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ARX vs Tonal vs Speediance is a comparison across a price gap of more than ten times, and the gap is most of the answer. The Speediance Gym Monster 2 puts two 800W motors on a pair of cables for $3,272 to $4,649 across seven bundles (verified 2026-08-14), delivers up to 220 pounds of total load in one-pound steps, and charges nothing for core training. The ARX Alpha at $43,000 and the ARX Omni at $46,000 (both verified 2026-09-17) replace the weight stack with a computer-controlled motor that pushes back with exactly the force you produce at every point of the rep, including the lowering phase, and record it to a dashboard on a required $200 a month home software license.
The short answer: for most people who want motorized resistance at home, the Speediance is the buy. Its Basic bundle costs less than a tenth of an ARX Alpha, asks no monthly fee, and folds to 2.69 square feet. ARX is for a narrower buyer who wants motor-matched loading through the eccentric phase and per-rep force numbers, will train about 15 minutes twice a week the way ARX prescribes, and can site a 655 to 680 pound machine on its own non-GFCI circuit. Tonal has no entry in our catalog, so we hold no verified price, load figure or membership rate for it and will not invent them; what the catalog does record is the shape of its business model.
Quick answer
- Most home lifters: the Speediance Gym Monster 2 at $3,272 to $4,649 (verified 2026-08-14), 220 pounds of digital cable load with four resistance modes and no required subscription.
- Force-data buyer who wants the smallest ARX: the ARX Alpha at $43,000 (verified 2026-09-17), six guided-sled movements with motor-matched eccentric loading and per-rep force on a dashboard.
- One-machine studio or full-library home gym: the ARX Omni at $46,000 (verified 2026-09-17), sixteen cable-driven exercises on the same motor and software for $3,000 more than the Alpha.
At a glance: verified prices and dates
| Machine | Verified price | Verified | Resistance | Exercises | Footprint | Software |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speediance Gym Monster 2 | $3,272 to $4,649, seven bundles | 2026-08-14 | Dual 800W motors, 220 lb total (110 per arm), 1 lb steps; 2S bundles 130 per arm | Free-lift cables, 1,000+ workouts, 90+ plans | 9.04 sq ft unfolded, folds to 2.69 sq ft | None required; optional Wellness+ $24.90/mo or $249/yr |
| ARX Alpha | $43,000 hardware | 2026-09-17 | Motor matches your force at every point, concentric and eccentric | 6 on a guided sled | 21 sq ft, 655 lb | Required: $200/mo home, $400/mo commercial |
| ARX Omni | $46,000 hardware | 2026-09-17 | Same, through cables with clip-on handles and attachments | 16, including belt squat and deadlift | 37 sq ft, 680 lb | Same as the Alpha |
| Tonal | Not in our verified data | n/a | Motor-driven cable load, per our Speediance entry | Not in our verified data | Not in our verified data | Monthly membership gates most value, per our Speediance entry |
The Speediance figures are sale prices against $3,849 to $4,599 compare-at (verified July 2026), so they move. The ARX figures are the hardware prices ARX publishes; ARX quotes about $1,200 a month through third-party lenders, and a lender payment is never the price.
What motorized resistance means on each machine
The phrase covers two different ideas here. On the Speediance, two 800W permanent-magnet synchronous motors generate cable load in place of a plate stack, which is what lets it change weight in one-pound increments and run modes a stack cannot: Standard, Chain (load rises through the rep), Eccentric (heavier on the lowering phase) and Constant, a fixed-speed mode. You still pick a number and the motors hold it, with 220 pounds total the ceiling on the standard bundles and 130 per arm on the 2S.
On ARX there is no number to pick. A computer-controlled motor pushes back with exactly the force you produce at every point in the rep, including the lowering, or eccentric, phase ARX says weights cannot load. A load cell and the drive system feed the motor controller and the software in a feedback loop, so the machine meets whatever you give it and records what that was; ARX publishes no maximum in our verified data because the machine is not built around one. ARX says any rep scheme runs on it, standard, negative-only, positive-only, static, time-under-tension and partial-range, with adjustable rep speed, set, pause and rest times. A Speediance loads what you set; an ARX loads what you can produce.
Speediance Gym Monster 2: the value play
The Gym Monster 2 is the digital-cable pick in our best all-in-one home gym comparison. Two 800W motors deliver 220 pounds total, 110 per arm, in one-pound steps, and a 21.5-inch 1080p touchscreen runs the workouts. It occupies 9.04 square feet unfolded, 48 by 27.2 by 72.8 inches, and folds to 2.69 square feet against a wall. Seven bundles, verified 2026-08-14: Basic $3,272, Works $3,442, Works Plus $3,569, Family Plus $3,909, 2S Basic $4,231, 2S Works Plus $4,299 and 2S Family Plus $4,649, the 2S variants raising the per-arm ceiling to 130 pounds.
