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We Tested the Best Folding Treadmills for Saving Space, Here Are the Top 12

Our top picks are compact, convenient, and going viral on Tiktok

Collage of folding treadmills we recommend on a colorful background

Verywell Fit / Marcus Millan

Treadmills can be a great addition to any at-home gym, allowing you to conveniently incorporate cardio into your regular fitness routine. The only problem? Treadmills can be incredibly bulky—making them a tough add for small at-home workout spaces. Thankfully, the best folding treadmills offer an easy way around this common problem as they take up less space than traditional treadmills and still provide an effective way to add cardio to your routine, regardless of the weather outside, says John Honerkamp, RRCA, a USATF-certified running coach.

The best folding treadmills are user-friendly, sturdy, easily foldable, and have valuable features like metric tracking, user profiles, guided workouts, and more. Smaller folding treadmills often fold completely flat, while large ones have a belt that folds up at a 45-degree angle. Depending on your lifestyle, space, and needs, characteristics to consider include dimensions, weight capacity, speed, and incline. When it comes to exercise equipment for seniors, in particular, user-friendliness is a key consideration. Additionally, it's important to look for any additional features that you might want—like third-party app integration, Bluetooth compatibility, and more. 

Our team of fitness editors (from varying fitness backgrounds and experience levels) tested over 20 top-selling treadmills from their homes to find the best folding treadmills on the market. We evaluated each folding treadmill for several weeks, completing dozens of workouts with each product. We then rated each folding treadmill on a scale of 1 (would not recommend) to 5 (highly recommended) for ease of setup, ease of use, foldability, features, and value.

Another reason to trust our recommendations? We had an RRCA- and USATF-certified running coach from our Review Board review this article for accuracy and the best way to evaluate folding treadmills.

Best Overall

Echelon Stride Auto-Fold Treadmill

Echelon Stride Auto-Fold Connected Treadmill

Echelon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Setup
    4.8/5
  • Ease of Use
    4.9/5
  • Foldability
    4.2/5
  • Features
    5/5
  • Value
    5/5
  • Folds completely flat

  • Great for small spaces

  • Durable

  • Super heavy to move

Echelon’s Stride Auto-Fold Connected Treadmill helped us boost daily step count and limit hours of physical inactivity because it’s easy and enjoyable to use. This product stands out from competitors for its metric tracking, connectivity features, and powerful performance—all within a compact footprint and at a pretty competitive price.

Within minutes of receiving the fully assembled treadmill, it was ready to use—all we had to do was unfold it, plug it in, and attach smaller accessories (like the safety key and phone holder). It’s easy to connect to the Echelon Fit App where you can purchase a membership (for as low as $29.16/month) to get access to thousands of on-demand workouts and 40+ daily live classes. If you don't want the added fees, you can choose from eight pre-programmed workouts. But we found most of these to be best suited for runners, not walkers.

If guided workouts aren’t for you, you can also stream your favorite shows from your own device, thanks to the convenient tablet and phone holder that’s built into the treadmill for easy viewing. We love that helpful, motivating metrics (like speed, distance, calories burned, and more) are clearly displayed on the touchscreen and can be tracked directly on the treadmill, on Apple Health, or from your Apple Watch. And we also appreciate that the speed and incline buttons are easily accessible on the treadmill’s touchscreen and handrails.  

While many of the treadmills on our list take up a fixed spot in your space, we appreciate that the Stride folds flat to just 10 inches tall and can be stored under your bed, couch, or against a wall. Although it has vertical and horizontal transport wheels, it’s important to note that during our test the machine was too heavy for us to move far from where we unfolded it. 

How it folds: We found it easy to fold this treadmill—all you have to do is to fold down the handrails and then step on the side lever that makes the treadmill auto-fold in half.  

