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Rouvy vs Zwift: Which Is More Realistic? | 2024
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Even though Rouvy and Zwift are both popular indoor apps, do you ever want to judge which one is the best? Indeed both apps are feature-rich, but they are slightly different in terms of popularity. That is why it’s essential to get a clear understanding of Rouvy vs Zwift. That is, you need to know which one has gained more popularity.
To people, both Zwift and Rouvy are preferred from various points of view, but there are some differences in features between them. Also, Zwift has more users worldwide than Rouvy. But Rouvy is ahead in terms of popularity when you want to feel realistic riding because Zwift is wholly animated.
However, I understand your knowledge is insufficient because there is more to know about them. That’s why I’m going to expand this article a bit. Here I will reveal the features of Rouvy and Zwift that will help you differentiate between them and identify the winner.
Indoor training benefits:
Indoor cycling training has many benefits beyond your imagination. You probably don’t know if you do an outdoor activity regularly. Indoor training offers more conveniences than you think.
Requires Less Time To Start
This is one of the advantages of indoor training that makes it very popular among riders. Outdoor riding requires lots of preparation which is quite time-consuming. With the help of any trainer app, you can start your riding after sitting on the bicycle. When it comes to outdoor riding, you need to know beforehand a route where you can safely cycle, even outside the city.
Beats The Bad Weather
Biking in rough weather is indeed unpleasant. Indoor training is definitely the best option if you don’t want to cycle in bad weather. While riding outdoors, sudden rain, rough wind, or snow may occur, which makes the rider experience uncomfortable conditions. So you might want to stop riding for some to avoid bad weather. Beating lousy weather is very easy in indoor training.
Ensures More Safety
Indoor training avoids dangerous roads, bad weather, and heavy traffic. Hot sun and snow-covered areas can seriously affect a biker’s health. It’s convenient even for those who stay away from training at certain times. This is because there are some dangerous conditions. Therefore enjoy riding for a long time at a tolerable temperature.
Cyclists Can Avoid Injuries
Many suffer from various injuries to train for outdoor cycling. Because there are multiple materials in the outdoor environment, you can even get seriously injured by an accidental fall. This will undoubtedly put you off cycling training for a while. Nothing should be considered against indoor training to avoid all injuries and have an excellent cycling experience.
Training with strength
The fatigue you feel while training indoors is much less than outdoor riding. So you get several times more power for riding and can ride for longer. Also, you can achieve the target through specific training with considerable accuracy. Depending on your workout needs, you can take the help of a reliable trainer like the Zwift app.
Rouvy vs Zwift:
In the context of Rouvy vs Zwift, you will undoubtedly appreciate both, although plenty of indoor cycling apps are available. But you can make some difference between them when you know their general overview. If you are still not sure which one you should decide to use, then the summary of each app will clear your mind.
Rouvy
- Connectivity: ANT+ FE-C, Bluetooth
- App modes: Training mode, Time trial mode, Event/Race mode, Group ride mode
- Races: Tour of Slovenia, Tour de Suisse, Ironman VR Pro Series, La Vuelta Virtual
- Platform availability: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Apple TV
- ROUVY’s route library: AR routes and Non-AR routes
- Particularity: Video routes, augmented reality routes, structured workouts
- Suitable for: cyclists, runners, or triathletes
- Price: Rouvy cost per month 15 USD and 144 USD per year
- Trustpilot review: 8 reviews (Positive reviews, but customer support should be improved as several users have complained about it)
Zwift
- Connectivity: ANT+ FE-C, Bluetooth, BLE FTMS
- App modes: Multiplayer mode
- Races: Makuri Islands, France, Paris, Watopia, Richmond, London, Innsbruck, New York, Yorkshire
- Courses: Watopia, France, Innsbruck, London, Makuri Islands, New York, Paris, Richmond, Yorkshire
- Platform availability: Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, Apple TV
- Particularity: Daily race, training plans, structured workouts, animated avatars, variety of courses
- Suitable for: Huge number of users and community
- Price: 14.99 USD / month
- Trustpilot review: 45 reviews (Users are satisfied with the app, but Zwift,s customer support needs improvement as many customers complained about that)
Rouvy vs Zwift At A Glance:
To get a complete idea of Rouvy and Zwift, you need to know their main features and differences. You can’t make a decision based on just one source. For example, in the Rouvy vs Zwift reddit discussion Rouvy is singled out for praise. However, definitely refer to the table below to get a clear idea.
