Can you use Peloton tread without subscription? A lot of people are asking the same.
The Peloton Tread is a high-end treadmill that spices up your home workouts with access to live classes.
However, there’s a subscription, and what if you don’t want to pay to save a few bucks?
Yes, using the Peloton Tread is possible even if you don’t have a subscription. There will be some limitations, like access to live classes, but you’ll still be able to crank out amazing workouts.
Let’s get into the details!
Can You Use Peloton Tread Without Subscription – We Answer Everything
The Peloton Tread subscription gives you access to live classes and on-demand content for your workouts.
Without it, you’ll still be able to use your treadmill, but not enough to make your exercises fun and motivating.
What’s the Peloton Tread Subscription
Your Peloton Tread comes with a subscription service called the All-Access Membership, which costs $44 per month.
It gives you and your household access to the entire library of live and on-demand classes on the Peloton Tread and the app.
These classes include running, walking, yoga, stretching, and more, so joining training programs tailored to your goals and fitness metrics will be easier.
Here’s what you get with the Peloton All-Access Membership:
- Unlimited access to a growing library of live treadmill classes
- Scenic runs and walks from all over the world with the help of the touchscreen
- Challenges to keep you motivated during your workouts
- Real-time performance tracking to help you achieve your fitness goals
- Create unlimited profiles for everyone in your home
Note: If you have a tracker like an Apple Watch, you’ll be able to track your workouts more accurately.
Peloton Tread Functionalities Without a Subscription
Can I use Peloton Tread without a subscription? Now that you know what you get with a subscription, let’s look at what’s left if you choose to cancel your All-Access Membership.
For one, you’ll lose access to most of the content that makes your Peloton Tread a unique workout equipment.
However, some basic functionalities are left, so let’s find out:
- Just Run: This is a feature that allows you to use your treadmill like a normal one without instructor guidance or class content. You can adjust your speed and incline for an added challenge.
- Pre-recorded Classes: These three classes are pre-selected for you by Peloton. However, these are not updated regularly, so there’s a chance you’ll see the same three classes every time.
- Scenic Runs: These are guided runs that take you through different scenic locations around the world. It allows you to choose time- or distance-based runs, but no instructors will guide you.
Using Peloton Tread for Manual Workouts
Still, even though you don’t have the Peloton All-Access Membership, you’ll be able to use your treadmill for manual workouts.
Now, it will be a lot more expensive than other treadmills, but the Just Run feature should give you the capability to have a fruitful walk or run workout.
To use your Peloton Tread for manual workouts, here’s how you do it:
- Turn on your treadmill and log in to your profile.
- Tap on the Just Run option at the bottom of the screen.
- Adjust your speed and incline using the knobs or shortcuts.
- Tap Pause or Stop when you want to take a break or end your workout.
- Tap on End Workout when you’re done.
Note: The downside of the Just Run feature is that your workout data will not be saved or recorded to your profile.
Paid vs Free Workouts on Peloton Tread
Since you’re accessing your Peloton Tread without a subscription, you must know the differences in the amount and quality of content available.
Of course, you’re not going to get everything if you don’t have a subscription, but it helps to know the advantages and disadvantages of each option.
Paid Workouts
Here are some of the advantages when you have access to Peloton’s paid workouts:
- Access to thousands of live and on-demand classes across different levels.
- Ability to join training programs, challenges, and events.
- Create unlimited profiles for yourself, friends, and family members.
- Customize workouts depending on your preferences.
- Follow your favorite instructors to motivate you to use your Peloton Tread.
- Ability to cast your exercises to a smart TV for a more immersive experience.
Note: Access to paid workouts means paying $44 per month for the membership, and you need a reliable internet connection to stream classes.
Free Workouts
If the membership costs are a little too high for your current budget, but you already have a Peloton Tread, you’ll still be able to take advantage of the free workouts.
- No monthly fee is required.
