Best Home Gyms Under $500 of 2023
Editor's Choice
Usually a well-made home gym costs more than $500. After all, heavy steel and other high quality “ingredients” are expensive. Here we explain the exceptions.
The absolute best home gyms under $500 are on sale; they normally cost more. A great example is the $799 Bowflex home gym shown below. You might even find $999 gym prices slashed to $499, especially right after the winter holidays.
In general the best gyms under $500 are resistance gyms without weights. That’s the case for bodyweight gyms or gravity gyms. That’s also true of the Bowflex just mentioned; it uses patented Power Rods instead of metal stacks.
Whichever you’re drawn to, remember to read honest reviews of gym equipment before you buy. Sometimes home gyms are on sale because newer versions just arrived… but sometimes they’re low-priced because the quality is cheap.
Top 3 Best Rated Home Gyms Under $500
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Model |  SoloStrength |  NordicTrack |  Bowflex |
| Rating |  Rating: 86.4% |  Rating: 70% |  Rating: 68.7% |
| Type | Varies | Free Weights | Power Rods |
| Max Weight | N/A | 55 lbs x 2 | 210 lbs |
| Exercises | 100+ | Unlimited workout options | 30+ |
| MSRP | $399 | $499 | $799 |
| Pricing | See Best Price | See Best Price | See Best Price |
Home Gyms Under $500 Buying Guide
Unlike treadmills, ellipticals and exercise bikes — home gyms are rarely available for Under $500. As a result, you’re take on Home Gyms Under $500 may range from “cheap” to “phenomenal deal”! The reality is that home gyms do cost a lot to produce and it’s only second nature to be suspicious of anything available under $500.
However, exercise equipment manufactures regularly slash their prices on home gyms, particularly near the end of the year, to A) make way for new models as well as B) convince last-minute shoppers to finally make the splurge. Furthermore, with the invent on the World Wide Web deals are abundant and it’s not that uncommon to find terrific bargains on exercise equipment that may cost more if you visited a retailer (NOTE: FitRated.com helps readers find the best deal by posting the “Best Price” section, available on EVERY fitness product we review).
Home Gyms Under $500 traditionally provide many of the features available on higher priced models though the options are likely limited. If you are looking to workout legs and abs, plan to do curls and rows than Home Gyms Under $500 will meet those demands. The quality of the trainer, however, might be suspect.
As always, reviewing the warranty and guaranty of a given piece of exercise equipment will tell you A LOT about the confidence the manufacture has in the product they produce. It’s only natural that manufactures will provide less of a warranty with lower priced equipment (if not, where is the motivation to buy something more expensive?), but ALWAYS stay away from products that sound way too good to be true.
If you are new to the home fitness market and/or are looking for something to mess around on for a year or two Home Gyms Under $500 are a terrific starting point. Not only will you get to experiment with all a home gym has to offer, but also not be too worried if the trainer does not work out (no pun intended) or you have to part ways with the home gym because of a move, etc. Simply put, Home Gyms Under $500 are an absolute bargain in the fitness world and if you are smart in your quest to find one you can get a phenomenal deal! Just make sure it will do what you want it to do.
SoloStrength
Designed to fit doorways ranging 28-46 inches, the SoloStrength Ultimate Doorway Gym measures 43 inches wide by 87 inches in height, and brings more than 150 exercises to any home or office. Complete with a dip and row bar, the piece comes with a color exercise guide, SpeedFit Tabata training video, and a simple starter kit with nine circuits for the whole body. Nearly unlimited variations are possible with TRX, resistance bands, Bosu balls, and any other equipment one might already have.
NordicTrack Select-A-Weight 55 lb. Dumbbell Set
Complete with the iFit Coach interactive training program, the NordicTrack set offers a 10-pound handlebar with a 15-in-1 increment system. Easy-grip attachments allow users to increase accordingly: 10, 12.5, 15, 20, 22.5, 25, 30, 32.5, 35, 40, 42.5, 45, 50, 52.5, and 55 pounds. Purchase includes a 1-year iFit Family Membership, which brings live streaming training into the home via one’s device, be it phone, tablet, or smart tv.
Bowflex PR1000
With more than 200 pounds of Power Rod resistance, the Bowflex PR1000 offers more than 25 exercises for the entire body. Equipped with a bench that converts to a rolling seat for aerobic rowing, the unit sports a built-in media rack. Multiple cable pulley positions allow users quick changes of resistance to increase effectiveness. Both strength and cardio workouts are possible.
Body-Solid Best Fitness
Measuring 64 inches x 47 inches x 78 inches, the Body-Solid Best Fitness machine weighs 112 pounds. Equipped with a natural arc which replicates a free-weight bench, the machine has a press-arm/pec-fly dual design which allows for both exercises. Fiberglass pulleys with ball bearing movement on solid axle rotation allow for easy movement. The machine comes with a manufacturer’s warranty of three years.