates proper form.

Workouts include weightlifting exercises such as squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses, lat pull downs, tricep extensions, curls and bench presses, to name a few, and there are over 170 to choose from in the movement library. Each exercise is performed under the resistance of a cable pulley system using a bar, rope, or handle attachment with up to 100 pounds of resistance per side or a combined 200 pounds.

Tonal recommends weights for each session based on an initial assessment, and your progress and performance determine adjustments. It also offers unique weight modes, video form feedback and floor workouts such as yoga and Pilates. The Tonal app gives you access to workouts that don't require the machine arms so that you can work out on the go.

Tonal technology

Tonal uses artificial intelligence—referred to as Coach AI—to track progress, movement and data from your workouts to make adjustments, weight recommendations, program suggestions and more. Users don't have to worry about answering questions like: What do I need to work on today? What weights should I use? Should I focus on my lower body or do a full-body workout? Instead, one tap of the 24-inch touchscreen reveals an interactive library of on-demand and live classes or workout programs. Even in Free Lift mode, an option often used by experienced lifters, Coach AI tracks your data and makes adjustments and weight recommendations.

The first time you use Tonal, you'll complete the Strength Assessment, which starts by choosing from the following goals:

• Gain strength by focusing on large muscle groups and increasing resistance
• Improve performance with sport-specific training such as cycling, running, or swimming
• Boost energy with upbeat cardio workouts
• Build muscle with high-volume hypertrophy training
• Get lean with HIIT
• Maintain fitness with well-rounded workouts

After selecting your goal, you'll indicate whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced exerciser and perform several movements—including seated lat pulldowns, seated overhead press, bench and neutral grip deadlifts—to help Coach AI get to know you and adapt to your needs, much like a real personal trainer. Your strength assessment results are used by Coach AI as a baseline when selecting the weight for each movement and to recommend workouts and programs.

While this is a good starting point, it's not perfect. It's hard to assess your overall fitness based on a single workout—what if you had an off day? Tonal addresses this by learning more about your strength level based on your performance in subsequent workouts and adjusting the weight settings to reflect your actual strength better.

During daily training sessions, it uses metrics such as time under tension, power output, range of motion, weight and time to make weight adjustments and measure progress. Coach AI can also detect when your form isn't correct using your positioning, range of motion and pacing. If it senses uncertain quality, it provides audible and on-screen reminders and feedback or turns off the weight. For example, the resistance shuts off if the bar tilts during a bench press because it suggests the movement is incorrect or unstable. If it senses you are moving the weight too easily, it increases the load each rep so you get the intended stimulus of the workout.

Weight modes and expert-led workouts

Another impressive feature is the four weight modes: Spotter, Burnout, Chains and Eccentric. In Spotter mode, Tonal senses when you are struggling with a rep, lowers the weight so you can complete it and returns the weight for the next rep to rechallenge your strength. Burnout senses fatigue and reduces weight until you finish the set and Chains replicates putting chains on the barbell by increasing the resistance during a lift's concentric or shortening phase. Eccentric does the opposite; it increases the resistance as you release the weight for more time under tension, which may help muscle growth.

Much like the weight, Tonal enables these modes automatically during live and on-demand workouts. That way, you have a seamless transition between segments like supersets, where you concentrate on opposing muscle groups with little rest in between. If you want to work out with a partner, weight adjustments for both parties are automated.

Experienced experts lead each workout by demonstrating and talking you through setting up and proper form. Even if you choose to Free Lift or build a custom workout using the extensive movement library, there are video explanations of how to perform each movement. When you enable a specific weight mode, the weight is adjusted automatically, or you can adjust it manually on the screen using the dial. Interestingly, you can adjust the weight in one-pound increments, an uncommon feature in most cable machines and free weights, which typically adjust in two-and-a-half or five-pound increments.

To access these features, you'll need a paid membership that costs $59.95 monthly, and Tonal requires a subscription for the first year. Without the membership, your use of Tonal is limited to manually setting the weights to perform your own unguided exercises—much like a cable machine.