Key Specs: 
Dimensions:
69 x 31 x 49 inches | Weight Capacity: 300 pounds | Maximum Speed: 12 miles per hour | Incline: 12 levels

Echelon Stride Auto-Fold Connect Treadmill sitting next to a window on wood flooring

Verywell Fit / Sarah Felbin

Most User-Friendly

Horizon Fitness 7.0 AT Treadmill

Horizon Fitness 7.0AT Studio Treadmill

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Setup
    3.9/5
  • Ease of Use
    4.3/5
  • Foldability
    4.5/5
  • Features
    4.7/5
  • Value
    4.5/5
Pros
  • Durable

  • Great for runners

  • Ample features

Cons
  • Difficult to assemble

  • Large footprint

Despite its large footprint and heavy-duty design, Horizon Fitness’ 7.0 AT Treadmill is incredibly user-friendly. The speed and incline adjustment knobs are accessible mid-run, and there are even pre-set levels to easily tailor your workouts. We appreciate how simple it is to connect to popular training apps (like Peloton, Zwift, Nike Run Club, and more), and prop up your own device on the convenient holder to stream shows from your favorite platforms. 

Unlike our best overall pick, Echelon’s Stride Auto-Fold Connected Treadmill, this machine doesn’t fold flat—so it’s not the best option for smaller spaces. But if you’re a runner with the space (and budget), you might opt for this pick because it has ample features: lots of storage, greater incline range, a powerful fan, a larger running deck, a USB port for device charging, integrated speakers, and more. This treadmill helped to motivate us to run and maintain endurance levels during cold winter months. 

How it folds: We found it easy to fold the treadmill’s running belt upright to a 45-degree angle by lifting the belt and locking it in place.

Key Specs: 
Dimensions:
76 x 35 x 66 inches | Weight Capacity: 325 pounds | Maximum Speed: 12 miles per hour | Incline: 15 levels

Person walking on a Horizon Fitness 7.0 Treadmill

Verywell Fit / Sheena Chihak

Best for Home Gyms

Horizon Fitness 7.8 AT Treadmill

Horizon Fitness 7.8 AT Studio Treadmill

Dick's Sporting Goods

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Setup
    3.3/5
  • Ease of Use
    4.9/5
  • Foldability
    3.3/5
  • Features
    5/5
  • Value
    4.9/5
Pros
  • Large running deck

  • Ample storage

  • Great for runners

Cons
  • Difficult to assemble

  • Large footprint

The best home gym equipment provides a convenient, cost-efficient way to help you achieve your fitness goals. And if you have the space, a folding treadmill is a great way to clock in cardio. Like many other products on our list, Horizon Fitness’ 7.8 Studio Treadmill connects directly to popular fitness apps, like Zwift or Peloton, so that you can conveniently stream classes from the comfort of your own home.  

But what sets this product apart from the rest is its durable, heavy-duty design that mimics a treadmill you might find in a commercial gym. During testing, several users (of varying body types and weights) logged miles on this treadmill—it remained stable and sturdy regardless of speed or incline. And after several months of continuous use, it looks and works as good as new—which makes investing in home gym equipment like this worth it.

We also tested the brand's popular 7.0 AT Studio Treadmill (our Most User-Friendly pick), which features many of the same features—a fan, integrated speakers, a USB port for device charging, and more. But the 7.8 AT Studio has a 2-inch wider running deck, an extra storage tray, extended side rails, and a larger screen, which contribute to its higher price tag. 

How it folds: We found it easy to fold the treadmill’s running belt upright to a 45-degree angle by lifting the belt and locking it in place.

Key Specs: 
Dimensions:
76 x 37 x 64 inches | Weight Capacity: 375 pounds | Maximum Speed: 12 miles per hour | Incline: 15 levels

Close up of the Horizon Fitness 7.8 treadmill display

Verywell Fit / Michelle Parente

Best for Streaming Shows

Xterra Fitness TRX5500 Treadmill

Xterra TRX5500 Treadmill

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Setup
    4.2/5
  • Ease of Use
    4.5/5
  • Foldability
    4.4/5
  • Features
    4.8/5
  • Value
    4.8/5
Pros
  • Durable

  • Great for runners

  • Ample features

Cons
  • Difficult to assemble

  • Large footprint

We used XTERRA Fitness’s TRX5500 Treadmill to walk on an incline while streaming our favorite shows on Netflix, Hulu, CNN, YouTube, and more, straight from the touchscreen display. You can also log into apps like Facebook and Twitter, as well as screen mirror anything straight from iOS and Android devices to the console screen. And if you want a guided workout, you can follow along to the treadmill's pre-programmed workouts or connect to other popular fitness apps like Zwift and Kinomap

During testing, multiple users logged miles on this durable machine, so we appreciated the option to create several profiles and sync to Apple Health to track personal stats. You can also view helpful metrics like distance, pace, calories burned, and more, straight from the treadmill's display—this helped us with goal setting and accountability throughout testing. 

