Written by Tyler DiGiovanni | BSBM
Fact checked by Sam Coleman, Co-founder
FACT CHECKED
If you're reading this, then you're considering joining a 24 Hour Fitness but haven't been to one quite yet. Let me give you a little backstory on 24HF. Initially started by Mark Mastrov as a 24-Hour Nautilus rehab gym in 1983, the gym merged with another gym named Family Fitness, and 24 Hour Fitness was born in 1996.
Since then, 24 Hour Fitness has grown into a national chain with 287 locations in 11 states. For the most part, their clubs offer 24/7 access (a certain pandemic caused some locations to shorten hours, and they haven't reverted back yet). According to their website, "24 Hour Fitness is the perfect gym for people who want it all: the best fitness classes, premium gym amenities, and much more."
Just how accurate is that statement, though? I wanted to see the 24 Hour Fitness workout experience for myself. Without further ado, here's my honest review of 24 Hour Fitness.
My Experience with 24 Hour Fitness
I'll be honest; I'm not from the area where this gym is. The closest 24 Hour Fitness to where I live is about 90 miles away; luckily, I had to do a little traveling and would be close to the 24 Hour Fitness Super Sport in East Northport, NY (I'll get into the Super Sport thing later). The gym itself was super easy to find, and not knowing the area, I had some reservations about parking. The gym shared a parking lot with several other businesses, but there was no shortage of parking spaces. I wasn't there at peak hours, but it looked like there was ample parking, even for the busy times.
The first thought I had when walking in was, "Holy sh*t, this place is deceptively big." Checking in at the front desk was easy, even on a one-day pass. There's a little area next to the front where you can buy all sorts of supplements (creatine, protein, pre-workout, etc). I brought my own, but knowing there's an option is nice. Like I mentioned before, I didn't go during peak hours, so the gym wasn't super packed, but there still was an energy in the air.
The gym's layout was pretty well done. The seemingly never-ending rows of cardio machines at this one were mainly on ground level with the weights. It did look like they had a small cardio balcony, but I didn't bother going to check it out (let's be honest, I wasn't there to test out the cardio equipment). Along with the treadmills and ellipticals, there was a small turf area for functional training and a TRX suspension training area with a small dumbbell rack near it.
Now, you are wondering about the main weight and machine area. There was a good amount of machines, not the most I've seen in a gym, but a fair amount. I could see some issues during peak hours with people wanting to use the same machine, but it looked like there was enough variety to pivot and use a different machine. I didn't notice any machines that were out of order, which is a good sign. My only "machine" complaint is that they only have three cable towers. They are multi-station cable towers, but I don't see how you could ever do cable flys during a semi-busy time.
Okay, I was pretty happy with the free weight section. There were at least five bench press/incline press stations, a decline press bench, and about ten (I can't remember the exact number) adjustable benches in front of the several dumbbell racks.
There were a couple of Smith machines and four platforms with squat racks and bumper plates. When I was there, they all were in use, so good luck trying to get one without working with someone.
I walked around to check out all the amenities besides the weights they offered and was impressed by how much stuff they could cram into the space. There was a pretty good-sized basketball court, a three-lane lap pool and whirlpool (which unfortunately was out of order), a spin studio, and another large room for group classes.
The bathroom/locker room was well maintained, as were the showers.
I got a great workout in, didn't have to wait long for any particular piece of equipment (my experience could've been different if it had been a squat day), and took a shower before leaving. All in all, I would definitely work out at a 24 Hour Fitness again and, if I lived closer to one, would consider making it my home base.
24 Hour Fitness Staff
The staff was friendly and helpful. The trainers would give you a slight side-eye if you were on a piece of equipment they wanted to use, but no one was overly rude about it. I really appreciated them not trying to hard sell me on a membership when I first got there, which is not the experience I've had in other places.
I did see a staff member trying to tidy up plates that some inconsiderate jackasses hadn't reracked, which is always lovely to see.
24 Hour Fitness Equipment
As far as the condition of the equipment, everything looked pretty good. There were signs of normal wear and tear, but nothing too worrying, which apparently is not the case in every 24 Hour Fitness. I touched on what was available, but here's a little deeper look.
- Cardio Machines - Treadmills, rowers, stationary bikes, recumbent bikes, Arc trainers, ellipticals.
- Weight Machines - I noticed mostly Hoist branded machines, which, if you haven't used them, give a very different lifting experience. The leg extension really is worth trying out.
- Free Weights - Large dumbbell rack with weights over 100lbs, bumper plates, EZ curl bars, straight bars.
- Specialty Equipment - TRX suspension station, endless rope climber, tractor tire, medicine balls, BOSU balls, 15-yard turf field
24 Hour Fitness Amenities and Services
I'll be completely transparent: I'm not a group fitness kind of guy. I know they are fantastic, and I have enjoyed the few I've participated in, but I tend to stay in the weight room. The number of group classes offered did impress me, though. There seems to be a good amount of variation in classes, but I can't speak to the quality of the instructors.
The spin studio looked up to date, along with the mood lighting often found in them.
Personal training is also available, with prices varying based on how many sessions you want and the length of the contract. Once again, I didn't use the service, but it's there.
The basketball court is on the small side, but it looked well-kept.
The pool area left a lot to be desired. The pool water itself looked like the chemicals needed to be adjusted, and the whirlpool was out of service. I didn't bring a bathing suit, so this didn't really affect me, but it did get me wondering how long it had been out of commission.
24 Hour Fitness Reddit Reviews
Rather than just my personal opinion on this particular 24 Hour Fitness, I wanted to give you a look at what other people are saying about their local clubs, including the good and bad.
Let's start with the bad...
Time for the good...
As you can see, my experience has not been the same for most of these people. The negative review is from nine years ago before they were bought out after the pandemic. As far as positives I've seen in other people's opinions, they are mostly the price and Buddy pass.
