The short version: for most beginners, buy the FLYBIRD WB5. It’s the lighter, more compact of FLYBIRD’s two folding benches, it folds flat to disappear into a closet, and its ASTM-certified 800 lb rating is far more than you’ll ever load as a beginner. The WB7 is FLYBIRD’s heavy-duty model — a 1,300 lb rating and a wider, commercial-style frame — and it earns its keep only if you plan to press a heavily loaded barbell. Below is the full comparison, drawn from FLYBIRD’s published specs and what owners consistently report, so you can match the right bench to how you’ll actually train. We haven’t bench-tested these two head to head; this is compiled specs plus who each model suits.
What each bench is
The FLYBIRD WB5 is the brand’s default budget bench: an adjustable flat-incline-decline frame that’s ASTM-certified to 800 lb, folds flat for storage, and costs about what a month of a commercial gym membership does. It offers multiple back and seat angles, adjusts from flat to upright for pressing and rows, and is light enough to slide out of the way when you’re done. That combination — a real, tested weight rating at a genuinely low price — is why it’s the bench we point most first-timers toward.
The FLYBIRD WB7 is the heavy-duty version of the same idea. It carries a 1,300 lb rating and a wider, commercial-style frame built for anyone planning to load a barbell hard. It still folds for storage, so it hasn’t abandoned the apartment-friendly trick that makes FLYBIRD benches popular — but it’s heavier and bulkier than the WB5, and it’s more bench than a light-dumbbell beginner needs. Think of the WB7 as the WB5 with the ceiling raised and the frame beefed up, at the cost of some weight and portability.
What the two benches share
It’s easy to frame this as a big fork in the road, but the WB5 and WB7 have far more in common than not. Both are folding adjustable benches from the same brand, both move from a flat position up through incline angles for pressing and supported work, and both fold down for storage rather than sitting as a fixed shape in your training space. Both are rated well beyond what a beginner will ever load — the difference is 800 versus 1,300 pounds, and almost nobody starting out approaches either number. And both are designed to be paired with dumbbells or a barbell inside a rack, not used as standalone spotting devices. So the decision isn’t “which bench works” — both do — but how much frame and headroom you want, and how much weight and bulk you’re willing to store. Keep that in mind and the choice gets much simpler.
The case for the WB5
The reason we default beginners to the WB5 is that it removes almost nothing you actually need while keeping everything that makes a first bench easy to own. The headline is that ASTM certification — it’s rare at this price, and it means the 800 lb rating was independently tested rather than simply printed on a sticker. For a beginner who’s pressing dumbbells and a moderately loaded barbell, 800 pounds of tested capacity is more margin than you’ll ever call on.
The practical wins pile up from there. The WB5 folds flat to lean in a closet or against a wall, so it doesn’t claim floor space between sessions. It’s the lighter of the two benches, which matters more than people expect — a bench you can move one-handed is a bench you’ll actually reposition to sweep under, to share a room, or to tuck away when guests come over. And it adjusts flat to upright, covering flat pressing, incline work, rows, and supported dumbbell exercises without any extra fuss. The honest trade-offs are minor: the pad is firm rather than a plush commercial pad, and there’s no leg-developer or bolt-on extras. Neither of those changes what you can train. For the full breakdown, see our FLYBIRD WB5 review.
There’s a value angle too. Because the WB5 sits near the bottom of the price bracket while still carrying a certified rating, the money you don’t spend here can go toward the pieces that actually gate your progress — more plates, a rack, or flooring. A bench is a platform, not the star of the show, and the WB5 does the platform job for less. See where a bench fits in a complete setup in the $1,000 Build.
The case for the WB7
The WB7 isn’t a trap or an upsell for its own sake — for the right lifter it’s the better bench. Its 1,300 lb rating and wider, commercial-style frame exist to feel rock-solid under heavy barbell pressing, and that stability is a real, felt thing when you’re grinding out a hard set. If you already know you’re the kind of person who’s going to chase a bigger bench press, load the bar aggressively, and keep progressing for years, the WB7 gives you a frame you won’t question mid-rep and a rating you’ll never bump against.
