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Apple Fitness+ vs. Peloton digital: Which service is best for workouts in 2021?

Apple Fitness+ was unveiled at Apple’s September Apple Watch event, but a specific arrival date wasn’t shared. It’s now been announced that the personalized fitness service based around Apple Watch will be available on December 14. If you’re looking to add in a new workout routine for 2021, you might be asking which service is best: Apple Fitness+ vs. Peloton?

Apple Fitness+ is available as a subscription running $9.99/month or $79.99/year. It is also available to use with Family Sharing in the Apple One Premier bundle for $29.95/month. Apple is giving a free three-month trial to the Fitness+ for a limited time for those buying a new Apple Watch Series 3 or later (or have purchased one since September 15).

Apple Fitness+ will initially include 10 different types of workout categories. Even though it doesn’t require any equipment other than body weight to work out, it does require an Apple Watch and either an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV to access the classes.

Equipment required for Apple Fitness+

Equipment required for Peloton Digital

Many people compare Apple Fitness+ to Peloton since the former offers bike and treadmill classes as well. Peloton’s hardware products provide a much more in-depth experience for traffic resistance/cadence/speed for workouts on a bike or a treadmill than Apple will be able to offer without a hardware product.

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Apple Fitness+ is a direct competitor to Peloton’s digital subscription. Peloton digital is the “app-only” version of Peloton’s offering. It can access all of the various workout types that Peloton has made available on a bike/treadmill or the floor.

Types of workouts on Apple Fitness+

  • High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
  • Strength
  • Yoga
  • Dance
  • Core
  • Cycling
  • Treadmill (for running and walking)
  • Rowing
  • Mindful Cooldown

Types of workouts on Peloton digital

  • Strength
  • Yoga
  • Cardio
  • Meditation
  • Running (treadmill)
  • Outdoor running
  • Cycling (indoor)
  • Stretching
  • Tread Bootcamp
  • Bike Bootcamp
  • Walking

Both services use highly trained instructors and leverage music as a crucial part of the workout experience.

How to access content

Peloton digital is available on:

Apple Fitness+

  • Apple TV
  • iPad
  • iPhone

Pricing comparison

Apple Fitness+ is a less expensive service on a monthly subscription level. Peloton digital is $12.99/month, where Apple Fitness+ is only $9.99/month. If you either pay annually or bundle with AppleOne, Apple Fitness+ becomes even less expensive. If you’re paying for Peloton’s service on a hardware product like the Peloton Bike+ or Tread, Peloton digital is already included for free with a subscription.

Apple Fitness+ vs. Peloton: family-friendly content

Peloton’s service is rated at 12+ on the App Store for

  • Infrequent/Mild Mature/Suggestive Themes
  • Infrequent/Mild Profanity or Crude Humor

Apple’s service will likely avoid a 12+ rating as Apple typically focuses on family-friendly content when possible. There are occasional Peloton classes where an instructor will use profanity or play music with profanity, but they are labeled in the app.

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Apple Fitness+ vs. Peloton digital: Which is the best?

We don’t fully know the quality of Apple’s service or how often they will release new content, dictating which is a better “no equipment” required fitness service. Both services generally offer free trials, so it’s worth trying both to see which one fits your style better.

When comparing Apple Fitness+ vs. Peloton, one major downside to Apple Fitness+ is that it requires an Apple Watch to work out, so if you want something simple or don’t use an Apple Watch, Peloton digital can be accessed without that requirement.

Even though both services don’t require equipment, you may want to pick up some gear to enhance the experience.

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Avatar for Bradley Chambers Bradley Chambers

Bradley lives in Chattanooga, TN where he manages Apple devices for a private school.

Tips, feedback, corrections and questions can be sent to Bradley@9to5mac.com.