Most of us would love to have a treadmill at home, but very few of us feel like we’ve got the space for one. Luckily, there are lots of space-saving options that prove you can have a great run or walk indoors without sacrificing your living space! The best small treadmills give you reliable performance and challenging workouts without all the bulk you associate with standard treadmills. Their folding designs pack away easily when you’re not using them, and their compact footprints take up minimal space when you are.
In this guide, we’ll show you all our favorite folding treadmills for small spaces. We’ll walk you through all the reasons we chose our recommendations over the competition, and explain how to choose the best one for you and your living space!
Read on to see which folding treadmills we currently recommend for compact living spaces–and to find out which one is your new dream machine!
| Picture | Product Name | Maximum User Weight Rating | Actual Size | Folded Size | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Confidence Power Trac Pro 735W Motorized Electric Folding Treadmill | 265 lbs | 49" x 24" x 47" | 49" x 24" x 10" | $ |
 | Goplus Folding Treadmill | 220 Lbs | 63” X 28.7” X 52.7” | 42" X 28.7" X 52.7" | $$ |
 | Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T7603 Electric Treadmill | 220 Lbs | 62” x 27” x 47” | 32.5” x 27” x 58” | $$ |
 | Nordic Track C 700 Treadmill | 300 lbs | 73" x 36" x 67" | 36" x 73" x 67.5" | $$$ |
Best Small & Compact Treadmill Reviews
Confidence Power Trac Pro 735W Motorized Electric Folding Treadmill
This Confidence model is our least expensive recommendation for a compact treadmill with a folding design. While the bright pink color scheme will no doubt limit its appeal, it’s an excellent value. We think it’s a great choice for ladies on a tight budget who don’t need anything fancy.
Pros:
We know that the pink color scheme won’t be for everybody, but it does make a nice change from the plain black machines that dominate the treadmill market!
It’s surprisingly well-made for the price, even though it’s nowhere near commercial-grade. It’s rated for users up to 265 pounds and nothing feels especially chintzy. You’ll never mistake it for a gym-grade machine, but it’s also not an obviously cheap setup.
It provides plenty of challenge for the casual user. A lot more features than you’d expect at this price are included on the Confidence Fitness, including 12 workout programs programmed in the computer. That’s enough for the majority of walkers and joggers, as well as folks getting into running for the first time.
Speed, distance, time, and calories are all displayed on the screen, so you can easily track your progress and keep yourself on track to meet your goals.
2, 3.5 and 5-degree incline positions give you plenty of options for your walks and jogs. This one doesn’t get as steep as more expensive models, but these angles are more than enough for the average person to get a great workout.
As you’d expect in this category, the Confidence Fitness fits easily in small spaces. It’s ideal for apartments and any other tight accommodations. The whole unit folds compactly and includes wheels to make moving the folded unit easier–just like pricier models.
Compared to other inexpensive models we’ve reviewed, this one has fairly quiet operation. It’s not going to mask noise as well as a fixed model, but it’s very good for its class.
It’s easy to assemble. You can be up and walking in minutes.
Unlike most other cheap models, the Confidence Fitness is backed by solid customer service and warranty coverage. It’s not perfect in the reliability department, but it’s by far the best for the money in this regard.
Cons:
It goes without saying that the pink color scheme makes this one have a rather niche appeal. It’s not something the average man is going to choose in a hurry, and not all women love pink! Don’t get this one if you’re going for subtle decor in your living space.
It doesn’t go as fast as pricier models. The motor is also less powerful. That’s why we recommend it to casual users, particularly walkers and joggers.
It’s pretty cheaply-made. While it ought to last fairly long, it’s not the best choice for frequent, fast running. This is a better choice for walkers and casual joggers/beginning runners who aren’t going to put intense wear and tear on their machine.
Distance is reported in km.
There aren’t many amenities. There’s no cup holder and nowhere to keep your phone on the machine.
This one isn’t great if you’re a larger person–it’s very compact!
Goplus Folding Treadmill
Our budget recommendation to anyone who isn’t into the pink color scheme on the Confidence Fitness, the Goplus is a generic import that’s actually quite decent for the price. It’s not premium by any stretch, but gives casual users everything they need in a compact treadmill for a very reasonable price.
Pros:
It has a much more powerful motor than the Confidence, packing almost twice as much oomph. That’s not hugely important for walkers, but anyone who wants to jog or run will definitely appreciate the difference.
It reaches 7.5mph, much faster than the Confidence. As with that model, there’s more than enough challenge here for most users. The Goplus has 12 programs built in and allows for 3 incline positions (at the same angles).
The basic controls have buttons right on the handrails, so you don’t even have to reach to the control panel to make mid-workout tweaks. We really like these, and they work well.
Unlike the Confidence, it includes a spot to keep your phone or iPad while you work out.
