Planet Fitness vs Life Time 2026: Prices, Fees, Free Trial & Best Choice

Verified cost summary

Planet Fitness vs Life Time prices, fees, free trial and policy snapshot

This box separates published numeric charges from amounts that were not publicly available in the reviewed official or reliable U.S. sources.

Exact recurring price and billing frequency: Planet Fitness: $15/month Classic and $24.99/month PF Black Card on the national U.S. membership page. Life Time: No public numeric standard club-membership amount was displayed on the reviewed national membership pages.
Enrollment or joining fee: Planet Fitness: $1–$59 one-time in the reviewed Evansville, IN and Greenbriar, VA official offers. Life Time: No public numeric joining-fee amount was displayed on the reviewed official membership pages.
Annual or facility fee: Planet Fitness: $49/year on the reviewed national and official club offers. Life Time: No public numeric annual-fee amount was displayed on the reviewed official membership pages.
Cancellation or early-termination fee: Planet Fitness: $58 early buyout can apply to an unfulfilled minimum-term membership. Life Time: No public numeric cancellation fee was displayed on the official help center.
Free trial or day-pass cost: Free trial (cost: $0): Planet Fitness: $0 for the official one-day pass at participating clubs. Life Time: No public numeric one-day membership price was displayed; availability and price vary by club.
Location and plan differences: Planet Fitness: National starting prices plus official U.S. club examples; taxes and local promotions can change the final checkout. Life Time: Life Time quotes club and household pricing after location selection; the page does not invent a national amount.

Planet Fitness vs Life Time verified prices and mandatory fees

A Planet Fitness versus Life Time decision should start with the complete first-year obligation, not the most prominent number on a promotional page. Planet Fitness has reviewed recurring pricing of $15/month Classic and $24.99/month PF Black Card on the national U.S. membership page. Life Time has reviewed recurring pricing of No public numeric standard club-membership amount was displayed on the reviewed national membership pages. The figures retain their published cadence, location and U.S. source context.

For Planet Fitness vs Life Time, A public numeric recurring comparison is incomplete, so the exact local offers control; compare the exact local offer, mandatory fees and included access. National starting prices plus official U.S. club examples; taxes and local promotions can change the final checkout Life Time quotes club and household pricing after location selection; the page does not invent a national amount

Cost or policy	Planet Fitness	Life Time
Recurring membership	$15/month Classic and $24.99/month PF Black Card on the national U.S. membership page	No public numeric standard club-membership amount was displayed on the reviewed national membership pages
Annual fee	$49/year on the reviewed national and official club offers	No public numeric annual-fee amount was displayed on the reviewed official membership pages
Enrollment or joining fee	$1–$59 one-time in the reviewed Evansville, IN and Greenbriar, VA official offers	No public numeric joining-fee amount was displayed on the reviewed official membership pages
Free trial or introductory access	$0 for the official one-day pass at participating clubs	No public numeric one-day membership price was displayed; availability and price vary by club
Cancellation-related amount	$58 early buyout can apply to an unfulfilled minimum-term membership	No public numeric cancellation fee was displayed on the official help center
Other published numeric context	$5 per visit can apply after more than 10 visits to a non-home club in one calendar month	$15/month for conversion to Life Time Digital for up to 4 months when eligible; $0 limited-access membership for qualifying Renew Active or SilverSneakers members

Do not combine a recurring price from one location with an annual or enrollment fee from another location. Save the itemized checkout, agreement term, billing cadence and exact club or studio name before paying. The Planet Fitness fees guide and Life Time fees guide explain the source context behind each brand profile.

Annualized and first-year cost

Planet Fitness: The reviewed monthly figures annualize to about $180.00–$299.88 across 12 payments, before annual, enrollment, tax and optional charges.

Life Time: No source-backed annualized recurring total can be calculated from the reviewed public pages.

The complete first-year formula is recurring dues for every scheduled draft, plus enrollment, annual, maintenance, processing, access-device and mandatory service charges, plus applicable tax. Subtract only a documented credit that applies to the exact offer. Optional personal training, premium classes, childcare, towels, recovery services and retail purchases should remain separate unless they are required. For Planet Fitness versus Life Time, record this detail in the same local-price and access worksheet.

Worksheet line	What to enter	Why it matters
Recurring dues	Exact amount × actual number of monthly, biweekly, 28-day or other drafts	Cadence can create 12, 13 or 26 payments.
Startup charges	Enrollment, initiation, access card and prorated dues	A discounted first payment may hide regular startup items.
Annual charges	Annual, maintenance, rate-guarantee or enhancement fee	This charge is often billed separately from normal dues.
Required add-ons	Mandatory service, processing or payment-method charges	Small recurring charges materially change a 12-month total.
Exit exposure	Notice-period drafts, commitment balance or published early fee	The practical cost includes what is owed when plans change.

