With more and more work being done from home, many have found their gyms to be just another lag in the funnel of time-saving. Though exercise is an integral part of a daily routine, sometimes the time it takes for traveling to the gym is not, and you need to have a way of implementing your daily routine without wasting time. Here are our seven favorite compact home gyms so you can continue your routine even without the gym!
7 Best Compact Home Gyms – Stay Fit Without Leaving the House (2025 Reviews)
Best Compact Home Gyms
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1. BodyBoss 2.0 Full Portable Home Gym
(Most portable — $)
Why it’s great: This home gym isn’t just the most affordable of the bunch, but it’s the most compact. It’s different from the others, but don’t let that convince you that it’s not as good. As BodyBoss says, “it’s half the space, half the price” of a comparable home gym on the market. In this simple little gym under $200, you can pull, squat, lift, and crunch just like you would on one that costs over a grand. BodyBoss raised over $1 million on Kickstarter and IndieGoGo, gaining trust from users who were excited to use their product, and now, they’re making it accessible to everyone. You can easily increase or decrease your weight by adding or eliminating bands on either side of you, altering resistance. The “limb straps” can be used for anything from slow muscle tension exercises to cardio boxing, and the gym as a whole can be customized with up to 300 different exercises.
Keep in mind: This portable home gym workout package is ideal for those who already know the types of exercises they want in their at-home workout routine. Beginners may want something that offers more room for improvement, so things like form can be improved before putting all exercises on one machine.
Good for: Those two travel frequently, don’t have much space, or just don’t want to spend the money on a full home gym.
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2. Bowflex Home Gym Series
(Most features for the size — $$)
Why it’s great: This 210 pound home gym brings a lot of what you’d find at the gym straight to your humble abode. With an adjustable foam cushion seat, the customizable pulley system gives users the option to work at a variety of different resistance settings. The package comes with an ab training strap, a squat bar, and a lat bar. You can customize your workout with over 65 different exercise options in this home gym fit for your chest, shoulders, back, abs, arms, and legs. This also comes with free, scheduled delivery.
Keep in mind: The height of this is higher than some other ones; make sure the measurements work with your ceiling height.
Good for: An affordable option for a typical home-gym set-up.
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3. GR8FLEX High-Performance Gym
(Most sleek — $$)
Why it’s great: This sleek, uniquely-styled home gym is made with quality and built to last. This home gym comes with a wing bar, dip bars, leg harness, EZ curl bar, grip handles, extra-large squat stand, resistance bands, and a mat. It gives you 15 levels of resistance, including the option to add from 10 to 50 pounds of additional resistance. From arm curls to leg presses to sit-ups, the options are vast with GR8FLEX’s High-Performance Gym, and although a significant investment, just might be worth adding to your home. This comes with free delivery as well as a lifetime warranty for added protection.
Keep in mind: Instructions don’t come with the package; you’ll have to look them up on their website, although the setup isn’t too challenging.
Good for: Those who want a variety of features with a nice, sleek look.
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4. Total Gym APEX G3
(Best for beginners — $$)
Why it’s great: This might just look like a typical sit-up bar, but it offers way more than just ab work. Total Gym’s APEX G3 offers more than 70 different exercise options in this little seat, ranging from legs to arms to core. It also has 8 levels of resistance, depending on your given challenge for that day’s workout. Each workout emphasizes long, fluid motions so you can ensure you’re protecting your body while challenging it. Adjustments are made with auto-locking technology for an additional layer of safety, and the entire model is made with a steel frame for a compact and solid design. The measurements in inches are 93×43.25×15.5, but it has the ability to be folded up if storage is needed. The gym includes a squat stand, leg pull accessory, dip bars, and an exercise flip chart for a guided workout. Your purchase of the total gym comes with a nutrition guide and access to Total Gym TV.
Keep in mind: A lot of these exercises are gravity-assisted. If you have trouble getting in and out of positions, you might want to search for something different.
Good for: Those who are beginners at working out at home, and could use a holistic approach to starting their at-home fitness journey. This comes with multiple means of getting yourself in the shape that you want!
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5. Marcy 150lb. Stack Home Gym
(Most high quality — $$$)
Why it’s great: Marcy’s 150lb. Stack Home Gym features a variety of weight options for your workout. The pulley system that has a 150lb weight-stack can be used for your legs, abs, arms, chest, and more, with a leg developer for leg exercises, an ab attachment for ab workouts, an arm press for chest and arms, and a footplate for additional floor protection and foot support.
Keep in mind: This is available from multiple different sellers; the price in both the product and the shipping may vary depending on the seller.
Good for: A needed addition to an already thriving home gym set-up.
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6. Marcy MWM-988 Multifunction Steel Home Gym
(Most features — $$$)
Why it’s great: This model is similar to the other Marcy model we love, but with features that are a bit more developed and advanced. With a double pulley station, this model offers two separate lateral bars, as well as a leg developer, adjustable weights, and an arm press that gives you the option for either a butterfly motion or a chest press motion. Dimensions of the gym in inches is 68x42x78, and the weights have a 150lb weight stack.
Keep in mind: This can be bought from multiple different sellers. The price ranges starting at $1,000, but a lot of them offer free shipping.
Good for: Someone looking for an advanced model of a home gym, that they’ll plan to use for most or all of their workouts.
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7. Powerline by Body-Solid
(Most gym like! — $$$)
Why it’s great: Though this is one of the priciest options of our top picks, it’s certainly not without good reason. The Powerline by Body-Solid features a high, mid, and low pulley system that can activate all of the major large muscles in your body. The home gym comes with an arm press, a leg press, an abdominal harness, an adjustable weight stack, a 48” lat bar, and a low rise bar, as well as an adjustable seat. It boasts the capability of over 40 exercises, and 90% of it is already pre-assembled, so you can quickly enjoy your home gym after you receive it. The dimensions in inches are 70x42x80, with a weight of 328lbs.
Keep in mind: The shipping cost is an additional $399.
Good for: A solid, all-in-one model that’s just like what you’d find at the gym.
BodyBoss 2.0 Full Portable Home Gym
FAQs about compact home gyms
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1. How much space do I need for a home gym?
It depends on the home gym! In larger spaces, you can get a home gym that can offer a lot of different features, like weights, pulley-systems, and other activities that you could find in your local gym. If you don’t have much space, you could always opt for something smaller, like a portable gym.
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2. How much does a home gym cost?
Home gyms cost from around $300 to over $3000, depending on the features you get with them.
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3. What can I do with a home gym?
There are a ton of options for you if you get a home gym. You can work almost any part of your body, even with a minimal amount of features. If you can think creatively, do some research, and be open to doing out-of-the-box exercises, you can absolutely have a full-body workout.
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4. Is a home gym worth it?
In determining if a home gym is worth it, you could ask yourself questions like:
- What machines, if any, do I usually use at the gym?
- How much space do I have in my given exercise area, and will it allow for the type of home gym I’m looking for?
- What features have I been wanting to have in a home gym?
- How will my home gym elevate my current exercise regiment?
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5. Can I do full workouts in a home gym?
With some creativity and innovation, you can make almost any type of home gym work for you. You can use the built-in features as well as creating new ways of incorporating cardio elements into it. For example, if your home gym has an elevated surface, why not use that as an opportunity for some cardio by jumping on and off it?
Conclusion
When looking for a home gym, there are a lot of factors to put into consideration when you’re trying to find the right one for you and your space! Finding everything that has worked for you at your gym and bringing it into your home is one of the best ways to make your own workout without paying the price of a gym membership. Everyone’s home gym is personal to them, so make sure to think of your own personal fitness plan when finding the best compact home gym for you!