Tonal equipment

The purchase price of $3,995 includes the machine with the touchscreen and arms and no accessories. Aside from the floor workouts, most workouts use the arms and attachments, so Tonal isn't usable without them. While you can use attachments from other brands, you'll need to purchase T-lock adapters from Tonal for $42.99.

The smart accessories bundle from Tonal costs $495. If your budget allows, I recommend buying it because it includes everything you need to start using your Tonal immediately. Each accessory is also available separately, so you can choose the options that work best for you. Here's a breakdown of what the bundle includes and pricing for each item individually:

• Two Bluetooth-enabled smart handles, $249.98
• One Bluetooth-enabled smart rope, $49.99
• One Bluetooth-enabled smart bar, $74.99
• Weight bench, $84.99
• Foam roller, $34.99
• Workout mat, $49.99

The smart accessories have a safety feature that allows you to turn the weight on and off with a button instead of lowering or disabling the weight by touching the screen, so you can position yourself before loading. The handles have a button on the side that's easy to reach while gripping, and the rope and bar come with an attachable clip. 

How to Work Out with Tonal Home Gym

As a beginner, I thought working out with Tonal was initially intimidating, but it's a simple process once you learn how the smart home gym works. With a membership, you can choose between live and on-demand classes or a progressive program. Based on your Strength Score established in the initial assessment, the recommended weights are set automatically for you.

From there, you follow the trainer's instructions and on-screen prompts to set the arms and choose the right accessories for each move—with Tonal automatically adjusting the weight, counting reps and providing form feedback as you progress through the workout. There's even an audible cue when you have two reps left, so you know what to expect if you're facing away from the machine.

Free Lift allows you to choose from the library of movements and do as many sets and reps as you'd like. Much like the classes, the screen displays your live stats, and you receive a workout summary that includes your time under tension, range of motion, power output and total volume lifted.

You can also do floor workouts, like cardio, yoga and barre, directly on Tonal or using the Tonal app on another device.

Workout programs and exercises

Strength training is the main draw of Tonal, so most of Tonal's content focuses on weightlifting and HIIT training with weights. In addition to the four weight modes mentioned earlier, there are two custom modes:

• Recovery Mode: Decreases recommended weight; very useful for when you're sore, not feeling well, or recovering from an injury
• Smart Flex: Adds and subtracts weight at the strongest and weakest points of each rep

Gonzalez says these options add variety and challenge, enhancing strength gains and training overall. "Diversification in your routine keeps you engaged and introduces new challenges,” she says. "Plus, variation can help you push past a training plateau.”

Trainer-led workouts on Tonal automatically implement these modes depending on the intended stimuli, but you can activate them manually in the settings for any workout. You can also adjust the weight at any point during your workout using the dial on the screen. 

"When training, I'm always super mindful of how my body feels and take it easy when I need to, so the Recovery Mode option would work well for when you're sore or just want to move,” Gonzalez says. "I also really like that there is an eccentric-focused mode. During the eccentric portion of a rep, the muscle lengthens while under tension. This occurs when you are lowering the weight, moving against the opposing force of gravity, and research has shown that controlled lengthening of the muscle fibers contributes to overall strength and muscle development.”

In addition, there are several other types of workouts available on Tonal, including:

• Barre
• Boxing
• Cardio
• Dance Cardio
• Kickboxing
• Meditation
• Mobility
• Pilates
• Pre and Postnatal
• Recovery
• Strength
• Warm-up
• Yoga

Tonal has a massive catalog of guided workouts and workout programs and a library of over 200 bodyweight moves to allow you to build custom workouts.

The guided programs range from 3–5 weeks and focus on goals like improving overall fitness, gaining lean muscle mass and burning fat. For example, Fundamentally Fit guides you through basic movement patterns, and House of Volume uses progressive overload to build strength. Many users on Reddit recommend Four Weeks to Fat Loss, a program that combines resistance training and HIIT to maximize energy output. One says, "Four Weeks to Fat Loss did amazing things to my body composition! Doing that program was when I really started to see a difference in the way my clothes fit.”