Use the Planet Fitness first-year cost guide, the Life Time first-year cost guide and the gym cost calculator with one consistent local offer from each option.

Plans, contracts and access

Planet Fitness plan structure: Classic home-club membership; PF Black Card multi-club membership; Paid-in-full or promotional plans at selected clubs. Access: Classic is centered on the home club. PF Black Card includes access to participating Planet Fitness locations, subject to reciprocal-use rules and possible limits or charges at non-home clubs. Contract position: Commitment varies by offer and location; some official plans are no-commitment while others can have a term or buyout condition. Within the Planet Fitness versus Life Time decision, this item matters only when it affects realistic weekly use.

Life Time plan structure: Standard club membership; Signature membership with expanded training and reservation benefits; Household memberships with eligible partner and dependents; Medicare or insurance-related limited memberships where available. Access: Access depends on the club access level and any additional-club upgrade. Contract position: Life Time requires advance notice for cancellation; membership changes can be made online, in app, by email or at the club. Within the Planet Fitness versus Life Time decision, this item matters only when it affects realistic weekly use.

For this open-gym membership alternative comparison, the preliminary access edge is Location-specific tie, but the exact nearby location and selected tier control. Home-club access, multi-club access, reciprocal access, booked-class access and nationwide access are not interchangeable. Confirm any waiting period, excluded club category, staffed-hour rule, class reservation limit or premium-area restriction. For Planet Fitness versus Life Time, record this detail in the same local-price and access worksheet.

Write down the precise plan name and home location.
Confirm the regular dues after any introductory period.
List every club, studio or class type included without an add-on.
Check whether reservations, late-cancel charges or visit limits apply.
Verify the agreement term, renewal process and price-change notice.
Ask whether travel or reciprocal access starts immediately.

Compare the Planet Fitness membership plans with the Life Time membership plans, then review both brands’ multi-club access rules before treating a premium tier as better value.

Equipment, classes, coaching and amenities

Planet Fitness commonly emphasizes: cardio and strength equipment, PF Black Card multi-club access, guest privileges on Black Card, HydroMassage or recovery amenities at participating clubs, locker rooms and showers. Its clearest advantage is low national starting price and broad location network; its main limitation is annual fee, local fee variation and limited full-service amenities. Within the Planet Fitness versus Life Time decision, this item matters only when it affects realistic weekly use.

Life Time commonly emphasizes: large fitness floors, unlimited studio classes on eligible memberships, indoor and outdoor pools at selected clubs, child center and family programming, tennis, pickleball and recovery services at selected clubs. Its clearest advantage is resort-style facilities and family programming; its main limitation is premium location-dependent pricing. For this pair, the practical result still depends on the exact local offers for Planet Fitness and Life Time.

The preliminary coaching edge is Location-specific tie, while the preliminary facility-depth edge is Life Time. These are screening conclusions, not guarantees. A local club may omit a pool, sauna, childcare room, class format, recovery amenity or specific strength equipment shown elsewhere in the same brand network. The conclusion can change when the nearby Planet Fitness or Life Time location uses different terms or facilities.

Experience factor	Planet Fitness	Life Time
Best fit	budget-focused beginners who want basic equipment and a large network	families and high-frequency users who will use premium facilities
Potential mismatch	members who require pools, childcare, extensive group classes or heavy specialist lifting equipment	budget-only members who mainly need basic equipment
Coaching format	Structured coaching varies by plan and location.	Structured coaching varies by plan and location.
Independent workout freedom	Generally stronger where open gym access and equipment are included.	Generally stronger where open gym access and equipment are included.

Inspect the exact facility and class schedule through the Planet Fitness amenities guide and the Life Time amenities guide. Count only benefits available at the location, time and plan you intend to use.

Free trial, day pass, guest access and age rules

Planet Fitness free trial or introductory position: $0 for the official one-day pass at participating clubs. Life Time free trial or introductory position: No public numeric one-day membership price was displayed; availability and price vary by club. When the free trial costs $0, new-customer eligibility, identification, local residency, age and participating-location restrictions can still apply.

Planet Fitness guest position: PF Black Card members can bring one guest per visit; guests must follow age, waiver and amenity restrictions and do not receive all Black Card perks. Life Time guest position: Members may extend guest passes according to their account; otherwise a one-day membership may be purchased for guests age 14 and older. A recurring member guest benefit is different from a public free trial or paid day pass; the host may need to remain present and premium amenities may be excluded.

Planet Fitness age position: Members generally must be at least 13; minors require parent or guardian involvement under published rules. Life Time age position: Household eligibility and child-access rules depend on the club and membership. A parent or guardian should confirm signatures, supervision, independent access and any restriction on equipment, classes, sauna, pool or recovery areas.

