Today Zwift announced a 38% increase in their prices. A monthly subscription in the UK will now cost you £17.99, up from £12.99. Whilst this is the first price increase since 2017, this is likely to have a big impact on users and the company.
Troubles at Zwift
Zwift has been through some troubles in the last 18 months. Whilst indoor cycling has grown in popularity, the market has also become more competitive. Where once Zwift stood as a leading product there are now alternatives vying for market share.
In May 2022, Zwift laid off 150 people who were involved in their project to develop a smart bike. A further 80 people were laid off in March 2023, equating to 15% of the workforce.
To further add to the bad news, Zwift lost out on the 2024-2026 contract for hosting the eSports World Championships to rival MyWhoosh.
Zwift Price Increase
News of the 38% price hike was communicated to customers via email.
We’re writing to inform you of changes to your Zwift Subscription pricing. The monthly Zwift subscription price will be increased to £17.99.
Your first payment at the new price will be on your next billing date after June 6th.
We hope you’re enjoying your time on Zwift. We have worked hard to keep prices locked since 2017 and have made this change to allow us to continue making indoor cycling fun with more content experiences and product innovation.
Email to customers on 8th May 2024
In a bid to play on customer loyalty, much was made of this being the first price increase since 2017, but that is unlikely to provide much comfort to subscribers.
Prices for new members will take effect immediately with membership pages already updated. For existing subscribers, the Zwift price increase will take effect for the first billing date from the 6th June.
Impact
A 38% price increase is certain to get subscribers to consider whether they get good value. With the summer months approaching for UK and US riders, many may take the opportunity to cancel memberships for the summer.
Zwift offer an option to pause membership, an option I’ve taken. Using the manage membership option you can pause from your next billing date for up to 8 weeks. For many this will provide enough time to explore other options in plenty of time for the indoor season.
Alternatively some will take this as an opportunity to simply cancel membership for the summer months.
Whilst this is a clearly a calculated decision for Zwift, the timing seems far from ideal.
My Next Steps
As I expect it was for many, this was an unpleasant email to receive. I’m questioning whether I get value for money from Zwift. As a long time subscriber, I continued my memberships through the summer months previously. Tonight, I paused my membership for the maximum 8 weeks.
Whilst the yearly membership option gives 2 months free, coming in at £179.99 this is still an almost £25 increase on what a pay per year at the moment.
My current plan is to ride outside during the summer months, and use any wet days to explore other options. There are a plethora of competitors including MyWhoosh, Wahoo X, Rouvy and BKool, all offering free trials.
