The much-requested Zwift family plan and alternatives that won't break the bank
If you're part of the indoor cycling community, you've probably found yourself wondering why Zwift—the leading name in virtual cycling apps—still hasn't introduced a family plan. Many competitors have embraced the idea, making Zwift's silence on the matter something of a mystery. So, what's the holdup, Zwift? Today, we'll explore why a family plan is still missing and highlight some budget-friendly alternatives for families who want to enjoy indoor cycling together. Let's dive in and find the best options for your family!
The Zwift Family Plan Saga
Let's dive into the ongoing saga of Zwift's elusive family plan. It's no secret: users have been requesting it for years, and yet, Zwift continues to leave them hanging.
As things stand, Zwift charges $19.99 per month per user—a cost that quickly adds up for multi-cyclist households. For families with two or more cyclists, this means monthly costs of $40, $60, or even more. Compoud that yearly, it's a hefty bill. No wonder families have been clamoring for a better deal.
Zwift's Freebie: Kids Ride for Free
Zwift used to offer one small perk: kids between 5 and 16 could ride for free. However, they have recently removed this feature, meaning families can no longer take advantage of this cost-saving benefit for young riders.
Even if this seemed to be a good way to attract younger users to have loyalty toward zwift, it seems the numbers didn't add up and they removed that option.
The Struggles of Sharing a Single Zwift Account
One popular workaround to the lack of a family plan is sharing a Zwift account among multiple users.
While it sounds clever, this approach comes with some major drawbacks that can really ruin your indoor cycling experience.
1. Loss of Personal Achievements
Sharing an account means that personal achievements get blurred together. Zwift rewards users with badges for milestones like completing routes or reaching personal bests. When multiple people use one account, those badges lose their sentimental value—they no longer represent one person’s hard work and dedication, diluting their motivational impact.
2. Mixed Ride Statistics
Cyclists love tracking their progress—whether it’s kilometers ridden per week, total elevation climbed, average speed, heart rate data, FPT, or personal workout history. Unfortunately, sharing an account jumbles all these statistics together, making it impossible for each person to accurately monitor their own progress, track fitness trends, and set personal goals.
3. Irrelevant Personal Records
Personal records are one of Zwift’s big motivators—the thrill of breaking a record keeps cyclists pushing themselves. When an account is shared, those records become meaningless. A less experienced rider may never even get the chance to set a record, leading to frustration rather than progress.
4. Risk of a Zwift Power Profile Ban
Constantly changing account metrics like weight and FTP (Functional Threshold Power) to suit different users is not only tedious but risky. It can trigger Zwift's fraud detection, resulting in a ban from Zwift Power—the platform that tracks race results and performance statistics. For families with serious cyclists, this can mean losing access to rankings and race data altogether.
In short, sharing an account might seem like a clever cost-saving solution at first, but it quickly becomes more trouble than it's worth.
Until Zwift introduces a family plan, you’re either stuck paying for individual accounts or risking a frustrating, suboptimal experience.
Zwift Alternatives: When One Subscription Just Isn't Enough
Here is a list of popular Zwift alternatives, which one include family plans and their pricing plans per month:
|
Platform
|
Familly Plan Available?
|
Price per month
|
 |
No
|
$19.99/1 Account
|
 |
Yes
|
Single: $14.99/1 Account
Double: $16.58/2 Accounts
Group: $27.42/5 Accounts
|
|
BKool
 |
Yes | Single: $11.99/1 Account Group: $12/3 Account *yearly |
|
|
No | Single: $21.99/1 Account |
These options provide different features and pricing structures that can better suit families and multi-cyclist households compared to Zwift's current pricing model.
Click here for our detailed analysis of Rouvy VS Zwift
The Wait for a Zwift Family Plan Continues
As we wrap up our journey into the mystery of the missing Zwift family plan, one thing is clear—there's no definitive answer as to why it hasn't been implemented yet. While Zwift keeps its users guessing, it's good to know that options like Rouvy are available to help families enjoy indoor cycling without the hefty price tag. Until Zwift decides to join the family plan bandwagon, the quest for a more affordable virtual cycling solution continues. Happy riding!
