ClassPass Review: Is It Worth The Sweat? My Honest Experience (Pros & Cons)

After much hand-wringing (and a membership at Blink Fitness I kept for far too long), I finally started a free trial on ClassPass. 

This is my first year not training for a marathon since 2021, so I’ve had to seriously rethink my fitness regimen without the consistency of a training schedule.

My apartment building has a home gym in the basement, but it’s very rudimentary and pretty small. It’s great for simple treadmill and ab workouts, but if I want something a little more high intensity besides street runs, I have had to look elsewhere.

And that’s where ClassPass comes in. 

How Does ClassPass Actually Work? 

For ClassPass newbies, it can be a little overwhelming. Here’s a little breakdown of how it works. 

Sign Up Prices & Free Trial Membership

The membership prices depend on which plan you’re interested in, which differs on frequency of visits per month (we’ll get into that later). 

But to sign up for a free trial membership is completely free. For a two week period, you have access to all fitness classes and 28 credits for absolutely free. 

From there, once the second week ends you can decide if you’d like to continue your membership or end it entirely. 

I was able to talk to customer service easily in the ClassPass app as I signed up, which was a huge help. 

Booking Classes & Available Studios

Booking classes is incredibly simple. Using the app, you are able to narrow in on the type of class you’d like to take, the amount of credits you are willing to spend, and the distance from home you’d be willing to travel.

Studio availability differs depending on the popularity of the class. It’s smart to try to book in advance, and I have found that morning sessions are less busy than after-work sessions. The cost for less popular times can be lower, too. 

In addition to the other filters mentioned, many studios designate the name of specific instructors as well as the type of music/training type that the class will entail.

 I signed up for an early 2000s pop SoulCycle class that blew my mind. 

Cancellation & Credit System , 

There is no cost for canceled classes, usually so long as you cancel 12 hours before the class is scheduled to take place. Different studios have different rules, so always be sure to double check.

In terms of canceling your free trial, there is a reminder 24 hours before your card is charged for a full membership. It’s very easy to cancel, and you can always speak to customer service the next day if you somehow forget to cancel. 

The credit system is one of the most confusing parts of ClassPass. Different things cost different amounts. For instance, a class at the well-known HIIT gym Barry’s costs 14 credits, whereas a one day pass at Crunch Fitness is more like 4 credits.

The plans differ widely in cost, and they are different depending on which city you live in. I live in Manhattan, and I am on a 26 credit plan for $55 a month. For June (at the time of writing!), I have attended two Crunch fitness days, and one Barry’s class. I still have 4 credits remaining, but I use my credits just about once a week.

The highest plan costs $300 per month at 150 credits, and the lowest is 8 credits for $34 a month.

My ClassPass Experience

I need people around me to achieve my goals in the gym. As a former college athlete, I just work a lot better when there are other people sweating near me. 

Even with some of the amazing home gym equipment on the market and the best online fitness programing, I can’t get nearly as into it as I can at workout classes.

What I found at the gyms I went to in New York was a very competitive energy that I personally loved. I went to three different experiences during my Class pass free trial, and each was very different.

ClassPass offers a variety of classes for this reason– there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a barre class, yoga, HIIT or something with all three like SolidCore, ClassPass has got it. Here’s some classes I was able to try (so far)!

Barry’s

Barry’s is a high intensity strength training and running workout. I have never sweat so much in my life. It’s in a dark red room that’s giving an EDM concert in hell (in a Lil NasX way). 

Barry’s was definitely my favorite, but it isn’t for everyone. It is high-energy, highly competitive, and the vibes are less social than they are competition based. 

Still, this is probably one of the best workouts I’ve ever gotten in my life. Hard AF but well worth the after workout endorphins. 

SoulCycle

This was a more girly pop option. I did love it, despite my general lack of girly pop energy. The music is super fun, and the class is in the dark, so you’re not worrying about what you look like while you sweat (generally, worrying about what you look like should be the least of your worries while working out). 

The environment was friendlier, and the class was mostly women, which was another added benefit.

Crunch Fitness

I also attended one gym session, just to see if it was worth it. Classpass tends to only put nice gyms on the list, and the Crunch I went to was an excellent gym. 

Like I said, I think this is a fantastic option if you are someone who already has access to workout equipment but desires a communal environment from time to time without going whole hog on a  gym membership.

The Unexpected Benefits Of ClassPass 

I don’t know that I can say there’s much of a social benefit to ClassPass. But that may be because I live in New York. It’s not a city known for strangers connecting over workout classes.

I will say that I had a great time completing my classes with friends who also had ClassPass. We turned it into a whole evening, getting dinner after the class and chatting about how hard it had been.

