Cheap Gym Memberships in London

London’s Best Cheap Gym Memberships

By Kelly Henderson (follow Kelly on Twitter @kellythekiwi)

Has your New Year’s resolution ever been to lose weight, get fit or join a gym? Mine has… plenty of times. In fact, just this morning I popped down to my local gym to see what the best offer was. It can be hard choosing the right one and you don’t want to be financially tied to a gym that you don’t end up going to!

I’ve had a hunt around London to find free or cheap gym memberships in London. I’ve also come up with a few handy tips so you know what to look out for when deciding which gym is right for you:

• Don’t get stuck in a long fixed term contract.

Gym memberships have changed a lot since I first started joining up and you don’t have to commit to a year if you don’t want to.

• Know your cancellation rights.

Gyms must be clear about their cancellation policy when you sign up. Look for a gym that’s cancellation policy is as easy as cancelling your direct debit.

• Ask if you are able to freeze your membership.

This will come in handy if you were to get injured or are going away for a long period of time. You may be able to freeze your current membership for a small cost (or free!).

Now that you know what to look out for, here are some of the best gym membership deals in London I have found:

Getting a Free Gym Pass

Some gyms in London will give you a free trial of their facilities before you sign up for membership. It is a good idea to take advantage of this so you don’t end up wasting your hard-earned cash.

#1 | Fitness First

With over 360 clubs around the world, Fitness First is the world’s largest privately owned health club. You can get a free 3 day membership at your local gym by completing a simple form. You can get more details about Fitness First right here.

#2 | Anytime Fitness

A convenient 24-hour gym with locations all over London. You can get a free 3 day trial at your local Anytime Fitness by visiting their website.

#3 | Swift Fitness

If you think Bootcamp might be your thing, hop online and get a free trial session with Swift Fitness. I think Bootcamps are great for those of you who need a little bit more motivation.

Finding Cheap Gym Memberships

#1 | easyGym

• easyGym have 8 locations in London (East Ham, Fulham, Ilford, Oxford Street, Tottenham, Wandsworth, West Croydon and Wood Green).
• The price for Oxford Street and Fulham is £24.99 a month; if you’re lucky enough to live/work near the other locations you will only pay £19.99 a month. New easyGym members will also need to pay a £25 joining fee.
• There is no fixed-term contract. Payment is made by direct debit each month and you can cancel your payment (and membership) at any time.
• If you’re like me and need a bit of motivation then the PACK workouts offered by easyGym are a real bonus. These 30 minute sessions each focus on a different concept – CORE, HIIT, TONE and FIT – and are coached by a PACK leader. The best bit – they are FREE with your membership.
• When you join up you will have the option of signing up for a FREE results-focused induction plan based on your fitness goals. This will really help keep you motivated and gain the results you striving for.

#2 Meridian Fitness

• Located in Greenwich, Meridian Fitness offers a wide range of equipment, classes, and a spacious workout area at an affordable monthly rate of just £29.99.
• The gym is open 7 days a week and has state-of-the-art equipment, including cardio machines, weightlifting equipment, and a dedicated functional training area.
• Meridian Fitness also offers a variety of classes, including yoga, Pilates, spinning, and HIIT.
• Members can enjoy a complimentary induction and free personal training consultation upon joining.
• Additionally, the gym has a sauna and steam room, as well as a relaxation area for post-workout recovery.

#3 | PureGym

• There are more than 50 PureGyms in the Greater London area so this is definitely one of the more convenient gyms you can be a member of. Also, as PureGym is a 24 hour gym even the busiest of people can take advantage of PureGym’s cheap gym memberships.
• Prices vary greatly throughout the London locations. If you wanted to go in Central London (like Piccadilly) then expect to pay £34.99 a month (plus a £20 joining fee). If you live somewhere like Wandsworth then you can get an off-peak membership for as little as £15.99 a month (plus a £15 joining fee).
• There’s no contract – you just need to make sure to cancel your direct debit about 3 days before it is due to come out.
• If you love group exercise classes like Bootcamp, Pump and Aerobics then you will love PureGym – the gyms run more than 50 classes a week… FREE with your membership!
• You can get a free 3 day gym pass at any PureGym nationwide.

#4 | Better Gym

• Better Gym took over the budget friendly FitSpace chain of gyms as well as some leisure centres around the country. They offer all sorts of facilities like the gym, group exercise classes, swimming and tennis plus a lot more depending on your location.
• The joining fee is higher than the other gyms I have mentioned – to become a member at the Colombo Centre in Southwark you will pay £60.69 (includes your first month) but if you decide to join the Oasis in Covent Garden, this price will increase to £83.60. If you take out a Better Student Health and Fitness membership then there is no joining fee.
• The cost of membership at the Colombo Centre is £19.95 a month for gym only or £29.95 if you would like to do the group exercise classes too. You will get a slight discount (£3 a month) if you are a local resident.
• You have the option of paying monthly or annually – I would definitely go for the monthly option as cancellation just involves cancelling your direct debit.

#5 | Cheap Gym Memberships with Groupon

Another option for a cheap gym membership would be to take a look at the offers on Groupon. Whilst this probably isn’t the best option for those of you looking for a gym to attend long-term, there are some real advantages:

• You have the option of trying lots of different types of exercise – boot camp, yoga, self-defence, gym memberships… just about everything you can imagine!
• Once you have paid for your Groupon voucher there is nothing else to pay and there are some really really good prices!
• You are not tied to a long-term contract and you don’t have direct debits coming out of your bank account. If you decide that this particular gym/class isn’t for you then you simply don’t go back.

There are other ways you can work out for free. Have a read of this post to find out about free fitness classes in London.