| Factors | Rouvy | Zwift |
| Realism | Rouvy offers cyclists the most realistic riding experience with real-life roads and terrain. | Zwift is the complete opposite of real-life riding as it is designed to ride on animated roads and environments. |
| Pricing | The Rouvy app offers three subscription plans—monthly, $15; half-yearly, $84; and yearly, $144. Longer subscriptions cost less. That’s why a monthly subscription is better for flexibility. | After the Zwift trainer app goes to a paid subscription, you pay $14.99 monthly. But before becoming a subscriber, it can be tested through a 7-day free trial. It also has the facility to push a Zwift subscription when the weather is good. It can be resumed after weather changes. |
| Multiplayer & Social Interactivity | It also has multiplayer, but you can’t face more people without popular routes. Also, it’s not in-game chat; it will require using a third-party app. | Zwift lets the larger community meet all the time. It is in-game chat, so there is no need to use third-party apps. There is a dedicated mobile app called Zwift Companion. |
| Races & Events | Rouvy includes many events for user convenience. Usually, affairs are actively managed by Rouvy. | Zwift’s races are more packed than Rouvy’s. It is so popular because it has a large active community. |
| Workouts | No workouts are created in the Rouvy app. Users can create their favorite activities through the 10,000 saved workouts and upload them themselves. | Zwift has created some sophisticated workouts and plans to reduce users’ exertion. So you can build and upload yours using their 2000 workout builder. |
| Gamification | Rouvy is very conservative in its use of gamification elements. Earlier it was almost entirely free of this feature, but later the app was updated. | Zwift uses many gamification elements that add more motivation to indoor training. This is an excellent feature of the software. |
| User Friendliness | Rouvy is simple and user-friendly, but many people find it difficult because its interface is black. Also, it feels pretty backdated. | Zwift is better when it comes to user-friendliness. Although it didn’t make much sense before, it still has advantages over Rouvy; even root loading takes a short time. |
| Best For | Group rides, Group workouts, Zwift races, and Solo Zwifting. Also, social-interaction friendly and has a vast community & user base. | Training Mode, Time Trial Mode, and Event Mode. Besides, many real-world routes and exclusive deals with new levels exist. |
| Cash prizes | Up to $10,000 | Up to $11,918 |
Rouvy and Zwift alternatives:
Just discussing Rouvy vs Zwift isn’t enough when you’re looking for some more options. You’ll be happy to know that there are several alternatives to Rouvy and Zwift that will satisfy you equally. Some options are mentioned below with descriptions:
Bkool
Bkool is a great Zwift alternative where you can train and compete with others. It is best for those looking for a better option to Rouvy and Zwift. The main feature of the app is that it comes with the ability to play real videos in 4K.
Besides, you will get a massive collection of routes to choose realistic city rides of your choice. In terms of Bkool vs Zwift, the app is a pretty affordable option. By spending just $10 a month, you get lots of benefits.
Fulgaz
Fulgaz is a popular app that rivals Rouvy and Zwift bike training apps. Especially for those looking for the opposite of indoor training, Zwift companion can choose it. Although it is not well known in the list of best cycling apps, it is still quite good compared to others.
It offers plenty of routes in an HD video for gravel terrain. Despite all these excellent features, Fulgaz is quite affordable. You can enjoy the app for just $10.99 a month. But before that, there is also a 14-day free trial.
