When I moved back to New York City last month, the team at ClassPass was kind enough to send me an email welcoming me home with a complimentary two week ClassPass membership. As you guys know, one of the things I missed most while living in Geneva was access to fitness classes. I love the inspiration, motivation and energy of group fitness classes as well as the benefit of learning from the instructors.
ClassPass launched in New York City right before our move and therefore this was my first time experiencing the site and their application. Now it is available in over 30 cities across the United States, Canada and England! You can even upgrade your membership so you can workout in different cities, perfect for someone who travels a lot.
During the two week time period I was able to squeeze in eight classes which allowed me to experience a number of different studios all across Manhattan. In order to help you guys learn more about ClassPass, in case you’ve never tried it, I summed up my thoughts below. As always, I’m happy to answer any questions you have if you leave a comment or send me an email!
Price: In NYC, the monthly membership is $125. Whether this is expensive or a deal is a very personal decision, however many boutique fitness studios in NYC are $25-35 per class. Based on this, if you go to five classes per month on ClassPass or an average of one per week, the membership pays out. Considering that this cost gives you access to over 500 studios, it is seen by many, including myself, to be a great deal.
Studios: With over 500 studios participating in ClassPass NYC, it is a great way to discover studios which you may not have otherwise visited. Using their app or website, you can easily find classes in your area or sort them based on time, type of class or even amenities in case you need a shower to use before heading to work. They are frequently adding new studios to their roster. In fact, during my two week trial I received two separate emails advertising new boutique partnerships.
Booking: Students are allowed to book at a single studio up to three times within a one month period. This motivations students to try new studios while also helping studio partners manage the number of students. You can book classes one week in advance. However, many of the popular studios or instructors often book as quickly as a Soul Cycle class. Therefore, many participants actually set a calendar invite reminding them to sign up for their favorite classes a week in advance. In fact, this is the only way I was able to get a spot in my favorite Uplift Fitness (Sculpt Fusion) class and Flywheel instructor’s (Kara B) class. I will say, their app and website are both user-friendly, which makes signing up that much easier!
But what happens if my schedule changes? The good news is that ClassPass allows you to cancel your class up to 12 hours in advance. If you cancel within the 12-hour window you will be charged $15 and that will count as a visit to the studio. If you don’t cancel, you’re charged $20.
So what about places like FlyWheel which has multiple locations? The 3 class limit is for the entire brand, not each location. Therefore you can’t go to each FlyWheel location (Lincoln, Flatiron, etc) 3 times in a month. Instead you’re allowed to go to a total of 3 FlyWheel classes in a month, regardless the locations you choose.
More than just classes! In New York City and Boston, you can now register for local running races on ClassPass! It’s a great way to discover new, local races that you may otherwise miss.
It’s even more fun with friends! One of my favorite things about ClassPass is that it enables you to easily work out with friends. Whereas many gyms, such as Equinox, make it nearly impossible for you to bring guests into the gym to join in a workout class, ClassPass makes it easy to workout with friends. You can save money and book classes through ClassPass while your friends can meet you at the same studio or also register via ClassPass.
But it’s not all unicorns and rainbows. What didn’t you like? Honestly, I found it pretty hard to find things I didn’t like about ClassPass. The biggest thing that annoyed me with ClassPass is that popular studios fill up VERY quickly AND studios don’t necessarily offer their full schedule or all their locations. For example, there was a class during a peak time at one of my favorite studios which wasn’t offered via ClassPass and Fhitting Room, which Bo and I both love, only has one of their studios on ClassPass. Unfortunately, the studio that is on ClassPass, their Upper East location, isn’t convenient for us.
Where did I work out during the two week trial? Uplift (2 times), Y7 Yoga (2 times), Overthrow Underground Boxing (1 time), SkyTing Yoga (1 time), FlyWheel (2 times)
Did I join? As of now, I haven’t joined ClassPass due to our move. This month we have so much going on that I don’t have times to take a lot of classes. Whereas last month I was taking 2-3 classes per week on top of my running, this month I have averaged one strength class and one yoga class per week. Since Bo and I love Fhitting Room Flatiron’s location so much, we bought a package to the studio since we can split the package. Honestly, if I found out tomorrow that Fhitting Room Flatiron joined ClassPass there is a great chance I’d take the leap. (Updated: As of September 23rd, 2015, I have joined ClassPass!)
How about you? Have you tried ClassPass? Did you love it?
