Academy review
Updated September 30, 2026 · ThriveCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 30, 2026
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Our verdict
Academy suits anyone building a home gym in the US who wants one store for treadmills, bikes, strength kits and recovery tools without paying for a membership. Equipment starts at $399.99, the membership costs $0, and the catalogue ranks 1 of 59 on that.
Key facts
- Best for
- One US storefront for cardio, strength and recovery gear bought outright rather than by subscription.
- Price from
- $399.99 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Membership per month
- $0 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Membership required
- No (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Foldable models
- Yes (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Money-back period
- 60 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Markets
- US (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Academy, LTD (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Products
- Treadmill, Exercise bike, Rower, Cross trainer, Strength, Home gym, Massage gun, Recovery
- Official website
- academy.com
Sports gear
- Price from
- $399.99 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Return window
- 60 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Brand or store
- Store (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Markets
- US (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Academy, LTD (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Products
- Treadmill, Exercise bike, Rower, Cross trainer, Strength, Home gym, Massage gun, Recovery
Running shoes
- Price from
- $399.99 (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Return window
- 60 days (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Markets
- US (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Academy, LTD (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Headquarters
- United States (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
- Products
- Treadmill, Exercise bike, Rower, Cross trainer, Strength, Home gym, Massage gun, Recovery
Pros and cons
Pros
- No membership is required, and the membership costs $0 where one is offered.
- Returns run 60 days with a 60 days money back window, longer than the 30 typical across the site.
- Support covers email, phone and help centre, so questions can go to a person as well as a knowledge base.
- The range spans treadmills, bikes, rowers, cross-trainers, strength, home gyms, massage guns and recovery gear under one roof.
- Treadmills are foldable, which suits apartments and small rooms.
Cons
- Treadmills start at $399.99, which places Academy at 38 of 71 on the price ranking, a long way behind the 1 of 59 it holds on membership cost.
- Support runs on email, phone and help centre only, so a question about a heavy machine goes by phone, email or the help centre.
Who it suits
- US buyers fitting out a home gym who want cardio and strength in one order
- Households wanting a 60 days returns window instead of a membership commitment
- People in small homes looking for foldable treadmills
Who should look elsewhere
- Buyers in the US who want live chat, since support runs on email, phone and help centre
- Shoppers chasing the lowest entry price, since treadmills rank 38 of 71 on price
- Anyone outside US, as stock and delivery are US based
Prices
Academy is a store rather than a subscription brand, and equipment is bought outright. Treadmills are listed from $399.99, and a membership is not needed to buy one. A membership option exists at $0 a month, so the recurring cost is optional rather than the price of entry. There is no separate introductory and renewal split here: the $0 figure is the monthly cost of the membership itself, and equipment prices are set per product. That makes the real cash outlay the $399.99 starting price rather than a monthly fee. Buyers who add a membership later should treat $0 as the ongoing rate, since no lower trial price is stated.
Core features
A membership is not required, so the equipment range can be browsed and bought without committing to a recurring plan. Foldability is a stated feature of the treadmill range, which matters for storage in shared rooms. Returns are generous: the policy allows 60 days, and the return policy carries a 60 days money back window, giving a longer run than the 30 day median across the site. Taken together, buying from Academy is low risk in the sense that a machine that does not suit the space can go back within the stated window. The trade-off is that none of this reduces the ticket price of the machine itself.
How it compares on our data
On membership cost, Academy ranks 1 of 59 brands, which places it at the top of the ranking on that measure. On price from, it ranks 38 of 71, so the entry price sits well down the list. The two figures point in opposite directions and the gap is the decision: Academy is among the cheapest places to hold a membership, while the $399.99 starting price for a treadmill is not the lowest on the market. Most of the value therefore comes from the membership side and the 60 days money back window rather than from the cheapest hardware.
The company behind it
Academy sells as a store, and the legal entity is Academy, LTD. The business is headquartered in the United States, and stock and delivery cover US. Support is offered through email, phone and help centre, which covers written and spoken help rather than a membership gated service. There is no licence listed for the business, so the practical protections to weigh are the stated 60 days returns window and the 60 days money back period. Buyers outside US should check delivery before buying, as the store's own terms are written for US.