Use the free trial at the actual day and time you expect to attend.
Test the equipment, class or coaching format that drives the purchase.
Ask for the full itemized checkout before the trial ends.
Confirm whether payment details trigger automatic recurring billing.
Read guest, class-expiration, late-cancel and no-show rules.

The Planet Fitness guest and free trial guide and Life Time guest and free trial guide separate trial eligibility from ongoing membership privileges.

Cancellation, notice and final billing

Planet Fitness: Eligible members may cancel online through the member portal; other memberships can require cancellation at the home club or by written mail under the agreement. Its notice position is To generally stop monthly billing, the home club should receive cancellation by the 10th; to stop an upcoming annual fee, generally by the 25th of the prior month. The reviewed numeric cancellation disclosure is $58 early buyout can apply to an unfulfilled minimum-term membership. For Planet Fitness versus Life Time, record this detail in the same local-price and access worksheet.

Life Time: The official help center allows cancellation online or in app, by email, or in the club. A notice period is required. Members needing a short break can convert to Life Time Digital for $15 per month for up to four months once per calendar year. Its notice position is Advance notice required; exact timing is shown in the membership terms and account flow. The reviewed numeric cancellation disclosure is No public numeric cancellation fee was displayed on the official help center. For this pair, the practical result still depends on the exact local offers for Planet Fitness and Life Time.

A month-to-month label does not necessarily mean same-day termination. For Planet Fitness vs Life Time, record the required method, notice period, effective date, annual-fee cutoff, commitment term and any separate training or service agreement. Obtain dated written confirmation and check the next bank or card statement.

Cancellation check	Planet Fitness	Life Time
Published policy	Eligible members may cancel online through the member portal; other memberships can require cancellation at the home club or by written mail under the agreement.	The official help center allows cancellation online or in app, by email, or in the club. A notice period is required. Members needing a short break can convert to Life Time Digital for $15 per month for up to four months once per calendar year.
Notice guidance	To generally stop monthly billing, the home club should receive cancellation by the 10th; to stop an upcoming annual fee, generally by the 25th of the prior month.	Advance notice required; exact timing is shown in the membership terms and account flow.
Numeric fee disclosure	$58 early buyout can apply to an unfulfilled minimum-term membership	No public numeric cancellation fee was displayed on the official help center

Before the next draft, read the Planet Fitness cancellation guide and the Life Time cancellation guide. Keep cancellation of a free trial, class pack, coaching agreement and core membership separate.

How the choice changes for different members

A beginner comparing Planet Fitness and Life Time should evaluate comfort, instruction, travel time and the likelihood of attending consistently. The lowest advertised rate has little value when the format or schedule causes the membership to go unused.

Someone returning after a long break should use a free trial, introductory class or facility tour to test the actual experience at Planet Fitness and Life Time. Staff support, crowding, class capacity and equipment availability can matter more than the national brand description. Verify this factor for the exact Planet Fitness and Life Time locations being considered.

A member who depends on scheduled classes should compare reservation windows, waitlists, late-cancel rules and substitute times at Planet Fitness and Life Time. The most attractive class list has limited value when the suitable sessions are routinely full or conflict with work.

A price-sensitive member should request an itemized checkout from both Planet Fitness and Life Time on the same day. Comparing an introductory payment from one brand with the regular recurring rate from the other produces a misleading result.

Discounts require the same discipline as normal pricing. Planet Fitness: No universal national student, senior or military membership discount was confirmed. Planet Fitness publishes partner rewards and runs the seasonal High School Summer Pass for eligible teens. Life Time: Life Time supports certain Medicare and insurance fitness memberships. Standard student or military discounts are not universal. Count a student, senior, military, first-responder, employer, insurance or healthcare discount only when the exact eligible location provides current written terms and a numeric amount.

Planet Fitness vs Life Time decision matrix

Decision factor	Preliminary edge	How to verify
Lowest documented recurring starting point	Planet Fitness	Use the same billing cadence and add mandatory fees from the same location.
Broad or flexible access	Location-specific tie	Compare home-club limits, multi-club eligibility, reservations and staffed-hour rules.
Coached programming	Location-specific tie	Test instructor attention, progression, booking capacity and late-cancel rules.
Facility and amenity depth	Life Time	Only count facilities present at the exact location and included in the chosen tier.
Family or household fit	Life Time	Check minor rules, childcare, household add-ons and independent access.
Strength or athletic specialization	Location-specific tie	Compare equipment depth, progression, coaching and open training time.
Low-impact and mobility focus	Location-specific tie	Match the method to joint tolerance, mobility goals and preferred class pace.
Published fee clarity	Planet Fitness	More published numbers help budgeting, but the signed agreement still controls.

This matrix is a screening tool, not a universal ranking. Score each factor from zero to five, multiply by its importance to your routine, and compare weighted totals. A preliminary edge disappears when the nearby location lacks the feature, uses a different fee schedule or cannot be attended consistently. Apply this point to the selected Planet Fitness and Life Time locations rather than to the brands in the abstract.

