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Why Many People Choose a ClassPass Membership Over a Gym

ClassPass has become one of the most talked about names in fitness as the $30 billion US health and fitness industry continues to grow. Here’s how the subscription works, what it costs and why users say it keeps them going.

How Does ClassPass Work in 2026?

ClassPass is a subscription that gives members access to thousands of studios and classes in their city through a single app, using a credit system rather than unlimited access. Members purchase a set number of credits each month and spend them on the classes they book.

Popular boutique sessions can cost 9 credits, while regular classes may run as low as 1 or 2. ClassPass started in 2013 with a monthly fee of $45 for five classes regardless of type or location, but prices now vary by market. The company partners with over 8,500 studios in over 50 cities. As of January 2025, 94% of users were new to the places they booked with ClassPass, a sign that the app is directing members to studios they wouldn’t have found on their own. The broader fitness industry has grown 3 to 4% annually over the past decade, with retail studios now driving more than 35% of revenue.

Why Does ClassPass Keep Members Coming Back?

Variety, not any one exercise, is what keeps members committed, he said Jeff Bladtsenior vice president of pricing and marketing at ClassPass parent company Playlist.

“All of those key issues that prevent people from starting a fitness routine, ClassPass solves,” Bladt said. Forbes. He identified price, affordability and availability as the biggest areas of conflict that keep people from sticking to a plan. The credit system also creates urgency. A member with 40 credits and a month to use them must plan ahead, and the “use it or lose it” structure pushes members to participate after a missed week rather than walk away. Bladt defines fitness as “something that creates a habit,” and the product is built around that behavior. Locking users into one studio or method, he says, may produce short-term commitment but long-term burnout. It’s a playlist pattern that sees members start with yoga, switch to Pilates, try strength training and dive into recovery services.

What Classes and Services Can You Book on ClassPass?

ClassPass members can book yoga, Pilates, spin and boxing alongside new favorites like HIIT, Barre and dance cardio. The app also features trending formats like aerial yoga and goes beyond fitness to restorative services like massage and meditation, as well as beauty appointments including manicures and haircuts.

That range is in line with what the study labeled as the fastest-growing fitness activities of 2017, including event-style classes, machine-based classes, HIIT, barre, yoga and HIIT small group training. The author Alina Tang she said in the Medium episode that she’s tried more than 30 different studios since signing up, sampling yoga, spin, boxing, Pilates, Zumba and bootcamps. “It wasn’t until I started using ClassPass that I discovered the joy of exercise,” he wrote. “Not just the results, but the pure joy.”

How Much Does ClassPass Cost?

ClassPass prices vary by city and work with credits rather than an unlimited rate. When the company launched in 2013, members paid $45 a month for five classes regardless of class type or location.

That model has been replaced by bundled credit packages, where members choose how many credits they want each month and spend on the classes they book. The cost of each class varies, with the more in-demand boutique sessions at the top of the range and regular offerings at the lowest price. Pricing also varies by location as ClassPass operates in more than 50 cities and partners with more than 8,500 studios, so the same package may unlock different numbers of classes in different markets. The monthly billing structure gives members a built-in goal and deadline to spend what they paid for, which The Playlist’s Jeff Bladt described as key to how the product reinforces a fitness routine.

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