This updated model has auto-incline (meaning that the machine adjusts the height for you). That’s really handy, not least because you can tweak the incline while you’re in the middle of a walk/jog.
This one’s a bit sturdier than the Confidence, with a maximum user weight rating of 265 pounds. It’s far from perfect in the build quality department, but a lot better than you’d expect for the price.
It’s a bit roomier than the Confidence, without taking up much more space. The difference is the size of the deck. This one’s a better budget choice for taller folks.
This one folds just as conveniently as the Confidence, and the light build makes it easy to move. We also like the soft-drop feature, which keeps you and your floors safe when you open up the treadmill for use.
As with our other recommendations, this one’s very easy to set up.
It’s a lot sleeker on the technology front than the Confidence. The Goplus includes bluetooth connectivity and there’s an app to go along with it. It also includes basic heart rate tracking, which you can use dynamically with your fitness tracking apps.
The black color scheme is much more unobtrusive than the Confidence. That’s why this is our budget suggestion to most buyers.
The frame is cushioned to reduce noise, and the results are impressive for something so affordable.
Cons:
As with anything else in this price range, the Goplus has fairly poor quality control and a mixed reliability record. That’s largely down to its cheap construction, though it’s still better than anything else for the price. You’ll definitely want to buy extended warranty coverage to go along with this one.
The workout tracking is in km, like the Confidence.
There’s no way to pause it. You have to completely stop and start if you need to take a momentary break.
Some folks will want a faster machine. If you’re more than a novice runner, spend more for the nimbler Sunny or Nordic Track.
The A/V system tries to do a lot more than it should. With something this inexpensive, it’s better to keep it basic and have features that genuinely work, rather than something like this which overshoots and doesn’t do anything particularly well. Still, the app connectivity makes up for the onboard flaws!
Sunny Health & Fitness SF-T7603 Electric Treadmill
This Sunny Health & Fitness model is our recommendation to the average buyer. It’s faster than the Goplus or Confidence models above and has a better track record for reliability and long-term performance. We think this is as much as walkers need to spend, and likewise for runners unless you’re going to be a daily, intense user who can justify the high cost of the Nordic Track.
Pros:
It’s more reliable than our cheaper picks. The whole thing feels sturdier and has a more solid track record. It’s covered by a 1-year warranty on the frame, and 90 days of coverage on the rest. You’ll still want to tack on an extended warranty plan, but you’re less likely to end up using it.
It’s quiet–as quiet as anything cheaper than the Nordic Track. That’s not the primary reason you buy a treadmill, but it really makes a difference in how enjoyable this one is to use regularly.
It goes significantly faster than our cheaper recommendations, with a top speed of 9 mph. That makes it much better for runners, especially folks who want to get beyond casual runs.
It includes most of the same features as our other recommendations. There’s a soft-drop unfolding mechanism like the Goplus, a compact frame that folds easily and wheels into storage, and 3 incline levels.
One thing we particularly like about this one is the fact that it looks good in a range of decor styles.
It includes convenient handrail controls and heart rate monitors that are really great to use, especially if you place an iPad in front of the standard control panel.
It’s got plenty of challenge onboard, with 9 programs in the computer as well as manual speed and incline settings.
It’s very light for something so sturdy.
The monitor is better quality than the Goplus’s. While it’s basic, it’s more reliable and does everything it says it’ll do!
The Sunny includes a spot for your devices, as well as a holder for your water bottle.
Cons:
The big upgrade here is reliability, not any specific feature. It’s actually less powerful than the Goplus and the user weight rating isn’t any higher. Entertainment options are limited and this is still not an automatic-incline model.
Nordic Track C 700 Treadmill
Our recommendation to driven runners who want a folding treadmill for daily use is this Nordic Track. It’s overkill for average users, especially those who will only be walking and going for the occasional jog. It’s really worth the extra investment for folks who are getting serious about running, though.
Pros:
This thing is built for users who are serious about getting in shape and staying in shape. There are 20 workout programs to keep you challenged and motivated, plus compatibility with the iFit app for personalized coaching and VR workouts. There’s enough here for even ambitious runners to stay challenged.
It goes up to a full 10mph, which is as fast as the vast majority of runners are ever going to go. Automatic incline adjustments make it easy to dynamic of your workout while you’re in the middle of it. The incline is more challenging than other small models, too–it can be set up to 10%!
It includes lots of features that make it feel as premium as the price tag would suggest. Automatic fan adjustments and the high-quality LED display are two of our favorites. You don’t normally find these kinds of amenities on compact, folding models.
You can adjust the firmness of the deck. This is a really stellar feature you don’t find on many space-saving models. One setting protects your joints, while the other mimics the feel of road-running.
