Tonal vs NordicTrack Vault (Price, classes, and app)

I spend hours searching online for all available information regardless of Tonal and NordicTrack Vault and trying to figure out which machine should I get for my home gym.

Today I will compare prices, memberships, features, and classes and (most importantly) explain why in the end I’ve chosen Tonal gym.

Overview

In our testing, Tonal gym is better than NordicTrack Vault because it has more advanced technology that collects data after each workout.

It can personalize your training plan, suggests the resistance, and provides feedback on your form.

NordicTrack Vault doesn’t keep track of your metrics and it’s not compatible with a new iFit feature ActivePulse™, however, it’s less expensive than Tonal, and comes with 30 days free trial for content.

Here’s my overall answer but to know more details on things like functionality, membership prices, and more, keep reading.

Price Comparison

Here is the breakdown of the prices for both Tonal and NordicTrack Vault.

The cost of hardware for both Tonal and Vault does not include accessories.

If you already have some dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands at home, you can save some money and order NordicTrack Vault as a standalone unit.

(They often offer good discounts on their website, so it’s worth checking it out.)

With Tonal, you can technically buy only hardware without smart accessories, but I don’t think it’s worth it.

Smart accessories include handles, a bar, a rope, a bench, a foam roller, and a workout mat.

The total cost for NordicTrack Vault is less than half of what I had to pay for Tonal.

Unlike Tonal, Nordictrack does not charge extra money for delivery and installation (as long as you choose its standard delivery option).

NordicTrack Vault gives also 30 days of free trial for iFit membership to test drive the app before you decide to go ahead with the 12 months contract.

With Tonal, you have to pay 12 months upfront for their subscription.

Membership

Here’s the price comparison of monthly subscriptions between Tonal and NordicTrack Vault.

NordicTrack Vault

The NordicTrack Vault comes with one free month of iFit membership and you can cancel anytime.

After 30 days, they give you the option to either sign up for Family Plan for $396 upfront (12 months), or for a monthly plan for $39/month.

Nordictrack offers multiple discounts on iFit membership, depending on how long you sign the contract.

The price for an iFit subscription for 12 months is $396; 24 months costs $699, and if you want to sign up for their 3-year plan, you need to pay $899.

Tonal

The price for a Tonal subscription is $59.95 per month and they don’t offer any deals or free trials on membership.

Once the hardware arrives the Tonal delivery team installs it on your wall.

You need to sign up and activate it – that’s when you enter your credit card details and you will get charged $588 for 12 months of membership.

After your first 12 months are finished, you don’t have to pay for anything upfront.

Instead, you just pay a $59.95 subscription fee on the monthly basis.

Classes

Here is the comparison between the Tonal and NordicTrack Vault classes.

NordicTrack Vault

NordicTrack Vault classes are powered by iFit, which gives you access to a massive fitness library.

Apart from strength training and mat workouts, it covers many fitness genres like running, rowing, cycling, and elliptical. (They also offer cooking classes.)

iFit progressive series program with a specific goal in mind (improving your running performance, training for a cycling marathon, etc.)

One thing that I love about the NordicTrack Vault is it includes workout series that is combined with different workout routines (e.g. strength, yoga, and cardio).

(Some iFit series last for up to 12 weeks.)

As much as I love the variety, most of these classes and series are designed for NordicTrack cardio machines, not for Vault.

Tonal

Tonal has several workouts and programs, as well as a number of live classes available each week. It has over 18 different fitness genres like Kickboxing, Boxing, and Barre fitness.

The longest Tonal programs last 4 weeks and usually include only the strength training sessions.

Features

Here are the features of Tonal and Nordictrack Vault.

Nordictrack Vault

Nordictrack Vault is like a mirror with built-in storage for weights and resistance bands.

It can store up to 15 dumbbells vertically in one place, together with kettlebells and resistance bands. This makes the workout experience better because you can change your weights anytime you need.