Tonal Accessories

The smart handles help replicate moves performed with dumbbells and kettlebells, like hammer curls, bicep curls or goblet squats. The smart rope can copy moves that use rope or chains, like pull-throughs or tricep extensions. Finally, the bar can replicate barbell moves such as deadlifts and barbell bench presses. You can purchase accessories from another brand, but the smart accessories bundle from Tonal has Bluetooth connectivity that allows you to press a single button on the accessory to turn the weight on or off.

If you buy third-party accessories, you'll need to purchase T-locks from Tonal to attach them securely. Additionally, you'll need to turn the weight on and off directly on the touchscreen.

Tonal Instructors

Tonal has a roster of expert instructors based in its New York studio and guest coaches who occasionally provide unique content. These fitness experts have diverse backgrounds, from competitive athletes to sports medicine.

All Tonal-created workouts are instructor-led, so you'll hear tips about form and safety throughout. Each instructor brings their own unique style, personality and expertise to the table, and Tonal users have found instructors they prefer. For many, this provides the experience of working with a personal trainer, and several of Tonal's past and current coaches offer personal training services outside of Tonal. For these reasons, Tonal allows you to filter workouts by instructor.

App Connectivity

The Tonal app allows you to access your workout history, create workouts and do floor workouts directly from your phone. The only thing you can't do on the Tonal app is weightlifting workouts that require using the resistance cables.

In addition, Tonal connects to several fitness apps, including Apple Health, Google Fit and Strava. It also syncs with several heart rate monitors using Bluetooth, and you can connect to your Amazon Music or Apple Music account to stream or choose from the 14 stations on Tonal Radio.

Community

Tonal also has several features to help keep members engaged with the community and the equipment.

First, there are several achievements you can get for performing certain types of workouts, working out on holidays or birthdays, or reaching milestones like weekly streaks or 1,000,000 pounds lifted. Your workout summary lists the badges and milestones reached and your progress towards the following milestones. The Total Achievements Card shows how many workouts you've finished, the pounds you've lifted and the longest weekly streak you've completed. You earn badges by trying a new workout type, training consistently and working out at a different time of day. These achievements can be shared with friends and family using the mobile app.

The Tonal Leaderboard ranks all active users based on how many days or hours they've used Tonal in the last 30 days, so the more you train, the higher you'll rank.

Your Strength Score increases from the baseline as you get stronger and demonstrate progress during workouts. These improvements are calculated based on your historical workout data and are a huge source of motivation for many Tonal users. Using a percentage-based comparison, you can also see how your Strength Score ranks against other users, so some friendly competition is involved.

Tonal has a very active social media community if you prefer direct interaction with other members. The brand's private community on Facebook, The Official Tonal Community (OTC), has over 53,000 members and regularly hosts workout challenges and live discussions with Tonal trainers.

What It's Like to Use Tonal

I've had my Tonal for over two years, and I've used it consistently the entire time—only stepping away briefly for injury recovery and pregnancy.

Before Tonal, despite being fully aware of the benefits of resistance training, I had no weightlifting experience beyond the occasional half-hearted kettlebell or dumbbell workout.

That's the best thing about Tonal for me—it takes all the guesswork out of resistance training, so I can just lift the weights and reap the benefits. I don't have to worry about setting weights, planning workouts, increasing weights or reps, or tracking my progress. Tonal does all of that for me.

At first, I didn't understand Tonal's difficulty levels. I thought the Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced class levels aligned with strength and fitness experience, but it correlates with the technicality of the moves involved. Beginner classes may involve heavy weights if your Strength Score and the algorithm recommend that. The "beginner" aspect is that the workout moves are less technical, making effective weight training extremely accessible to those who may typically be considered "casual” fitness enthusiasts.

It's also a lot of fun. I have discovered that I love lifting weights, and when I miss a few workouts, I get antsy about getting started again. Tonal also introduced me to barre, a ballet-inspired floor workout style that I've grown to adore. However, I have noticed that they aren't making very many new floor workouts, which is sad because I love the barre and pre/postnatal classes.

