86% of Gym and Studio Owners Grew Membership This Year, Even as Costs and Competition Rise

A global survey of 662 gym and studio owners across 11 countries finds strong demand for fitness facilities, with successful operators reshaping their approach to business growth amidst changing consumer expectations and rising costs. The report surveyed 662 gym and studio owners across 11 countries through an independent research firm. Forty percent say revenue is currently growing faster than costs, 23% say the two are keeping pace, and 37% say costs are growing faster.

The split points to a resilient industry, with operators maintaining momentum while adapting to a more complex growth environment. Competition is also reshaping the market, with 95% of owners saying it has intensified over the past three years. At the same time, operators see significant room for growth: 40% plan to open new locations in the next 12 months.

Operators are adapting their offering around flexibility and choice. Eighty-six percent of owners say members have become more price-sensitive this year, but that sensitivity is showing up in broader expectations about what they get for their money, not simply demands for cheaper memberships. More flexible or shorter contracts are the most common request, followed by better digital or hybrid options and recovery services.

Member expectations shift

The findings suggest that members are increasingly evaluating value through flexibility, choice and the range of experiences available to them. For operators, that creates opportunities to respond to price sensitivity by strengthening the overall value proposition rather than competing on price alone. Operators are turning to technology to drive more efficient growth, with 65% of owners having invested in new technology in the past year, and 52% saying AI will be essential to competing for members over the next 12 months.

Corporate wellness is creating incremental demand and unlocking unused capacity. The research also points to a potential growth lever within facilities themselves, with 85% of owners saying at least a quarter of their facility sits unused during off-peak hours. Corporate wellness partnerships are emerging as one of the most efficient ways operators can capture that opportunity while reducing their reliance on traditional member acquisition.

Corporate wellness growth

Among owners partnered with a corporate wellness platform, 76% say the revenue generated through the channel represents new income rather than revenue shifted from existing members.

“The report finds that partnered operators reach people their own marketing might miss, while HFA’s benchmarking research shows that high-profit clubs are more likely to offer corporate programming than operators overall,” said Anton Severin, Vice President of Research, Health & Fitness Association. Wellhub’s own data reinforces the incremental nature of that demand, with 90% of Wellhub members visiting partner gyms being reactivated or new to those facilities.

The survey also found differences between operators that partner with Wellhub and those that do not. Ninety-six percent of Wellhub partners grew membership this year, compared with 80% of operators without a corporate wellness partnership. “What we see is an industry with real momentum, where the playbook for growth is evolving,” said Daniel Mazini, Chief Partnerships Officer at Wellhub. The findings are based on an anonymous survey of 662 gym and studio owners, conducted by an independent research firm between March 30 and April 9, 2026, across 11 countries.