Best Budget Elliptical (2023): 6 Options to Stride for Less

I love to find a good deal, don’t you? Going to thrift stores and buying a lamp for $1 or using a coupon I got in the mail gives me a rush of serotonin that not much else will—I just really like saving money. 

If you’re reading this roundup of the best budget ellipticals, I assume you would like to know what’s the best elliptical for the price too! Hi, fellow bargain shopper! Below, I’ll guide you through some of my favorite ellipticals on the market that are budget-friendly and tell you exactly why I’d recommend them. I’ve tried so many ellipticals (both expensive and inexpensive) and know what you need to look for to make a smart purchase. Let’s dive in. 

The team at Garage Gym Reviews has done all the leg work for you (pun definitely intended) when it comes to finding the best budget ellipticals on the market. We’re passionate about fitness equipment and really know our stuff–– we’re certified personal trainers, nutrition coaches, and CrossFit L-1 trainers.

Plus, we’re a thrifty bunch (we’re writers after all, not stock brokers) and are always looking to help you spend wisely to meet your fitness goals.  

6 Best Budget Ellipticals

• Best Budget Elliptical Overall: Horizon 7.0 AE Elliptical
• Best Lightweight Budget Elliptical: Body Rider Body Flex Elliptical
• Best Quiet Budget Elliptical: NiceDay Elliptical Machine
• Best Budget Elliptical Under $500: Gazelle Freestyle
• Best Budget Elliptical for Beginners: Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Elliptical
• Best Value Budget Elliptical: ProForm Hybrid Trainer

Best Budget Elliptical Overall: Horizon 7.0 AE Elliptical

Good for: People who want an all-around durable and sturdy elliptical under $1,000.

Best Budget Elliptical Overall

Horizon 7.0 AE Elliptical

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Product Highlights

• Sturdy, even on carpet
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Incline training
• 20 levels of magnetic resistance
• Lifetime warranty
• 325-lb weight capacity

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Priced under $1,000 and comes with a free workout app
• Conveniences like Bluetooth speakers, heart rate monitoring and rapid-charge USB
• Lifetime warranty
• 20-inch stride length accommodated users 5’3” to 6’5”
• Weight capacity to 325 pounds

Cons

• Small, 7-inch LCD display
• Must “bring your own” technology to use app
• Weighs almost 200 pounds

Bottom Line

The Horizon 7.0 AE Elliptical is a very sturdy elliptical with a great warranty.

Out of any budget elliptical I’ve tried, the Horizon 7.0 AE shines as my top pick. It has an excellent stride length of 20 inches, which is ideal for taller folks like myself. I feel like I can comfortably use this machine without carefully calculating my strides. Plus, the 7.0 AE is sturdy as a brick wall. I had it resting on carpet instead of hardwood for a while and it still didn’t shake while I used it. Consider me majorly impressed.

RELATED: Best Treadmill for Tall Runners

There are also both 20 resistance and incline options on the 7.0 AE, which can make an average workout a challenging one with a quick button press. Although you could easily purchase an iFIT subscription to use in tandem with the 7.0 AE, there are also eight preset programs included on the elliptical.

If you live in a small apartment or shared space, you might not have room for the 7.0 AE. This cardio machine has a large footprint and is super heavy, too. When it arrives at your doorstep boxed, it weighs 194 pounds. I had to take the machine out piece by piece to get it into my home. 

The assembly process is also not exactly all sunshine and rainbows. I would recommend grabbing an additional person to assist in the process because doing it yourself is next to impossible. Trying to simultaneously wire a display down a tube while holding the front of the elliptical isn’t really enjoyable–– or safe. Luckily, the actual machine makes the hellish assembly process worth it, since it’s so wonderful (and comes with a stellar lifetime frame and brake warranty).

Check out our full Horizon 7.0 AE Elliptical review.

Best Lightweight Budget Elliptical: Body Rider Body Flex Elliptical

Good for: Small spaces and moving from room to room with ease

Best Lightweight Budget Elliptical

Body Rider Fan Elliptical Trainer

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Product Highlights

• Compact footprint and transport wheels
• No-frills, but efficient workout tracker to monitor calories burned, speed, time, and distance
• Moving handlebars engage upper and lower body
• Instructional workout video included with your purchase
• Well-suited for beginners
• Adjust resistance level by adjusting the friction knob
• Chain-driven fan resistance

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Compact
• Easily assembled
• Portable
• Alternating handlebars for full-body workout
• Affordable

Cons

• Pedals angle forward, which can cause discomfort
• Resistance not strong enough for seasoned athletes
• Shorter stride

Bottom Line

The Body Rider Fan Elliptical Trainer is a no-frills, compact, and lightweight cardio machine that provides efficient workouts. The compact size comes with a shorter stride length so it’s not well-suited for taller individuals.

