The ultimate gym chain comparison: Helping you choose the right gym

• Activewear
• Ankle weights
• Dumbbells and weights
• Exercise balls
• Exercise bikes

• Fitness trackers
• Kettlebells
• Medicine balls
• Protein powder
• Resistance bands

• Rowing machines
• Sports equipment
• Treadmills
• Yoga blocks
• Yoga gear

Source: Instagram

1. Goodlife Health Clubs

No. of gyms: 85

Joining fee: $99 plus an Activation Kit fee (which varies according to your club).

Cost per week of membership: From $15.29 p/w. A 12-month membership is the most popular membership option but they also offer month-to-month and 18-month options. Prices can vary from club to club.

24 hours: 75% of Goodlife gyms have 24-hour access.

Classes: Yes, there are group fitness classes which vary with each individual gym. The fitseries classes involve high-intensity strength and interval training to level-up your fitness levels. Other classes include Pilates, Barre, Yoga (also Hot Yoga), T25, Body Pump, Boxing, Zumba, Cycle, Dance and Tai Chi.

Facilities: Basic facilities are available for all, including strength and cardio equipment for group and personal training sessions. There are also specific facilities only available at Goodlife such as the Emily Skye Ignite workout class, Mum and Bubs, and classes for kids. Selected clubs also have child minding areas and 24/hr access.

2. Fitness First

No. of gyms: 61

Joining fee: From $0 – varies depending on location.

Cost of membership? $66 per fortnight (3-month contract) or from $48 per fortnight (18 months). Flexible membership options are available – either 3, 12 or 18-month contracts. Passport and Platinum memberships allow you to access Fitness First's Platinum and/or Passport clubs throughout Australia. Platinum is the most expensive as it gives the choice of access to both types of clubs. Either way, 18-month contracts are the most cost-effective option. If you don't think you'd get enough use for a contract to be worth the expense, you can also choose to pre-pay for a set number of visits – either 10 or 25.

24 hours: Some

Classes: Yes, group classes mostly. Freestyle Group Training sessions are designed as fun, fast and effective workouts (30 minutes each session) for harnessing your body's natural movement. Group Exercise classes take many different forms and include Hot Yoga, Mixed Martial Arts, Gymnastics Strength Training, Boxing and Pilates.

Facilities: Disabled access, ladies-only areas, lounge facilities, creche (extra cost), sauna and steam rooms, swimming pool, towel rental (extra cost) and personal training sessions.

Training facilities include functional training equipment, free and pin-loaded weights, Olympic Lifting Platforms and cardio equipment, although the exact array of equipment may vary depending on your club. HYPOXI sessions are available at some clubs, which is based on low-intensity movement and healthy eating to encourage your body to burn stubborn fat.

Source: Instagram

3. Anytime Fitness

No. of gyms: 500+

Joining fee: $99 and $69.95 for an access card.

Cost of membership: From $67.95 per month. Only 12-month contracts are currently available.

24 hours: Most locations offer 24-hour access. Some gyms are slightly restricted due to the COVID-19 crisis at the moment.

Classes: These are free and often of the group variety.

Facilities: 24-hour access and security, private showers, private restrooms, convenient parking. Training facilities include cardio and floor areas. Their equipment at most gyms includes cardio equipment, free weights and functional training equipment.

Source: Instagram

4. Jetts

No. of gyms: 250

Joining fee: $89

Cost per week of membership: From $16.95 p/w but billed every fortnight.

24 hours: Yes

Classes: Most Jetts now offer JSeries High Intensity Classes. Otherwise, the gym will offer its own variety of classes.

Facilities: Free parking at some locations, and training facilities at most gyms include cardio equipment, free weights zones, pin-loaded equipment, functional training equipment and stretching zones. Some gyms also have suspension equipment and functional training zones.

Source: Instagram

5. Virgin Active

No. of gyms: 11

Joining fee: $0 on 12-month memberships.

Cost of membership: From $38.50 p/w. Long-term (around 12 months) and flexible membership options are available. Flexible memberships don't lock you in, but generally work out more expensive than the long-term option.

24 hours: No

Classes: Classes include Pilates, BodyPump, Cycle, Yoga, Barre, BodyStep, Bums N Bellies AquaFit and Aqua Zumba. There is a wide range of classes to choose from – over 200, to be exact!

Facilities: Hairdryers, hair straighteners, ironing facilities, cafe/lounge/Internet facilities (varies), pool, spa and sauna facilities, cafe and Wi-Fi access, wall climbing, parking at some locations. Gym equipment includes PowerPlate and Kinesis, and the gym floor has strength, cardio and functional training zones.

