Loyalty programs aren’t new. You’ve seen them at smoothie bars, coffee shops, and yes — even gyms. But what separates a loyalty program that sits quietly in the background from one that actively grows your membership, keeps people coming back, and drives more referrals than your best-performing Instagram reel?
- In this blog, we go beyond points and punch cards. You’ll see:
- An easy way to set the right loyalty goals, such as boosting class attendance rates, or driving new member referrals, and how to track them using KPIs.
- Real-life examples from gyms like Orangetheory, Planet Fitness, and other gyms that are getting the most out of their reward programs.
- A 5-step framework you can use to start your own program today.
- Smart ways to integrate loyalty into your gym software without overwhelming your team.
Let’s dig in.
Getting Started: How to Set the Right Loyalty Goals & KPIs?
Your loyalty program should drive actions that matter to your gym. So get clear about what success looks like.
Before building the loyalty program, ask: What are you trying to influence?
- More check-ins per week?
- Higher class attendance?
- Referrals?
- Upsells (e.g., to PT or merch)?
The answer will shape everything, from the types of rewards you offer to how you track success. Maybe you want members to check in more frequently. Or you’re looking to boost class attendance, referrals, or even upsells to things like personal training packages or branded merch.
When designing your own program, think about which behaviors drive growth at your gym—and then align your loyalty structure accordingly.
To measure whether your program is working, track key KPIs like:
- Check-ins per member – Are your members coming in more often?
- Attendance streaks – Are they staying consistent with classes?
- Referral frequency – Are your loyal members advocating for your brand?
- Reward redemption rate – Are the rewards motivating enough to be used?
- Revenue per member – Are loyalty participants spending more over time?
Choose KPIs that align with your gym’s unique goals. For example, a HIIT studio may focus on class streaks, while a full-service gym might care more about retail purchases and referrals. Nail down these targets early, and your loyalty program won’t just be popular—it’ll be purposeful.
Know What Motivates Your Members – And What Doesn’t
Learn what your members actually care about. There are 3 main archetypes of gym members and what they value:
When designing your loyalty program, you should also consider intrinsic vs. extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation comes from within, it’s driven by personal satisfaction, progress, and achievement. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation is driven by external rewards, like money or tangible items.
While monetary rewards (such as discounts) are often the go-to for most gyms, they can cheapen the experience if overused. Discounts can start to feel transactional and may not inspire long-term engagement.
Instead, consider non-monetary rewards, such as status badges, exclusive access, or special recognition, which often outperform cash rewards in building deeper connections with members.
Segment Users to Tailor Your Rewards
By segmenting your members into different groups based on their activity levels and motivations, you can create a more personalized experience that speaks to their specific needs.
- Beginners = Motivated by progress
- Regulars = Crave recognition
- Super-users = Want exclusive perks
For instance, Planet Fitness Black Card provides members with exclusive benefits such as guest passes and access to tanning. While the rewards are simple, they are highly valuable to their target demographic — budget-conscious gym-goers who are looking for perks without the premium price.
Pro-Tip: Survey your members or analyze purchasing/check-in data to tailor rewards.
5 Steps to Create a Gym Loyalty Program
Step 1: Choose the Behavior You Want to Reward
Start with the action you want to encourage most. This could be:
- Attending classes regularly.
- Referring friends
- Purchasing add-ons like PT sessions or gear
- Hitting monthly fitness milestones
Focusing on just one or two behaviors keeps your program simple and effective.
Crunch Fitness, for instance, offers a program called “Crunch Perks” that includes rewards through a partnership with Perkville.
Members earn points for activities like checking in, referring friends, or sharing their workouts on social.
These points can be redeemed for things like personal training discounts, guest passes, and branded merchandise — all tracked and managed in the app. It’s a great example of automating loyalty with real incentives.
Step 2: Choose a Reward Model
- Points-based (e.g., 10 points per class)
- Tiered (e.g., Bronze > Silver > Gold based on attendance)
- Gamified Challenges (e.g., streaks, leaderboards)
- Referral-based rewards – Bonuses for inviting friends
Pick one main outcome and use that to build the structure of your rewards system.
Take a cue from Lifetime Fitness, which operates a highly successful loyalty program through its Life Time Rewards system. Members earn points for a variety of activities: attending classes, booking personal training sessions, and even referring friends. These points can be redeemed for exciting rewards like membership discounts, free personal training, and merchandise.
Step 3: Design Rewards That Are Exciting But Sustainable
- Don’t just offer discounts — think creatively:
- Free guest passes
- Priority booking
- Limited-edition gear
- Social shout-outs or leaderboard recognition
One effective example is Burn Boot Camp’s Burn Nutrition Loyalty Card. This program offers a simple, yet impactful, reward structure: when members purchase any full-priced Burn Nutrition item, they get a punch on their loyalty card. After collecting a certain number of punches, members can redeem them for rewards such as discounts or free products.
