Gyms in Singapore: Memberships at Fitness First, True Fitness, Virgin Active, Pure Fitness, Amore Fitness

The big gym chains in Singapore have a reputation for being rather…how do we put this nicely… predatory. Not only will you be hounded to no end to sign up once they get hold of your phone number, you'll also be nagged to take advantage of their supposed "one-time-only" discounts.

The truth is, these gym chains will always offer some kind of "limited-time" promotion. It's like how things on Shopee and Lazada are always on discount. That's why it pays to know the going rates, and what people are saying about each gym chain. To make sure you're getting your money's worth, let's take a look at the prices and strengths of the top five gym chains in Singapore.

1. How much do gym memberships cost in Singapore?

Meet 3 friends who go to the same gym and you're likely to find that all of you are paying different monthly fees.

There's no way to know for sure how much you'll be made to pay at each gym. One gym might give you a discount "because" your brother works out at the same gym, while another might not budge because the salesman is having a bad day.

If you're thinking of joining one of the bigger chains, it's a good idea to sign up for trial sessions at several and then haggle prices at each before settling for the most cost-effective option.

Another thing to take note of is that some gyms will lock you in for one to three years, and you might have to pay a fee to quit the gym. (That's why you see so many people on forums trying to sell their memberships to strangers.

The lock-in is also not great when you consider that these chains may close down, like California Fitness, that went bankrupt and closed down all their outlets with no warning in 2016.

In addition, if the chain you're becoming a member of has numerous outlets, you might have to pay more if you want to access them all.

Here's an overview of the five major chains in Singapore.

2. Top 5 gym chains in Singapore (2023)

Prices are approximate and based on the reports of other people who've joined. You could well receive a different quotation depending on the staff member's mood and how widely you smile at them.*Virgin Active charges weekly and bi-weekly fees. This amount is assuming a month has four weeks.

3. Fitness First

 

 

 

 

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After the ubiquitous Anytime Fitness, Fitness First might just be the gym chain with the largest presence in Singapore.

To access all of their 16 gyms across the island, you will need an unlimited (read: more expensive) membership. They provide workout clothes which makes it convenient for gymming after work.

Outlets: 16 outlets at 100 AM, Clementi, Alexandra, AMK Hub, Bugis Junction, Capital Tower, Fusionopolis, Junction 10, Market Street (Raffles Place), One George Street, One Raffles Quay, Paragon, Paya Lebar, Tampines (CPF Building), The Metropolis and Westgate.

Price: Ranges from $165 to $205 a month, depending on how many types of classes you want to attend and whether you want access to a single gym or all of them.

* Fitness First has a tie-up with AIA Vitality. If you are insured with AIA, you get 20 per cent off your gym membership fees and 100 Vitality points for every visit.

Facilities: Swimming pool, sauna, and boxing area at certain outlets; workout clothes provided at most branches. View all Fitness First amenities.

Classes: Over 80 classes, including:

• Cardio: Body Attack, Kickbox Fusion, Body Step, Step, Body Combat
• Cycling: Interval Ride, Pro Cycling Triathlon Training, RPM
• Dance: Body Jam,Hip Hop, Sh'bam, Zumba
• HIIT: Bag Drills, Game of Zones, Grit, HIIT x Outdoor, H20 HIIT, Nak Muay, Spartan Workout, Turf War
• Mind and Body: Aerial Flow Yoga, Body Balance, Gentle Yoga, Hot Yoga, H20 Flow, Pilates, Vinyasa Yoga, Yin Yoga
• Strength and Conditioning: Animal Flow, Aqua Fit, Bosu, Core Conditioning, Fitball, Hardcore Challenge, Les Mills Barre/Core/Tone, Sculpt & Stretch, Suspension Exercise Class, Vibration Training, VIPR

Other perks: Discounts and privileges at dining outlets, activewear, home and living, and health and wellness brands. View the full list of Fitness First member privileges.

4. Pure Fitness

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Pure Fitness has a reputation for being the most expensive and also the most atas of all the big chains. It's no wonder, because Pure Fitness provides extra facilities and amenities. You could walk in without bringing any gear as they provide complimentary workout gear, towels, socks, and so on-and that's for all membership tiers. If you get their most premium membership tier, Transformation, they even throw in complimentary health screening and InBody Analysis.

Outlets: 3 outlets at Ngee Ann City, Asia Square and Suntec City.

Price: $155 - $325 per month

Facilities: Sauna and steam room, indoor running track, swimming pool, MMA zone, juice bar, complimentary workout gear, towels, socks and toiletries including toothbrushes and shavers.

Classes: Over 20 classes, including Circuit Blitz, Bodypump, Power Abs, Bodybalance, TRX Blast, Rip Circuit, Abs, Butt & Thighs, Roller Release, Yoga, Tabata, Body Combat, Bodyjam, Power Pilates, Power Abs, Barre, Zumba. View all the Pure Fitness Group Classes.