Speediance states that core training, meaning the workouts, custom workouts, free-lift mode, all four resistance modes, partner mode and data tracking, is free with no required subscription. The optional Wellness+ AI coaching tier is $24.90 a month or $249 a year. The library runs to 1,000-plus workouts and 90-plus plans; the warranty is two years.
Where it gives ground: the per-arm ceiling is 110 pounds unless you pay for a 2S bundle, and the listed prices are sale figures that move. The included rowing bench ships only with the Works Plus and Family Plus bundles, not Basic or Works. What the free data tracking records is not itemized in our verified data, and its Eccentric mode makes the lowering phase heavier by setting rather than by measuring and matching your output the way ARX describes. Speediance is a Shenzhen company founded in 2020, and our entry notes its US support track record is shorter than Tonal's. Verdict by buyer type: buy it if you want motorized cable strength with real training modes and refuse a monthly fee; step up to a 2S bundle if 110 pounds per arm is not enough; look at ARX only if force data on every rep is what you are actually paying for.
ARX Alpha: six guided movements and per-rep force at $43,000
The Alpha is the smaller of the two machines ARX builds in Austin, Texas. The resistance rides on a guided sled that keeps every rep on one path across six exercises: leg press, chest press, row, calf raise, torso flexion and torso extension. ARX calls it a complete full-body workout in about 15 minutes, twice a week. The footprint is 21 square feet, 32 by 94 by 66 inches, at 655 pounds, and the hardware price is $43,000 (verified 2026-09-17).
The software is separate and required, identical on both ARX machines: $200 a month for home use, $400 a month commercial, with lifetime licenses available at a price not in our verified data. It records total force, max force in both the concentric and eccentric directions, rep speed, range of motion, intensity, exercise time and fatigue to an online dashboard. New machines include a complimentary one-year warranty, a typical two-to-four-week lead time, delivery and install arranged with ARX, and the ARX Certified Course. There is no checkout; the purchase runs through a Talk to ARX call.
Where it gives ground: this is a $43,000 single-purpose machine with a monthly software bill, and without an active license it will not run at all; the license is non-transferable, which is why ARX discourages third-party used purchases. It needs 110V on a dedicated 20A circuit or 220V on a dedicated 15A circuit, is not compatible with GFCI outlets per ARX, and the electrician is your cost. Six guided movements means no belt squat, no deadlift and no free grips. The outcome figures ARX leads with, twice the muscle gain, 90 percent greater strength gain, 2.5 times the fat loss and 3.5 times the cardiovascular improvement in 72 percent less training time, come from a 12-week Western Colorado University study commissioned by the American Council on Exercise in 2021; those are the brand's figures, and we have not tested an Alpha. ARX itself concedes that barbells win on cost and track record. Verdict by buyer type: buy the Alpha if motor-matched eccentric loading and per-rep force data are the point and six guided movements will do; buy the Omni if you need the cable library; skip ARX entirely if you enjoy free weights and have the hours for them.
ARX Omni: the full sixteen-exercise library at $46,000
The Omni is ARX's flagship. The same motor and software drive a cable system with clip-on handles and attachments, so one machine covers sixteen exercises, from belt squat, deadlift and Romanian deadlift through the presses, pulldown, row, pullover and the arm isolation moves. ARX says it does the work of ten-plus machines and that the cable system allows more grips. The footprint is 37 square feet, 42 by 128 by 90 inches, at 680 pounds, and the hardware price is $46,000 (verified 2026-09-17), $3,000 above the Alpha. Everything else is shared with the Alpha: the $200 a month home software, the dashboard metrics, the dedicated non-GFCI circuit, the one-year warranty, the lead time, the Certified Course and the Talk to ARX purchase path.
Where it gives ground: it is the largest and heaviest machine here, 37 square feet and 680 pounds against the Speediance's 9.04 square feet unfolded, and every ARX caveat applies at $3,000 more. The Alpha is, in ARX's own words, faster through its movements, so the Omni's advantage is range, not speed. Verdict by buyer type: buy the Omni if belt squat, deadlift, Romanian deadlift or free grips are non-negotiable, or if one machine has to serve a studio; buy the Alpha if six guided movements cover your program and you would rather keep $3,000 and 16 square feet.
Tonal: what we can and cannot say
Tonal is in the title because our Speediance entry describes the Gym Monster 2 as built in the Tonal mold, and buyers name it first when they think of motorized cable resistance. Our catalog records three things about it, all as recorded claims rather than verified specs: it generates cable load with motors, it gates most of its value behind a monthly membership, and it carries a longer US support track record than Speediance. It records no price, no resistance figure, no footprint and no membership rate, so this piece quotes none. If the membership question is what decides it for you, our no-subscription smart home gym roundup covers the connected machines that charge nothing monthly.
What each one tracks
ARX's case rests on its data. The software records total force, max force in both directions, rep speed, range of motion, intensity, exercise time and fatigue and shows it on a dashboard, and that dashboard is why the software is required rather than optional. Speediance includes data tracking in its free tier, but what it records is not itemized in our verified data. If per-rep force in both directions is the number you want, ARX is the only machine here that documents it.
