This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s editor in chief Sabrina Grimaldi. Find her on Instagram at @sabrinamgrimaldi. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
You want to start working out regularly but you prefer fitness classes to a gym. Or maybe, you like to take a variety of types of classes but can’t afford to have even the lowest membership tier at each studio. While searching online for the best way to try out new studios — after taking advantage of all of the local studios free first class options, you stumble upon ClassPass. With a free month trial and access to hundreds of gyms, fitness studios, wellness and beauty salons and more in your area… you can’t help but ask yourself, is this too good to be true?
I’ve been using ClassPass for six months and I have discovered everything you need to know about it. Is ClassPass worth the price tag? Does it benefit or hurt local businesses? Is the app easy to navigate? Is ClassPass cheaper than getting a membership at a local studio? Let’s dive in!
Pros of using ClassPass
ClassPass gives you a free month trial so you can test it out before you purchase a membership. This trial is really awesome—you get 28 credits to use around your area and a month to use them all! However, please note that while using the trial, you cannot go to the same studio more than once and you cannot use the trial to book any of the wellness/beauty appointments. Even so, the trial is a super awesome way to try out studios near you. Even if you are not interested in using ClassPass after the trial but you are instead looking for a local studio to call home, I would highly recommend the trial! Often, studios offer you a free class themselves so book that first and then book another on your ClassPass trial to really see if you like the studio!
After the trial was over, I enrolled in the 28 credit plan which is $60/month. While this might seem pricey—I would recommend taking a look at your local studios to see their pricing. Often, studios start their base level plans at AT LEAST $80 and this is often for only 4 classes a month. ClassPass also has a ton of different scalable plans whether you workout a ton and need more credits (38 credits/$79) or you like to occasionally take local classes (13 credits/$29). ClassPass also gives you the options to add on more credits a la carte (2 credits/$3). I would highly recommend starting with a middle ground like the 28 credit plan and then adjusting as you discover how often you like attending classes and how expensive the types of classes you prefer are.
I love a variety of different workouts throughout the week. I like spin classes, yoga, barre, mat pilates, reformer pilates, Zumba and dance classes, open gym time… I like it all! However, I was having trouble finding a gym that provided all of this in once place. There were a few options in my area that had classes of their own: LA Fitness, EOS Gym, and Lifetime Gym. However—LA Fitness required a yearly contract, EOS had a ton of bad reviews, and Lifetime was insanely expensive… like INSANELY expensive. I wanted a way that I could have my cake and eat it too. So, I tried ClassPass…
In my six months using ClassPass, I have to say that I absolutely love it. I have been able to go to so many different classes in my area. Also—you might be wondering ‘Can you use ClassPass in any city?’ YES! My friend and I used ClassPass when we travelled to California and took a Pilates class in Newport Beacg. Anywhere you travel, you can use your exact same ClassPass account and sign up for classes wherever you are! If you travel often, like variety, and aren’t wanting to find a “home” or “base” studio, ClassPass might be perfect for you.
Overall, ClassPass is affordable, offers you variety and is so much fun. I would 100% recommend the app.
Cons of using ClassPass
As mentioned, ClassPass is not for someone who wants to find a “home” or “base” gym. While I do often take repeat classes using the ClassPass app, there are some negatives of doing so. Every class offered on the app is worth a certain amount of credits that you trade in to take the class. However—there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to how the classes are priced. Sometimes, a spin class will be 3 credits but then when I want to take the exact same class (same place, time, teacher, etc.), it will be 6 credits. It is hard to determine if the prices change based off of demand, based on your consistency, or another reason. Basically, be ready to spend between 2-8 credits on your favorite classes with no consistency across pricing. Also, keep in mind that equipment heavy classes like reformer Pilates will often be priced higher (sometimes 8-12 credits even) than classes that don’t use as much equipment (barre, dance, etc).
Classes also can fill up very quickly. Many studios only allow 2-3 ClassPassers into each class, to fill empty seats. Most studios will give priority to their membership students over ClassPassers. At this moment, I haven’t had anyone treat me too differently than membership students but keep in mind that if you’re looking to build community—it will be harder to do on ClassPass rather than supporting the studio directly.
ClassPass is truly great for someone who doesn’t have a set weekly schedule, who may work from home or who can be a bit more flexible with what time they are working out. If you want a specific class, you need to try to book is ASAP. Classes open a week before they take place so if you want to go to your favorite spin studio on Tuesday of next week, be ready the Tuesday before to book it before it’s gone.
I have heard from studio owners that ClassPass doesn’t pay well but ClassPass is a voluntary program. Many studios, as mentioned, will use ClassPass to fill empty seats which means you won’t get the same benefits as membership participants. Be aware that this includes contests put on by the studio, special offers, discounts, etc. You are not a member of that studio but a member of ClassPass, so keep that in mind. ClassPass can be a great way to find your home studio OR to jump around to different studios and take a variety of classes. Figure out which option is right for you and go from there!
Do you like ClassPass? is ClassPass cheaper? Let us know in the comments below!
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