While other compact models can be a pinch for tall folks, this belt is roomy enough for practically any user. If this isn’t big enough for you, neither are any other folding models.
It’s very quiet–by far the quietest folding model we’ve reviewed.
Like our other recommendations, it includes a holder for your devices, an aux port for listening to music, cushioning and a convenient folding mechanism.
It helps you out with a lift-assist feature that does most of the grunt work for you! We love that.
The Nordic Track is much sturdier than cheaper models. It can handle users up to 300 pounds! There’s a lifetime warranty on the frame, a 25-year warranty on the motor, and 1 year of coverage for everything else. In short, the best investment you can make in this category.
Cons:
It’s more than twice the price of our other recommendations, even the Sunny.
Even the nicest folding models don’t have great track records for reliability. That’s sadly true of this model. While it’s the most reliable in its category by a long way, the Nordic Track is far from perfect. We suggest buying an extended warranty for it.
Nordic Track has gotten a reputation recently for pretty poor customer service. Of course, buyer experiences differ widely, but that’s the primary reason we recommend purchasing extended coverage for this one.
Conclusion
Which of these space-saving, folding treadmills should you buy?
The Confidence is the obvious choice for buyers on a budget–as long as you’re into the pink color scheme! If you are, it offers a tremendous amount of functionality for a very low price. If you’re not, choose the Goplus. Don’t plan on using either the Confidence or the Goplus if you’re a dedicated runner, though. They’re relatively slow and they don’t have the kind of reliability you’d want for intense, regular use.
The Sunny Health & Fitness is our suggestion to the average buyer. It doesn’t have as spectacular a reliability record or as impressive a range of features as the Nordic Track, but it’s as much treadmill as most users need. It’s by far the best thing under $500 and should provide enough challenge for the average person. However, if you’re ambitious about your fitness goals and can justify investing in a premium machine, the Nordic Track is much better.
Nordic Track’s C 700 is our suggestion to anyone who wants the best of the best in a folding treadmill. We think it’s a worthwhile investment to anyone who can afford it. It performs as well as the nicest non-folding models, while saving you a heck of a lot of space. It has enough onboard programming to keep any user interested and the best reliability in its category. Just make sure you’ll get your money’s worth out of it before you pull the trigger.
Buying Guide
Here are a few pointers as you consider your options:
Decide On Your Budget
Folding, compact treadmills can cost anywhere from $100 to $1000+. There are a lot of options, so it’s helpful to take a moment up front to decide how much you can afford to spend. We don’t think there are any decent models available for less than $200. At the other end of the spectrum, we don’t see any reason to pay more than a grand for a premium model. There aren’t any significant upgrades or qualitative differences above that threshold.
In general, we suggest that average users spend somewhere between $200 and $500. If you’re a passionate runner, you’ll probably want to spend between $750 and $1000 for something reliable enough for everyday use and challenging enough to keep you moving forward.
Know Your Needs
As we’ve mentioned already, a lot of your decision when choosing between models will come down to knowing how often you’ll use your new treadmill, and how intensely.
Take Some Measurements
This is a guide to the best small and compact treadmills. All of the models we’ve recommended are small compared to the competition, but you should still make sure that the model you’re considering is sized appropriately for your space. We’ve included measurements (folded and set up) for all the models we’ve recommended here. Be sure and check them against the space where you’re planning on walking/running/jogging to make sure everything’s good to go.
Grab Some Extra Warranty Coverage
Treadmills are far from the most reliable machines on the market. Even our recommendations don’t have perfect track records in that department, despite the fact that they’re the best we’ve found to date. That’s why we suggest buying some additional warranty coverage when you order your machine.
Third-party warranty policies offer a few different benefits to you:
First off, they extend your warranty coverage beyond the period of the manufacturer’s policy. Given that most treadmills are covered for a year or less on their moving parts, that’s huge. 25-year frame warranties are great and all, but they won’t help you with most of the problems owners experience over the course of using treadmills. Get yourself some extra insurance to cover wear and tear on all the moving parts.
Secondly, third-party warranty policies are just that: they’re provided by a third party. Being able to deal with a warranty provider like SquareTrade rather than the manufacturer is highly underrated. Warranty providers are much more helpful, and they’ll take care of all the runaround nonsense with the manufacturer’s representatives. It’s much easier to have your problems dealt with in this scenario. You don’t need to deal with onerous requests from the manufacturer. You’ll receive replacement units promptly and without a hassle.
What’s Next
Now that you’ve reached the end of this guide, we hope you’ve learned everything you need to know to shop for a space-saving treadmill like a seasoned pro! If one of of the models we’ve recommended strikes your fancy, simply click on the links in our review to find out more about it! That’s an easy way to check current prices, find full spec lists, and all that other good stuff. You may also want to check out our guide to the best manual treadmills here!