Best cheap smart trainers 2026: get connected without the cost

Training indoors on a budget used to mean hooking up your road bike to a basic turbo, typically with a noisy magnetic flywheel that saw you banished to the garden shed as a result. Smart trainers remained the preserve of those who could afford them, but, like most cycling technology, the trickle-down effect soon meant that more affordable options were available. Enter the best cheap smart trainers.

Today there are a plethora of affordable smart trainers that provide many of the benefits of the best smart indoors trainers but without the higher price tag. Naturally there are some concessions, typically in the maximum power output, the degree of gradient simulation and the level or accuracy of the power readings. But for those looking to connect their indoor training without breaking the bank, they offer plenty of positives.

The best cheap smart trainers fall into two categories: wheel-on and wheel-off, or direct drive as they are better known. Unsurprisingly, the former requires you to keep your real wheel on the bike and then attach it to the smart trainer, while the latter sees your bike frame mounted directly to the trainer. Which is best for you? Why not read our dedicated wheel-on vs. direct-drive comparison guide to help you make your decision?

As for this guide, we’ve selected our favourite affordable smart trainer, all of which have been tested thoroughly by our experience review team. We’ve placed them into a number of categories to assist you in finding the right model for your indoor training journey. We’ve also got a guide to the best indoor training apps, which can help you get the most from your new trainer, and a guide to the best indoor smart bikes should you wish to expand your search further.

frame directly onto the trainer, allowing for a more accurate transfer of your effort. Why not check which style might be best in our wheel-on vs. direct-drive comparison guide?

The Quick List

Best cheap wheel on & direct drive turbo trainers

Best wheel-on overall

It seems a bit unfair to compare a wheel-on smart trainer to its high-end direct-drive stablemate, but the specification and performance of the Wahoo Kickr SNAP make it hard not to do so. After all, maximum power of 1,500W and a 12% simulated incline are figures that are much more usually seen on direct-drive machines.

The SNAP has a great planted feel and is one of the smoothest wheel-on trainers we've ridden. No, it's not as smooth as a direct-drive turbo but that's a small price to pay given it retails at a third of the price.

At low powers we found the accuracy to be less than the claimed +/- 3% but this improved at higher intensities where these things matter more. Power readings can be a bit spiky, although this largely seemed to be due to an absence of excessive smoothing that more expensive machines are capable of rather than a variation in resistance. There's also a bit of a lag in resistance change at the turn of programmed intervals which we've picked up in other similar-priced machines.

Read our full Wahoo Kickr Snap wheel-on smart trainer review

Best value direct drive trainer

The Kickr Core 2 adds some features found on the range-topping Wahoo Kickr V6, but keeps a similar design to the original Core. The most notable structural changes are to the legs and feet; the new model has a colour-coded mounting bracket and flat legs, which adds some stability compared to the outgoing model. Missing from the original, however, are the carry handle and the direct-connect Ethernet port. The former might not be such an issue given that the unit has dropped in weight by around 4kg.

You can buy the Kickr Core 2 in a number of configurations, including the Zwift Cog and Click package, which is what I reviewed and includes virtual steering with 24 gears, all controlled via the Click buttons that mount to your bike’s handlebars.

Setting up the Core 2 remains as intuitive and as simple as ever. There’s a minimal amount of assembly, and Wahoo has included some handy chevron stickers to help you attain the correct alignment.

The key specs are impressive given the price, with a maximum output of 1800 watts, a 16% gradient simulation, ANT+ connectivity, and an accuracy rating of +/-2%. Updates from the original include Kickr Bridge (data from heart rate monitors and other controllers directly through the trainer to your training app), automatic firmware updates, Race Mode, Wi-Fi, automatic spindown (zero-offset calibration), and virtual shifting. In use, I found that the Core 2 delivered a smooth and realistic road feel, just like I've come to expect from all of Wahoo’s offerings. It reacted well to changes in gradient, and despite the light 5.4kg flywheel, it still offers much of the refinement of the brand’s more expensive models.