I have attended live classes, but I don't very often. Sometimes, I struggle with the pacing for floor/cardio workouts, but I find the weightlifting workouts easy to follow. Mostly, I stick to on-demand workouts because I appreciate the guided warmup, workout and cool down.

One concern users in the Tonal Facebook community raise is that the lead trainer demonstrates the moves during a live workout, which is not true for on-demand classes. These workouts use the lead trainer's voiceover and cut to another trainer demonstrating the exercises. This inconsistency doesn't bother me personally, but some state that it disrupts their flow or makes it harder to follow.

Instructors with a variety of styles

The instructors showcase their personalities, and none of the workouts I've watched seem overly scripted or cheesy. I will note that about a year ago, Tonal moved their studio from California to New York and replaced the coaching staff. I had grown accustomed to the "old" coaches, and I still tend to gravitate toward their workouts because I like their calm demeanor. However, some coaches have a bubbly, energetic coaching style, and others take a tough-love approach if that's what you prefer.

These trainers have diverse professional backgrounds that support the workouts they design. For example, when my doctor cleared me to work out after a knee injury, I found Coach Liz's workouts helpful because she is also a physical therapist. Now that I'm in my third trimester of pregnancy, I've been following Coach Amy's workouts because she specializes in pre and postpartum workouts.

More strength, mobility and range of motion

I've seen some serious results, too. I have completed several of the guided programs and saw consistent strength gains from each program I completed. They can get repetitive, though, since many of them repeat the same two or three workouts for the duration of the program.

When I started using Tonal, my Strength Score was 133, and I was in one of the lowest percentiles of all female Tonal members. Although my progress has been slow, my Strength Score is now 354, and according to Tonal, I'm stronger than 82 percent of all female users. Something about getting higher and higher in those percentiles is supremely motivating for me. In addition to my soaring strength, I've experienced improvements in my mobility and range of motion.

What I Love About Tonal

• It makes strength training straightforward by calculating your starting weight, providing well-designed workouts and automatically increasing weight as your strength improves
• It's fun to use and features a huge variety of workout types in addition to strength training
• Trainers have different areas of expertise and varying coaching styles
• It really does work to increase your strength, and it offers tons of ways to track your progress or to compete against yourself or others
• Weight is chosen based on your progress, so you can avoid advanced technical moves and still build strength

What to Consider About Tonal

• Tonal is a substantial financial investment. The total cost for the first year is over $5,000, which includes tax, installation, the smart accessory pack and the required first year of paid membership
• It may not be appropriate for advanced weight lifters. If you've been training for a while and built up a lot of strength, you may not get a considerable benefit from Tonal since it maxes out at 100 pounds per arm
• Tonal requires a lot of space for the arms to extend fully and for you to spread out to perform all the moves. If you have limited floor space, it may not be a good fit for you

How Much Is Tonal?

The base price of Tonal is $3,995, and the optional smart accessories bundle (which I highly recommend purchasing) is an additional $495. Professional installation, which is required, costs $295. Several users on Reddit report signing a Release of Liability waiver and installing it themselves, but there is no option to remove the installation charge at checkout. Tonal often runs promotions and offers free shipping and installation.

A subscription is required for the first year and costs $59.95 per month. After that, you can discontinue the membership but lose access to many features.

This puts the all-in cost of Tonal within the first year at roughly $5,500 before taxes.

Tonal subscription

A monthly subscription costs $59.95 per month and isn't technically required after you've completed your first year of membership. However, you will only be able to use Tonal as a cable machine for free lift workouts, and you won't be able to access any Tonal content, weight modes, workout or strength data, history, or custom workouts without a membership.

Assembly and Installation

The Tonal website states that professional installation is required. Before purchasing, you'll need to complete a survey providing additional information for the installers, such as where to set up Tonal and the stud spacing in your walls.

If it's determined you don't have an appropriate place to install it, there are solutions. The brand offers wide-mount adapter bars and installation kits for metal studs. If you have concerns about where Tonal can be installed, contact the brand's customer service team for help. Typically, installation fees are $295, but Tonal occasionally offers free delivery and installation.