When I initially tested the Body Rider Flex Elliptical, I was pleasantly surprised by just how lightweight it is. At just 58 pounds (and with two convenient transport wheels), moving this machine is a breeze for able-bodied people. You could probably single-handedly bear hug this elliptical if need be, but don’t do that unless you really need to, m’kay? 

The Body Rider elliptical machine has a small footprint––and an inexpensive under-$150 price tag to match. I love that you don’t need an outlet to use this machine, which really opens up the options of where you can put the elliptical in your home. 

RELATED: Best Compact Ellipticals

For those who dread the assembly process of fitness equipment and IKEA furniture alike––fear not! The instructions to put together the Body Rider Elliptical are simple and straightforward. You’ll likely put this together in the time it takes you to normally eat lunch. 

The stride length on the Body Rider is just 12 inches, which is exceptionally short compared to the industry standard of 18 to 20 inches. Oddly enough, I didn’t hate it, but the motion I was making was closer to a step rather than a stride. This is something to keep in mind if you’re looking for a more traditional elliptical experience. 

Read our entire Body Rider Fan Elliptical Trainer review.

Best Quiet Budget Elliptical: NiceDay Elliptical Machine

Good for: Individuals in shared spaces or who need very quiet exercise equipment

Best Quiet Budget Elliptical

Niceday Elliptical Machine

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Product Highlights

• Designed with 90% pre-assembled pieces makes installation simple
• 16-lb flywheel offers 16 levels of smooth resistance with a high gear ratio
• Extra-thick steel frame is exceptionally sturdy and able to hold weights up to 400 pounds
• Fits individuals 4’9” inches to 6’2”
• Minimal noise emission measuring only 20dB

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Simple assembly
• 16 levels of resistance
• No electrical source required
• Stable
• High user weight capacity

Cons

• Short stride of 15.5 inches
• Circular stride versus oval may feel awkward
• Basic display reportedly breaks easily

Bottom Line

With eight levels of magnetic resistance, a sturdy frame, and 400-pound user weight capacity, the Niceday Elliptical Trainer may be a good choice for those needing higher weight limits.

There’s a good reason I referred to the NiceDay Elliptical Machine as “quiet as a church mouse”––it’s virtually noiseless. If you want to get a quick workout while others are sleeping, this is an excellent option for you. Plus, the machine doesn’t need to be plugged in to work, so you can move it to any corner of your house that suits you without worrying about finding an outlet. 

I’m a huge fan of the lifetime parts warranty, which is not common on budget machines. The brand promises to send you a replacement part for your NiceDay Elliptical whenever anything breaks or stops working. 

And there’s more to love–– the NiceDay Elliptical has oversized pedals to fit a variety of foot sizes, and there are 16 levels of resistance to choose from. 

“When I turned the resistance to the hardest level, it felt like I was getting a good workout,” GGR Head of Content Kate Meier said.

Kate did note that the handles were a bit wobbly the higher the resistance got. Although the brand brags about the 400-pound weight capacity, we’re a little skeptical of these claims. 

“I’m well under half the max weight and felt some play in the structure while using it,” Kate explained.

Take a look at our full NiceDay Elliptical Machine review.

Best Budget Elliptical Under $500: Gazelle Freestyle

Good for: People with a limited budget or small spaces

Best Budget Elliptical Under $500

Gazelle Freestyle

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Product Highlights

• 10 exercises in one machine
• Dual action split suspension allows for full range of motion
• Pulse grip heart rate monitor
• Small monitor displays heart rate, speed, distance, time, and calories
• Folds for easy storage
• Comes with 2 DVDs, an exercise manual, and nutritional guide
• Joint-friendly

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Folding design
• Large water bottle holder
• Pulse grips to monitor heart rate
• Doesn’t require power outlet
• Expert assembly option for additional cost

Cons

• Can be tricky to get the hang of the motion
• Reports of grinding noise when in use
• Basic monitor

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a joint-friendly piece of cardio equipment that facilitates muscle tone as well as cardiovascular health, the Gazelle Freestyle glider is a good choice for beginners and more experienced cardio junkies alike.

Trying to find literally anything for under $500 feels almost impossible. Heck, when I had the electrician come out, it’s an automatic $500 before anything is even fixed. If you feel the same way as I do, you’re about to breathe a sigh of relief. The Gazelle Freestyle is under $250 and has a compact footprint and weight, so it’s ideal for small spaces.

Plus, this sucker is foldable! Yes, you heard me right. It can be folded up and moved up and down stairs with ease, which I love. I wouldn’t recommend leaving it unfolded and trying to move it because the machine will hit you in the shin. 

Although this elliptical has just a 15-inch stride length, I actually still found it to be enjoyable to use. GGR Editor Nicole Davis is shorter than me and didn’t feel the same (she thought the stride was too short), but it was fun to me. I did feel sort of gazelle-like swinging back and forth. 