How Academy compares
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 9.5
9.2 vs 8.8
9.2 vs 8.9
9.2 vs 8.9
9.2 vs 8.7- 9.2 vs 8.9
9.2 vs 9.2DeerRun lists treadmill, exercise bike and rower and stops at strength and home gym, with no cross-trainer, massage gun or recovery line next to its cardio range.
9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 9.3
9.2 vs 8.9
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 9.6- 9.2 vs 9.3
9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 9.2- 9.2 vs 9.2
9.2 vs 9.1- 9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 9.1- 9.2 vs 9.1
9.2 vs 9.0- 9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 9.0
9.2 vs 8.8
Where Academy is available
- Available
- United States
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 30, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a membership to buy a treadmill from Academy?+
No. A membership is not required, and the membership itself costs $0 a month where it is offered. Treadmills are listed from $399.99, so the hardware price stands on its own without any recurring fee attached.
What does a treadmill cost at the entry level?+
Treadmills start at $399.99, which is the figure the store quotes for the cheapest machine in the range. On price, Academy ranks 38 of 71 brands, so the entry price is competitive rather than the lowest available.
How long do I have to return equipment?+
Returns run 60 days, and the return policy adds a 60 days money back window. That is a longer return period than the 30 day median recorded across the site, which gives more room to test a machine in a real room.
Is the membership price the same at the start and later?+
The stated monthly cost is $0, and no lower opening price is listed for it. Equipment is a separate one-off cost, and the money back period on purchases is 60 days, which does not affect how the membership is billed.
Which kinds of machines can I buy?+
The range covers treadmills, exercise bikes, rowers, cross-trainers, strength equipment, home gyms, massage guns and recovery gear. Treadmills are foldable, which suits tighter rooms, and the whole list is available within US.
How do I get help if something goes wrong?+
Support is available through email, phone and help centre, so you can reach the team by email, phone or a help centre. Live chat is not among the listed options, so phone is the quickest route for a question about a delivery or a return.
Is delivery available outside the US?+
Stock, pricing and delivery are set for US, and the business is headquartered in the United States. If you are buying from outside that market, check the delivery terms for your address before ordering, since the stated 60 days returns window applies to the US store.
Can I return a foldable treadmill if it does not fit the space?+
Yes, and foldability is a stated feature of the treadmill range, so a machine can be stored away when not in use. The 60 days money back window gives time to set it up and decide, within the 60 days returns period.
Sources
- academy.com checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Brand or store
“Trending Brands - Nike, Jordan, adidas, GLOCK, Carhartt, Blackstone, Brooks, Magellan Outdoors”
- academy.com checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Legal entity, Markets
“Academy, LTD”
- academy.com/c/fitness/cardio-equipment--machines/treadmills checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Foldable models, Membership per month, Membership required, Price from, Products
“Folding Treadmills: Designed for easy storage, folding treadmills can be collapsed and tucked away after use.”
- academy.com/help checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“Academy Customer Service ... Customer Service Topics”
- academy.com/help/applicable-sales-tax-by-state checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Headquarters
“Applicable Sales Tax by State”
- academy.com/return-policy checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Money-back period
“Academy offers returns for most unused, new condition items within 60 days of purchase”
- academy.com/returns checked September 30, 2026
Backs: Return window
“Academy offers returns for most unused, new condition items within 60 days of purchase”
Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 30, 2026. We did not open an account.
What changed
- September 30, 2026: Products was camping, hiking, outdoor-clothing, golf, racket-sports, cycling, water-sports, activewear, yoga, team-sports, now treadmill, exercise-bike, rower, cross-trainer, strength, home-gym, massage-gun, recovery
- September 30, 2026: Support channels was help-centre, now email, phone, help-centre
- September 30, 2026: availability allowed now US
- September 30, 2026: axisScores cost now 9.2
- September 30, 2026: axisScores offer now 9.2
- September 30, 2026: promotions no longer $30 off a purchase over $30 with new myAcademy credit card
- September 30, 2026: score now 9.2
Academy
One US storefront for cardio, strength and recovery gear bought outright rather than by subscription.