Speediance Gym Monster vs Tempo Move

Quick specs comparison

Detailed comparison

Footprint & apartment fit

The Tempo Move wins outright on static footprint — its weight cabinet is about the size of a small nightstand (22″ × 13.5″ × 13.5″). The Speediance Gym Monster is a full standing machine (~52″ × 20″ × 68″), though it can fold to reduce depth. Both need about 6′ × 6′ of workout space during use, but only the Speediance claims permanent floor space when idle.

Edge: Tempo Move — dramatically smaller storage footprint.

Resistance range

The Speediance offers up to 220 lbs of digital resistance per arm — enough for serious strength training. The Tempo Move provides physical dumbbells up to 75 lbs total with the Plus kit (35 lbs with the standard kit). For heavy lifters or anyone wanting cable-style exercises (lat pulldowns, cable crossovers), the Speediance is in a different league.

Edge: Speediance — vastly more resistance and cable exercise variety.

App & coaching features

The Tempo Move's core value proposition is AI-powered coaching — your iPhone camera tracks your movements, counts reps, recommends weights, monitors range of motion, and offers body composition scanning. It's essentially a personal trainer via computer vision. The Speediance app offers guided workouts and progress tracking but relies more on its built-in screen and less on AI form feedback.

Edge: Tempo Move — more advanced AI coaching and form feedback.

Noise

The Tempo Move is dead silent — you're lifting physical dumbbells. The Speediance is very quiet (digital motors are whisper-level), but not completely silent. For late-night apartment workouts, the Tempo Move has a slight advantage, though neither should disturb neighbors if you're not dropping weights.

Edge: Tempo Move — completely silent by nature.

Total cost of ownership

The Speediance is expensive upfront ($1,800–$2,400) with an optional subscription (~$15/mo). The Tempo Move is cheaper upfront ($495–$665) but requires a $39/mo subscription with a 12-month commitment. Over two years: Speediance costs ~$2,160–$2,760. Tempo costs ~$1,431–$1,601. The Tempo is cheaper over time, but you're locked into a subscription to use the coaching features — without it, you just have a set of dumbbells.

Edge: Tempo Move — lower total cost, but subscription-dependent.

What happens without the subscription?

This matters. If you cancel Tempo's $39/mo membership, you keep the dumbbells but lose all AI coaching, workout tracking, and guided classes. The Speediance remains a functional cable machine even without its subscription — you can still adjust resistance and use it manually. For long-term ownership, the Speediance retains more standalone value.

Edge: Speediance — still fully functional without a subscription.

The verdict

Our lean for apartments: These serve different users. The Tempo Move is the better apartment pick purely on size — it disappears into a room. But it's a coaching platform, not a gym replacement. The Speediance is a serious gym-in-a-box that earns its floor space if you have it. If your apartment is under 600 sq ft: Tempo. If you have a dedicated workout corner: Speediance.

Where to buy