How Much is a Gym Membership: What to Expect from Every Price Point

Over the past few decades, the average cost of a gym membership has steadily risen due to inflation, increasing rent prices, and the need for new and complex workout equipment. Despite this, competition in the gym industry has helped keep memberships reasonable, and many gyms (like Crunch Fitness) offer a range of membership options that appeal to a wide variety of people with all types of budgets.

In this article, we’ll use our memberships as a foundation to help explain the different levels of gym memberships, how much they cost, and what you should expect to receive from each. That way, you can empower yourself with the information necessary to choose the right membership for you and get the most value possible for your money.

Basic Gym Memberships

Typically, a basic monthly gym membership should cost between $9.99 and $19.99, depending on location and which gym or health club you decide to trust. Although the average gym membership cost is increasing nationwide, some businesses, like Crunch Fitness, have figured out ways to still offer memberships at this price point in order to make better health available for people on any budget.

Modern Exercise Equipment

A low monthly membership fee doesn’t mean much if it comes with outdated or poorly maintained equipment, so it’s important to check how well-stocked fitness facilities are before signing up for even the most affordable gym memberships.

We suggest asking to tour a location before signing on for a membership. That way, you can see for yourself how they invest in things such as their free weights or cardio equipment and whether it fits what you need for your fitness goals.

Basic Amenities

In years past, so-called “bare-bones” gym memberships cost very little but also offered outdated or minimal amenities. This meant no access to locker rooms, studio space, or really anything beyond basic free weights and machines. Today, gym members should reasonably expect every facility to offer at least basic amenities with their lowest-tier membership costs.

While this may not extend to things like group fitness classes or guest privileges, it should nonetheless cover clean, secure changing rooms, an introductory personal training session (like our CrunchOne Kickoff), and even online fitness resources.

Wide Selection of Gym Equipment

Just like the quality of exercise equipment is crucial to any gym membership, so too is the different equipment made available to members. Squat racks, stationary bikes, rowing machines, dumbbells, kettlebells, and even HIIT equipment–all of these are part of what makes a gym membership worth your time and money.

Additionally, make sure that a gym carries more than one set of particularly popular types of equipment; that way, you won’t be waiting in line during peak hours to get the machine you need for your workout routine.

Mid-Tier Gym Memberships

Depending on which gym you choose, a so-called “mid-tier” gym membership will cost around $10-$20 more than a basic membership. For this small increase in monthly fees, however, you can often gain impressive value from bonus features and services, making these memberships an excellent investment in the long run.

Group Fitness Classes

Once you move into the mid-tier of gym membership options, it’s reasonable to expect at least some access to group fitness classes. With Crunch’s Peak membership, for instance, members gain unlimited access to almost all of our most popular group classes, from our member-favorite HIITzone workouts to our music-driven choreography offerings. For only a small extra fee each month, Peak Results members take this benefit even further with unlimited classes of all types–even small studio classes like our Ride series.

Usually, this single feature adds the most value for the smallest additional charge: with boutique fitness classes, you can expect to pay upwards of $30.00 for a single session. With Crunch’s Peak and Peak Results memberships, you can get an entire month’s worth of those same classes for nearly the same price.

Guest Privileges

We all have friends or family who are “sometimes” gym goers, not avid enough for their own gym membership, but still want to come along every once in a while. In those cases, having a gym membership like our Peak Results package gives you the option to bring guests a few times a month. Even better, these guest passes can potentially be used to convince an on-the-fence friend to get their own membership so that you have a regular gym buddy.

Access to Additional Locations

While most people will attend the same gym location for almost all of their visits, having access to other locations nationwide can be an excellent feature when traveling for work or the holidays. With Crunch’s Peak and Peak Results membership packages, for instance, members can visit any of our nearly 400 locations worldwide and be treated just like they would at their “home” Crunch.

Premium Gym Memberships

As the fitness industry evolves, more and more people in big cities are on the hunt for premium or “luxury” gym memberships. While these memberships usually cost upwards of $50.00 or even $100.00 per month, they also come with an impressive array of perks and advantages beyond what you would expect from a traditional gym.

With Crunch Signature memberships, for example, you gain access to our premium locations, each of which has been designed with all the top-of-the-line features the fitness world has to offer.

Upgraded Amenities

On top of all the normal amenities you would find at other Crunch locations, our Signature facilities come equipped with extra amenities such as saunas, steam rooms, full towel service, and more. Although these amenities often lean towards convenience and relaxation, they can also help ensure that members fully recover and destress between workouts, leading to better performance both in and out of the gym.

Community Events

When most people sign on for a premium gym membership, they’re signing on because they view fitness as an essential part of their lifestyle–not just a hobby. Fortunately, this means that each of our Signature locations is built from a community of like-minded, driven individuals. To help encourage these communities even further, Crunch holds frequent community events like our late-night DJ workout sessions.

Gold Standard Facilities

Even beyond the modern equipment that comes standard with all Crunch locations, our Signature locations pull out all the stops to provide the highest-quality facilities possible. This means dedicated studio space, niche cardio equipment so you can keep your workout routine fresh, and all the top-end weightlifting equipment you could ever want.

On-Site Shops

Sometimes, after a particularly challenging workout by yourself, with a personal trainer, or in a group fitness class, you just want the convenience of a quick pick-me-up or post-workout shake. In those cases, our Signature locations come equipped with on-site cafes and other shops in order to supply everything you want with zero hassle.

How to Decide Which Membership is Worth It

Choosing the right gym membership for you starts with determining which features and benefits you want the most. For less frequent gym goers who only need simple weights or cardio machines, our Basic membership may be everything you need at the lowest possible price.

If you’re looking for things like group classes or guest passes, upgrading to our Peak Results package may provide tons of extra value for only a small hike in monthly fees. Finally, for those who view fitness as an integral part of their lifestyle, a Crunch Signature location can provide the atmosphere, driven vibe, and community you need to maintain peak performance.

Regardless of whether you choose a Crunch membership or any other kind, however, remember that even the cheapest gym should provide safe, modern facilities, excellent customer service, and a no judgment environment where every member can thrive. If you’re looking for a new gym or to upgrade your existing Crunch membership to one with even more benefits, consider seeing what your local Crunch has to offer!

Crunch’s group fitness classes and personal trainers promote a culture of fun with no judgments. It is an environment built for all types of individuals with various goals. Find a Crunch gym near you to try our free trial membership, or join Crunch now.