*I am a ClassPass affiliate and thereefore this post includes ClassPass affiliate links. However, as always, all thoughts and views are my own!
i’ve been on classpass for 3 months now and absolutely love it! My faves are flywheel and BFX. And the fhitting room on the upper east side is on classpass if that helps 🙂
Thanks Meghan! As I just mentioned in Colleen’s comment, you’re right the UES location is on ClassPass which doesn’t help. It’s super inconvenient from our Brooklyn location and Bo’s office. I haven’t tried BFX but have heard great things about it from many people!
Fhitting Room is in class pass – I tried it through CP. Although it is not all locations or classes.
Colleen, you’re right and I should have been more specific in the post. Thanks for the call out! Unfortunately, the Flatiron location which works for us due to Bo’s office location and the proximity to the F train from Brooklyn, isn’t on there today.
No problem – just wanted to let you know. I really like Fhitting Room too! great post on Class Pass.
I wonder if they have this in Toronto. I love taking classes – such a fun way to shake up your routine. But it can be expensive to try new studios. I a going to look into this!
YES YES YES it does exist in Toronto! When you click the link you can see the different cities!
This sounds like it got a lot better since I tried it about a year ago. I could never get the time or studio I wanted so I felt like I was always sacrificing. The limit of 3 visits to a studio a month also deterred me. I am open to trying new things, but at the time I was REALLY into Flywheel, and I wanted to go at least once a week. I also really didn’t like not getting the full schedule for each studio. I am a planner and I wanted to slate in my favorite classes and they weren’t always available (but sometimes came available later). I feel like ClassPass is good if you are teacher/location flexible.
It’s definitely fun to try though!
Yup, Nicole, that’s what I’ve heard from a lot of people regarding the 3 visits. I loved the variety though it also made me feel the need to do a lot of classes, which can be TOO much sometimes.
My classpass is on hold at the moment because I have been running so much and am on the fence if I am continuing. I used it for a year or so – but got really deterred never getting into classes at Uplift and a couple other studios. The popular studios book up by 12:01 the day you can sign up! Plus my work schedule can be unpredictable as in I think I will leave on time but then something pops up – at least 3 times a week and I was eating a lot of cancellation costs.
BUT I did try LOTS of fun new studios/classes!
I have heard Gianna, that availability is improving, but I can’t blame you for putting it on hold. I do love that you can stop and start it!
I love Class Pass…it’s so convenient and way cheaper than having to pay for classes at all those different places. I have the same complaints as you, as far as studios not offering full schedules…or some will not put up availablity until the day before. However, overall, it’s a great deal for class addicts 🙂
Yup, I’m with you! It dangerous because it feeds my class addiction a bit TOO much sometimes!
The smartest move Soulcycle made was staying a Premium Service and saying no to classpass.
I have run studios for years. Classpass does not work for studios. Your membership will leave you for classpass once members learn they are paying double what the others in your classes are paying. Your user base will be very angry at you. Incremental revenue is the fantasy that classpass is selling. It does not work out that way. Members abandon studios for classpass. Your loyal user base will not be happy to learn that they are paying $25 and you just sold classes to classpass at $10. You will become a $10 an hour studio and will compete with every other $10 studio around you on a per class basis for users. You will be owned by classpass.
article against Classpass in the New York Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/02/fashion/classpassdeep-discounts-but-some-discontent.html?_r=1
She would rather pay full price at SoulCycle than see the studio become even more crowded. “I’m like, ‘Please don’t join ClassPass,’ ” she said.
Fitness Studios must not sign up with Classpass. It puts yours and everyone else’s fitness studio in danger. You cannot simply supplement your income with a little Classpass. That is the fantasy Classpass sells. Membership is critical to a Fitness Studio’s success or failure. Classpass takes this away. It is the money earned “no matter what” — the “recurring membership” that is critical to a fitness studio. Classpass takes this for itself when they take your members. A studio will need 10 regular new classpass members for every membership they lose. This is not happening and fitness studios are beginning to die. Users like Classpass just as they loved restaurant deals on Groupon. Restaurants dropped Groupon because it didnt work. Fitness studios are entering into a deal with the devil that they will not escape from because unlike a single Groupon deal… Classpass is recurring. When they take away your membership it will never come back. Classpass is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. They present themselves as a studio’s friend but really they are taking memberships away from studios. Until and unless Classpass institutes a rule to stop members leaving fitness studios for to become members of classpass they are killing fitness studios. Classpass attempts to fake fitness studios out by their rule of only allow a member to go to a specific studio 3 times in a month but that only furthers the Classpass goal by getting members to go to many fitness studios belonging to nobody but Classpass. Already according to the CEO Payal 2 out of 4 Classpass members dropped their memberships with fitness studios to join classpass. By attempting to supplement a fitness studios income using Classpass a studio introduces classpass to all its members and teaches them to use Classpass.
http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-class-pass-20150613-story.html
Wish we had class pass around here!