Planet Fitness Adds 20.8 Million Members, Mens Health Appeal Grows
Planet Fitness ended 2025 with 20.8 million members, and the company’s mens health pitch is leaning on a bigger footprint and a lower-cost entry point. Membership rose from 19.7 million the year before, while the chain opened 181 new locations in the past year.
Brian Povinelli, the company’s chief marketing officer, said in an email that, “Our focus has been on meeting people where they are and creating a space where anyone can feel comfortable getting started or staying consistent.” He also said, “We are always working to evolve our member experience to best reflect changing consumer needs.”
Brian Povinelli and the price shift
The growth comes after Planet Fitness raised its basic membership price from $10 to $15 and lifted the Black Card rate from $21.99 to $24.99. Those changes put a sharper focus on value, even as the chain keeps adding clubs and attracting members who want a straightforward workout without paying for a pricier gym.
One longtime member, David, said the gym is “close to where he lives and much cheaper than other gyms.” Luis said that “for the price, it covers everything he needs to get in a good workout.” Both remarks point to the same pressure in the market: people are still comparing gym options against higher monthly bills elsewhere.
Westbury, New York members
At the author’s local Planet Fitness in Westbury, New York, Michael said, “I work all over the States and with the Black Card I can get to a lot of Planet Fitnesses.” That kind of flexibility helps explain why some members keep paying for the higher tier even after the price increase.
The author joined Planet Fitness in 2017 while in grad school, when the gym was open 24 hours a day and offered free pizza every first Monday of the month. Nine years later, the local club has changed, with less cardio than before and a more varied mix of machines.
Planet Fitness in 2025
The company’s recent numbers show a budget model that is still drawing people in even after years of online mockery. The shift in machine selection and the continued expansion suggest the chain is trying to keep the same basic appeal while serving people who now expect a little more from a low-cost gym.
For readers weighing whether to join, the practical takeaway is simple: Planet Fitness is not staying static. It now costs more than it did, but it also has more locations and a larger member base than a year ago, which makes the Black Card and the basic tier easier to judge as a tradeoff between access and price.
That leaves the clearest test in the monthly bill. If a gym has to earn its place in a tighter budget, Planet Fitness is betting that its wider network and still-lower price will keep members signed up.