If you’re looking for new friends and you live in New York, I recommend a run club rather than a ClassPass membership. But if you want to do something fun with existing friends, ClassPass is a great addition to your schedule!

Value for Money 

The price of an individual Barry’s class is nearly as much as my 26 credits. With those 26

credits, I can take three classes and use a gym membership. So it’s definitely worth it if you are someone who likes exercise classes. 

Plus, the ClassPass credits roll over. This is a big deal! The ClassPass worth skyrockets with this one feature. 

If you don’t use all the credits for a given month, they roll over into the next. That makes a massive difference because you don’t need to feel like you’re losing money if you don’t use every credit each month.

ClassPass Review Verdict: Pros

Variety is the major pro of ClassPass. I get so bored of going to the gym and doing the same thing every single time: treadmill, some abs, and some weights. It’s mind-numbing!

I look forward to the variety of a ClassPass session every week so much that it makes the rest of my gym time more enjoyable too. 

In addition, the workouts are more efficient. There is no guessing as to what equipment to use or what workout to try– an instructor is right there with you all the way through. 

And above all else, if you are interested in classes, then this is a great way to save money on classes! It’s less expensive than almost all individual classes per month, and you get to try more than one type of workout.

ClassPass Review Verdict: Cons

The biggest con to me is the limited amounts of credits. I only want to pay $55 a month, and so I only get 26 credits. This boils down to about three classes and a gym pass every month. Not bad, but I do wish I had a few more credits at the same price point.

Also, for many classes you have to wait until 48 hours ahead of time to sign up/put your name in the queue. Some popular classes fill up immediately, so you need to plan ahead, which is annoying. 

Those really are my only two complaints! I am a ClassPass stan, full stop.

To me, ClassPass is fully worth every penny. In general I am someone who loves subscription services, so ClassPass was always going to be an absolute home run. 

If you, like me, thrive off of saving using subscriptions, then you should take advantage of ClassPass. It’s a great way to try new things and possibly meet new people. Also to challenge yourself!

One side benefit I’ve found from ClassPass is that I’ve gotten a lot better at putting myself out there. I usually go to classes alone, which was intimidating at first. I feel capable and very independent from attending classes alone, as silly as that sounds.

I wouldn’t recommend ClassPass if you’re trying to cut back cost-wise. It’s definitely a splurge, but if you’re a busy professional, then this is a worth-it splurge. Sometimes it’s nice not to have to think about what you’ll do to workout, and instead to be told what to do in a class. 

ClassPass FAQs

How many credits are most classes on ClassPass?

Class credit amounts differ depending on how popular the class is. And different workout studios have different amounts of traffic.

A class at Barry’s can range from 14-18 credits, which is pretty normal for highly popular classes. Many of the less “named-brand” classes that are still totally kick-ass can be more around 4-8 credits.

It also depends on what type of day you want to book. Morning and evening are most costly. 

One thing I haven’t mentioned yet is additional credits. If you ever run out, but there’s a class you’re dying to try, you can add credits a lá carte.

Is ClassPass worth it in NYC?

Yes. ClassPass is worth it in NYC if you make it worth it. 

The experience alone is worth it to me. I love team-oriented workouts, and I love the ability to mix it up.

In addition to gym access and classes, you can also book spa appointments including massages and nail salon visits with any additional credits you don’t want to use on workouts. This makes it extra worth it in NYC, as we’re known for stupid expensive spa treatments. 

How many times can you go to the same studio with ClassPass? 

As many times as you’d like! 

There is no cap on the number of classes you can attend at the same studio. The free trial does cap you at one visit per studio, but that’s mostly so you’ll try more than one during your trial. 

Is ClassPass hard to cancel? 

Not at all. I canceled mine after my free trial while I was waiting to decide if I wanted to go in for a full membership, and it was easy, straightforward, and done within a minute. 

I am not a ClassPass spokesperson (although from this rave, I should earn commission from them), but I can say it is my favorite subscription without a doubt.

Working out can be a solitary, lonely, very frustrating part of the day if you are focusing on fitness goals and fitness goals alone. 

What I love about ClassPass is that it is so much more than that. Fitness goals are great, but happiness goals are better, and I consider ClassPass to be one of my chief happy dollars. 

My sisters have this saying that I love about New York City. They call it “comfort dollars.” Basically, living in Manhattan is bound to cause a fair amount of discomfort. Busy subways, gyms, smelly sidewalks, crowded streets, what have you. 

Comfort dollars are the dollars you spend purely for comfort and happiness with not much practicality. And you have to spend at least $100 a month.

ClassPass has easily become my favorite comfort dollar to spend. Fitness doesn’t have to be miserable– it can actually be very, very fun.