Product of the Week: ClassPass Offers Fitness Variety, Flexibility
The popular mobile booking platform has profoundly changed the boutique fitness sector since its inception in 2013
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ClassPass was founded in 2013 by Payal Kadakia and Mary Biggins and has since shaken up the fitness and wellness industry. Acquired by Mindbody in 2021, the subscription service allows users to book classes and experiences at thousands of studios, gyms, salons, and spas using credits.
Classes are available in more than 2,500 cities worldwide, and the service also comes with over 4,000 on-demand workouts.
Now that in-person workouts are back and seemingly bigger than ever, Athletech News decided to give ClassPass a try.
Pros
For those who appreciate variety, ClassPass certainly delivers. It not only offers mainstream, nationwide studio brands like Barry’s, Solidcore, and SoulCycle, but local establishments as well. The service is best for those who want to step outside their usual routine to try out more health and wellness businesses in their area. One of the best parts of using the app was getting to try all the studios in my area that I had long overlooked.
Each class or service is a listed number of credits, which depends on the time of day, user demand, and the number of times a user has visited. Membership costs range from as little as 6 credits to as many as 100 credits per month, which ranges from around $20-$200. Users can browse classes by credits, and many studios have a “first-timers” deal, so trying out different workouts and services is encouraged.
I found the process of hunting for deals enjoyable. If you have flexibility around timing, ClassPass could be a great fit, as credits go a lot further during “off-hour” workouts. There were also limited-time deals that provided great value. For example, some studios or services had a limited-time discount. ClassPass is also great for travelers, as it works in most major cities, so users can maintain their workout routine on the road.
The service also limits the number of workouts you can do at certain studios, which forces variety. Class reviews were moderately helpful for finding new spots, but most of the reviews were very positive: I was hard-pressed to find an overall studio rating under 4.7/5. There were also no written reviews, which could be a good value-add for the platform. Adding friends on the service also allows users to see where their connections are going for inspiration, which I also found to be a fun way to align workout schedules.
ClassPass also offers beauty and wellness services, which are easy to book. It requires a user request to book a service for a specific time, which the business then approves. My approvals were quick, generally just several hours, and I liked that I could make a reservation digitally even at small businesses.
Cons
Many of the downsides of ClassPass are area- and preference-dependent. For example, class credit costs unsurprisingly vary a lot by area. A class in New York will likely be more expensive than one in Washington D.C. or Boston. Convenience also obviously varies by location; for example, in certain parts of New York City, there are very few businesses available on ClassPass, but in others, there is one on every block.
Most of the “hidden gem” classes are around 3-4 credits in bigger cities, larger studios are 5-10 credits, and popular workouts like Solidcore, SoulCycle, and CorePower Yoga are 10-14+ credits. The popular studios also book up quickly in some areas.
One downside of the service is that the number of credits a user can roll over month to month is dependent on membership tier. For example, if you buy 18 credits per month, you can only roll over 18 credits. For those hoping to save up credits for a larger service like a massage, that might not be possible if you have a lower-credit membership. Adding credits is possible but might not make sense financially depending on the desired service.
Lastly, although this is typical in the world of workout studios, cancellation fees are high. This provides built-in accountability, but also might not be best for those who have variable schedules.
Final Thoughts
Overall, ClassPass is a great service that will add variety to your workout and wellness routines. For those with flexible schedules, credits will likely go further, but it can drive value for all users who have enough participating businesses in their area.
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