Paying for gym visits individually or on short-term plans is only worthwhile if you have a consistent attendance record spanning over a year

Buying passes individually ends up costing more per visit compared to an annual membership. You’ll need to honestly estimate how many times per month you actually plan to go.

This study analyzed three years of data from 7,752 members at three U.S. fitness clubs. Members opting for monthly plans costing over $70 visited the gym just 4.3 times per month on average, resulting in a per‑visit cost exceeding $17. In contrast, a 10‑visit pass costs only $10 per visit. Over the same period, these members ended up paying an average of $600 more than they would have with a yearly membership. Additionally, the proportion of monthly‑plan members who kept their membership for over a year was 17% higher than that of annual‑plan members (based on three years of U.S. panel data).

DellaVigna S, Malmendier U (2006). Paying Not to Go to the Gym. American Economic Review 96(3):694-719. https://doi.org/10.1257/aer.96.3.694

This is just one study using data from the United States. Nevertheless, its underlying principle is universally applicable: people tend to overestimate their future self‑control. If you’ve already maintained a consistent routine of going to the gym at least twice a week for a full year, then an annual membership does prove to be the cheaper option.