How to compare local gyms before you join

Gym memberships are easy to sign up for and often harder to leave. Spending an hour comparing a few options before you commit is much cheaper than paying for a gym you stop going to.

Start with how you will actually use it

Be honest about your routine rather than your intentions.

• When will you go? A gym that is packed at 6pm on weekdays is a different experience from the same gym at 10am.
• How far is it from home or work? Distance is one of the main reasons people stop going.
• What do you want to do there: weights, classes, cardio, swimming, yoga or Pilates? Some gyms are strong in one area and weak in another.
• Do you want coaching, or do you already know what you are doing?

Rank these before you look at price. Otherwise the cheapest option tends to win and then goes unused.

Visit at the time you would normally train

Every gym looks spacious in its photographs. Ask for a tour or a trial session at the time of day you would actually go, and look at:

• Whether there is a queue for the popular equipment.
• How much free-weight and bench space there is, and whether it is tidy.
• The state of the changing rooms, showers and lockers.
• Whether staff are on the floor or behind a desk.
• Whether equipment is out of order, and how many machines carry an "awaiting repair" notice.

Ask other members, if you get the chance, how long that machine has been broken. It tells you more than any brochure.

Read the contract before the tour ends

Membership terms vary a great deal, and this is where most complaints arise.

• Is it a rolling monthly membership or a fixed term of 12 months or more?
• What is the notice period, and does notice have to be given in writing?
• Is there a joining fee or an admin fee, and does it come back if you rejoin later?
• What happens if you move away, are injured or lose your job? Ask whether the contract has a clause for this and what evidence is needed.
• Can you freeze the membership, and is there a charge for doing so?
• Does the price rise automatically each year, and how will you be told?

If you sign up online or at home rather than on the premises, you normally have a 14-day cooling-off period under UK consumer contract rules. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, contract terms must be fair and clearly explained, and a term that traps you into an unreasonably long commitment may not be enforceable. Even so, the easier route is not to sign one in the first place.

Compare the total cost, not the headline

Work out what a year will actually cost with each option:

• Monthly fee multiplied by the minimum term.
• Joining or admin fees.
• Any charges for classes, towels, parking, or peak-time access if you have chosen an off-peak plan.
• The cost of a personal trainer, if you want one, and whether the gym allows outside trainers.

A lower monthly fee with a long tie-in can cost more over the year than a higher rolling fee you can cancel. The compare tool on Annuvell Local shows facts from each business's own published information side by side, which is a useful starting point before you visit.

Look at classes and coaching

If classes matter to you:

• Are they included, or charged separately?
• How far ahead do you need to book, and how often are they full?
• Who teaches them, and what qualifications do they hold? Instructors should be able to tell you.
• Are the classes you want offered at times you can attend?

For personal training, ask about the trainer's qualifications and insurance, and whether sessions are sold in blocks with an expiry date.

Safety and basics

• Is there an induction, and is it compulsory?
• Are there staff qualified in first aid on site during opening hours, especially if the gym is open 24 hours with reduced staffing?
• Is there a defibrillator?
• How is access controlled outside staffed hours?

Next steps

Shortlist two or three gyms you can realistically get to, visit each at your usual training time, and ask for the membership terms in writing. Work out the true yearly cost, check the notice period, and choose the one you would actually walk into on a wet Tuesday in February. You can browse gyms near you on Annuvell Local to build your shortlist.