The 10 Best Resistance Bands of 2024: Versatility, Portability, and Affordability

For under $70, you get six resistance bands that range from 10 pounds of resistance all the way up to 200, and a door anchor to increase the amount of moves you can do with the bands. The Living.Fit resistance bands are a very affordable option for someone who wants an entire set without a hefty price tag.

In fact, GGR head of content and expert product tester Kate Meier said they reminded her of the Rogue Monster bands—with one exception. “They’re not as chalky,” she notes. “You can definitely tell they’re high quality.”

CrossFitter and Garage Gym Reviews Everything lead reviewer Lindsay Scheele agrees, rating them a 4 out of 5 for durability. “I feel safe using them,” she says. “I did a variety of stretches and workouts with them and at no point did I feel like they would snap on me.” Specifically, she likes that the bands can combine for up to 200 pounds of total resistance.

While these certainly aren’t the most affordable resistance bands overall, they’re by far the most affordable resistance band set for people who are looking for heavy weights. No other budget-friendly resistance band set we tried provides up to 200 pounds of resistance, a lifetime warranty, and superior construction. 

Check out our Living.Fit resistance band review for more information.

For those who are looking to either master their pull-ups or do sets with multiple reps, the Rogue Monster Bands Pull-Up Package will be your new best friend. The Pull-Up Package retails for around $80, and includes three durable resistance bands: a green (65 pounds), black (100 pounds), and purple (140 pounds). You can also purchase other bands separately that have as little resistance as 15 pounds, and as high as 200 pounds, so there is an option for essentially everyone. 

This pull-up band kit can be a helpful tool when trying to crank out a bunch of reps or work on building strength to get a regular pull-up sans resistance band. The Rogue Monster Bands are very durable and well-constructed resistance bands (made with latex rubber), and I felt confident in their ability to hold me while I was cranking out pull-ups. 

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The only things I don’t like about these bands are pretty minor: they stink. My hands smelled like a rubber band factory for a full day after handling these (even after washing my hands). They also have a slight powdery residue that will probably come off on your hands when you use them. Hey, free chalk for your lift after, amiright? 

For those who are looking to strengthen their glutes, the Titan Fitness Loop Resistance Bands will have you sore for days. These durable bands come in a pack of eight, with four different resistance levels for under $50. I personally was very impressed by how strong and durable these loop resistance bands were. 

Plus, Titan Fitness gives these resistance bands a one-year warranty. I haven’t come across many brands (if any at all) that provide a warranty for anything like resistance bands. Although I really like these loop resistance bands for strengthening the glutes and lower body, there are a limited amount of exercises you can do with them. 

I did really like that these particular resistance bands didn’t slide down my legs/fold over when doing exercises. I find that it can be a real issue for cheaper and thinner resistance bands, but not with these. I felt confident that they weren’t going to irritatingly fold over mid-glute bridge. 

For those who want great mini-loop resistance bands, Iron Bull Strength delivers. This budget-friendly option comes with six bands for under $30, ranging from extra-light to extra-extra-heavy.

Not only are these bands good for warm-ups, but they can also be useful when doing accessory or mobility work. It is worth noting that these are a bit thinner, and probably won’t last an insanely long time, especially with daily usage. However, since they are so inexpensive, it isn’t the worst thing ever if this set only lasts you a year or two. 

They also come with a convenient carrying case, so you can train your glutes and lower-body no matter where you are.

If you have shoulder issues from years of overuse, an injury, or just one too many overhead presses, the Crossover Symmetry Shoulder System is a must for your recovery. This set comes with a huge library of resistance band workouts to do to strengthen your shoulders without a ton of unneeded strain.

These bands are not high in tension (between 3-40 pounds); after all, they’re supposed to be for recovery and rehab purposes. They are pretty pricey (close to $200) for something you likely won’t use a lot besides when your shoulders are hurting.

GGR Staff Writer Anthony O’Reilly said he really liked that you’re able to customize the different recommended shoulder exercises based on how bad your shoulders are. It makes him feel like he was really working with a physical therapist who is customizing recovery based on what’s actually happening with his shoulder. 