This pick offers similar features to Horizon Fitness’ 7.0 AT Treadmill—like a large running deck, fan, integrated speakers, USB port for charging, and more—plus an advanced entertainment deck. It only folds up to a 45-degree angle, so you’ll need some space for this pick. 

How it folds: We found it easy to fold the treadmill’s running belt upright to a 45-degree angle by lifting the belt and locking it in place.

Key Specs: 
Dimensions:
 77.2 x 35.5 x 56.1 inches | Weight Capacity: 350 pounds | Maximum Speed: 12 miles per hour | Incline: 15 levels

XTERRA Fitness TRX Performance Series Folding Treadmill folded up sitting next to a window on wood flooring

Verywell Fit / Allaire Nuss

Best Budget

Xterra Fitness TR150 Treadmill

XTERRA Fitness TR150 Treadmill

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Setup
    4.2/5
  • Ease of Use
    5/5
  • Foldability
    5/5
  • Features
    4/5
  • Value
    4/5
Pros
  • Very quiet

  • Easy to fold and transport

  • User-friendly

Cons
  • Low maximum speed and incline

One of the best budget home gym equipment finds, a quality folding treadmill can save you space and money. XTERRA Fitness’ TR Folding Treadmill is sturdy, durable, and user-friendly with all of the basic features you need to get in a solid workout. We appreciate that it’s easy to fold and compact enough for smaller spaces. 

Unlike Echelon’s Stride Auto-Fold Connected Treadmill, this product doesn’t come fully assembled. But all we had to do was attach the two side rails, and it was ready to go within minutes. After downloading the XTERRA+ app—which offers dozens of workout programs—it was easy to add multiple user profiles and user-specific fitness goals. We love that the metrics displayed on the treadmill's LCD screen automatically sync to the app for a convenient way to track your progress. We also like the 12 accessible pre-set programs for guided workouts. 

If you don’t want to use the XTERRA+ app, you can also follow along to one of the treadmill's 12 pre-programmed workouts, or connect to third-party apps like Zwift and Kinomap. Like many other picks on our list, you can easily adjust the incline and speed from two access points (the front display and handlebars). But while most products go up to 12 miles per hour and offer 15 incline levels, it’s important to note that this one maxes out at 10 miles per hour and 10 incline levels. Still, we think it has enough features to make it a great bang for your buck.

How it folds: We found it easy to fold the treadmill’s running belt upright to a 45-degree angle by lifting the belt and locking it in place.

Key Specs: 
Dimensions:
64.6 x 29.3 x 51.7 inches | Weight Capacity: 250 pounds | Maximum Speed: 10 miles per hour | Incline: 10 levels

Best Display

NordicTrack Commercial 2450

NordicTrack Commercial 2450

Nordictrack

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Setup
    5/5
  • Ease of Use
    3.8/5
  • Foldability
    4/5
  • Features
    5/5
  • Value
    5/5
Pros
  • Rotating display

  • Sleek look

  • Great for runners

Cons
  • Large footprint

We love Nordictrack’s Commercial 2450 Folding Treadmill for its stunning display, sleek design, durability, and iFit integration. Our tester (who wears contacts and typically has to squint to read screens) found the 22-inch HD touchscreen clear and easy to read with helpful metrics always accessible on-screen. We also love that you can tilt and pivot the display if you want to take your workout off the belt using the treadmill's interactive training platform, iFIT. 

Included with the treadmill is a 30-Day iFIT trial membership, offering hundreds of instructor-led running, hiking, walking, and strength workouts that auto-adjust your speed and incline levels based on instructor cues. Speed and incline levels are also easy to manually adjust mid-run, which we appreciate for optimal focus. Throughout testing, we really enjoyed running and walking through scenic routines played out on the crisp display. 

Unlike Echelon’s Stride Auto-Fold Connected Treadmill, this product doesn’t fold flat so it’s best for larger spaces or home gyms. But we did find it super easy to fold (to a 45-degree angle) to save some space. 