With a claimed 2% accuracy, it can’t be used for elite-level cycling esports racing, but during my extensive testing, which covered over 3,000 km, I was left impressed nonetheless. Tested with a set of Favero Assioma Duo power meter pedals for comparison, it performed well during 1-, 5-, 10-, and 20-minute intervals, as well as during 15-second sprints. In both cases, the numbers were closely aligned.

All told, the Kickr Core 2 is the best value entry-level smart trainer money can buy.

Read our full Wahoo Kickr Core 2 with Zwift Cog & Click smart trainer review

Best overall direct drive trainer

This indoor trainer is great but not for everyone. Here are the details: With the heaviest flywheel, the Flux S is the heaviest overall. Its unique footprint offers incredible stability, possibly even more than the Tacx Neo 2T I tested last year. Additionally, the resistance and ride feel are impressively close to Tacx’s flagship model. Gradient changes are fast and smooth, and resistance remains steady even at low speeds and cadences, making it a challenge for a trainer.

The ERG mode handled large power differences effectively. Resistance increased quickly, but not as dramatically as the Elite Zumo. When riding without ERG or virtual gradients, I maintained a comfortable cadence at 250w with plenty of gears left – no risk of spinning out. Regarding virtual ride feel and turbo stability, this was the best tested, surpassing even pricier models like the Elite Direto and Wahoo Kickr, which we’ll discuss later. Having covered the basics, it’s worth considering if there's any advantage to pricier models. Unfortunately, yes, but only for specific use cases.

First, accuracy is rated at ±3%, the same as the Zumo, but it falls short of the ±2% standard for top Zwift racers. This is irrelevant for most users, as few race in those categories. For virtual challenges like ‘everesting’, realism must be at 100%. If using Alpe du Zwift, you'll violate this rule due to its max gradient of 14%. While these limitations don’t concern most users, being aware of them is important to avoid surprises, even though this trainer remains our top recommendation.

The other consideration is that this is not a trainer for moving about or stowing away. The legs don’t fold and it is really very heavy.

Best budget direct drive

If all you saw of the Van Rysel D900 was its spec sheet, you would be forgiven to think it should be a price twice what it is. Decathlon (owners of the Van Rysel brand) had one clear objective with the D900, to take on the Wahoo Kickr and Tacx Neo 2T but at a much more affordable cost.

Initially, during our testing, it seemed like Decathlon had hit the nail on the head. The D900 feels very stable and jumping straight into both ERG and SIM modes proved it had what it took to compete. Once I started digging down into the details, that's when I started to see why the D900 is so much cheaper.

After some cross-checking with my 4iii dual-sided crank-based power meter, it appeared the power accuracy wasn't within the +/- 2% Decathlon claims. My testing shows it was actually nearer +/- 12%. Which in my experience is unusual for a power meter based at the hub, as they tend to read much lower. Fortunately, despite the discrepancies the data is consistent. So, with a little bit of maths, you could continue to track your progress and performance.

The Van Rysel D900 does what it set out to do, compete with the best. Assuming don't mind the occasional bit of maths or take your E-racing too seriously. I think the one bit of maths we can all do though is the cost saving over the Wahoo and Tacx.

Read our full Van Rysel D900 turbo trainer review

Best value wheel-on trainer

The Tacx Flow is easy to set up, lightweight and can be used unpowered for warm-ups at events. It's very stable, with wide legs and it offers BLE and ANT+ connectivity to transmit speed, power and cadence data to a head unit.

We found that there's a bit of a lag in ramping up resistance both when controlled by Zwift and using ERG mode, which can result in sudden increases when performing certain workouts.

The wheel-on design gives you more limited climb simulation than a direct drive unit at up to 6% and the maximum resistance is 800 watts, with an accuracy of +/- 5%, although we found the Tacx Flow read lower than comparison power meters.

Read our full Tacx Flow wheel-on smart trainer review

Best compact wheel-on trainer

With wooden legs and a square drive unit, the Elite Tuo looks smarter than most trainers. It folds up very small and is lightweight. It's easy to set up your bike on the trainer and thru-axle adapters come with it rather than being an extra.

Elite claims power accuracy of +/-5 per cent, with simulated gradients of up to 10% and 1,300 watts maximum resistance. We thought that the ride was very smooth, with no skips from the roller and power and cadence were accurately measured except in short, high-power sprint efforts.

