Zwift Drops vs Edge Rewards: Virtual Kit or Real Rewards?

Zwift Drops and Edge Rewards both reward you for training, but the rewards end up in different places: Zwift Drops are an in-game currency you spend on virtual bikes and wheels, while Edge Rewards, launching in November 2026, will turn logged workouts into points for real products. You do not have to pick one, because Zwift rides that upload to Strava can be imported into Edge, so the same indoor ride can count in both.

Edge Rewards is our own programme and it is not live yet, so everything below about it describes how it will work at launch. The Zwift side is based on how Zwift describes its features at the time of writing.

What are Zwift Drops?

Drops are Zwift's in-game currency. You collect them as you ride through its virtual worlds, and the counter ticks up on screen as you go. Zwift's help pages say the further you ride, the higher you climb and the harder you work, the more Drops you earn. A Ride On from another rider gives your rate a short boost, and staying with a RoboPacer group can multiply it.

Two rules are worth knowing. Drops cannot be bought, gifted or traded, so every one is earned on the bike. And Zwift's own FAQ says Drops can only be earned by cycling, so a treadmill run in Zwift builds your running progress but does not add Drops.

How do Zwift levels and unlocks work?

Alongside Drops, Zwift tracks experience points, or XP. You earn XP by riding, and it moves you up through the levels. Cyclists can climb from level 1 to level 100, and levelling up also adds a bonus of Drops to your balance. A weekly ride streak adds extra XP, which rewards turning up regularly rather than once in a while.

Levels matter because many items are locked until you reach them. A new frame or set of wheels might need a certain level before you can buy it, and then you still need enough Drops. Put simply, your level decides what you can buy and your Drops decide what you can afford.

Runners have a separate set of levels, earned by running in Zwift, which unlock virtual running shoes and kit. Zwift changes its unlocks and level tables from time to time, so check the game for the current list.

What can you spend Drops on?

Drops are spent in the Drop Shop, which Zwift describes as the place to swap them for virtual equipment such as bike frames and wheelsets. Some set-ups suit climbing and others suit flat, fast roads, so your choice can change how quick you are in virtual races and group rides. Purchases are final and cannot be returned or exchanged.

Physical products, such as smart trainers and clothing, are sold separately in Zwift's online shop and are not bought with Drops. As far as Zwift's help pages describe, Drops stay inside the game. That is simply what they are designed for: making indoor riding feel like progress.

What is Zwift good at?

Zwift is very good at making indoor training less of a slog, which is worth a lot in a British winter. It offers:

• Motivation on the turbo: a Drops counter, a level bar and the next unlock give you a reason to finish the session.
• Structure: Zwift says it has thousands of structured workouts and training plans for different goals.
• Company: group rides, events and races run around the clock, so you rarely have to ride alone.
• Long-term progress: 100 cycling levels give keen riders something to work towards for years.

How much does Zwift cost?

Zwift is a subscription. Its own UK guide lists it at around £17.99 a month or £179.99 a year at the time of writing. You also need a way to ride indoors, such as a turbo trainer or a smart bike, and a screen to run the game on.

What is Edge Rewards?

Edge Rewards is a free rewards programme inside the Edge app, built around one simple idea: get rewarded for moving. It is our own programme, and it is not live yet. Founding members on the waitlist get early access from Sunday 1 November 2026, and the public launch is on Saturday 7 November 2026.

Instead of virtual kit, you collect points and spend them in an in-app marketplace on real products from partner brands, a mix of free items and discounts. Categories will include things like coffee and drinks, gels, snacks and bars, protein and supplements, and apparel and gear. The rewards are gifted by partner brands, and everyone earns and redeems, on the free app or on Edge Pro. As a rough guide, about a week of training earns a free coffee.

How will you earn Edge points?

• Workouts: 1 point per minute of any logged workout, up to 50 points a day.
• Steps: 2.5 points per 1,000 steps, up to 25 points a day.
• Daily cap: the two add together, up to 50 points a day for free members. Anything over the cap does not roll over.
• Monthly reset: points reset to zero at the end of each calendar month, so spend them before the month ends.

Points are counted by the minute, not by watts or speed, so an easy 45-minute recovery spin earns the same as a hard 45-minute race. Any workout counts, not just rides: a run, a strength session, a HIIT class or a mobility session all earn in the same way. Edge Pro members, from £19.99 a month with a free 7-day trial (the trial needs a card), earn faster with Double XP, have no daily cap and get exclusive prizes and secret offers.

Do Zwift rides count towards Edge Rewards?

Yes, once they are logged in Edge. Edge syncs with Strava, Garmin, Apple Health and Coros, and manual entries count too. Zwift can upload your finished rides to Strava once you link the two accounts, so if your Zwift rides already land on Strava and Strava is connected to Edge, those rides can be imported and earn points. If a ride does not come through, you can add it by hand. Our guide on whether Edge Rewards works with Apple Watch, Garmin and Strava walks through each connection.

Here is how a winter evening could look once Edge Rewards is live:

• You ride for 45 minutes on Zwift. It adds Drops and XP in the game as normal.
• The ride uploads to Strava and is imported into Edge, where it earns 45 points.
• A short walk at lunch adds 2,000 steps for another 5 points, which takes you to the free daily cap of 50.

These numbers are examples to show how the rules work, not a promise of what any one person will earn. Nothing changes on the Zwift side: you keep your Drops, your level and your virtual garage, and Edge adds points on top. For how turbo sessions, treadmill runs and home workouts are treated across other apps, read do indoor workouts count on reward apps.

How do Zwift Drops and Edge Rewards compare?

Prices and features change, so check each app for current details. Accurate at the time of writing.

Which one suits you?

• Zwift on its own suits you if you ride indoors a lot, you love the game side of training and virtual unlocks are all the motivation you need.
• Edge Rewards suits you if you want your training to add up to real products, you mix rides with runs, strength and HIIT, or you train outdoors as much as indoors.
• Both together make sense if you already ride on Zwift and post to Strava. Your Drops keep coming, and the same rides can earn Edge points too.

If you are weighing up other options, our list of the top 3 reward apps for cyclists covers a few more, including ways to count outdoor rides. And if you would like your rides, runs and gym sessions planned together, Edge Pro builds them into one fully personalised plan, ready within 24 hours.

How do you get early access to Edge Rewards?

Joining the waitlist is free and gets you founding-member early access from Sunday 1 November 2026, six days before the public launch on Saturday 7 November. In the meantime, link Zwift to Strava and connect Strava to Edge, so your winter rides are ready to count from day one.

This article is general guidance, not medical advice. If you are new to exercise, returning from injury, or managing a health condition, speak to your GP before starting, and see a physio for any niggle that does not settle.