Get a Month of Fitness Training

If you love to mix up your workouts with Pilates, spin, boxing, HIIT, yoga, reformer classes, and more, ClassPass is worth considering. The class-booking platform lets you try thousands of workouts from coveted boutique studios in person to live streams from tried-and-true trainers and brands, all for a monthly subscription.

More appealing than its wide range of offerings is that ClassPass is currently offering a free one-month trial, a 50% improvement from the standard two-week trial typically offered. If you’re in it for the freebies, or can’t decide if you want to commit or not, ClassPass allows any new signee to cancel their membership whenever they please throughout the trial — and it’ll remind you two days before your trial ends.

If you don’t cancel, you’ll be automatically enrolled in a monthly membership upon the end of the trial (though you can choose any membership plan rate you want if you want to keep it).

What is ClassPass?

ClassPass is a budget-friendly subscription that lets you drop into boutique fitness classes in your area or log on for live workouts, without having to belong to specific clubs. You pay a monthly fee for ClassPass credits and use those credits to sign up for classes that pique your interest. This includes boxing and yoga classes, cycling sessions, weight training routines, martial arts, and pilates, among others. Some cities also have wellness and spa options like meditation classes, massage, stretching, and more. You can also access certain gyms for as little as one credit per visit.

And since a budget-friendly option often means second-rate equipment or gym space, it’s nice to know ClassPass typically features popular studios, including a majority of the fitness classes you’ve heard of from word-of-mouth or have been meaning to try. 

How does the ClassPass free trial work?

The ClassPass free trial allows you to take 48 credits worth of classes over two weeks. While ClassPass varies its membership costs by region, we consistently saw the 48 credit plan priced at $99 a month in major US cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami. If you don’t cancel before the trial ends, ClassPass auto-enrolls you in a monthly membership plan.

What does a ClassPass membership entail?

1. After your free trial, you pay a monthly membership fee that’s based on your region and how many classes you want to take each month. We looked at pricing for four major US cities and found that the lowest tier membership starts at $55 a month for 26 credits, $99 a month for 48, and $159 a month for 80. The most popular plan seems to be the one included in the trial: 48 credits for $99 in major metropolitan areas. The value of credits depends on your location and the cost of the class. We looked for prices in Tulsa, for example, and the monthly plans offered were much cheaper, albeit with fewer credits as well – $19 for 8, $35 for 15, and $69 for 33.

2. A membership grants you access to the ClassPass app to book yourself a spot in one of the thousands of participating fitness classes in your area, as well as salons and spas. Every class or spa service requires a different credit value and you’re able to book either in advance or as soon as a few minutes before it begins via the app.

3. If you don’t use all of your credits in a month, any remaining credits in your monthly allotment will roll over into the following month – which is super handy if you’re too busy sometimes or have a vacation coming up. You can’t roll them over twice though.

4. ClassPass also allows you to add credits anytime you like if you run empty during the month. Unused ones can also roll over, but again only up to your plan’s allotment.

Why do people like ClassPass?

The perks are plentiful. You could pay as much as 50% less every month for specialized fitness classes (a single class can cost $30 à la carte) and have access to a wider variety and convenience in your options. It’s also a nice perk to be able to use any unused credits on spa or salon appointments at the end of the month.

ClassPass also provides class recommendations and reviews so you can see what’s good before you book a new class. You can even stream workouts from home if you’d rather not make the trip to a studio. 

Plus, the versatility means working out can be more fun, which may help you build an effective habit. For instance, if you get bored of rowing, you can switch to tai chi. And if you’re traveling, you can switch your account location and use ClassPass wherever you are (given you’re in one of the participating cities). 

What are the potential cons of using ClassPass?

The risks you run, depending on the city, are popular classes booking up quickly, falling in love with a high-credit class, needing to buy more credits because you exercised too much, or paying for a month and never using the credits.

One option to consider if you end the month with plenty of unused credits is to use them on any of the considerably higher credit spa treatments ClassPass offers. Otherwise, up to 10 credits roll over each month.

You can go to most studios an unlimited number of times per month (or per “cycle”), though more credits may be charged if you go often, in which case you’ll see a message explaining the change. ClassPass also allows members to submit a recommendation for gyms not offered — there’s no guarantee it will add it, but it’s worth a shot.

Should you buy it?

If you’re looking for versatility and flexibility in how you work out each month, ClassPass is an excellent choice. Overall, it’s an ideal option for relatively inexpensive access to a diverse range of top fitness classes with credits that can also be used to book time at salons and spas. With a free two-week membership available for you to give it a go for yourself, you don’t have much to lose.

Can I use ClassPass credits in a different city?

Yes, you can use them around the world, actually. One important thing to bear in mind, though, is that classes themselves cost different amounts in different cities.

So even one that’s essentially the same as one back home might burn through your allowance quicker in bigger cities. So you might want to top up with some bonus credits for those instances.