This Is What $200 at a Gym Gets You (and $10, and $40)

Updated on 10/25/2016 at 5:35 AM

POPSUGAR Photography | Benjamin Stone

There are a lot of fitness options to choose from, and new gyms and studios are popping up everywhere, but how much should a gym membership cost? What do you get based on how much you pay?

We asked POPSUGAR editors where they work out, how much they pay, and what they get for the price — uncensored, all pros and cons considered. Is a $20 per month membership at 24 Hour Fitness right for you, or do you want the eucalyptus-scented frills at Equinox?

Here's where we work out, how much we pay, and what we do and don't get with our memberships.

Planet Fitness

Price: $10/month

Pros: Probably the cheapest gym out there; lots of locations; free pizza and bagels

Cons: No group fitness; basic machines; free pizza and bagels

"It's all machines. I didn't love the boring atmosphere, and it felt very stale. Plus it was all about me motivating myself, so that was hard. It worked for a year, but then I got too bored running on treadmills watching TV. Also, you're trying to work out and smell pizza . . . WTH." — Jenny Sugar, Fitness editor, VT

24 Hour Fitness

Price: $5/month to $80/month, depending on membership package.

Pros: Very inexpensive; lots of locations; personal training; some locations provide complimentary towels; group fitness classes

Cons: Not the best group class schedule; basic machines; some locations charge for towels

"I was a member at 24 Hour Fitness for a couple years. My gym had a pool and a ton of class options. My 24 Hour provided complimentary towels, the facility was brand spanking new, and I never had trouble getting a machine." — Hedy Phillips, copy editor, NYC
"I always felt like I was being watched or judged when I tried to workout. It got to the point where I would purposefully not wear my contacts so I wouldn't notice any stares or creeps." — Alaine Flandez, editorial intern, SF

LA Fitness

Price: $30/month

Pros: Very inexpensive; basic machines provided; group fitness classes

Cons: Busted machines; not a great group class schedule; no nice amenities

"You literally get what you pay for, and I only wanted access to a treadmill and some classes, which I got, and nothing more, nothing less (well, sometimes less, as the treadmills are frequently broken). I knew I was getting a bare-bones experience for it to be that cheap. That being said, it's worse than bare bones; even for that price, I do expect the machines to be in better working order, and worst of all, they canceled most of the yoga classes I liked taking (the real reason I signed up in the first place)." — Shannon Vestal Robson, director, LA

New York Sports Club

Price: $40+, depending on location and membership package

Pros: Inexpensive; basic machines

Cons: No clean towels for the showers or shower products; always crowded; outdated/broken machines; cleanliness issues

"Yes, I belong to New York Sports Club. HOWEVER, the gym kinda sucks. They offer classes but I've never really tried them and I would never think to shower there (not very clean)." — Sam Netkin, editorial assistant, NYC

Crunch

Price: $40 to $80 depending on location and membership package

Pros: Inexpensive; great group fitness classes and instructors; personal training; Bliss products in the locker rooms

Cons: Some dated machines; no frills

"Awesome class instructors by virtue of being in hypercompetitive LA, but it's pretty frill-free." — Lindsay Miller, editorial director of video, LA

ClassPass

Price: $40 to $200, depending on location and package

Price Structure: Base — 5 classes per month ($65 in SF); Core — 10 classes per month ($115 in SF); Unlimited, $175 in SF (prices vary by location).

Pros: Tons of classes to choose from; constant variety; incredibly flexible schedule; you can change your membership month to month; less expensive than paying individual studio fees; gets you to different neighborhoods and classes

Cons: Expensive; no centralized gym; can be tough to get to different studios around your city; you can only go to the same studio 2 to 3 times per month

"ClassPass gets you out of your comfort zone! It just might lead you to discover a favorite workout you'd never heard of before (for me, that's Pop Physique)." — Erin Cullum, assistant Food editor, SF
"I have ClassPass and I love it because I get to try out different studios around the city. It's also a great way to discover new studios that I probably wouldn't have known about myself. If you look at it in terms of paying for individual classes, the average in San Francisco is about $20-30 per class, so you are getting your money's worth." — Nicole Yi, Love assistant editor, SF
"I supplement my Crunch membership with the Base ClassPass. $12 a class is usually more than a 50-percent discount on regular prices, but sometimes I forget to use one before my month expires, and figuring out a new studio's parking/quirks is kind of a hassle." — LM
"The con is that it's only 5 classes a month, but the larger membership is more than I can afford (#NYCproblems)." — HP
"I wish that they never hiked up the prices because I miss having unlimited classes (they should have somehow settled it with letting you go to a studio more than 3 times or letting you cancel without a fee)." — Nava Shmulevich, editorial intern, NYC
"Like most members, I was pretty pissed off when ClassPass raised prices this year. Even so, I still decided to buy into the most expensive membership. I hate the gym and don't like to run; ClassPass has kept me on a consistent workout routine — plus, it's really fun trying so many new classes! Since I work out about four times a week, getting a $35 class for the average price of $11 is worth it to me." — Michele Foley, senior Fitness editor, SF

CrossFit: Champlain Valley CrossFit

Price: $165, varies by location

Pros: Great equipment; personal daily coaching; workouts laid out for you; tons of classes offered daily; one shower available

Cons: Expensive; no group fitness like yoga/barre/etc.

"My gym has an awesome community which provides the inspiration and encouragement I need to get up for the 5:45 a.m. classes. Also they offer a Saturday class and a Sunday open gym so you can work on anything you want and get extra help. I go five times a week, so it works out to about $8.25 a class." — JS

Equinox

Price: $150-$200, depending on location and package

Pros: Kiehl's products; eucalyptus towels; ultraluxe facilities; state-of-the-art machines; "fluffy towels"; steam rooms; personal training; amazing group fitness classes (unlimited); exceptional instructors; always clean

Cons: Membership is very expensive; Pilates not included; personal training is very expensive; only one club included in membership price (unless you buy a more expensive package); can be crowded at peak hours

"I don't have to sign up for classes (except Spin), so I can just decide what I feel like doing right before a class vs. having to book it out (like ClassPass). Eucalyptus towels and Kiehl's products speak to me; I never feel dirty showering there. Also, it is BS that I have a passport membership but can't access all clubs (like Printing House and the Sports Club LA gyms Equinox bought)." — Lauren Levinson, senior Beauty editor, NYC
"The Williamsburg location was actually cheaper than ClassPass, and I got tired of roaming all over the city to go to classes; it's kind of comforting to have one location that you can consistently go to. I also really like Equinox's classes; they're really similar to the ones I was taking on ClassPass anyway — minus the $20 fee for missing a class. Also, the eucalyptus towels are pretty dope." — Kelsey Garcia, editorial assistant, NYC
"Top of the line equipment and instructors who know what they're talking about; they helped me lose 30 pounds! Cons: a lot of half-dressed men and women doing a lot of nothing but looking at themselves." — Candace Lowry, senior social video strategist, LA
"Equinox is sooooo luxe; I feel like a Kardashian or some kind of celeb every time I go. Con: I don't have access to all the gyms with the single-club price, and it's hard to get downtown on the weekends. For the price you pay, you should have access to more than just one club in your area." — Dominique Astorino, assistant Fitness editor, SF