How it folds: We found it easy to fold the treadmill’s running belt upright to a 45-degree angle by lifting the belt and locking it in place.

Key Specs: 
Dimensions:
78.5 x 35.6 x 65 inches | Weight Capacity: 300 pounds | Maximum Speed: 12 miles per hour | Incline: 15 levels

Best Features

Horizon Fitness 7.4 AT Treadmill

Horizon Fitness 7.4 AT Treadmill

Horizon Fitness

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Setup
    5/5
  • Ease of Use
    4.8/5
  • Foldability
    5/5
  • Features
    4.8/5
  • Value
    5/5
Pros
  • Dial controls for seamless adjustments

  • Powerful fan

  • No subscription needed

Cons
  • Fan angle is not adjustable

  • Easy to overshoot target speed and incline

This Horizon treadmill is loaded with features that will make your home workout a breeze. In addition to Bluetooth connectivity and a one-step hydraulic folding system, the treadmill has truly unique speed and incline controls. The quick dial controls let you adjust the speed and incline without breaking your stride by spinning a dial on the end of an arm positioned in front of the control panel. When testing this treadmill, we found this adjustment mechanism much easier to use than push button controls. However, we noted that it's easy to overshoot your target speed or incline if you move the dials too quickly.

The speed and incline change quickly, and the motion is smooth and quiet, so there's no disruption to your runs. The treadmill has an extra long belt that made us confident we wouldn't fall off the back during workouts. And we like how easy it is to connect to devices and apps without an added subscription. The control panel is easy to understand and includes a media shelf with a non-slip covering, so your phone or tablet stay safe. It also has a rapid-charge USB port and 10 pre-set workout programs.

The treadmill also has loudspeakers and a powerful fan, but it's worth noting that there is no way to adjust the angle of the fan.

How it folds: This treadmill begins to fold automatically as you lift it up.

Key Specs: 
Dimensions:
37  x 76  x 63 inches | Weight Capacity: 350 pounds | Maximum Speed: 12 miles per hour | Incline: 15 levels

Best Investment

ProForm Pro 9000 Treadmill

ProForm Pro 9000 Treadmill

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Setup
    5/5
  • Ease of Use
    4.2/5
  • Foldability
    4/5
  • Features
    4/5
  • Value
    4/5
Pros
  • Large and crisp touchscreen display,

  • Great for runners

  • Large running deck

Cons
  • Large footprint

If you’re looking to invest in a heavy-duty, high-performing treadmill with all the bells and whistles, this pick may be for you. It’s the most expensive option on our list, but worth it because of its large and crisp display, interactive iFit training on and off the machine, metric tracking, and more. It’s easy to fold (to a 45-degree angle) but has a large footprint that’s not ideal for smaller spaces. 

After scheduling a preferred delivery date, the machine arrived fully assembled and was ready to use within minutes. It was easy to connect to the iFit app and access the 30-day free membership trial. Just like Nordictrack’s Commercial 2450, ProForm’s Pro 9000 Treadmill auto-adjusts your speed and incline during instructor-led classes. We used the iFit platform to track progress, complete scenic runs in Mexico City, and adventurous walks through the Serengeti—leaving each workout feeling accomplished and inspired. 

If you don’t want to purchase an iFit membership, you can walk or run at your own pace and manually adjust speed and incline via numbered buttons on the treadmill’s front display. But we do think that the integration with iFit (and the crisp 22-inch touchscreen display) is what makes this machine worth its price. So if you don’t want to purchase the iFit membership, you might want to consider opting for a more basic option like XTERRA Fitness’ TR Folding Treadmill, our best budget pick.

How it folds: We found it easy to fold the treadmill’s running belt upright to a 45-degree angle by lifting the belt and locking it in place.