Peloton
Then another great option is Peloton which you can easily consider an excellent alternative to Rouvy and Zwift. Usually, Rouvy or Zwift users don’t try Peloton in most cases, but they should. This app can find live and on-demand instructor-led spin classes and more.
The monthly subscription includes yoga classes, interval training workouts, stretching, running, and meditation classes. But it is a bit more expensive than the others as you have to spend $39 a month to get the above benefits.
TrainerRoad
TrainerRoad is probably the best AI-powered training program for avid cyclists. Among other cycling apps, it is pretty simple and provides the best display. With a workout graph, you can see everything and plan riding.
It also has metrics that plot your heart rate and cadence. Regarding Zwift vs Trainerroad, TrainerRoad can be your only choice for friendly and fast indoor cycling. You can enjoy all these great features for just $19.95 monthly.
Which do you choose?
So, are you sure which one is right for you? It’s tricky since Rouvy and Zwift are great apps and user favorites. But I think there is a huge difference in riding experience between Rouvy and Zwift.
Zwift offers various social aspects where you can find millions of registered users. But Rouvy is definitely better when experiencing thousands of real routes. Also, there is some price difference between Zwift vs Rouvy costs, such as Zwift being more expensive than Rouvy.
However, I can give you an instant idea about both apps. If you like more virtuality and want to ride in a gaming environment, Zwift is the best because, like the game, it allows you to create your own avatar.
On the other hand, for those who prefer realism and want to experience riding on some lively routes, Rouvy can definitely be a great choice for you. I think Rouvy is the winner regarding the whole discussion.
Bottom Line
Hopefully, the Rouvy vs Zwift discussion was helpful enough for you when searching for a top indoor training app. In this article, I have highlighted the main features and differences between the apps. Zwift routes are more virtualized, whereas Rouvy routes are entirely realistic.
But even though both platforms are reliable, I advise you to learn more about each because you don’t want to get some unwanted features in a paid subscription. However, if you are still unsure which one to pick, try the free trial of both apps. Indeed with practical experience, you will understand which one you need.
If you still want to know about some other options after trying the apps’ free trial, then try others that are mentioned in this article. These are also good alternatives to Rouvy and Zwift that will surely give you a better experience.
FAQ
Which is the big difference between Rouvy and Zwift?
The main difference between Rouvy and Zwift is that the former offers a social and realistic cycling experience, and the latter offers the best virtual cycle training experience with great gamification.
How many registered users are there in Zwift and Rouvy?
Zwift had 3.3 million registered accounts in 190 countries worldwide as of 2021, but the number will increase further in 2022. On the other hand, Rouvy has more than a quarter of a million registered users from 129 countries.
What is the app name that allows you to create your own avatar?
Zwift allows its users to make their avatars with gaming features to enjoy virtual cycling fully. Besides, the avatar can be customized by users as per their choice.
References
1. Indoor Cycling & Running Virtual Training App
2. RIDE ON REAL ROUTES. (n.d.). ROUVY
3. ‘I’m riding Le Tour in my spare room’: the indoor cycling revolution
4. https://www.reddit.com/r/cycling/comments/l3ryxh/rouvy_vs_zwift/5. https://forum.slowtwitch.com/forum/Slowtwitch_Forums_C1/Triathlon_Forum_F1/Rouvy_vs_Zwift_P7847012/
6. https://blog.rouvy.com/en/398/WHY-YOU-SHOULD-LOOK-FOR-A-ZWIFT-ALTERNATIVE-THIS-WINTER
Well written and simple comparison between the two apps. Unfortunately you left out the most important difference between the two. Rouvy uses actual video footage of routes all around the world. It’s the number one reason why people like it. You get to travel abroad while cycling. Zwift is completely animated.
Exactly, great point. And I personally prefer Rouvy to Zwift for this reason, I like to ride real routes and explore the world and adding places to my “go-to” list.