Comparison

Tacx Training™ vs Specialized

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Tacx Training™

Transform indoor cycling into immersive outdoor experiences. Connect to a smart trainer to simulate real-world terrain and track performance data. Enjoy virtual rides, challenges, and sync with other devices for comprehensive training.

Highlights
  • Simulate real-world climbs and descents
  • Real-time speed, power, and cadence data
  • Automatic trainer resistance adjustment
  • Syncs with Garmin Connect and Coach
  • Virtual GroupRides and challenges
  • Access to 500+ video routes (Premium)
Read full description

RIDE INDOORS, FEEL OUTDOORS Connect your Tacx™ smart trainer with the Tacx Training app to turn indoor sessions into immersive rides. Tackle steep Alpine and Pyrenean climbs or conquer the cobblestones of Roubaix right from your living room. New routes around the world are added every month. TRAIN WITH REAL DATA, IN REAL TIME When paired with a compatible Tacx smart trainer and other accessories, you can see speed, power, cadence, and heart rate data on screen while your trainer resistance auto-adjusts for realistic climbs and descents. Connect with a Tacx Alpine gradient simulator for an even more immersive climbing and descending experience. INTEGRATE WITH OTHER GARMIN PRODUCTS When you finish a workout in the app, the data automatically uploads to the Garmin Connect™ app to update performance stats, inform training plan workout recommendations, and more. Your Garmin Connect workouts are automatically synced with the Tacx Training app. MOTIVATION THAT LASTS Earn badges by completing challenges, ride with others in real time, or organize virtual GroupRides with your Tacx friends. Download and use the app for free, or upgrade to premium at any time. Free: • Create and perform workouts based on slope, power, or FTP • View and complete your scheduled workouts from Garmin Connect and Garmin Coach • Your rides and workouts automatically sync to Garmin Connect for analysis • View your data across phone, tablet, and desktop Premium: • Gain access to more than 500 high-quality video routes • Download your favorite videos and ride offline • See other live riders and ride with others in real time • Participate in multi-stage challenges • Plan virtual GroupRides with friends Requirements: • Bluetooth 4.0 or later for Tacx Smart trainer connections • Internet is required for video streaming and live features Don’t forget to contact our support team if you have any questions, concerns, or feature requests. Official Garmin app.

About

Specialized

Enhance your cycling with advanced ride tracking, performance analytics, and e-bike management. Monitor your bike's settings, battery life, and security features. Sync your rides with other fitness apps for a complete overview of your active lifestyle.

Highlights
  • Ride recording with GPS
  • Advanced performance analytics
  • Turbo e-bike management
  • Turbo System Auto-Lock
  • Smart battery management
  • Partner app synchronization
Features
Read full description

Unleash your dream ride with the Specialized app. With ride recording, advanced performance tracking, and Turbo e-bike management, the Specialized app takes your cycling experience to the next level. Plus, premium ride data and analytics motivate you to achieve your cycling goals while a seamless partner app connection supports your active lifestyle. GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR BIKE Turbo E-bike Management: Manage your Turbo bike settings directly in the app. • Register your bike directly in the app to activate the lifetime warranty and receive critical updates about your bike. • Fine-tune your bike’s power delivery and battery output to support your riding style. • Customize the stats and layout you see on the bike display. • Deter bike theft with Turbo System Auto-Lock.* When activated, your system automatically locks when you power off your bike. The system will automatically unlock when you’re near your bike and power it on. • Monitor battery level, charge cycles, odometer, etc. • Receive real-time error log alerts when your bike needs attention. Resolve issues with our helpful troubleshooting tips, or share system status and logs with your preferred retailer for remote diagnosis. • Get service reminders to keep your bike operating at peak performance. • Manage bike settings, including battery beeper, stealth mode*, and range extender use.* *Available on select models. ENJOY THE RIDE Advanced Ride Recording: Track activity and monitor your ride data in real-time with GPS recording. • View real-time metrics, including speed, distance, elevation gain, calories burned, and more. • Customize the ride recording dashboard to see your preferred stats. • Turbo riders can stream stats directly from their bike, including assist mode, battery level, and motor power. Smart Control (Turbo e-bikes only): Effortlessly manage your Turbo e-bike's battery use on any ride. Set your desired battery percentage remaining for the end of your ride, and the app will intelligently adjust motor assistance to ensure you reach your destination with the right amount of charge. CELEBRATE YOUR EFFORTS Premium Performance Data: Get a comprehensive summary of every ride with a detailed analysis of where you rode and what you accomplished.  • Stats include speed, distance, elevation gain, calories burned, and more.  • Interactive graphs allow you to analyze your ride further. • Rides recorded on a Turbo e-bike will display Turbo-specific metrics, including levels of assistance used during the ride, battery usage over time, and average motor power use.  Seamless Partner App Connection: Easily sync your ride data with your preferred apps that track and support your active lifestyle. • Connect your Garmin or Wahoo account to the app and sync the rides you record with either device. Rides will be imported to your activity library, allowing you to analyze the collected data. • Sync activity with Apple Health to see the complete picture of your daily activity and contribute to your three rings. • Sync activity to Strava for sharing with friends and getting kudos. Designed to empower all riders, the Specialized app revolutionizes your cycling experience with innovative features and an intuitive user experience. It’s your ultimate riding partner. Download and start riding today.