Cost to own over five years
| Machine | Hardware | Required software, 5 years | 5-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Speediance Gym Monster 2, Basic | $3,272 | $0 | $3,272; about $4,517 with Wellness+ at $249 a year |
| Speediance Gym Monster 2, 2S Family Plus | $4,649 | $0 | $4,649 |
| ARX Alpha, home use | $43,000 | $12,000 at $200/mo | $55,000 |
| ARX Omni, home use | $46,000 | $12,000 at $200/mo | $58,000 |
| Tonal | Not in our verified data | Membership required per our Speediance entry; rate not in our verified data | Not in our verified data |
Three things the table does not show. Commercial ARX software is $400 a month, which doubles the software line to $24,000 for a studio. ARX lists lifetime licenses at a price not in our verified data. And siting is a real cost with no figure in our data: both ARX machines need their own 110V 20A or 220V 15A non-GFCI circuit and a route for 655 to 680 pounds, while the Speediance's power requirement is not listed in our verified data. For more machines sorted by the job they do, see our best home gym equipment guide.
Verdicts by buyer type
- You want motorized cable strength and no monthly fee: the Speediance Gym Monster 2 from $3,272, verified 2026-08-14.
- You need more than 110 pounds per arm: a Speediance 2S bundle from $4,231, which raises the ceiling to 130 pounds per arm.
- You want per-rep force data and eccentric-matched loading in the smallest ARX footprint: the ARX Alpha at $43,000 plus $200 a month, verified 2026-09-17.
- You want the full cable library, or one machine for a studio: the ARX Omni at $46,000 plus $200 a month home or $400 commercial.
- You are weighing Tonal against Speediance on the membership question: our catalog records that Tonal gates most of its value behind a monthly fee and Speediance does not; Tonal's numbers are not in our verified data, so confirm them on Tonal's site first.
- You enjoy free weights and have the hours: none of the three, as ARX itself concedes.
More on both brands at our ARX hub and Speediance hub.
Bottom line
The Speediance Gym Monster 2 is the motorized home gym for most people: $3,272 to $4,649, 220 pounds of cable load in one-pound steps, four resistance modes, a fold to 2.69 square feet and no required subscription, all verified 2026-08-14. ARX sells a different thing at $43,000 and $46,000: a motor that matches your force through the eccentric phase and a dashboard that records every rep, on a required $200 a month license, for a buyer who will train 15 minutes twice a week and can site 655 to 680 pounds on a dedicated circuit. Tonal appears in the title but not in our data, so we place it by business model only. Buy the Speediance unless per-rep force numbers are the reason you are shopping; if they are, the Alpha covers six movements for $3,000 and 16 square feet less than the Omni.
Prices verified against our catalog on the dates shown: Speediance 2026-08-14, ARX 2026-09-17. Specifications are as published by each brand; the outcome figures ARX cites are the brand's. We have not trained on any of the three machines; this is a desk assessment built from verified pricing and published specification.
- Ryan, Founder
Is an ARX worth it over a Speediance Gym Monster 2?
Only for a specific buyer. The Speediance covers motorized cable strength for $3,272 to $4,649 (verified 2026-08-14) with no required subscription. An ARX Alpha is $43,000 plus $200 a month in software (verified 2026-09-17), and what that buys is motor-matched resistance through the eccentric phase and per-rep force data on a dashboard. If you will not use that data, the Speediance is the buy.
How much does an ARX machine cost all in?
$43,000 for the Alpha or $46,000 for the Omni in hardware, verified 2026-09-17, plus a required software subscription of $200 a month for home use or $400 commercial, with lifetime licenses available at a price not in our verified data. Over five years the home subscription adds $12,000. ARX quotes about $1,200 a month through third-party lenders; that is a payment, not the price.
Does the Speediance Gym Monster 2 need a subscription like Tonal?
No. Speediance states that workouts, custom workouts, free-lift mode, all four resistance modes, partner mode and data tracking are free with no required subscription, verified July 2026. The optional Wellness+ AI tier is $24.90 a month or $249 a year. Tonal, per our Speediance entry, gates most of its value behind a monthly membership; its rate is not in our verified data.
How much resistance do ARX and Speediance provide?
The Speediance Gym Monster 2 delivers up to 220 pounds total, 110 per arm, in one-pound steps from dual 800W motors, and the 2S bundles raise that to 130 pounds per arm (verified 2026-08-14). ARX publishes no fixed maximum in our verified data; its motor pushes back with the force you produce at every point of the rep, concentric and eccentric, and records max force in both directions.
Which motorized home gym needs the least space and power?
The Speediance: 9.04 square feet unfolded, folding to 2.69 square feet against a wall, with no dedicated circuit listed in our verified data. The ARX Alpha needs 21 square feet and weighs 655 pounds, the Omni 37 square feet at 680 pounds, and both require a dedicated 110V 20A or 220V 15A circuit that is not GFCI, per ARX (verified 2026-09-17).
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