Best-Rated Gyms

Compare gyms in New Zealand at Canstar Blue. Les Mills, Anytime Fitness, City Fitness, Snap Fitness and Jetts were compared on Overall Satisfaction, Atmosphere, Equipment & Facilities, Flexibility & Perks, Staff Availability and Value for Money.

See our Ratings Methodology.

Most Satisfied Customers | Les Mills

Les Mills hits peak performance in Canstar Blue’s customer satisfaction ratings, earning five stars across all categories.

best-gyms

 

How we rate gyms

Our review compares gyms on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Kiwis think about the compared gyms before you go ahead and take out a membership. Think of it like asking hundreds of your closest mates which gym they think is best!


Canstar Blue surveyed 622 Kiwis for their feedback on the gym chain they are currently a member of and pay a membership or attendance fee. Note: this does not include free gyms.

  • The outcomes reported in these ratings are measured via accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics.


Respondents rate their satisfaction with their gym from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
  • Overall satisfaction: measures consumer satisfaction with a gym as an individual score NOT a combined total of all criteria.
  • Flexibility & perks: the gym offers flexible membership options, convenient opening hours, multi-location access and social events.
  • Value for money: the membership fee for the gym is low for the quality and range of facilities available.
  • Atmosphere: the gym has a welcoming and non-judgmental space for members, with staff and other members friendly and welcoming.
  • Equipment & facilities: the gym has a wide range of equipment and facilities that are kept clean and properly maintained.
  • Staff availability: the gym has a number of staff members that are easily and readily available to help answer questions or solve concerns.

The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.

  • Overall satisfaction is asked as a specific question and represents an individual measure, not a combined total of all criteria.
  • When we cannot determine a clear winner from the criteria for the Overall satisfaction rating, we will then look at the other criteria measured in the rating.
    • The brand with the highest number of five-star ratings within the supporting criteria will become the five-star recipient in overall satisfaction, and thus win the award. If a clear leader still cannot be determined from the supporting criteria, joint winners will be declared.

Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.

  • Les Mills
  • Anytime Fitness
  • CityFitness
  • Snap Fitness
  • Jetts


Find more information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.

1. Les Mills

best-gymsRatings results

This year is the fifth time, across seven awards, that Les Mills has won Canstar Blue’s Most Satisfied Customers Gyms Award. And the home-grown gym chain does so in emphatic style, earning a perfect set of 5-Star ratings across every category.

Editor’s notes

Les Mills operates 12 gyms nationwide, in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Hutt Valley, Christchurch and Dunedin. Les Mills offers group fitness and personal training.

A nationwide 12-month membership that allows you to use all Les Mills gyms is $31 p/w. A $29 joining fee applies. Members can save money by signing up to Les Mills’ 24 month plan for $27.80 p/w. Currently new members may be eligible for 12 weeks half-price. The membership covers:

  • Les Mills At Home – streaming classes
  • Unlimited classes
  • Free friend passes
  • Pause membership up to five weeks

Or, receive all the same benefits with Les Mills 12-month single membership for $30.50 p/w. This membership allows you access to one Les Mills club. A $29 joining fee applies.

Other membership options include:

  • Prepay option: pay one month at a time with no long-term contracts: $35.50 p/w + $29 joining fee
  • Student and corporate deals

Les Mills offers women-only gyms in Auckland City; New Lynn, Auckland; Hutt City; Taranaki Street, Wellington; Christchurch and Dunedin.


2. Anytime Fitness

best-gymsRatings results

Rated 4 Stars for Overall Satisfaction, Anytime Fitness carries this result across the board, earning a 4-star rating in each category.

Editor’s notes

You have 24/7 access to more than 3000 locations worldwide with Anytime Fitness, which operates 58 gyms across New Zealand. Every member also gets a free, personalised Get Started Plan when they join. Prices vary from gym to gym across NZ. Joining fees in Auckland’s CBD, for example, sit at around $99 for a joining fee, $49 for a key fob, and $21.95 p/w on a 12-month contract. Seven-day free trials are available.


3. CityFitness

Cityfitness logoRatings results

The winner of Canstar Blue’s Gyms Award in both 2016 and 2020, CityFitness does well in 2024, its clients rating it 4-star ratings for Equipment & Facilities and Value for Money. It scores a 3-Star Overall Satisfaction Rating.

Editor’s notes

CityFitness recently opened its 47th gym, in Christchurch. It has group classes and personal training and offers three membership options:

Basic Membership: $6.99 p/w: Access to all gym locations 24/7.

Black Card Membership: $13.99 p/w: Members can share their membership with family members, and bring a guest with every visit during staffed hours. They can also cancel at any time, and get access to HIIT classes and group studios.

Premium Membership: $16.99 p/w: Extra benefits in addition to those of Black Membership, including access to recovery rooms and yoga studios, plus unlimited wi-fi.


4. Snap Fitness

Ratings results

The 2023 winner of Canstar’s Most Satisfied Customers Award, Snap Fitness scores 3-star ratings across all categories, except for Value for Money, for which it earns an impressive 4-star rating.

