09/04/2026
What are you actually paying for when you join a gym?
Let's break it down by the numbers and the actual economics behind what you get.
Tier one: equipment only. $10 to $50 a month.
No coach.
No program.
No culture.
Just access to machines and weights, and you're on your own to figure out what to do with them.
The business model is: most people pay every month and never walk in.
Tier two: group or circuit training. $150 to $200 a month.
You get a coach in the room. And for the best gyms, a great community of people.
A 60 minute class split across 12 members (or more) works out to about 5 minutes of actual coaching attention per person.
You'll do the same workout as everyone else in the room, on the same day, regardless of what your body actually needs that day.
That coach is usually paid $20 to $30 an hour, or working the floor in exchange for a free membership.
Tier three: private or semi-private coaching. $259 to $399 a month.
You get programming built around you specifically. Lots of coaching, every session. Consistent goal reviews. Coaches who reach out to you if you don't show up.
Here, a coach can earn up to $108 an hour (at BBFC).
But only by delivering. If a client cancels or doesn't show, the coach isn't paid.
The coach's income depends on your results and your consistency, not just your card getting charged.
None of this means the cheapest option is wrong for everyone, or the most expensive is right for everyone.
But you deserve to know what you're actually paying for, and what the person coaching you is actually incentivized to do.
Ask any gym: how is your coaching staff paid? The answer tells you more than the membership brochure.
