I feel more conflicted about JRNY than any other fitness subscription service app available. On one hand, it’s more affordable than most. On the other hand, the quality and content variety in the app left me wanting more. JRNY is compatible with Bowflex and Schwinn equipment, but the experience with JRNY on equipment is very different from the in-app experience.
I used JRNY before I used Peloton or iFIT. As a first introduction to virtual training content, I was impressed. It made my workouts on equipment more enjoyable. I also like that JRNY gives you a longer free trial than is standard. If you are thinking about getting compatible JRNY equipment, testing out the platform with their free trial is a great way to dip your toes in.
JRNY includes trainer-led classes and structured workouts. The JRNY app is not as social as Peloton and lacks the outdoor content of iFIT, but they’ve made a smart decision to keep things simple and affordable.
JRNY App Review: Bottom Line
A Brief History of JRNY
JRNY is owned by the company Johnson Health Tech, founded in 1975. JRNY’s previous owner, Nautilus, launched JRNY in 2019. JRNY was acquired by Johnson Health Tech in 2024, along with other Nautilus brands (Bowflex and Schwinn).
What You Get With a JRNY Membership
Membership Price Options
- JRNY Annual Membership: $147 per year
- JRNY Monthly Membership: $19.99 per month
JRNY Membership features:
- Access JRNY content on Bowflex equipment and through the mobile app
- Unlimited user profiles are available on all products except the Max Trainer M6 (2 profiles) and M8 (4 user profiles)
- Stream from preloaded apps like Netflix and Hulu on Bowflex products that have attached screens
Cancel anytime
Adaptive Workouts
JRNY’s adaptive workouts make your workout experience unique and tailored to you. These workouts are preprogrammed but designed to fit your fitness level based on your fitness assessment. The fitness assessment is where you follow along with audio guides for about 14 minutes as they take you through a workout on compatible equipment.
After the assessment, the adaptive workouts adapt to your fitness assessment. You can take the assessment at any time, and once you start progressing, these workouts will evolve with you.
All the adaptive workouts are different; they let you pick what you want to watch and listen to while you take them.
You can take a scenic route and listen to music or stream from one of the preloaded apps. I’ll explain these features more below.
We like that these workouts are personalized to fit your intensity and that you can choose how you want to take them.
Trainer-led Classes
JRNY offers classes led by a trainer and filmed in a studio. They’re of fair quality and available on demand. The instructors are knowledgeable and motivating, offering guidance throughout the class.
The studio is well-lit, and the camera offers multiple angles of the instructor.
JRNY has these classes on equipment and off. For example, when you’re on the Bowflex Velocore Exercise Bike, JRNY’s trainer-led indoor cycling and mat classes are available. JRNY has trainer-led classes for their other equipment, which are displayed when you’re on the respective machine. Trainer-led classes from indoor cycling, treadmill, elliptical, yoga, strength, Pilates, and core are available at JRNY to keep your workout routine well-rounded.
In the mobile app, you can access whole-body trainer-led workouts, too, to keep working out with JRNY on the go. You can also connect the app to compatible equipment through Bluetooth to access more classes through the mobile app.
JRNY regularly adds to the library of pre-filmed classes and has over 30 instructors. These classes feel like other studio classes; however, there are no live classes or a leaderboard. You can pause your class anytime, but you can’t skip forward.
Explore The World Workouts
JRNY is also consistently adding to their “Explore The World” workouts. These are workouts that are filmed in scenic locations around the world. They currently offer over 50 scenic routes through Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America. An instructor does not physically lead these workouts.
The camera is pointed ahead on the path, making it feel like you’re there.
To make these videos feel even more realistic, the camera will speed up, slow down, and stop when you do. That way, when you’re at a certain pace, it will really seem like you’re moving through the real-life location yourself. This feature is subtle, but I really appreciate it.
If you do want some guidance in these workouts, you can take ones with audio coaching or an adaptive workout while you explore a location like Valley of the Gods in Utah. The scenic classes with coaching are nice because they feature just the trainer’s voice for guidance. You also have the option to mute the audio.
They’re also of high quality. The camera is steady, and the graphics are clear. We can’t wait to see what areas JRNY lets us explore next.
Entertainment
One of my favorite things about JRNY is that you can stream from popular apps preloaded on JRNY-compatible equipment. This makes your treadmill or elliptical function a bit more like a TV.
Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, and Disney+ are already loaded and ready for you to log into your subscription and watch. Subscriptions to these apps are separate and not included with JRNY.
You can start watching your favorite movie or show on Netflix during the manual mode, or while taking the adaptive workouts.
This allows you plenty of options to keep you busy during your workout, so you’ll never get bored.
JRNY Features
Music
JRNY uses curated playlists in its trainer-led classes. You can also listen to them during manual mode, scenic workouts, and adaptive workouts. JRNY allows you to skip songs and change your playlist while working out.
You can also give a song a thumbs up or thumbs down so it will play more songs like the ones you like. You can choose from the following genres:
- Pop
- Rock/Alternative
- Top 40
- Hip-Hop/Rap
- EDM/Dance
- Country
- 90s
- 80s
- Pop (International)
- EDM (International)
This “radio-esque” experience is perfect for preprogrammed workouts and scenic route workouts, but we don’t like it as much as custom playlists in trainer-led classes.
A large part of what makes studio classes fun is experiencing a playlist as the instructor intended. Music can also be a huge component of a class’s energy. The instructor is most likely going to coordinate the music with their routines, so when you’re hitting sprints in class, the music increases.