You don’t need to plug this elliptical in the wall to use it, and it’s super quiet. If you live in a shared space and aren’t trying to wake up family members or roommates, this is an ideal pick.

Unfortunately, with an inexpensive price tag does come some compromises. The warranty is just 12 months long, and this might not be the elliptical for you if you have balance issues. It can be hard to mount and dismount safely since the elliptical has no resistance behind the strides. They can swing quite a bit when being stepped on, which is definitely something to note.

RELATED: Gazelle Freestyle Review

Best Budget Elliptical for Beginners: Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Elliptical

Good for: People who need an easy way to get a full-body workout 

Best Budget Elliptical for Beginners

Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Elliptical

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Product Highlights

• Just 105 pounds and easy to move
• Supports up to 330 pounds
• Fixed and moving handles for upper body workout
• 24 built-in workouts

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Easy-to-follow built-in workouts
• Under $600
• Machine is smooth and doesn’t shake
• 16 levels of resistance

Cons

• Warranty is below the industry standard
• Unclear assembly instructions
• Short stride length of just 15.5 inches

Bottom Line

Pack a cardio workout in the comfort of your home with the SF-E3912 Pre-Programmed Elliptical Trainer by Sunny Health & Fitness. Stride 15.

New to working out and don’t know where to start? Consider picking up (not literally, unless you need to) the Sunny Health & Fitness SF-E3912 magnetic elliptical. This cardio machine is ideal for beginners because it has 24 built-in workouts. 

Simply just select one of the available options and stride away! No complicated mumbo jumbo that makes working out harder than it needs to be. Plus, this machine has a user weight capacity of 330 pounds, which is above the industry standard of 275-300 pounds. I like that the SF-E3912 is a more inclusive option than most budget machines, which again might make it a solid option for new exercisers. 

When you’re ready to kick things up a notch, the Sunny elliptical has 16 different resistance options that can easily be utilized via the display. 

A few things I don’t love? The complicated assembly and the subpar warranty. I would definitely recommend grabbing a friend and a Phillips head screwdriver to make the process a little easier. The instructions given aren’t very clear and although the needed tools are provided, using your own screwdriver makes things quicker. 

Let’s talk about the warranty––with just three years on the frame and only 180 days for all other pieces, I am leary about the long-term durability of this machine. Although I didn’t experience any issues, I haven’t used the SF-E3912 for three years and can’t speak to long-term sturdiness. 

Take a look at our full Sunny Health & Fitness Magnetic Elliptical review. 

Best Value Budget Elliptical: ProForm Hybrid Trainer

Good for: People looking for variety in their workout routines 

Best Value Budget Elliptical

ProForm Hybrid Trainer

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Product Highlights

• Easily adjusted to fit different body sizes
• 14 preset workouts
• Ability to work upper and lower body muscle groups
• Simple assembly
• Priced under $1,000

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 2-in-1 low impact cardio machine
• Affordable at well under $1,000
• Adjustable screen for viewing while on the elliptical or bike
• Interactive programming with iFIT

Cons

• 15-inch elliptical stride may be uncomfortable for taller users
• Storing machine in non-climate-controlled spaces voids the warranty
• Some returns could incur a $250 fee

Bottom Line

The ProForm Hybrid Trainer XT offers up a recumbent exercise bike and elliptical in one piece of equipment.

Trying to decide between purchasing an exercise bike and an elliptical? Contemplate no more! The ProForm Hybrid Trainer is a 2-in-1 cardio machine for under $700. Plus, you get a free 30-day trial of iFIT, which gives you a multitude of workout options on-demand. However, you don’t have to pay for iFIT to get a great workout––there are 16 preset programs to follow along with (eight for the elliptical and eight for the bike). Even better? You can switch between the bike and the elliptical with ease.

RELATED: Elliptical vs Bike

I enjoyed using the recumbent bike portion of the ProForm Hybrid. There isn’t any play in this position while in use, which is always a plus. I do think the pedals might throw some people off at first, since they are in front of you versus the traditional underneath placement. 

When using the elliptical, there was a slight bit of shaking, likely due to the lightweight 13-pound flywheel. It wasn’t enough to make me not want to use the machine, but I think it could be problematic for heavier users. Plus, the stride length is just 15 inches, which felt a little short for me (I’m 5 feet, 9 inches). If you’re shorter, this likely won’t bother you. 

Although this bike-elliptical combo isn’t super heavy at 117 pounds, it does have a sizable footprint potential customers should be aware of (not that it’s surprising). There are included transport wheels to help folks move this machine from room to room. 

Read our full ProForm Hybrid Trainer Elliptical Review.

