Indie FTMS workout apps
zCycle vs RideByHeart, Ergmatic & Omni Bike
These four apps sit in the same late-funnel bucket: Bluetooth FTMS workout cockpits on iPhone, not Zwift-style virtual worlds. None of them sell a map, an avatar, or a group ride. The split is what they optimize for after you already own a smart trainer.
zCycle Pad is an iPhone / iPad / Apple Watch FTMS cockpit — ERG, .zwo, and Apple Health export. It is not a clone of RideByHeart, Ergmatic, or Omni Bike. This page concedes their public strengths and states zCycle’s fair claim only. Competitor facts below were checked on 15 September 2026 against their sites and App Store listings. We do not invent prices or features. If a cell is “—”, we are not citing a public claim.
Not ZYCLE hardware. zCycle Pad is an Adam Codes Ltd app. zycle.eu makes trainers in Europe. Unrelated; FTMS pairing only if that unit speaks FTMS.
Who should pick RideByHeart
Pick RideByHeart if the
headline feature you want is heart-rate-zone auto resistance:
you choose an HR zone and a PID loop moves trainer load to hold you there.
Their site and
App Store listing
also pitch a 140+ .zwo library, custom .zwo import,
FTP-based power sessions, BIAS mid-workout scaling, and no accounts.
Public pricing (15 Sep 2026): free during the launch / testing phase. RideByHeart says a later price, if any, is expected to be a one-time purchase, not a subscription. Check the current listing before you budget. Platforms listed: iPhone and iPad. Trainer proof they publish: Wahoo KICKR tested; other FTMS (Tacx, Elite Suito, Saris, and similar) “should work.” Export they advertise: TCX and direct Strava upload.
Skip RideByHeart if you need an Apple Watch companion or simultaneous trainer+HR written as a complete indoor workout in Apple Fitness. They do not publish those as the product.
Who should pick Ergmatic
Pick Ergmatic if your training already lives in Intervals.icu. Their site and App Store listing put Intervals.icu import/upload, Strava, and Apple Health at the center, plus Live Activities on Dynamic Island and lock screen, spoken power cues, a ramp test, power-meter match, auto-pause, and offline-first ride data. They list Bluetooth FTMS trainers and BLE HR (including Apple Watch used as a heart-rate source — that is not the same as a dedicated Watch workout app).
Public pricing (15 Sep 2026): five workouts free, then a subscription via in-app purchase. We are not citing a dollar amount — check the App Store. Platforms listed: iPhone and iPad, iOS 26+. That OS floor is a real reason to pick something else if you are not on the newest iOS.
Skip Ergmatic if you do not want Intervals.icu in the loop, you are not on iOS 26, or you want a Watch companion that mirrors the indoor ride.
Who should pick Omni Bike
Pick Omni Bike if you want a companion with Level / Level+ / SIM modes as well as ERG — fixed resistance, a configurable power floor, and outdoor-style simulation — plus FIT import and optional upload to Strava, Wahoo, or Intervals.icu. The listing also mentions auto-sync with Wahoo ELEMNT and Tacx FEC in addition to FTMS. Core ride features: no account required, no subscription, data stays on device until you upload.
Public pricing (15 Sep 2026): free with banner ads; a one-time Remove Ads purchase. We do not cite the IAP price. Platforms listed: iPhone and iPad. The listing does not claim an Apple Watch app.
Skip Omni Bike if ads bother you and you do not want the IAP, or if the job you care about is Watch + complete Apple Health rather than Level/SIM companion modes.
Who zCycle is for
Pick zCycle Pad if you want a workout cockpit that keeps a Bluetooth FTMS trainer and a BLE heart-rate strap connected at the same time on one iPhone or iPad, then writes a precise indoor workout plus HR to Apple Health. That is the founder wedge for a real training routine — not a virtual-world tourist, and not a claim that the other three apps “cannot pair HR.” We only claim simultaneous trainer+HR plus a complete Health export on zCycle.
You also get an Apple Watch companion (live power,
HR, cadence, interval haptics; the Watch does not pair the trainer itself),
ERG targets, bundled and imported .zwo, HR-zone rides, and a
local-first history. Starting rides needs zCycle Plus
at $4.99/month or $39.99/year. Local-first
is not fully offline: Plus is required to start the session.
Hardware honesty: lab-tested on Elite Suito T (power, cadence, speed, ERG, grade simulation). Wahoo KICKR and the rest of the FTMS list are expected, not lab-certified SKU-by-SKU. zCycle Pad does not calibrate trainers — use Elite myETraining, Wahoo, or the maker’s tool. Platforms: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch. No Android app. Broader “not a virtual world” page: Zwift alternative.
Fair criteria table
Public sources dated 15 September 2026. Blank / “—” means we are not citing a vendor claim here — not that the feature is missing.
| App | Pick it for | Platforms (public) | Trainer control | Watch | Health / upload (public) | Pricing model (public) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| zCycle Pad | Simultaneous BT trainer + HR → complete Apple Health; Watch companion; ERG / .zwo cockpit | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch. No Android. | ERG, grade sim, .zwo, HR-zone rides (FTMS) | Companion app | Apple Health / Fitness export | Download free. Plus $4.99/mo or $39.99/yr to start rides |
| RideByHeart | HR-zone auto resistance; free launch; no accounts | iPhone, iPad | FTMS; PID HR-zone load; .zwo library + import | — | TCX + Strava (listing). Check current page for Health | Free in launch phase; later price expected one-time, not a sub |
| Ergmatic | Intervals.icu depth; Live Activities; spoken cues | iPhone, iPad (iOS 26+) | FTMS; structured workouts; ramp test; power-meter match | Apple Watch listed as HR source, not a Watch app | Intervals.icu, Strava, Apple Health | 5 workouts free, then subscription (IAP; $ not cited) |
| Omni Bike | Level / Level+ / SIM companion modes; free+ads | iPhone, iPad | FTMS + Tacx FEC; ERG, Level, Level+, SIM | — | Strava, Wahoo, Intervals.icu (optional upload) | Free with ads; one-time Remove Ads (price not cited) |
Sources checked 15 September 2026: zCycle pricing and App Store id6789937713; RideByHeart ridebyheart.app and id6754610795; Ergmatic ergmatic.com and id6758418959; Omni Bike id6762124769. Verify current storefronts before you buy.
FAQ
Is zCycle Pad the same as RideByHeart?
No. Both skip the virtual world. RideByHeart’s public differentiator is HR-zone auto resistance and a free launch. zCycle’s fair claim is simultaneous Bluetooth trainer + HR strap, a complete Apple Health indoor workout, and an Apple Watch companion.
Do I need Intervals.icu?
Not for zCycle Pad. Ergmatic is the Intervals.icu-native option in this
cohort. zCycle runs ERG and .zwo on the phone without that account.
Is there an Android app?
No. zCycle Pad is iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch only. There is no Android app.
Does zCycle Pad calibrate my trainer?
No. Calibration and firmware stay in the maker’s app (Elite myETraining for Suito, Wahoo’s tools for KICKR). zCycle Pad is the cockpit after setup.
Did you lab-test KICKR like RideByHeart lists?
No. Our lab trainer is Elite Suito T. KICKR is FTMS-expected: third-party Bluetooth mode, then scan. RideByHeart publicly lists KICKR as tested; that is their claim, not ours.