Zwift Play: 14 buttons and haptic shifts
Zwift Play is a pair of controllers that wrap around the drops: seven buttons on each side, a rechargeable battery, and a vibration you can feel when a gear lands. Nothing about them has to be unlocked or refreshed.
Try it for 5 days (7 on Windows) to check it works with your setup. Then Base, a one-time purchase per platform, or Pro.
- Buttons
- 14seven on each controller
- Actions in BikeControl
- 42
- Power
- Rechargeable, USB-C
- Mounting
- Drop bar only
- Typical price
- Around 30 USD second-hand; no longer sold new
The Zwift Play in each trainer app
One answer per app: whether it works, how BikeControl gets there, and the setup guide.
- ZwiftYesNatively, and through BikeControlZwift also reads it without BikeControl.Setup guide
- MyWhooshOfficial partner, OpenBikeControl built inYesThrough BikeControl, over OpenBikeControlSetup guide
- RouvyOfficial partnerYesThrough BikeControl, built into RouvySetup guide
- BiketerraYesThrough BikeControl, with the inputs Biketerra already acceptsSetup guide
- TrainingPeaks VirtualOfficial partner, OpenBikeControl built inYesThrough BikeControl, over OpenBikeControlSetup guide
- Other trainer appYesThrough BikeControl, with the keys you mapSetup guide
Fourteen buttons, forty-two actions
Seven buttons a side, and BikeControl reads a single, a double and a long press on each button as three separate actions — more assignable actions than any other controller in our hardware comparison apart from the Zwift Ride. That is enough that plenty of riders fit one side only and keep the other hand free: seven buttons already covers shifting, steering, the action bar and a couple of emotes. The shoulder buttons are the pick of them.
Nothing to unlock, and haptics that tell you it worked
The Play controllers carry none of the Click v2’s firmware restrictions: no encrypted handshake, no 24-hour timer, nothing to refresh before a ride. They also vibrate when an action registers, so a shift confirms itself without you looking at the screen — which is the one thing a virtual drivetrain otherwise never gives you.
Rechargeable, but drop-bar only
They charge over USB-C rather than eating coin cells, which is the right trade for something you use several times a week. The mounting is the catch: they clamp to a drop bar and nowhere else, and the shape is not for everyone — they can sit where your hands want to be on the drops. If your indoor bike has flat bars or aero extensions, look at a controller that straps anywhere instead.
What to know about the Zwift Play
- Native support
- Zwift reads the Play natively. MyWhoosh, Rouvy, Biketerra, and TrainingPeaks Virtual need BikeControl in between — and so does any other trainer app.
- Designed for Zwift
- The Zwift Play was designed for Zwift, so it works best there. In other apps, what its buttons can do depends on what that app supports — BikeControl brings it as far as each app allows.
- Unlocking
- Nothing to unlock: the Zwift Play keeps sending button presses for as long as it is paired with BikeControl.
- How it connects
- The Zwift Play pairs with BikeControl over Bluetooth. BikeControl then reaches your trainer app over Network, Bluetooth, or Local, depending on which app it is — so BikeControl can run on the same device as the app or on a phone beside it.
- Platforms
- BikeControl runs on iOS, iPadOS, Android, Windows and macOS. Apple TV cannot run BikeControl itself, but an app that accepts the Network connection can be driven from an iPhone, iPad, Mac or PC.
- Trial, Base and Pro
- You can check that BikeControl works with your setup before you buy: the trial lasts 5 days with up to 80 controller actions a day (7 days on Windows, without a daily cap). After that you get 15 controller actions a day until you buy Base, a one-time purchase of about $4.99. Pro (about $2.50/month) adds three actions per button, use on all your platforms, and BikeControl's own virtual shifting, which you can try for 20 minutes a day, a daily trial of Pro.
How to use the Zwift Play in any trainer app
Install BikeControl
Install BikeControl on iOS, Android, Windows or macOS — on the device that runs your trainer app, or on a phone or tablet next to it.
Pair the Zwift Play
Wake the Play controllers and pair them with BikeControl over Bluetooth — both sides, or just the one you ride with.
Pick your trainer app
Choose your trainer app in BikeControl. Each one arrives with a default mapping for its own actions, and BikeControl connects over Network, Bluetooth or Local depending on what that app accepts.
Map the buttons
Change any assignment you like in BikeControl's keymap editor. BikeControl reads a single, a double and a long press on each button as three separate actions, so the Zwift Play's 14 buttons cover more than shifting.
Ride
Start a ride. The Zwift Play's buttons now trigger the actions you mapped, in whichever trainer app you are using.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the Zwift Play with trainer apps other than Zwift?
How many buttons does the Zwift Play have, and can I remap them?
Does the Zwift Play need any kind of unlock or daily refresh?
Which platforms does this work on?
Do I need to pay to use the Zwift Play with another app?
What riders wrote in the stores
Seven reviews from the App Store and Google Play, quoted word for word.
“The high quality of both the app and customer service really makes it value for money.”
NicoGoogle Play review “it works, many possibilities, like the screenshot ability to simulate finger touch.”
CedricGoogle Play review “Works perfectly with my Zwift Cog and Click on my Xiaomi tablet.”
MaximeGoogle Play review “Because of this app I bought zwift ride. It unlocks zwift ride to be used with Mywhoosh. You can see the amount of work done by the developer through the huge amount of features.”
VladGoogle Play review “Great job by the developer! Using Cycplus BC2 on the iPhone and on the Mac. Now I can virtually shift MyWhoosh and TrainingPeaksVirtual on the Mac.”
WaltApp Store review “Works great in general, and now with SRAM. No Zwift click needed anymore which is especially helpful for ROUVY.”
RedirApp Store review “Works much better with click v2 on iPhone and MacOs myWhoosh app after the latest update. All in all, very useful app.”
r4deApp Store review
Ride with your Zwift Play.
Pair the Zwift Play once and use it in the app you ride today, and the next one. A 5-day trial on every platform (7 on Windows) shows it works with your setup. Base is bought once per platform; Pro is a subscription.