What a gym membership really costs in its first year
Updated from prices checked on each gym’s own website.
A gym’s first-year cost is its monthly dues × 12 plus its joining fee and its annual fee, and those fees can add a third or more to the advertised price. At Fitness Connection – TX-151, the fees add $186.99 to twelve months of $14.99/mo.
The formula
- Monthly dues × 12. A plan billed every two weeks is 26 payments a year, not 24: $19.99 every two weeks is $519.74 a year.
- + the joining fee (also called enrollment, initiation, start-up or processing fee), paid once.
- + the annual fee (a “maintenance” or “membership” fee), charged once a year on top of the dues.
- + any fee every member must pay, such as a key card or a “rate lock”.
| Gym | Advertised | Dues × 12 | Real first year | Fees add |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness Connection – TX-151 | $14.99/mo | $179.88 | $366.87 | $186.99 |
| Fitness Connection – West Ave | $14.99/mo | $179.88 | $366.87 | $186.99 |
| LA Fitness – Autry Pond Rd | $24.99/mo | $299.88 | $467.88 | $168 |
| LA Fitness – Bandera Rd | $24.99/mo | $299.88 | $467.88 | $168 |
| LA Fitness – N Loop 1604 W | $24.99/mo | $299.88 | $467.88 | $168 |
| LA Fitness – US-281 N | $24.99/mo | $299.88 | $467.88 | $168 |
| LA Fitness – W Loop 1604 N | $24.99/mo | $299.88 | $467.88 | $168 |
| Fitness Connection – SW Military Dr | $14.99/mo | $179.88 | $300.87 | $120.99 |
| Planet Fitness – Culebra Rd | $15/mo | $180 | $268 | $88 |
| Planet Fitness – FM78 | $15/mo | $180 | $268 | $88 |
| LA Fitness – Braun Rd | $34.99/mo | $419.88 | $488.88 | $69 |
| EōS Fitness – Fourwinds Dr | $9.99/mo | $119.88 | $179.99 | $60.11 |
Compare gyms by the first-year column, not the advertised one. How we check every price.
