Fancy hitting the gym but don’t want to break a sweat over the cost? Luckily London is full of cheap and flexible gym membership. Whether you’re looking for a place where you can switch between locations if you’re hybrid-working, want somewhere close to home, on a short trip or just don’t want to get locked into a contract – this guide is our pick of some of the most affordable gym memberships in the city.
How Much Is a Gym Membership in London?
Navigating the sheer number of gym members, pricing tiers and contracts in London can be a mental work out. Gym memberships vary massively with more basic options as low as £20.00 and upwards of £150.00 at the premium end. But, the gyms in this guide are much more cheapo friendly, and more of the ‘no frills’ variety.
Simpler, cheaper gyms don’t offer all the swanky amenities like saunas and personal trainers. They’re also a good, commitment-free option, offering free trials, passes and (sometimes) no pesky joining fees, and range from £14.99–£30.00 a month. Some gyms also offer day and weekend passes if you want to check out a few before you decide.
As well as price and contract type, also decide what you want from your gym. Perhaps you’re taking a few classes and it would be cheaper to take them all to one venue, or maybe there is specific equipment you’re looking for. In any case, check what each one is offering, and make sure that you get the right fit, not an unused membership.
No-contract Gyms and Multi-Venue Passes
One of the most flexible and low-cost options is to take out a no-contract gym membership, which allows you to hop between gyms across London, check out different classes and facilities and only pay for the sessions you actually use.
As well as free trials, some gyms also offer day and weekend passes if you want to check out a few before you decide.
There are also multi-gym or class passes. These options let you take classes or use multiple locations, if you’re looking for more flexibility and to pay for the facilities and classes you’re interested in.
Cheapo tip, if you have a flexible schedule but want a regular membership, many gyms offer cheaper ‘off peak’ memberships. These are generally restricted to classes and gym access from 9-5 on weekdays.
Pure Gym
Making the bold claim to “the UK’s favourite gym”, although something we can’t confirm, Pure Gym is at least a favourite among Londoners looking for a cheapo workout. It has over 60 gyms across the capital, many of which offer 24-hour access and over 50 classes per week.
As with renting, and pretty much anything else in London, cost depends on location, so what you can expect to pay depends on where you join. But, even core (basic) membership gives you access to a lot of equipment, classes and a free induction. Most importantly, there is no contract, so you can leave anytime.
Select gyms have no joining fees and memberships start from as low as £16.99 a month, but more central locations such as Farringdon cost around £40.00 a month.
It’s not a gym for swimmers though, there’s no pool, sauna or steam rooms, which is probably how it keeps costs down.
- Website: www.puregym.com
- Memberships: from £16.99 a month – £40.99
- Joining fees: From £15.00–£250.00
- Concessions: Students can save 30% off membership
Easy Gym
EasyGroup, the all-round budget brand doesn’t just do travel and accommodation these days. It’s also a contender as a flexible, affordable gym provider too. Well, sort of. There is only one branch in London, and that’s Camberwell (having sold some branches to rival The Gym Group in 2018) although check the website for new gyms being added each year.
It also offers flexible, no commitment membership 24/7 access and free inductions.
- Website: www.easygym.co.uk/camberwell
- Day passes: £14.99
- Standard membership: £39.99
- Joining fee: £14.99
Fitness4Less
As the name suggests (and retro use of using numbers instead of words) bargain fitness is the offer at Fitness4Less. It’s fond of ‘f’ words too, with the tagline “fresh, fun, and affordable gyms around the UK”.
While fresh is an odd adjective for a gym, we can’t fault its offer on variety, although price-wise it’s on the higher end of the basic scale — with a premium membership of £44.99 a month. Although it’s only a few quid more expensive than Pure Gym and does have a pool at all its London gyms.
The chain has three London locations, Southwark, Cambridge Heath and Canning Town, which are suitable for beginners to experienced fitness enthusiasts. Fitness4Less has a pretty impressive range of classes too, from Circuits, HIIT, Yoga and Zumba to Boxercise and MMA fitness.
- Website: www.fitness4less.co.uk
- Day pass: £15.00
- Weekend pass: £25.00
- Monthly membership: £34.99–£44.99 per month (depending on location)
- Joining fee: £0.00
The Gym Group
Like Pure Gym, The Gym Group has gyms across London, and yes prices vary depending on which one you join. It’s contract-free, and the cheapest membership starts from £21.00 per month.
Classes include Fit Pump, Weight Lifting and Body Conditioning as well as Yoga, Pilates and Cardio sessions. Like Pure Gym, the focus is on classes, weights and workouts, there’s no swimming pool.
- Website: www.thegymgroup.com
- Monthly membership: From £21.00 – £30.99
- Joining fees: From £5.00–£15.00
Better Health (multiple locations)
Better Health (or Better, as the consumer brand is called) is a non-profit charitable organisation that works in partnership with over 100 local gyms, pools and leisure centres all across London.
Costs also depend on location, but as these leisure facilities are run by borough councils, there are more tiers of membership and discounts available and you don’t need to be a member to use most of them, so if you’re interested in swimming or a particular class, day passes might be a better option.
Better offer multi-tiered, no contract monthly memberships from £24.00 a month as well as discounts and concessions.
- Website: www.better.org.uk
YMCA Community Gyms
YMCA has two central London gyms, YMCA clubs in Tottenham Court Road and King’s cross.
You can pop in for a tour and discuss your fitness goals before signing up, and facilities include gym, classes, and saunas (depending on the venue) Navigating the website is a bit frustrating.
If you’re looking for a broad range of facilities with more of a community feel then this is a decent option if you’re in one of the three main neighbourhoods it currently operates in. You can even take a ceramics class, if you’re so inclined.
Membership is on the premium end, with a flexi membership of £80.00 a month, although concessions are offered, with a membership fee of £27.50.
- Website: www.ymca.org.uk/about/what-we-do/health-and-wellbeing/gyms
- Memberships: From £23.00 (low income discount and other concessions, standard membership is £34.00 per month)
More Cheap Gyms in London
Class Pass
If you prefer classes to gym training, this is a great option. Class Pass launched in 2013, as a way to bring together top classes and well as wellbeing experiences like spas into one app. So instead of a monthly membership to one venue, you use Class Pass credits to access multiple classes at discounted rates at partner studios across London in a bespoke plan.
Partners include BLOK in Shoreditch and 1Rebel (various locations), as well as loads of smaller local venues. The first month is free, so you have the chance to try out multiple classes before you decide to take the HITT or go for a Spin.
Standard plans start from £45.00 per month (31 credits) which give you access to classes anywhere in the world, and credits can be rolled over into the next month and you can cancel every time.
- Website: www.classpass.com
Alternatives to the gym
Prefer getting fit outside of the gym? There are loads of alternative options if you want to ditch the treadmill. You can also get fit for free with Our Parks and go running with a social purpose with Good Gym.
This artcle was originally published in June 2022. It was updated in December 2024.