- Use your treadmill as a piece of normal gym equipment.
- Access to pre-recorded classes and scenic runs.
Differences in Tracking Your Progress
One of the primary benefits of having an active Peloton subscription is that you’re able to track your progress.
Several metrics and features help you measure your fitness progress, especially when you have a subscription.
Here are the main differences when it comes to progress tracking with or without a membership:
With a subscription:
- See your speed, incline, distance, calories burned, and other running metrics.
- You’ll also see other time-based metrics, like pace, split, and personal bests.
- Analyze more metrics, such as cadence, resistance, and heart rate.
- Your workout data will be saved and recorded on the screen and app.
- Cast your workouts to a larger screen, such as a smart TV.
Without a subscription:
- You will only see limited metrics, like cadence, resistance, speed, and distance.
- Your workout data is not saved on your Peloton screen or the app.
- You won’t be able to sync your heart rate monitor or Apple Watch.
Differences in Community and Social Features
Apart from the differences in tracking your performance, other social features are locked out if you don’t have a subscription.
These community features make working out on your Peloton fun and motivating, so it will be difficult to find an alternative if you rely on them.
Here are some of the differences to expect with Peloton’s social features:
With a subscription:
- Follow your favorite instructors and stream their workouts when they go live.
- Join groups to see your friend’s activities on the app.
- Give and receive high fives and compete on leaderboards.
- Get instructor shoutouts during live and on-demand classes to get you motivated.
- Schedule your classes with your friends and join them in real time.
- Participate in challenges and earn badges for each achievement you unlock.
Note: If you don’t have a subscription, none of these community and social features will be available, so you won’t be able to enjoy working out with your friends.
Weighing the Pros and Cons of a Subscription
As you can see, a significant difference exists between having a Peloton subscription and not having one when using your Peloton Tread.
The subscription opens up more content, features, and benefits that greatly enhance your workouts.
They also help you achieve your fitness goals, especially with the social features that make the experience fun and motivate you.
It does come with a hefty fee that might only be affordable for some.
To help you decide whether a subscription is right for you, here are some questions you need to ask yourself:
- How much do you value access to live and on-demand classes?
- How much do you like having access to training programs, challenges, and events?
- How much do you love being able to track your progress over time?
- How much do you appreciate being able to join the Peloton community?
If you find these features valuable, getting a subscription will be worthwhile.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to weigh them and decide based on your needs and circumstances.
Alternative Apps to Use With Peloton Tread
The good news is that even if you decide not to get a subscription for your Peloton Tread, you’ll still be able to get some guidance and variety with your workouts.
Several third-party apps are compatible with Peloton Tread that you can use.
Strava
This popular app for runners and cyclists allows you to track your workouts using GPS data.
However, it does work with your Peloton Tread as long as you sync them.
Once they’re all synced up, you’ll be able to join challenges, compete with other users, and share your activities with your friends.
Note: It’s essentially your Peloton subscription but without the live workouts.
Apple Fitness+
If you have an Apple Watch and are already tracking your exercises with your iPhone, this is an excellent alternative.
Apple Fitness+ gives you access to workout content from expert trainers and works with your Peloton Tread.
Its main difference is the price, as it’s only $9.99 monthly, significantly cheaper than Peloton’s All-Access Membership.
Note: This is where the live sessions and on-demand content component of the Peloton subscription are.
Zwift
It’s a virtual reality app that allows you to run or cycle in different worlds or scenarios.
You’ll be able to join live events, races, and even group workouts.
If you have a Peloton Tread, integrating Zwift with your activities will be a breeze and give you a different perspective on your exercises.
Conclusion
Thus, you can use Peloton Tread without a subscription. However, it depends on your current goals, budget, and lifestyle since a Peloton subscription is not the most affordable.
A subscription might be worth it if you want access to live and on-demand content.
However, if you don’t care about these benefits and prefer alternative apps, you’re fine not getting one.
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.