Zwift has announced it is raising the price of a subscription to its indoor cycling app.
In an email to subscribers, the brand confirmed a new price of $19.99, which sees a rise of $5.00 per month from $14.99. Users in the UK will see a hike from £12.99 to £17.99, while other territories will see rises of a similar level.
Annual subscriptions will also increase from $149.99 to $199.99, or from £129.99 to £179.99, which means that like before, anyone who takes out such a subscription will essentially get 12 months for the price of 10.
According to the email sent to subscribers, the new prices will come into force "on your first billing date after June 6th." To put this into context, my personal subscription payment is taken on the 27th of each month, and thus, my first payment at the new price will happen on the 27th June. The payment taken on May 27th will remain at the previous price of £12.99. New subscribers will pay the new price immediately.
The email goes on to say, "We have worked hard to keep prices locked since 2017, and have made this change to allow us to continue making indoor cycling fun with more content experiences and product innovation."
Indeed, Zwift's price has remained at its current level for more than seven years, the last increase came in November 2017, when it rose from $9.99 to $14.99. That means it has ridden the wave of the pandemic boom and bust without any fluctuations, despite most competitors increasing theirs.
The move, however, positions Zwift as the most expensive indoor cycling subscription (excluding Peloton). It sits a few cents ahead of TrainerRoad ($19.95), while Wahoo Systm is $14.99. Peloton is by far the most expensive at $44.99, albeit with a different model and a different target audience.
In a statement, Zwift added some more context behind the announcement.
"We have worked hard to keep prices locked since 2017," it read. "In response to rising costs and inflation, we have changed our membership fee to support the continued development of our platform experience.
"We are proud of the additional platform benefits introduced since 2017 that Zwifters now enjoy daily. With an additional seven worlds, two event maps, plus a host of new experiences like the always-on Robo Pacer group rides, or the Climb Portal that transports Zwifters to iconic climbs from the world over. The possibilities on Zwift have never been greater.
"And yet the best is to come. Zwift will always be investing in the future of our member's product experience. The most recent edition of This Season On Zwift revealed some of the highlights Zwifters can expect to see over the coming months. We are committed to delivering more user benefits, new game features, and content experiences in the months and years ahead."
However, the timing of the announcement could prove detrimental for the indoor cycling brand. Like all indoor cycling apps, Cyclingnews understands that Zwift sees a subscription uplift during winter, when riding outside is unenjoyable or impossible, against a higher rate or churn during summer when the warmer weather returns. Multiple users in touch with Cyclingnews have described this email as a timely reminder and motivator to unsubscribe.
In line with the subscription increase, prices of the Wahoo Kickr Core Zwift One, and Kickr Core (Cassette) trainers, which come with a year's subscription to Zwift, are also being raised by the same amount. The hardware behind these are, of course, Wahoo-branded products, but the two companies have become significantly more connected after they agreed to settle their differences.
