Derny › Compare › Derny vs iFIT
Derny vs iFIT
iFIT’s ActivePulse is the closest thing to Derny from a big brand: it adjusts an iFIT treadmill to keep your heart rate in a zone. The difference is mostly where it runs. ActivePulse is for NordicTrack, ProForm and other iFIT treadmills. Derny is for the machines from other brands.
At a glance
| Derny | iFIT | |
|---|---|---|
| Inside a workout | Moves the target from your live heart rate, every second | ActivePulse adjusts speed and incline to keep you in a heart-rate zone, on treadmills. Follow Trainer sets the machine to match the video |
| Heart rate | Steers the workout. When your heart rate climbs past where the workout wants it, the target comes down, and it builds again as you recover | Steers ActivePulse workouts on iFIT treadmills, with a compatible heart-rate monitor |
| Between workouts | No training plan yet. Each Adaptive Threshold session starts from what your last one showed | iFIT AI Coach sets goals and plans. SmartAdjust learns from your manual changes |
| Treadmill | Sets the belt speed on FTMS treadmills that accept it, never above a max speed you choose. On others it shows you the speed to run | iFIT treadmills from NordicTrack, ProForm and Freemotion. We found no control of other brands’ treadmills |
| Elliptical and rower | Ellipticals, yes. Rowers aren’t supported yet | iFIT ellipticals, bikes and rowers run trainer-led workouts. ActivePulse is treadmills only |
| Fitness test | No test. You need a heart-rate monitor and your max heart rate | None |
| Runs on | iPhone and Android | iFIT machine screens, plus iPhone and Android for machines without a screen |
| What you get | Ready-made adaptive workouts, a rule editor for your own, and AI workout writing with Claude or ChatGPT. No videos or virtual worlds | 10,000+ trainer-led workouts filmed around the world, plus an AI coach |
| Price (US) | Free in beta, then a one-time purchase. No subscription | iFIT Train $15/mo. iFIT Pro $39/mo for touchscreen machines, up to 5 users. ActivePulse needs a subscription |
Prices are US list prices before tax, as published in November 2026. “We found no” means we looked through iFIT’s own pages and support articles and didn’t find it, not that iFIT has said it can’t. Sources are at the bottom of this page.
The difference
ActivePulse and Derny share an idea: read your heart rate and change the machine to keep it where you want it. On an iFIT treadmill, ActivePulse changes the speed and the incline. It’s built into the iFIT experience, needs an iFIT subscription, and runs on iFIT treadmills only.
Derny works with machines that speak Bluetooth FTMS, the standard most other brands use. On a treadmill it changes the belt speed from your heart rate, never above a max speed you choose. On treadmills that don’t take speed commands it shows you the speed to run. It does the same on smart trainers, in watts, and on ellipticals.
Derny’s workouts are built around heart rate from the start: a long zone 2 session, threshold blocks that learn from each other, and VO2 max reps on a trainer or elliptical. Derny’s adaptive workouts change the speed, not the incline.
Own a NordicTrack or ProForm?
We haven’t tested Derny on a NordicTrack or ProForm machine yet. Derny works with machines that speak Bluetooth FTMS, the open standard most other brands use. If you own one, email the model to [email protected] and we’ll work with you to find out.
Being fair
Choose by what you want
If you own or are buying a NordicTrack or ProForm machine and want trainer-led videos with heart-rate control built in.
If your treadmill, smart trainer or elliptical is from another brand, or you want heart-rate-led workouts across all three without a monthly subscription.
If you train on an iFIT treadmill and a bike from another brand, you could use both: ActivePulse on the treadmill and Derny on the trainer. Derny uploads every workout to Strava.
Sources
Checked 12 November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email [email protected] and it gets fixed.
Questions people ask
No. iFIT says ActivePulse needs an iFIT subscription and a compatible heart-rate monitor, and is available on treadmills only, meaning iFIT treadmills such as NordicTrack and ProForm. Derny runs heart-rate-led workouts on FTMS treadmills from other brands.
Derny does a similar job on other brands’ treadmills. It sets the belt speed from your heart rate on FTMS treadmills that accept it, never above a max speed you choose, and shows you the speed to run on others. It doesn’t change the incline in its adaptive workouts.
We haven’t tested one yet. Derny works with machines that speak Bluetooth FTMS. If you own one, email the model to [email protected].
No. Derny is free while in beta and will be a one-time purchase after launch, not a subscription.
Try it
When Derny launches, it will be a one-time purchase, not a subscription.
The beta is live on iPhone through TestFlight and on Android through Google Play. Your invite arrives by email.