Other Budget Ellipticals We Researched

Stamina Inmotion Elliptical: While I like the idea of this $120 machine, I hesitate to even call it an elliptical. It’s supposed to mainly be used while sitting down—an under-desk elliptical if you will—but there is a stock photo of a woman standing on it with zero support. Sounds like a recipe for a broken bone or two if you ask me.

Schwinn Fitness 411 Compact Elliptical Machine: Although I love the 18-inch stride length and strong warranty, the Schwinn 411 is apparently difficult to use. Multiple purchasers of various fitness levels complained about the resistance levels being too hard, even at the lowest level.

Decathlon-Domyos EL500 Elliptical: Preset programs are a great way for beginners to get started, and the EL500 has quite a few options to choose from. However, the stride length is a measly 12.59 inches, which is well below the industry standard. Tall folks will have major difficulty comfortably using this machine.  

Exerpeutic Heavy Duty Magnetic Elliptical: This inexpensive elliptical will get the job done for around $300, but everyone in your neighborhood will probably hear you working out. The Exerpeutic elliptical squeaks to the high heavens!

How We Picked and Tested the Best Budget Ellipticals

At Garage Gym Reviews, we take our testing and reviewing very seriously. Hours of research and exercising goes into us evaluating each piece of equipment on our site. When determining which ellipticals would make it into this roundup, we examined the following.

Benefits of Budget Ellipticals

Why the heck should you spend your hard-earned money on an elliptical or cross trainer? I’m glad you asked! Check out Garage Gym Reviews Staff Writer and NASM certified personal trainer Anthony O’Reilly’s thoughts.

Low-Impact Exercise

Ellipticals are a perfect choice for those recovering from injury, or those who have sensitive joints. “Because your feet aren’t crashing down with every stride, like they are during outdoor running or on a treadmill, your knees and ankles don’t take as much impact,” he says. “This can also lead to longer cardio workout sessions, which in turn could lead to increased caloric expenditure.” 

Saves You Time

Because you’re simultaneously using your upper- and lower-body muscles, you can get a total-body workout in a shorter amount of time.

Improved Cardiovascular Fitness

“One of the main reasons to invest in an elliptical machine is it helps get your heart rate pumping, which leads to improved stamina and overall cardio performance,” Anthony says. “This has been shown to decrease the risk of diseases like diabetes and heart disease, and improve multiple health markers from insulin resistance to lowering your resting heart rate.” 

Buying Guide: What to Look for in a Budget Elliptical

Everyone is looking for different things when it comes to purchasing an elliptical for home use. However, here are some of the most common factors to keep in mind when you’re thinking about adding an exercise machine to your home gym.

Space Constraints

Some of us have giant, dedicated basements, garages, and rooms for our home gyms. Others have a small corner of their living room to fit a piece of cardio equipment. Whatever your situation is, make sure to measure the space beforehand so you know the maximum footprint your elliptical can have. 

Price Range

What might be considered an affordable elliptical to me might not be to you. Determining your price range ahead of time will keep you from overspending. Pro tip: Check out our discount codes and keep your eyes peeled for holiday savings to keep some cash in your pocket. Plus, many retailers now offer excellent financing options, so you can break down your payment into manageable chunks. 

Warranty

Typically, I like to see a warranty that is at least 10 years (if not more) on the frame of an elliptical. However, it is important to keep in mind the price of the machine. You generally won’t find a top-of-the-line warranty on a $100 elliptical machine, so you have to pick and choose your battles. 

Resistance and Incline Options

For those who want to up the ante on their elliptical workouts, make sure your new cardio machine has resistance or incline options. The majority of budget ellipticals have resistance knobs, but incline is a bit more rare.

RELATED: Best Elliptical Workout

Stride Length

If you’re a shorter person, the stride length of your machine will matter quite a bit less. However, if you’re tall, you may find you are most comfortable on an elliptical that has an 18-20-inch stride length. This can be more difficult to find on budget machines, but it isn’t impossible.

Portability

Especially if you live in a multi-story building or home without an elevator, you’ll likely want to consider the portability of the elliptical you plan to purchase. Of course, you can hire professional movers, but if that’s not in the budget, make sure your potential elliptical has transport wheels to help it move around a room (and consider the total weight of the machine).

Budget Elliptical FAQs

Caroline Lubinsky, CF-L1

Caroline is a former NCAA D1 Women’s College Soccer player who also played in the WPSL, the second highest level of professional women’s soccer in the United States. Although soccer was her first love, Caroline eats, sleeps, and breathes all things fitness. She credits her high school’s football coach, Jason Estep, with teaching her how to properly use a barbell at 15 years old and inspiring an enduring love for strength training. Caroline is also a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer. Content wise, Caroline has a background in Public Relations and previously worked in the Communication department at Appalachian State University. When Caroline isn’t writing or working out, she works with dachshund rescue groups and listens to way too many true crime podcasts.

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