Crucially, it keeps the one thing that makes FLYBIRD benches livable: it still folds for storage. So you’re not trading away the apartment-friendly collapse to get the sturdier frame — you’re just accepting that the folded bench is heavier and bulkier to move and stow. The honest cons are exactly those: it’s heavier and bulkier than the WB5, and it’s more bench than a light-dumbbell beginner needs. If your training is dumbbell-first with the occasional barbell session, that extra frame mostly sits unused. But if you’re building a barbell-centered gym and want to buy once, the WB7 is the confident choice. Our FLYBIRD WB7 review covers it in full.
Under a barbell: how each holds up in real use
This is where the two benches separate in practice. For dumbbell work — presses, flyes, rows, supported curls — there’s no meaningful gap; the WB5’s certified 800 lb rating and multiple angles handle everything a beginner throws at it, and owners consistently report it feels planted for that kind of training. The moment you start pressing a heavily loaded barbell, the WB7’s wider frame and higher rating start to matter: a broader base resists the small side-to-side movement you can feel when you unrack and control a heavy bar, and the higher rating gives psychological headroom on your top sets.
The safety rule is identical for both, and it’s non-negotiable: never press a loaded barbell over an open floor alone. Set the bench inside a rack’s safety arms so the catches will grab the bar if a rep stalls, and set those catches just above your chest. A bench — either bench — is a pressing surface, not a spotter. Pair whichever you choose with one of our power racks or squat stands and you can press solo without worry. What the WB7 adds is margin and a steadier feel when that bar gets heavy; what the WB5 offers is that it’s already plenty for the loads most beginners will ever put over their chest.
Storage, weight, and living with the bench
For anyone tight on space, this section may decide it. Both benches fold, but the WB5 is the lighter and less bulky of the two and folds flat, making it the easier bench to lean in a closet, slide behind a door, or move on your own. The WB7, because of its wider commercial-style frame, is heavier and bulkier folded — it stores, but it asks for more room and more muscle to move. If your bench shares a bedroom, a living-room corner, or an apartment that has to reset to “normal” each evening, the WB5’s lighter footprint is a daily convenience you’ll feel every session.
If your bench lives in a dedicated garage or gym room where it never has to move, the WB7’s extra bulk stops being a downside — you set it, you leave it, and you get the sturdier frame with none of the portability penalty. Match the bench to the room as much as to the barbell: a shared, tidy-up-nightly space leans WB5; a permanent training corner can take the WB7 in stride.
Our pick: WB5 for most, WB7 if you press heavy
For the majority of beginners, buy the FLYBIRD WB5. Its ASTM-certified 800 lb rating is more than enough, it folds flat, it’s light to move, and it covers dumbbell work and moderate barbell pressing without complaint — all for less money and less bulk than the WB7. That’s the right balance for a first bench. Step up to the WB7 only if you already know you’ll be pressing a heavily loaded barbell and want the wider frame and higher rating that stay rock-solid when the bar gets heavy — and you have a home for its extra weight and bulk. Either way, compare them against the rest of the field on our best adjustable weight benches guide, and if you’re still deciding between a fixed and adjustable frame at all, settle that first with flat vs. adjustable bench.
How to choose in 30 seconds
Short on time? Here’s the quick call:
- Training mostly with dumbbells and a moderate barbell? Buy the WB5 — it’s the default for most beginners.
- Tight on space or moving the bench often? WB5 again; it’s lighter and folds flatter.
- Planning to press a heavily loaded barbell and progress for years? The WB7’s wider frame and 1,300 lb rating are worth it.
- On the fence? Go WB5. You’re very unlikely to outgrow a certified 800 lb bench as a beginner.