Read our full Elite Tuo wheel-on smart trainer review

How we test

The Cycling Weekly team has logged hundreds of virtual kilometres on all the budget-friendly smart trainers showcased in this buyer's guide. The overall rating considers factors such as ease of setup, how well the units connect with apps like Zwift, overall specifications, and how easy they are to store and transport.

We evaluate these trainers over multiple indoor sessions. This provides insight into their performance and allows us to assess their accuracy in replicating sessions and data. Our findings are then verified against a power meter or other home trainers for comparison.

While our primary testing occurs on Zwift, providing consistent reference points, we also test compatibility with other third-party indoor cycling apps where possible. Most importantly, and albeit subjectively, we attempt to express the idea of 'ride feel'—how pedalling feels on the trainer across a range of efforts. This aspect, perhaps more than any other, influences the enjoyment of using a trainer.

To read more about how the team is going about testing products, why not check out our How We Test page?

Meet the testers

Aaron Borrill

Aaron is Cycling Weekly's tech writer. As a racer, he's completed stage races such as the Cape Epic, Berg and Bush, W2W, and Gravel Burn. On the road, he’s completed the Haute Route Alps, represented South Africa at the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships Road Race and Time Trial and is an accomplished eSports racer, too - having captained South Africa at the 2022, 2023 and 2024 UCI Cycling eSports World Championships

Andy Turner

Andy is a Sport & Exercise Scientist, fully qualified and experienced Cycling Coach, Sports Director, Freelance Writer, and Performance Consultant. He spent 3 years riding for a UCI cycling team and 7 years as a BC Elite rider, competing in prestigious events such as the Tour of Britain and the Volta a Portugal. 

Graduating with a first-class honours degree in Sport & Exercise Sciences, he continues to pursue his interest in research in the field of Sport Science alongside managing his coaching business, ATP Performance. He also works as a Wind Tunnel operator and Performance Consultant at the Silverstone Sports Engineering Hub, working with individuals, teams, and businesses to optimise performance and develop products.

Rachel Sokal

Rachel has been writing about and reviewing bike tech for the last 15 years. Cynical by nature, Rachel never really trusts the marketing hype and prefers to give products a mighty good testing before deciding whether they're worth buying or not.

Rachel's first riding love is mountain biking where she's been European and UK 24hr Champion on more than one occasion. She's not just confined to the trails though and regularly rides - and occasionally races - on gravel and road too.

How to choose a cheap smart trainer

How to choose

With plenty of options on the market, choosing the best cheap smart trainer for you isn’t straightforward. To help you we’ve put together a list of the key considerations when shopping for an affordable smart trainer.

Smart or non-smart?

While this is a guide to the best affordable smart trainers, it might be worth asking yourself if you do indeed need the connectivity they offer. If you’re just looking to spin your legs during a warm up or down during the racing season then a set of the best bike rollers are both cheaper and more portable. Similarly, if you just want a simple set-up in the garage to keep you riding when the weather, then a set of rollers or one of the better non-smart trainers, which typically use a manual knob to adjust resistance, may suffice. However, if you’re looking to add structure to your training as well as benefit from a host of training apps then a smart trainer is for you.

Wheel on or direct drive?

Wheel-on trainers are typically the cheaper of the two options. They are a good option if you’re looking to keep your costs down and want to get started without too much hassle; to get going you just anchor your bike to the trainer and you're off.

Direct drive trainers however do have some significant advantages. They deliver more accurate power measurement readings than a wheel-on trainer, and while you’ll likely to need to fit a cassette, once you have done so you avoid another issue of the wheel-on models, namely that by keeping the wheel on you’ll either wear through your rear tyre quickly or you’ll need to swap in a wheel fitted with a dedicated turbo training tyre for every session.

Price

This guide is focussed on the best cheap smart trainers. But what do you get if you spend more on a premium model? The difference is found in core details such as maximum resistance, gradient simulation and power accuracy - more expensive models are usually accurate to +/- 1% allowing you to compete in official esports races. They also can have additional features such as simulated cobbles and side-to-side movement for a more realistic ride feel.

FAQs about cheap smart trainers