Apart from a 61.5” oversized rotating touchscreen and iFit subscription, it does not have many features that could provide me value.

The NordicTrack Vault does not have metrics and does not track my performance.

Tonal

Tonal has a powerful AI technology system that tracks and guides your workouts. It can track my performance using strength score, and power output.

It can also display my progress from single exercises and weekly training volume. It has a number of advanced training methods that use a digital weight system to further enhance the wokrout experience.

Finally, with Tonal, I can do over 200 exercises (including my favorite compound and isolation exercises) using up to 200 lbs of resistance.

These include deadlifts, bench press, squats, overhead press, and chin-ups.

Unfortunately, with the Tonal app, I can only do workouts with bodyweight exercises whereas on iFit I have all the classes.

App

iFit has hundreds of challenges, workouts, and series that are great for getting my heart rate up and burning more calories.

My favorite iFit cardio workout is the 20-minute Build and Burn Series with trainer John Peel. This workout has the combination of muscle isolation, core strength, AMRAP, and upper/lower body split.

If doing cardio is your goal, I recommend going for Vault.

Most of the classes are designed in a circuit training style where you move from one exercise to another, with minimum rest in between (similar to OrangeTheory or F45).

They also include many outdoor workouts that combine cardio and strength. It’s kind of like running for many miles while doing pushups, sit-ups, and planks in between.

Plus, the iFit platform includes over 50 different outdoor challenges (audio only) for running and hiking.

I personally love to use iFit audio-only classes when I go out for the run because they have many different types of workouts:

• Intervals
• Tabata
• HIIT
• Long-distance runs

Tonal also has many cardio workouts that you can do either with or without the Tonal machine. It also has a Tonal App, which you can use to stream the classes when you’re away.

However, I’m not the biggest fan of Tonal on-the-go classes because the workout library is still limited with content.

My experience using Tonal and Nordictrack Vault

There are a few reasons why I did not choose the Nordictrack Vault, despite its lower cost.

First, for me, NordicTrack Vault feels like a workout station with free weights and a touchscreen that allows you to do online classes.

The classes are available via the iFit app, so (technically) I could stream them directly from my TV or tablet… (without paying over $1,000 for hardware.)

Second, the Vault comes with a max of 30 lbs dumbbells, which is not enough if my goal is to build muscle or burn fat.

For the best results, I prefer to use heavier weights that induce mechanical tension in the muscle.

The massive 400 square inches touchscreen does stand out, but it’s not what I need to stay consistent.

• I needed to have access to a smart gym that calculates my metrics and provides real-time feedback.

• I needed to get a smart gym that makes my workouts more challenging using the latest digital technology.

• I needed to be able to create my customized workout plan, as well as enjoy a handful of on-demand classes.

In the end, I did choose Tonal.

It uses AI technology and smart features like Spotter, Burnout Mode, Eccentric Mode, and Smart Flex. These are advanced training methods that make my workouts more intense (and fun).

For me, it feels like hiring a personal trainer, but less expensive.

Below you can see how Tonal and iFit membership prices compare to other popular fitness services per month and per session based on 4 workouts per week.

Fitness service/membership	Price per month	Price per workout
NordicTrack Vault membership	$39	$1.80
Tonal membership	$59.95	$3.70
Personal Training	$1,200	$75
OrangeTheory	$159 (unlimited)	$9.90
F45	$200	$12.50
SoulCycle	$600	$37.50
CrossFit Gym	$186 (on average)	$11.60
Yoga Studio	$400	$25.00
Yoga Private	$1,400	$87.50
Private Pilates	$2,000	$125.00
Bootcamp Class	$400	$25
Fitness Class on NCL Cruise	$400	$25

The price per session on both Tonal and NordicTrack Vault is relatively affordable, especially if you choose to train more often.

Plus, if you want to train together with your spouse, friends, and family, it’s even more affordable.

However, Tonal is still twice more expensive as NordicTrack Vault, which is something you should keep in mind.