Key Specs: 
Dimensions:
77.3 x 35.3 x 59.6 inches | Weight Capacity: 300 pounds | Maximum Speed: 12 miles per hour | Incline: 15 levels

Woman folding up a Proform Pro 9000 Treadmill

Verywell Fit / Julia Sayers Gokhale

Best for Running

Pro-Form Pro 2000 Smart Treadmill

Pro-Form Pro 2000 Smart Treadmill

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Setup
    4.5/5
  • Ease of Use
    3.6/5
  • Foldability
    4.1/5
  • Features
    4.4/5
  • Value
    4.2/5
Pros
  • Large running deck

  • Durable

  • Crisp touchscreen display

Cons
  • Large footprint

In total, we tested three treadmills from ProForm: The Pro 9000 (our best investment pick), Pro 2000 (our best for running pick), and Carbon T7 (our best for guided workouts pick). While many of them share similar features, we recommend the Pro 2000 for runners who need a solid and sturdy treadmill that can be used for guided or manual runs. Just like other ProForm picks, this one’s proprietary streaming platform is iFIT (for which you get a 30-day free trial upon purchase). 

Unlike the Pro 9000, this one doesn’t come fully assembled. But despite its large construction, we found it easy to set up, make an iFIT account, and access the free trial. The treadmill is also intuitive to fold up (to a 45-degree angle) but still takes up a pretty decent amount of space. If you choose to use iFit, speed and incline automatically adjust based on instructor cues. But during testing, we preferred to use this machine to run at our own pace, around the ¼-mile virtual track, which was simple thanks to the accessible speed and incline adjustment buttons. 

When running on a treadmill, it’s important that metrics (like speed, distance, and time) are easy to view and track mid-run. We appreciate that helpful metrics like these are clearly displayed on the crisp 10-inch touchscreen during both manual and guided workouts.

How it folds: We found it easy to fold the treadmill’s running belt upright to a 45-degree angle by lifting the belt and locking it in place.

Key Specs: 
Dimensions:
77.3 x 35.3 x 59.6 inches | Weight Capacity: 300 pounds | Maximum Speed: 12 miles per hour | Incline: 15 levels

ProForm Pro Smart Treadmill folded up next to brick pillar

Verywell Fit / Sara Michael

Easiest to Use

Nordictrack 1250 Treadmill

Nordictrack 1250 Treadmill

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Setup
    3.9/5
  • Ease of Use
    5/5
  • Foldability
    4.6/5
  • Features
    5/5
  • Value
    4/5
Pros
  • 30-day iFit membership trial included

  • Decline feature

  • Dual fans adjust with workout intensity

Cons
  • Membership required for most of the features

  • Some buttons may need multiple pushes to work

If you're looking for a treadmill loaded with features that are easy to understand and use, we recommend this treadmill from NordicTrack. The console is clearly labeled and very intuitive. There are two ways to adjust the speed and incline, and when adjusted, the treadmill moves smoothly and quietly. We love that this treadmill tracks speed and incline and will automatically adjust these metrics based on workout history. When testing this treadmill, we did note that some buttons had to be pushed multiple times to get them to work.

We love the variety of workouts for all fitness levels offered by the iFit membership, but it's worth noting that the treadmill can only be used in manual mode with minimal features if you opt not to pay for the monthly membership. The 10-inch touchscreen pivots side to side to allow for off-treadmill workouts, but it doesn't adjust when the treadmill incline goes up, which can make viewing awkward.

The treadmill has a decline feature and dual fans that automatically adjust with the intensity of the workout. We found the belt well cushioned and long enough to be comfortable when running.

How it folds: This treadmill is easy to lift and locks in place when it reaches a 45-degree angle against the console.

Key Specs: 
Dimensions:
36  x 78.5  x 65 inches | Weight Capacity: 300 pounds | Maximum Speed: 12 miles per hour | Incline: 15 levels

Best for Guided Workouts

ProForm Carbon T7 Treadmill

ProForm Carbon T7 Treadmill

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Setup
    3.3/5
  • Ease of Use
    4.2/5
  • Foldability
    5/5
  • Features
    3.6/5
  • Value
    4.2/5
Pros
  •  3-year iFIT subscription included

  • User-friendly

Cons
  • Low maximum speed and incline

  • Difficult to assemble

ProForm’s Carbon T7 Treadmill comes with a free three-year iFIT subscription that gives you access to instructor-led workouts that take place in-studio or at various scenic locations around the world. And just like the other ProForm picks we tested, the speed and incline automatically adjust based on instructor cues for a hands-free workout. Through the free membership, you also get access to hundreds of strength-training classes for when it’s time to take your workout off the belt.