Editor’s notes

Snap Fitness has over 2000 gyms worldwide, with multiple franchises located in New Zealand. They are open 24-7 and offer virtual group fitness classes for when you can’t get to the gym. Membership costs vary by location, as each club is individually owned and operated, so you’ll need to contact your local club for their prices. Snap Fitness gyms offer:

  • 24/7 access
  • Free weights, cardio, and functional training zones
  • Flexible memberships options
  • MyZone heart-rate monitoring
  • The Snap App
  • Personal training

5. Jetts

best-gymsRatings results

Jetts rounds out this year’s results and earns predominantly 3-Star ratings, for Overall Satisfaction, Equipment & Facilities, Atmosphere, Flexibility & Perks and Staff Availability. It earns its best rating for Value for Money: a great 4-star rating.

Editor’s notes

Jetts offers 24/7 access to over 50 gyms nationwide. There is access to personal trainers and individual clubs hold group classes. Jetts currently has two membership packages, available on month-to-month, 12- and 18-month contracts:

All Gym Access: work out at any Jetts gym, from $12.99 p/w.

Single Gym Access: membership to a single gym, from $9.99 p/w.

Currently Jetts is running a promotion where there is no joining fee when signing up, however, a one-off fee of $10 applies for a fob key.

Both memberships offer free gym wi-fi, access to the Jetts Fitness App and membership pauses of up to eight weeks, depending on your membership.


Other gyms

Not all brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are more brands to check out before making a purchase decision.

  • Curves
  • F45
  • Flex Fitness
  • YMCA

Curves

Editor’s notes

Curves is a one of the largest networks of fitness centres designed for women. Curves provides basic gym services including cardio, strength training equipment, group and personal training as well as specific services like health and wellness education, a nutrition program, at home workouts and online membership options.


F45

Editor’s notes

Based on daily group High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) programs, F45 is structured around daily classes, made of up of unique and systemised workouts with elements of high-intensity training, circuit training, and functional training. Prices vary club to club and depending on your membership.


Flex Fitness

Editor’s notes

Flex Fitness operates 24-hour gyms in over 35 locations across the North and South Islands. The gym chain offers group fitness, strength and fitness equipment and nutritional guidance. Prices vary club to club, depending on your membership and term length.


YMCA

Editor’s notes

The YMCA is a non-profit and it brings that ethos to its fitness centres. You can find standard gym facilities, full of cardio equipment and weights, alongside personal training, boot camps, boxing classes, yoga and tai-chi, pools, spas, saunas, and full health and lifestyle programs. Prices vary club to club and depending on your membership.

Choosing the Right Gym for You

There are many things to consider when choosing the right gym to match your fitness goals and lifestyle. However it’s essential to consider certain key elements of gym membership when making your choice.

Here is what the gym members in our survey say are the key things to consider when joining a gym. And it’s clear that a gym’s facilities and general atmosphere are as important as cost and value for money:

  • Equipment & facilities: 31%
  • Atmosphere: 24%
  • Value for money: 16%
  • Flexibility and perks: 15%
  • Staff availability: 14%

About the editor of this page

This page was written by Canstar Content Producer, Caitlin Bingham. Caitlin is an experienced writer whose passion for creativity led her to study communication and journalism. She began her career freelancing as a content writer, before joining the Canstar team.

MORE INFORMATION

Key statistics:

Attend a gym close to home: 80%

Attend a gym close to work: 26%

Average cost of membership: $52 per month

Gym frequency %
Every day 4%
5-6 p/w 17%
3-5 p/w 51%
1-2 p/w 24%
Less once p/w 4%

 

Duration of workout %
>120 mins 1%
90-120 mins 7%
60-90 mins 40%
30-60 mins 49%
<30 mins 2%

 

Main motivation %
Improve fitness 28%
Lose weight 21%
Feel healthier 16%
Build muscle 15%
Mental wellness 14%
Sports training 2%
Rehabilitation 2%
Social activity 1%

 

Gym services used %
Classes or sessions (that cost extra) 30%
Personal trainer 24%
Personal development programs 20%
Well-being advice and services 19%
Physiotherapy/sports massage 10%

 

Pet gym hates %
Overcrowding 61%
Unclean gym 47%
Unclean changing room/showers 41%
People hogging equipment 39%
Sweaty people not wiping equipment 36%
People staring 30%
People not resetting equipment 29%
Loud grunting 23%
Gym show offs 22%
People making conversation 14%
Music or TV choices 12%

Canstar Blue surveyed 2502 New Zealand consumers across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from respondents who regularly use a gym membership. In this case, 622 New Zealanders. Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criterion.

The past winners from Canstar Blue’s Gym ratings:

  • 2023: Snap Fitness
  • 2021: Les Mills
  • 2020: City Fitness
  • 2019: Les Mills
  • 2018: Les Mills
  • 2017: Les Mills
  • 2016: City Fitness

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