If you move, you'll also need to schedule a professional reinstallation. Tonal offers relocation packages if you're moving homes or simply relocating it to another room. Relocation fees range from $300 to $500 plus taxes, depending on your chosen service.

Damage caused by attempting to install or reinstall Tonal yourself is not covered under the warranty, and Tonal requests that you sign a Release of Liability waiver if you choose this route.

Warranty and Customer Service

Tonal offers a two-year limited warranty on the trainer and touchscreen, which covers parts, shipping and labor. The smart accessories have a one-year warranty for parts plus shipping and labor. For such a premium (and expensive) piece of equipment, a five-year warranty on the device would be nice—and more comparable to warranties offered by other premium fitness equipment brands.

Tonal customers have also had mixed experiences dealing with customer service. Some say that customer service quickly and competently addressed their concern, while others say they had issues with responsiveness and lack of urgency from the customer service team.

What Customers Say About Tonal

The Tonal website has several glowing reviews from its users, many of whom say that they have canceled their gym memberships while drastically improving their strength and fitness levels. Several reviewers are excited about their progress and enjoy the objective tracking data from workouts.

However, Tonal only has a 2.2/5 on Trustpilot. Several critical reviews mention installation, maintenance and customer service issues. Tonal partners with a third-party company for delivery, installation and repairs, and many concerns center around problems with this specific company rather than Tonal itself. Positive reviews mention the variety of workouts, convenience and ease of use.

Users on Reddit state that they work out more frequently now that they have Tonal and enjoy the extra time saved from skipping gym commutes. Several mention that the cable resistance feels heavier than free weights, so the maximum poundage is not a limiting factor. One user says they wish to see a floor-based alternative in the future for those who rent or need to move.

Who Tonal Is Best For

Tonal is ideal for people like me who are interested in weightlifting but need guidance and support to get started and see results. It's also a great fit for athletes and highly active people who want to advance in strength training to support their athletic endeavors and fitness goals.

Likewise, many dedicated weightlifters have switched from using free weights to this comprehensive, versatile system. Tonal is also an excellent option if you dislike going to the gym and prefer an all-in-one home gym solution.

Who Tonal Will Not Work For

Tonal isn't ideal for people looking to outfit their home gym on a limited budget. For Tonal's high price tag, you could buy a complete set of free weights and other equipment or pay for several years of a gym membership.

Additionally, Tonal likely won't be a good fit for advanced weight lifters already at or near the maximum of 100 pounds per arm offered for many lifts.

This machine also requires adequate space to fully extend the arms to perform all the necessary movements. If you live in a small or cramped space, it may not work for you.

How I Tested Tonal

I've had my Tonal for over two years. I use it often and try my best to try out new features as they are introduced. Here are some of the criteria I used to evaluate Tonal when I first received it and that are still very important to me two years later:

• Programming: Fun and engaging content and motivating features were really important to me because I knew these things would help me stay interested in using it regularly. Since I've used it consistently for the past two years, I can safely say that Tonal delivered in this regard. I love the variety of workouts, the automatic weight increases as I get stronger and the different ways Tonal promotes friendly competition with myself and others.
• Safety: I was a beginner at weightlifting when I started using Tonal, so I was concerned that I might injure myself. Fortunately, Tonal has several built-in safety features to help prevent injuries, and new ones are added consistently. My favorite safety feature is that the weight automatically turns off if the bar gets tilted during use. Also, the real-time form feedback helps me self-correct during a set, and the coaches often discuss additional safety tips during workouts.
• Durability: Some reviews stating that Tonal failed shortly after purchase made me nervous, but I have had no problems. The arms still function well and move easily, and the software is still fast and responsive.
• Ease of use: Tonal is extremely easy to use once you familiarize yourself with how the arms move and rotate. There is a slight learning curve, but I was able to pick up on the movements pretty quickly. Now, it's nearly effortless to switch from one move to the next, and I don't have to think about which buttons or levers to press to get the arms to move how I want them to.
• Results: I noticed immediate improvements in my strength when I started using Tonal consistently, and even now—although my progress has slowed—I'm continuing to get stronger.

