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YOLEO vs. FLYBIRD WB5: Which Budget Bench?

Two ASTM-certified folding benches at the budget end. One is the cheapest we trust; the other is our overall pick. Here's how to choose between them.

By Stephen V., Home-gym enthusiastLast updated August 4, 2026How we pick

The short version: both of these are honest, ASTM-certified folding benches at the budget end of the market, so you are safe with either. The YOLEO is the cheapest bench we trust and arrives almost fully assembled, but has a narrower pad and fewer positions. The FLYBIRD WB5 costs a little more and gives you more back and seat angles plus a broader pad, which is why it is our overall pick. Buy the YOLEO if you want the lowest sensible spend and minimal setup; buy the WB5 if you want the extra versatility for not much more. Here is the full comparison.

YOLEOFLYBIRD WB5
Weight ratingASTM-certified 827 lbASTM-certified 800 lb
PositionsFewer back-angle settingsMultiple back + seat angles
PadNarrowerWider, firm
Assembly~98% pre-assembledNormal assembly, nothing hard
StorageFoldsFolds flat
Best forLowest spend; press-and-row basicsMost beginners; more angles for the money

What they share: a tested rating

Start with the thing that matters most, because it is where both benches are strong. Each carries an ASTM certification — the YOLEO to 827 lb, the FLYBIRD WB5 to 800 lb. ASTM International publishes voluntary safety standards products can be tested against, so a bench described as ASTM-certified to a rating was actually tested to that load under a published standard, not just labeled with a number on the box. That distinction is the single best quality signal on a budget bench, and it is exactly what separates these two from the no-name benches you should avoid.

Both also fold for storage, which is what makes either one work in a spare room or an apartment. So the decision is not about safety or whether the bench will fit your life — both pass those tests. It comes down to two smaller things: how much you want to spend, and how much adjustability you want in return. We cover the full checklist in how to choose a weight bench, but for these two specifically, the trade is narrow and easy to reason about.

Where the YOLEO wins

The YOLEO wins on price and convenience. It is the cheapest bench we are comfortable recommending, precisely because it keeps the ASTM rating that budget no-names drop to hit a lower number. If your goal is a safe, capable bench for the lowest sensible spend — the money-saving move in a first gym — this is it.

Its second advantage is assembly, or the near-absence of it. The YOLEO ships around 98% pre-assembled, so it is close to ready out of the box. If you dread building flat-pack equipment, that is a genuine perk: you can be training the day it arrives with almost no fuss. The trade you accept is a narrower pad and fewer back-angle positions, which matter more for incline and shoulder work than for the flat pressing and rowing most beginners start with. For a press-and-row basics setup on the tightest budget, the YOLEO is hard to fault.

Where the FLYBIRD WB5 wins

The FLYBIRD WB5 wins on versatility for the money. It offers more back and seat angles than the YOLEO, which opens up incline pressing, supported shoulder work, and incline curls — movements you grow into as you get stronger, not out of. Its pad is also wider, giving a steadier base under a loaded bar or a pair of heavy dumbbells. Those two things are why it is our overall pick in the bench roundup.

The cost of all that is small: the WB5 sits a little above the YOLEO on price and needs normal assembly rather than arriving nearly built. Neither is a real obstacle. For most beginners, paying a touch more to get more positions and a broader pad is the better long-term buy, because the added adjustability keeps the bench useful as your training expands. It folds flat too, so you give up nothing on storage to get it.

How to decide

The call is genuinely simple. If budget is your deciding factor, or you specifically want a bench that is basically ready out of the box, buy the YOLEO — it is safe, folds, and does the core lifts for the least money. If you want more angles and a wider padand the small price bump does not put you off, buy the FLYBIRD WB5 — it is the more versatile bench and our overall pick for a reason.

For most people we lean WB5, because the extra positions are the kind of thing you appreciate more over time, and the difference in price is modest. But nobody buying the YOLEO to save money is making a mistake — it keeps the one feature that actually matters for safety and skips only the extras. Both sit with live prices on our best adjustable weight benches page, so you can see exactly what the gap is today before you choose.

Whichever bench you pick, it pairs naturally with a set of adjustable dumbbells to cover most of a full-body routine, and it slots straight into the plan in our $1,000 Build. If you are also weighing whether to go adjustable at all, our flat vs. adjustable bench guide settles that fork first.

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Common questions

Are both the YOLEO and FLYBIRD WB5 safe for a beginner?

Yes. Both carry an ASTM certification to a high weight rating — the YOLEO to 827 lb, the FLYBIRD WB5 to 800 lb — which means each was actually tested to that load rather than just labeled with it. That tested rating is the single most important safety signal on a budget bench, and both benches have it, so either is a safe base for a beginner's pressing and rowing.

What is the real difference between them?

Price and positions. The YOLEO is a little cheaper and arrives almost fully assembled, but has a narrower pad and fewer back-angle settings. The FLYBIRD WB5 costs slightly more and offers more back and seat angles plus a broader pad, which is why it's our overall pick. You are trading a small amount of money for more adjustability.

Which bench should I buy if money is tight?

The YOLEO. It is the cheapest bench we actually trust, because it keeps the ASTM certification that no-name budget benches skip. You give up some back-angle positions and pad width, but for a beginner who mainly wants to press and row, it is a genuinely safe, capable bench for the lowest sensible spend.

Which bench has less assembly?

The YOLEO. It ships about 98% pre-assembled, so it is close to ready out of the box — a real plus if you dread building equipment. The FLYBIRD WB5 needs normal assembly but nothing difficult. If getting training the same day with minimal fuss matters to you, the YOLEO has the edge there.

Is the FLYBIRD WB5 worth the extra over the YOLEO?

For most beginners, yes. The extra back and seat angles open up more incline and shoulder work, and the wider pad gives a steadier base for pressing — both things you grow into rather than out of. The gap is small in absolute terms, so unless budget is the deciding factor, the WB5's added versatility usually earns it.

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