We think this would elevate JRNY’s trainer-led classes. You can access JRNY’s radio in the mobile app and on JRNY-enabled equipment.
You can also control how you want to listen to the music. In both the app and on equipment, you can adjust the music level and the instructor’s voice level to balance both or mute one or the other. There are also adjustments for video, tones, and celebration sounds.
Burn Rate
After the fitness assessment, you’ll be given a burn rate. The burn rate is a small range that JRNY encourages you to stay in, especially when taking adaptive workouts that are preprogrammed to guide you through specific patterns like hills and intervals. It is calculated based on your fitness level during the assessment.
Your burn rate will adjust as you continue working out and improving your fitness. You can also choose to make an exercise easier or harder by adjusting the intensity level and burn rate. Otherwise, you can keep with the recommended burn rate.
Third-Party Apps
While using JRNY on compatible equipment, you can connect to third-party apps, like the Peloton app and Zwift. You need your mobile device to connect through Bluetooth to display the content on your device’s screen.
Unfortunately, the audio and video in the app will only play on your device and not on the attached touch screen. We recommend using a tablet with this feature because phone screens are smaller and harder to see when they’re on the device rack. However, your workout metrics, like watt output on the bike, will be reflected in the app.
There’s also an option to connect to other fitness apps, so you aren’t limited to using content on Peloton, Zwift, or even JRNY. It is excellent if you’re subscribed to another app for more workout choices.
Comparison To Other Fitness Apps
JRNY is more affordable compared to iFit and Peloton. However, iFit’s library of classes, especially outdoor content, is much more extensive than JRNY’s. iFit’s outdoor classes are led by an instructor, and the camera often pans over the landscape during your workout so you can take in more of it. We also like that iFit shows you a route map so you know where you’re going.
Peloton’s classes integrate music, so you hear the music as the instructor plays it, unlike JRNY and iFit. Peloton and iFit also offer live classes and a leaderboard to compete with other members.
Although we wish to see some improvements from JRNY, we really like the adaptive workouts the other apps don’t have. These workouts are personalized and great for tracking your progress rather than just focusing on listening to an instructor.
Where You Can Use JRNY
A membership to JRNY can be used on Bowflex and Schwinn equipment. You can log in easily on any of Bowflex’s machines with attached touch screens. With this equipment, you can have full access to JRNY by taking adaptive workouts, trainer-led classes, scenic workouts, third-party app usage, and streaming the preloaded apps.
Bowflex has exercise bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, and dumbbell weights. JRNY is also available on mobile devices, but there, you’re limited to only trainer-led mat workouts unless you’re connected to a compatible machine. However, your entire workout history is shown in the app.
The mobile app is available to use with any of Bowflex’s equipment that doesn’t have an attached touch screen. You can also connect it to Schwinn equipment. Once you’re connected to the Bowflex C6 Exercise Bike, bike classes, adaptive workouts, and scenic explore the world workouts become available on the app.
We wish that all of JRNY’s classes and workouts were available on the app without having to connect to equipment.
Performance & Functionality
The overall navigation of JRNY in the mobile app and on integrated touch screens is pretty straightforward and clear. I like the “Just For You” section that suggests classes based on your fitness level and previous workout history. Four classes are recommended per time frame.
You can filter the content by duration, style, and coaching type.
The filter feature is also handy for finding specific workouts and classes. There isn’t a search bar at the top to type in what you’re looking for, but considering JRNY’s library and content aren’t as large and vast as those of other apps, we didn’t miss it.
One thing to be aware of is that you can only access the preloaded streaming apps once you’re in manual mode or when you select an adaptive workout. They are not displayed on JRNY’s home page. In order to switch from one streaming app to another, you have to end your current workout.
So, to stream music or videos, you need to select your workout beforehand.
Also, the equipment’s functionality is largely controlled by the screen, so if the screen breaks, this could limit the machine’s use.
We highly recommend becoming a member of JRNY if you have Bowflex equipment. You’ll get the most out of your machine that way, especially if it has an attached touchscreen.
Should You Subscribe to the JRNY App
JRNY is a personalized fitness experience. We like the adaptive workouts that are tailored to you and the fact that you can watch Netflix while you work out. There’s a bit of everything for everyone.
The trainer-led classes provide a studio-like experience; you can even do them on the go. The scenic workouts make you feel like you’re working out on your own and outside. You’ll get the most out of your Bowflex equipment with a membership to JRNY.
While their library of classes and workout content isn’t quite as vast as other apps, the diversity of entertainment choices makes up for it. Plus, the number of scenic and trainer-led classes is growing. You’ll never get bored with JRNY.
JRNY App Q&A / FAQ
How much does the JRNY app cost?
A membership to JRNY costs $19.99/month or $149/year for an all-access membership. The mobile-only membership is $11.99. There is also a free version of the app with limited content options.
Is a JRNY membership worth it?
A JRNY membership is worth it for exercisers with compatible Bowflex and Schwinn equipment. It upgrades your workout experience. JRNY does not have as many training options without compatible equipment, but it is more affordable than many competitors, like Peloton or iFIT.
What devices are compatible with the JRNY app?
The JRNY app should be available on Android and Apple phones and tablets. There is no JRNY smart TV app.
Can you use the JRNY app on a smart TV?
JRNY does not have a smart TV app, but you can screen mirror the JRNY app from your phone or tablet if you want.