One downside, the machine does not arrive assembled, and putting it together was tedious and time-consuming (it took three people and over three hours!). But once it was set up, the treadmill was intuitive to use and super easy to fold up post-workout. On the 7-inch touchscreen display, we were able to make several user profiles and keep track of helpful metrics that were automatically stored within each profile. 

The only other downside is that the speed maxes out at 10 miles per hour, and the incline only has 10 levels, which is lower than other picks on our list. With that being said, we did find both speed and incline easy to adjust mid-run thanks to the accessible adjustment buttons. 

How it folds: We found it easy to fold the treadmill’s running belt upright to a 45-degree angle by lifting the belt and locking it in place.

Key Specs: 
Dimensions:
66 x 33.5 x 57 inches | Weight Capacity: 300 pounds | Maximum Speed: 10 miles per hour | Incline: 10 levels

ProForm Carbon T7 Smart Treadmill sitting next to window on concrete floor

Verywell Fit / Sophia Heald

Best for Small Spaces

Sunny Health & Fitness Strider Foldable Treadmill

Amazon Sunny Health & Fitness Strider Foldable Treadmill

Amazon

Our Ratings
  • Ease of Setup
    5/5
  • Ease of Use
    3/5
  • Foldability
    5/5
  • Features
    3/5
  • Value
    4/5
Pros
  • Budget-friendly

  • Folds completely flat

Cons
  • Low maximum speed

  • No incline

  • No screen or display

Sunny Health & Fitness’ Strider Foldable Smart Treadmill folds in half and lays flat at just 8.3 inches tall when folded. The only other product on our list that folds completely flat is Echelon’s Stride Auto-Fold Connected Treadmill, which stands at 10 inches tall when folded. Both options are great for small spaces, but this pick is even better if you’re on a budget. 

The treadmill arrived fully assembled but folded up, so all we had to do was unfold it and download the SunnyFit App on our personal devices (there is no touchscreen display on this treadmill). We used the app on Free Mode, which gave us access to tons of workouts and an easy way to track metrics (which you can also view on the small LCD monitor). The treadmill also has an infrared heart rate sensor that you can place your finger on to track your heart rate—although we found this hard to do at any pace faster than a slow walk. 

It’s important to note that this machine does not have incline capabilities, and that speed does not auto-adjust based on instructor cues—like with ProForm’s Pro 9000 Treadmill and other options on our list. Although we enjoyed sifting through the treadmill’s nine pre-programmed workouts, we wish it went faster than 9 miles per hour. But for the price, we still think it’s a great small-space-friendly pick.

How it folds: We found it easy to fold down the device holder and handrails and pull on the side lever to fold the treadmill in half. 

Key Specs: 
Dimensions:
29.3  x 62.6  x 47.6 inches | Weight Capacity: 250 pounds | Maximum Speed: 9 miles per hour | Incline: None

Sunny Health Fitness Strider screen and handles

Verywell Fit / Katie Tuttle

How We Rated the Folding Treadmills

4.8 to 5 stars: These are the best folding treadmills we tested. We recommend them without reservation.
4.5 to 4.7 stars: These folding treadmills are excellent—they might have minor flaws, but we still recommend them.
4.0 to 4.5 stars: We think these are great folding treadmills, but others are better.
3.5 to 3.9 stars: These folding treadmills are just average.
3.4 and below: We don't recommend folding treadmills with this rating; you won't find any on our list.

We Also Tested

We tested over 20 folding treadmills, but only the top ten made it into our final list of recommendations. While these two didn't make our list, we did want to call out some key features that stood out during testing. 

  • The Sunny Health & Fitness Folding Incline Treadmill is easy to assemble, user-friendly, and the cheapest option that we tested. But during walks and runs it didn’t feel safe or stable, with a short and narrow belt that caused discomfort and distraction. 
  • NordicTrack’s Commercial 1750 Treadmill is durable, sturdy, and professional-grade. But the interface lacks responsiveness and the design is not user-friendly—making this pick not worth it for the high price tag. 
Buttons on handle on a XTERRA Fitness TRX Performance Series Folding Treadmill

Verywell Fit / Allaire Nuss

How We Tested the Folding Treadmills

In order to recommend the best folding treadmills to our readers, we participated in real-world testing, evaluating each product for how well it performed in our own homes and fitness routines. With expert guidance from Andrew Billman, ISSA, CPT,  and John Honerkamp, RRCA, a USATF-certified running coach, we tested over 20 top-rated folding treadmills to find the best on the market. 