Screenshots

Tacx Training™4 screens
Specialized4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Specialized at ad-supported against Tacx Training™'s freemium. Specialized also leads on review sentiment (51% vs 42%). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Tacx Training™ against 4.7 for Specialized. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16K and 12K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 42% of Tacx Training™'s written reviews are positive against 51% of Specialized's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tacx Training™ ships an update every 3 weeks, Specialized fortnightly. Both last shipped on November 2, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Tacx Training™ versus Specialized: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTacx Training™Specialized
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (16K ratings)4.7 (12K ratings) — better
Positive reviews41.9% of reviews50.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings16K — better12K
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreemiumAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size363 MB160 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGarminSpecialized Bicycle Components, Inc.

Customer experience

Tacx Training™

All ratings15,851 ratings
Positive90.4%
Neutral4.8%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews737 reviews
Positive41.9%
Neutral12.3%
Negative45.7%

Specialized

All ratings11,558 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.3%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews526 reviews
Positive50.6%
Neutral19.6%
Negative29.8%

User reviews

Tacx Training™

From 16K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great workout software
  • 🚀 Excellent video quality and variety
  • 🚀 Seamless integration with Garmin
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 👍 Realistic riding experience

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent connection issues
  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable app
  • 🐛 Crashes during rides
  • 🐛 Data loss and syncing problems
  • 🔒 Poor customer support

Specialized

From 12K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Seamless bike connectivity
  • 👍 Intuitive tuning interface
  • 🔒 Improved security features
  • 💡 Integration with Apple Health
  • 👍 Customizable data screens

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Inconsistent auto-unlock feature
  • 🔋 Higher phone battery drain
  • 🔍 Reduced map detail compared to previous app
  • 🔍 Missing firmware update functionality
  • 🔍 Lack of custom preset options

Bugs and requests

Tacx Training™

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Inconsistent power and speed readings
  • Inability to resume paused rides
  • Connectivity issues with Bluetooth sensors
  • Calibration problems with trainers
  • Compatibility issues with older devices

Requested features

6 requests
  • Ability to download videos for offline use
  • More detailed performance analytics
  • Integration with other fitness apps (e.g. Apple Health)
  • Better customization options for data screens
  • Audio cues and prompts during workouts
Show 1 more
  • Ability to create and edit custom routes

Specialized

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Ride recording issues causing incorrect mileage
  • Connectivity problems when pairing bikes
  • Tuning settings not saving properly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add option to disable map display
  • Bring back Smart Control mode
  • Allow custom tuning presets
  • Integrate with Apple Watch for heart rate monitoring
  • Add more data fields and customization options

In-app purchases

None

Tacx Training™

No in-app purchases

None

Specialized

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tacx Training™ free?
Tacx Training™ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Specialized free?
Specialized is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Tacx Training™ or Specialized?
Specialized is rated higher. Tacx Training™ averages 4.6 out of 5 from 16K ratings, while Specialized averages 4.7 from 12K ratings.
Do Tacx Training™ or Specialized have ads?
Neither Tacx Training™ nor Specialized shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tacx Training™ or Specialized?
Tacx Training™ ships an update every 3 weeks, and Specialized fortnightly. Most recently, Tacx Training™ was updated on November 2, 2026 and Specialized on November 2, 2026.

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