How to Try Tonal Before Buying

• You can try Tonal in person at any of 20 locations across 16 states. To find a showroom near you and book an appointment, check the Try Tonal locator map.
• If you want to give Tonal a virtual tryout at home, you can arrange a live video call for free. Check Tonal's Virtual Demo booking page to set up an appointment.

How Does Tonal Compare with Other Home Workouts?

Tonal vs. Peloton

Tonal and Peloton are very different but complement one another in several ways. Many Tonal users are also Peloton users since Tonal has the strength training aspect covered, while the Peloton bike, treadmill and rower provide heart-pumping cardio workouts. Each app offers live classes, and the monthly subscription to the Peloton App+ is $24, and Tonal costs $59.95.

The Peloton App One—which costs $12.99 per month—houses the brand's floor workouts and has a much larger and more frequently updated library than the Tonal app. Peloton may work better if you enjoy these classes more than weightlifting. It's more budget-friendly than Tonal, but Tonal offers a more comprehensive strength training system and programming.

For more information, see our comparison of Tonal vs. Peloton.

Tonal vs. Tempo

Tempo is a smart strength training system and one of Tonal's major competitors. It utilizes free weights outfitted with sensors rather than Tonal's electromagnetic cable system.

The Tempo Move—an equipment package with 16 weight plates ideal for beginner and intermediate use and a 12-month Tempo membership—starts at $963. It's a more accessible system for people with limited budgets, and it has advanced features such as rep counting and monitoring form. Our expert tester Jordan Smith, NASM-CPT, says, "It did a great job counting my reps, but it didn't always pick up on my form.”

Another notable difference is that Tempo Move does not come with a screen, so you have to use your phone or other device, whereas Tonal has a dedicated workout space and can also be accessed from an app. The Tempo Studio has a 42-inch display and ranges from $2,963–$4,463, depending on your accessory package.

For more information, see our comparison of Tonal vs. Tempo.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tonal

Can you use Tonal without a subscription?

Yes, after the first year. The $59.95/month subscription begins at installation and is mandatory for the first 12 months that you own the machine. After that, you can pause or cancel your subscription, and Tonal will function in “Basic Free Lift” mode, where you guide your own workouts. You can’t access your data analytics, workout content or dynamic weight modes that provide personal training features.

Is Tonal better than free weights?

Choosing between Tonal or free weights is a personal choice. Tonal has some pros: it's space-saving and sets your weight based on your current strength level. However, free weights are less expensive and don't require an internet connection.

What is the monthly fee for Tonal?

Currently, a Tonal membership costs $59.95 per month. Without the membership fee, Tonal works similarly to a manual cable machine.

Why does Tonal weight feel heavier?

Tonal weight feels up to 26 percent heavier than standard weights, according to one Tonal-affiliated study. The weight generated on Tonal maintains resistance throughout the entire rep, unlike free weights, which can feel lighter due to momentum and working with gravity at specific parts of the rep rather than against it.

Is Tonal owned by Peloton?

No, Tonal is an independent company that is not affiliated with Peloton.

Will Tonal work without internet?

No, Tonal requires a Wi-Fi connection, even if you don't have a paid Tonal membership.

Can I use my own handles/barbell/accessories?

Tonal smart equipment is designed to seamlessly integrate with the base Tonal model. However, if you wish to use your own exercise equipment, you can purchase special adapters from Tonal to install your own handles.

The Takeaway: Is Tonal Right for You?

Tonal has been incredible for my health, providing the structure and convenience I needed to start and stick to a strength training routine. The fun programming, smart weight recommendations and space-saving home gym setup make it a worthwhile investment for anyone interested in increasing their strength and who can fit it wisely into their budget. It's the only piece of fitness equipment I've ever used that I can genuinely describe as life-changing for me. 

Prices are accurate and items in stock at time of publishing.