Every piece of equipment Rogue makes is overbuilt and durable, and the Rogue Tube Resistance Bands are no exception. The handles all come individually wrapped, and I could see why pretty quickly. These tube resistance bands have some of the best handles I’ve seen compared to other comparable resistance bands. The grip is nice and textured, and the handle is long enough for larger hands to grasp easily.

The bands are also clearly well constructed, but I do wish the resistance was printed on the equipment themselves. I’m terrible at remembering how much tension each one has, especially when the full package comes with six different options and I have the brain capacity of a squirrel. Unfortunately, even after consulting the website, it only has general estimates for each and calls the varying tension options “very light” all the way to “super heavy.” Not the most helpful in my opinion. I want actual numbers, people! 

Although these aren’t quite as portable as small loop bands would be, they can definitely still come along in suitcases and on vacation. If you’re someone who is annoyed by squeaking noises, beware: these squeak literally every time you use them. It doesn’t really bother me now, but I can see that getting old over time. I am pretty sure the sound is coming from the metal circles rubbing against the band, but regardless, they are absolutely screaming for some WD-40. 

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Your hips will tell no lies if you train them with the Iron Bull Strength Hip Resistance Bands. These fabric bands come in three sizes (available in singles or a pack of three) and are generally used to activate your hip muscles before lower-body workouts such as squats or leg presses, but they can also be used to add extra resistance to those moves or bodyweight movements.

Unlike other hip resistance bands that tend to slide off while in use, Iron Bull’s stays where they’re meant to thanks to the non-slip rubber interior. The fabric material gets a 5 out of 5 from us because it’s safe for all people to use—other bands use latex, which might cause allergic reactions in some people.

You can purchase a single band for $20, or a set of three hip bands of varying resistance for $50.

Looking for a band option for beginners? Fear not! The Fringe Sport Latex-Free Strength Bands are here to save the day. These are versatile bands that can be purchases individually or as a set. Although the price is high at $190 for a set of six bands, we like the ability to choose which band or bands you want to start with. Plus, these latex-free bands are an ideal choice for those with an allergy to latex.

I do love that these are so versatile. The thicker ones are great for assisted pull-ups and the thinner ones can be used for beginners learning basic strength movements. It is worth noting that these bands do feel slightly weaker than the comparable latex version from Rogue.

The actual amount of tension in pounds isn’t labeled on the actual bands, and I wish it was. Instead, Fringe decided they would put “latex-free” on half the bands, which isn’t the worst move for people who are allergic to latex. However, it is hard to know how much resistance you’re actually using.

The Gorilla Bow is an extremely unique take on resistance band training. With your purchase, you’ll get a free 30 days for the interactive programming that goes along with this device, the Gorilla Bow App. After the 30 days is up, a monthly membership is $14.99. You’ll get on-demand workout classes (that utilize the Gorilla Bow obviously) that fit a variety of skill levels and goals. This makes it a fun option for someone who enjoys interactive programming. 

I really like the concept of this device. However, I think people used to more intense strength training should go ahead and purchase the heavy resistance bands to use with their Gorilla Bow. The base kit comes with four resistance bands that only add up to 110 pounds when used all together. The actual bow itself can support up to 300 pounds of resistance, which is awesome.

I would recommend this to someone who isn’t necessarily looking for a portable option, because the Gorilla Bow is pretty large. I would also not recommend this to someone who is a true beginner to strength training, because the movements require at least some knowledge of proper form. 

Check out my full Gorilla Bow review.

For all my short friends out there, the Eilison Resistance Bands will be a quick favorite. Gone will be the frustration and irritation of choking up on resistance bands that are far too long. Although these aren’t specifically designed for shorter folks, they are definitely best utilized by people shorter than 5’9”. I’m 5’9” and could not do a single overhead movement with these. 

I definitely see the appeal with these though; the nylon sleeve eliminates the terrible rubber smell you may be used to with most resistance bands. However, it comes at the price of not extending as well as a typical, fully latex resistance band might. The bright primary colors of the nylon encompassing the bands is fun and the included bands range from 10-60 pounds. Luckily, these bands are stackable if 60 lbs of resistance isn’t going to cut it for you. 

The storage bag that comes standard with this kit is a welcome addition. I feel like it makes this set portable and easy to bring along on different kinds of trips. These are also pretty affordable at under $50 for a set with six resistance bands, so even though they don’t feel the most durable, it’s less of a concern because of the price.