5. True Fitness

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True Fitness is generally cheaper than the other options on this list. It's got a greater focus on yoga and aerobics than the likes of Pure Fitness and Fitness First.

Outlets: 5 outlets at Djitsun Mall (AMK), Great World, Harbourfront Centre, Income @ Tampines Junction, and Velocity @ Novena Square.

Price: From $99 for a monthly subscription.

Facilities: Steam rooms, rejuvenating lounge, sprint track

Classes: Tons, including:

Aerobics: 20.20.20 (20 min each of Hi Lo Aerobics, Step, and Resistance Training), Les Mills Grit Strength, Muscle Mania, ABT (Abs, Bun, Thights), Fight Do, Les Mills Body Combat/Body Pump/Body Step, TBT (True Body Tone), X55, Piloxing

Dance: KPopX Fitness, Les Mills Body Jam, Les Mills Sh'bam, Zumba

Spinning: Extreme Ride and Interval Training, Ice Attack/Circuit/Mania

Yoga and pilates matwork: Acrovinyasa Yoga, Aerial Yoga, Barre Fitness Yoga, Dynamic Yoga, Flexi Yoga, Gentle Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Hot Stretch, Hot Yoga, Les Mills Body Balance, Pilates, Power Yoga, Stress Management Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Yin Yang Yoga, Yogalates.

Benefits and privileges: Food, health, cruise, performance apparel, beauty and wellness brands. View all True Fitness privileges.

6. Amore Fitness (Ladies only)

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Catered to women with a wide range of equipment from agility ladder, battle rope to kettlebells. Out of their eight outlets, only one (Bugis Junction) is unisex. So if you're a lady and feel intimidated/self-conscious whenever you sense testosterone in the air, you can consider Amore Fitness.

Women-only outlets: Seven outlets at Heartland Mall, Hillion Mall, Jurong Point, Plaza Singapura, The Seletar Mall, Woodlands Civic Centre, Tampines 1

Unisex outlets: 1 outlet at Bugis Junction

Price: From $142.56/month + $162 joining fee

Facilities: Steam rooms, rejuvenating lounge, sprint track, boutique spa

Classes: Over 25 classes, including BellyBlitz, CardioLatino, FunkBlitz, Aero Cardio/Groove, Energy Sculpt, Zumba, Piloxing, Powerpump, Street Jazz, Lyrical Jazz, Bellydance, Urban Hip Hop, Urban Hiphop, Pilates, Vinyasa Yoga, Yogasana, Hatha Yoga, Aero Groove, Step Groove, Aqua Aerobics

7. Virgin Active

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Virgin Active has great facilities and you also get complimentary use of workout gear. They're quite expensive, but one good thing is that they have removed joining fees for memberships that last six months or longer.

An upside is that Virgin Active members get discounts at F&B partners such as 10 per cent off The Daily Cut bowls.

If you travel a lot (whether within Singapore or abroad), you will love it that Virgin Active memberships include free access to all five Virgin Active Clubs in Singapore, and unrestricted access to all other clubs located worldwide.

Outlets: Seven outlets at Holland Village, Raffles Place, Marina One, Tanjong Pagar, Paya Lebar, Duo Galleria, SkyPark Yoga at Marina Bay Sands

Prices: $33 - $79 per week / $132 - $316 per month (you pay weekly or bi-weekly). View the Virgin Active membership plans.

Facilities: Steam room, ice room, Himalayan salt inhalation room, MMA zone, Sleep pods

Classes: These include:

• Yoga: Align, Flow, Calm, Calm Bath, SkyPark Yoga at Marina Bay Sands
• Reformer Pilates: Intro, Align, Athletic
• Cycle: Cycle Spirit, Cycle Burn, RPM™, THE TRIP™
• Others: Grid Training, Les Mills

8. Should I sign up with a gym chain?

Frankly, if you just want to get fit, you don't need to sign up at a big gym. The ActiveSG Gyms cost only $2.50 per entry and offer bare bones workout equipment. You even get to use ActiveSG credits. Or you could just run and do body weight exercises.

The main advantage of signing up for a big gym chain is the convenience of being able to work out near your workplace, especially if you're in the Raffles Place area where there are zillions of branches. You can just pop in during lunch or before or after work.

In addition, you get nice facilities (don't expect to find a sauna at ActiveSG Gyms) and an array of classes, as well as a sense of community if you like to compare muscles/make friends with your fellow exercisers.

Still, signing up for a membership at a big chain is not cheap, and you're usually looking at paying about $100 to $150 every month for a few years.

With new players like Anytime Fitness around, where you can get a membership for less than $100 a month, and literally workout anytime you like, these big chains don't seem all that appealing after all.

Unless you're already someone who works out regularly, you probably want to see if you can actually get into the habit of exercising regularly, before you sign a long-term contract at one of these gyms.

Just make sure you haggle hard and inform them if you're a student or have a friend or family member who is already part of the gym, as these might get you a discount.

ALSO READ: Best gyms under $100 a month in Singapore

This article was first published in MoneySmart .