Gym contract red flags: annual fees, commitments and the cost of leaving

The costs that make a cheap gym expensive are in the contract, not the ad: an annual fee (26 of the 126 gyms we checked charge one, from $49 to $69), a minimum commitment, a notice period you keep paying through, and a fee to cancel.

What to look for before you sign

• An annual fee. Charged once a year on top of the dues, often a few weeks or months after you join, when you no longer expect it.
• A commitment. A 12-month agreement can be cheaper per month, but leaving early may mean paying the months that remain, or a buyout fee.
• A notice period. “30 days’ notice” means at least one more month of dues after you ask to leave.
• How you must cancel. In person, by letter or online: the contract says which, and only that way counts.
• A promotion’s end date. A $1 joining fee or a first month free changes the first year; check what the plan costs after it ends.

Next: how to cancel a gym membership.