- Tip: Balance perceived value vs cost. Free perks (like locker upgrades or exclusive classes) can go a long way.
Step 4: Make It Easy to Join and Track
- Integrate with your gym software or a loyalty app. Use gym management software or loyalty apps to:
- Track check-ins and point accumulation
- Send push notifications about rewards
- Handle redemptions easily
- Ensure members can:
- See their progress in real time
- Redeem rewards easily
- Get reminders or push notifications
- Add gamification elements.
- Digital badges for achievements (e.g., “10 classes in a month”)
- Streak counters for consecutive check-ins
- Leaderboards to tap into friendly competition
In short: make it smooth, make it visual, and let your members feel rewarded for showing up—without needing to ask how the system works.
Step 5: Test, Launch, and Evolve
Before launching gym-wide, test your program with a small member group. Gather feedback, spot confusion, and make improvements.
Once you launch, promote it everywhere:
- In-person with staff
- In-studio signage
- Email and push notifications
- Social media
And finally — revisit your program every quarter. What’s working? What’s not? Keep evolving.
To create excitement around their reward program’s launch, Gold’s Gym used their Instagram and Facebook pages to promote the program. They posted engaging content, like a series of behind-the-scenes videos featuring trainers explaining how to earn rewards, and shared member success stories.
They also ran a campaign where members could tag the gym in their workout posts to earn bonus points, which helped spread awareness and increase participation.
3 Successful Gym Loyalty Programs to Inspire Your Own
If you want to design a gym loyalty program that works, it’s always helpful to look at what the top gyms are doing right. These gyms have cracked the code on creating successful and sustainable loyalty programs. Here are three examples of loyalty programs from well-known gyms that have successfully engaged their members and boosted retention.
1. Orangetheory Fitness – The “Orangetheory Rewards” Program
Orangetheory Fitness introduced a membership rewards program called ‘Active Member Rewards’ designed to incentivize their members for consistent attendance and engagement with the brand. Members earn points through various activities like attending classes, referring new members, and even purchasing apparel from the Orangetheory shop.
How it works:
- Members earn points for attending classes and can use those points for rewards such as free merchandise, class upgrades, or discounts on membership fees.
- They’ve integrated this into their existing app, making it easy for members to track their points and redeem them.
What Your Gym Can Take Away:
- Incentivize attendance: Reward members for consistent engagement with points or rewards for attending classes.
- Integrate into your app: Make it easy for members to track and redeem rewards within your gym’s app or platform.
2. 24 Hour Fitness – “24 Hour Fitness Rewards” Program
24 Hour Fitness offers a loyalty program called “FitPerks” that rewards members for attending fitness classes, referring friends, and completing challenges.
How it works:
- Members earn points by checking in, signing up for special fitness challenges, or referring new members.
- Points can be redeemed for discounts on vacation, concerts, and gym products.
What Your Gym Can Take Away:
- Incorporate fitness challenges: Use challenges to motivate members and increase engagement. This could include fitness goals, attendance milestones, or workout consistency.
- Offer tangible rewards: Like 24 Hour Fitness, make sure your rewards are enticing and useful, such as discounts or free services.
3. Barry’s Bootcamp – “Barry’s Rewards” Program
Barry’s Bootcamp offers the Icons program, which rewards members every time they attend a class. The program is based on earning milestones with each class attended, and each milestone unlocks exclusive rewards and perks.
How it works:
- As members take classes, they work toward earning milestones within the program. Each time they reach a new milestone, they unlock exclusive perks such as access to VIP-only events, special gear, or other premium rewards.
- The more classes members take, the closer they get to reaching higher milestones and enjoying better rewards.
What Your Gym Can Take Away:
- Milestone-based rewards: Creating a system where members are rewarded for hitting specific milestones can keep them motivated to attend more classes. This system also allows for a clear progression that members can track.
- Exclusive rewards for loyal members: By offering high-value perks at higher milestones, you create an aspirational goal for members, encouraging them to stay engaged and committed.
- Make it experiential: Barry’s focuses on VIP experiences and exclusive perks. Consider offering unique, experiential rewards that make your most loyal members feel truly valued.
Conclusion: Why a Well-Designed Gym Loyalty Program is Worth the Investment?
79% of consumers say they’re more likely to stick with a brand if they’re part of a loyalty program. For your gym, that could translate into more consistent class attendance, happier members, and better word-of-mouth referrals.Look at programs like Anytime Fitness. By analyzing member behavior and tweaking rewards based on what’s actually being redeemed, they saw a 22% increase in reward redemptions. That’s a huge win. And your gym can do the same. Start by building loyalty into your gym’s culture.