Coincidently, the Buddy Pass is also a gripe from people complaining that the gym is too crowded. Unfortunately, much of what I've seen online has not been positive. Common complaints are:
- Dirty bathrooms/showers
- Weights not cleaned up (although this really falls on people working out, but I've seen it mentioned several times)
- Rude staff
- Difficulty canceling memberships
- Broken machinery
- Overcrowding
I'm happy my experience wasn't like this, but it's a buyer-beware situation. Make sure to check out your local club before deciding to commit to anything. It also should be mentioned that the company has a C- rating on the Better Business Bureau website.
24 Hour Fitness Pricing and Membership Options
24 Hour Fitness has a (mostly) three-tier system. What I mean by that is only some clubs support one of the tiers (silver). So, let's look at each tier and see what it gets you:
Silver: $9.99 - $29.99
*Offered in all 24 Hour Fitness locations
Access to:
- Free Weights
- Cardio Equipment
- Functional Training and Turf Zone
- TRX Suspension Machine
- Strength Training Machines
- Olympic Training Rigs
- Locker Rooms
- Wi-Fi
- FitPerks Rewards
This is the basic package without access to any amenities that 24 Hour Fitness is known for.
Gold: $21.99 - $49.99
*Location and Payment Plan Dependent
Access to:
- Silver Tier
- 24GO® Fitness App
- GX24® Studio Classes
- GX24® Cycle Classes
- Basketball Court
- Racquetball Court
- Lap Pool
- Sauna
- Steam Room
- Whirlpool
*This seems to be the most popular membership tier.
Platinum: $35.99 - $65.99
*Location and Payment Plan Dependent
Access to:
- Silver Tier
- Gold Tier
- 24GO® Premium Digital
- GX24® Virtual Classes
- Includes Buddy Pass
The whole kit and kaboodle.
So, are they worth the price? It depends. Is it worth paying $30 a month for the most basic level of membership when you can get a membership at Planet Fitness for $15 a month for the use of free weights? That's a question you'd have to answer yourself. Once you get up to the Gold and Platinum tiers, using all the amenities (if they're in usable condition) is a huge plus. Other gyms that offer similar amenities often have higher prices than what you see here, which is a point for 24 Hour Fitness. In theory, if you have a gym buddy, one of you could get a Platinum membership and utilize the Buddy Pass every workout, then split the cost. If your local 24 Hour Fitness is on the lower end of the spectrum price-wise, that could be a great investment. Be forewarned, though, that whoever has the membership in their name will have to be there every time.
There are monthly and yearly membership options, with the annual subscription being cheaper per month. Many people have written that trying to cancel your membership can be a nightmare. In fact, 24 Hour Fitness was the subject of a class action suit in 2010 for billing members after they had requested to cancel their monthly memberships. That was 14 years ago, but it is still something to be aware of.
24 Hour Fitness Locations and Accessibility
While there are 240 clubs across the US, they only fall into 11 states: California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and Virginia. If you live in rural parts of these states, you're probably out of luck since they tend to group around major cities.
That usually makes them fairly easy to get to, with most having large parking lots to accommodate gym-goers. However, I have seen complaints about parking lots being full during peak hours, so finding parking may be hit or miss depending on where you are.
Overall Pros and Cons
Pros
Pros
- Tons of amenities
- Relatively low priced
- Easy to get to locations
- Large variety of weights and cardio equipment
Cons
- Can be difficult to cancel membership
- Quality can vastly differ from location to location
- Overcrowded during peak hours
- Not all locations are actually open 24 hours
Final Verdict
It seems like my experience with 24 Hour Fitness was different from many other people's that I've seen. I didn't go during the busiest time, so I may have felt differently if I went later in the day. People whoplanning on going right after work should visit the gym at that time to see the conditions they would be working out in. Based on the equipment I saw, the classes offered, the extras like the steam room and basketball court, the unfortunately out of order whirlpool, and the not actual 24 hour business hours, I would rate this particular gym a 3 out of 5 stars. If I were to rate it based on what I've seen others complain about online, it would be more like a 1 or 2 out of 5.
You're going to need to visit your local gym. Make sure to take mental notes on whether equipment is broken, what time classes are (if you're planning on taking any), the parking situation when you visit, and how swamped it is. If you can't see yourself wanting to work out there, keep searching for that perfect gym for you.
FAQs
Can you wear jeans at 24 Hour Fitness?
No, you cannot. Appropriate clothing is required at 24 Hour Fitness, such as athletic shorts, t-shirts, tank tops, and sneakers. Per their official policy, they do not allow street clothes or shoes while working out.
Is it hard to cancel 24 Hour Fitness?
Yes and no. You need to jump through certain hoops to cancel your membership, but if you plan out when you're going to cancel, you can avoid headaches such as paying for an extra month after you would like to stop going. Some former 24 Hour Fitness members have said it was a simple process, and others have said it was an absolute nightmare.
What is the best time to go to a 24 Hour Fitness?
Usually, the best times (least busy) are very early in the morning or late at night. There can be an influx of people during lunchtime for people trying to get a quick pump during the work day. The time to avoid, if possible, is from about 4pm to 7pm when everyone is getting out of work.
Wrap-Up
The 24 Hour Fitness experience will heavily depend on your local branch. While the policies and general design will be similar, the execution can differ greatly. I had a really good experience when I went to lift, but that might not be the case for someone who went to the same gym a few hours after me. Before committing to anything, see what it's like with your own eyes. And for those who have had an encounter with 24 Hour Fitness, let us know what it was like for you in the comments.
If you aren't sold on 24 Hour Fitness then make sure to check out our Crunch Review to see if it might be a better fit.
Tyler DiGiovanni
Author