Over the course of several months, each tester evaluated their treadmill while walking, running, and performing other workouts if available. When the treadmills first arrived, we assessed each for setup: Did the machine come fully assembled? If not, how long and difficult was it to set up? Once the treadmills were fully assembled, we reviewed any safety features, signed up for applicable streaming services, connected to compatible apps, and took into account any other notable features. 

Finally, it was time to get moving. We walked, jogged, and ran on the treadmills for a minimum of four workouts per week—paying attention to how safe and sturdy they felt, as well as any other helpful or unique features. We also assessed each treadmill’s foldability: How easy was it to fold up the treadmill? Did folding save space? 

Considering each component of testing, we then rated each folding treadmill on a scale of 1 (would not recommend) to 5 (highly recommend) for ease of setup, ease of use, foldability, features, and value.  

What to Look For in a Folding Treadmill

Size

Folding treadmills are a popular pick for small spaces because they’re easy to store between workouts. But when unfolded, a folding treadmill can be as big as a regular treadmill (like is the case with Horizon Fitness’ 7.8 AT Studio Treadmill), so you’ll want to double-check a folding treadmill’s unfolded dimensions before buying to make sure that it can fit your space. A solid space-saving option is the Sunny Health & Fitness Strider Foldable Smart Treadmill because it folds completely flat. But if footprint really is an issue, consider looking into our list of the best treadmill desks, which might work better for you—especially in an office space.

Weight Capacity

Some treadmills can support more weight than others. When purchasing, you’ll want to make sure the treadmill is sturdy enough to support you and any extra weight that you might be wearing or using while working out, like ankle weights or weighted vests.

Maximum Speed

If you’re a fan of running, you’ll want to make sure your treadmill can pick up some serious speed. Most folding treadmills can reach speeds up to 10 miles per hour—and some can reach speeds up to 12 miles per hour. But others max out at 3 miles per hour, so you’ll want to consider a treadmill’s maximum speed (and whether it suits your needs) before buying.

Incline

If you love an uphill workout, you’ll likely want a treadmill with adjustable incline settings. Many folding treadmills offer inclines up to 15 percent, like Sole Fitness’ F80 Treadmill, while others offer no incline settings at all. Consider the type of workouts you like to do, and make sure the machine you’re eyeing is capable of delivering them.

Screen and adjustment button on a NordicTrack Treadmill

Verywell Fit / Tory Brangham

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are folding treadmills as effective as regular treadmills?

    Yes, many folding treadmills are just as effective as regular treadmills. That’s because foldability has very little to do with a treadmill’s ability to deliver a good workout. Factors like incline and speed are much more important to consider. A speedy uphill climb is bound to be more challenging than a leisurely flat stroll—no matter what kind of machine you’re doing it on.

  • What is the average size of a folding treadmill?

    Size is an important factor when choosing which folding treadmill to purchase—you should look at folded and unfolded dimensions before choosing a machine. The smallest option that we tested, Sunny Health & Fitness’ Strider Foldable Smart Treadmill is 29.3 x 62.6 x 47.6 inches, while the largest, Nordictrack’s Commercial 2450 is 78.5 x 35.6 x 65 inches. Our best overall pick is 69 x 31 x 49 inches but folds down to just 10 inches tall.

  • How much do folding treadmills cost?

    The price of a folding treadmill will depend on its size, features, and app integration. Low-budget options often lack the stability, durability, and helpful features that you can find in higher-priced products. The most budget-friendly pick on our list is often available for around $640, while our best overall pick, Echelon’s Stride Auto-Fold Connected Treadmill was $1,300 when we published this list.

NordicTrack Treadmill sitting on wooden floor next to end table

Verywell Fit / Tory Brangham

Why Trust Verywell Fit 

Michelle Parente is an experienced fitness writer who is passionate about health and wellness and knows the importance of making great product recommendations. She participated in our real-world folding treadmill test, logging many miles on the Horizon Fitness 7.8 AT Studio Treadmill.