Source: Instagram

6. Plus Fitness

No. of gyms: 220+

Joining fee: $25 and $29 for personal access card.

Cost of membership: $31.40 fortnightly

24 hours: Yes (most locations).

Classes: Yes, mostly group classes ranging from Spin Classes to Boxing and Yoga. Some of the classes are female only.

Facilities: 24-hour access, private restrooms and showers (varies depending on location).

Source: Instagram

7. Fitness Playground

No. of gyms: 5

Joining fee: $99

Cost per week of membership: From $16.95 p/w.

24 hours: Yes

Classes: Yes, over 200 every week. These range from Yoga and High-Intensity Interval classes to the rather unique CircusFit class. Some of these are group classes.

Facilities: Lockers, 24-hour access, showers, health food cafe (some locations). For training facilities, it ranges from cardio and weight zones, and the Olympic Lifting area to their signature Functional Training Zone, complete with fun ways to get stronger and fitter. The MindBody studio offers Yoga and Circus Fit, which is a class that's unique to them.

Source: Instagram

8. Snap Fitness

No. of gyms: 200+

Joining fee: $59 (price can vary).

Cost per week of membership: From $14.95 p/w on a month-to-month basis, or from $14.95 p/w on a 12-month plan – this does vary per club based on location.

24 hours: Yes

Classes: Yes, group classes. Training sessions are of the small group variety.

Facilities: Matrix equipment, individual change rooms, plasma televisions, hairdryers, hair straighteners, ladies-only amenities, private showers (varies) and car parking (varies). Gym equipment includes a fully equipped weight area including free weights and pin-loaded machines, functional training equipment, an Olympic Lifting Platform, strength training, and a relax and stretch area. Matrix equipment is also available, as are outdoor group classes and spin on-demand classes.

Source: Instagram

9. City Gym

No of gyms: 1 (Sydney)

Joining fee: $0

Cost per week of membership: $29.95 per week for a flexible contract (free from lock-ins), or $24.95 per week for a 12-month contract.

24 hours: Yes, 24-hour access is available Monday-Friday

Classes: Yes, including group fitness programs and group PT sessions.

Facilities: Juice/coffee bar, training equipment includes a floor dedicated to weight training, plus cardio equipment and a corporate studio with yoga and a running club.

Source: Instagram

10. Fernwood

No of gyms: 70+

Joining fee: $199 plus an Activation Kit fee (varies according to your club).

Cost per week of membership: From $21 p/w. An 18-month membership is the most cost-effective option, but they also offer 12-month membership for $23 p/w and flexible memberships for $27 p/w. Prices can differ from club to club.

24 hours: Some gyms have 24-hour access.

Classes: Yes, often group fitness classes which vary from club to club. Functional Fit classes involve high-intensity interval training and functional movement patterns. Other classes include Pilates, Yoga, Body Attack (high-intensity group exercises), Body Balance (combining Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates), Studio Cycle, Zumba, Step, Circuit Training and Miss Military Boot Camp.

Facilities: Creche (some locations), towel hire, complimentary breakfast, hairdryers, complimentary toiletries, luxurious change rooms. Training facilities include Cardio and Strength Training areas. Other Fernwood services include club-specific programs and Food Coaching.

• Make sure you check the location of the clubs. If the gym you want to join is closer to your home or work, you're more likely to keep going. There is no point joining a gym that you have to travel an hour to get to, let's be realistic.
• Think about what you want to get out of the gym. Are you better at attending classes, or are you motivated enough to keep going with your own routines? Choose the gym that fits in with what you want to do at the gym.
• Use free trials. Don't be scared to walk into a facility and get a 7-day trial. This is going to be the best way for you to find out if the gym offers you what you want. Also trialling a facility out at the time you'd usually be going is a great way of finding out if the gym is going to be packed out when you'll likely be visiting.

• Make sure you can afford the weekly payments. You don't want to sign yourself into a yearly contract and then find out you can't afford to eat for the rest of the month! No-one wants that, and cancelling your contract can be costly.
• Freeze your account. If you know you're going away for a few months and won't be using the gym, look into whether they offer the ability to freeze your account. Most gyms will freeze your account for 8 weeks (often reducing the total payment to a few dollars a week, or maybe even zero), but worth checking first.
• Sign up to a gym in person. Often when you actually sit with someone in a gym, they can offer you a few free personal training sessions or a reduced price. There is no harm in asking. They may even be running a promo that you don't know about.