Which is the better choice?

Choose Planet Fitness when you are budget-focused beginners who want basic equipment and a large network and value low national starting price and broad location network. Its main caution is annual fee, local fee variation and limited full-service amenities; copy the exact recurring, annual, enrollment and cancellation terms into a twelve-month worksheet before joining. Within the Planet Fitness versus Life Time decision, this item matters only when it affects realistic weekly use.

Choose Life Time when you are families and high-frequency users who will use premium facilities and value resort-style facilities and family programming. Its main caution is premium location-dependent pricing; test the actual nearby location or class schedule rather than assuming every site provides the same benefits. For this pair, the practical result still depends on the exact local offers for Planet Fitness and Life Time.

For Planet Fitness vs Life Time, A public numeric recurring comparison is incomplete, so the exact local offers control; compare the exact local offer, mandatory fees and included access. Price should remain one factor alongside travel time, schedule, coaching, equipment, family needs and exit terms. The better membership is the option with the strongest complete value that the member will use consistently.

A useful final test is to imagine twelve normal weeks rather than one motivated week. Count realistic visits, missed bookings, commute time and benefits actually used. That exercise often changes the answer produced by a simple monthly-price comparison. Apply this point to the selected Planet Fitness and Life Time locations rather than to the brands in the abstract.

Final checklist before joining

Collect a written Planet Fitness quote and a written Life Time quote for the exact nearby locations.
Keep recurring dues in the published monthly, biweekly, 28-day, annual or per-class cadence.
Add enrollment, annual, maintenance, processing, access-device and mandatory service charges.
Confirm the plan name, home location, included clubs, classes and premium areas.
Use the free trial or introductory visit under normal crowding and schedule conditions.
Read cancellation method, notice, final billing, commitment and automatic-renewal terms.
Verify guest, minor, family, reservation, late-cancel and no-show rules.
Ignore a discount unless current written eligibility and the numeric amount are available.
Calculate the first-year total and an effective cost per realistic visit.
Save the agreement, checkout screen, confirmation email and cancellation contact details.

For broader context, use the first-year gym cost guide, hidden gym fee guide and gym cancellation guide.

Planet Fitness vs Life Time FAQs: prices, fees, cancellation and free trial answers

Which is cheaper, Planet Fitness or Life Time?

Planet Fitness recurring price: $15/month Classic and $24.99/month PF Black Card on the national U.S. membership page. Life Time recurring price: No public numeric standard club-membership amount was displayed on the reviewed national membership pages. A public numeric recurring comparison is incomplete, so the exact local offers control; compare the exact local offer, mandatory fees and included access. Add the annual and enrollment amounts shown for the same location before deciding, because the lowest recurring starting point is not always the lowest first-year total.

What annual fee does Planet Fitness charge compared with Life Time?

Planet Fitness annual-fee answer: $49/year on the reviewed national and official club offers. Life Time annual-fee answer: No public numeric annual-fee amount was displayed on the reviewed official membership pages. Keep the annual fee separate from normal dues and use the billing date shown by the exact agreement. Planet Fitness: $49/year on the reviewed national and official club offers. Life Time: No public numeric annual-fee amount was displayed on the reviewed official membership pages. Annual charges are normally billed separately from regular dues, so the billing month and cancellation cutoff matter as much as the advertised monthly price.

What enrollment fee does Planet Fitness charge compared with Life Time?

Planet Fitness enrollment answer: $1–$59 one-time in the reviewed Evansville, IN and Greenbriar, VA official offers. Life Time enrollment answer: No public numeric joining-fee amount was displayed on the reviewed official membership pages. A promotional first payment can change without reducing later recurring or annual charges. Planet Fitness: $1–$59 one-time in the reviewed Evansville, IN and Greenbriar, VA official offers. Life Time: No public numeric joining-fee amount was displayed on the reviewed official membership pages. Treat this as a one-time first-year charge unless the official agreement labels it differently; a promotion may reduce it without changing the recurring dues.

Does Planet Fitness or Life Time offer a free trial?

Planet Fitness: $0 for the official one-day pass at participating clubs. Life Time: No public numeric one-day membership price was displayed; availability and price vary by club. When the free trial costs $0, confirm new-customer eligibility, identification, residency, age, automatic-billing and participating-location rules before visiting. Free trial (cost: $0): Planet Fitness: $0 for the official one-day pass at participating clubs. Life Time: No public numeric one-day membership price was displayed; availability and price vary by club. Confirm the participating location, eligibility, pass length, required identification and whether the offer converts into paid membership automatically.

What cancellation fee does Planet Fitness charge compared with Life Time?

Planet Fitness: $58 early buyout can apply to an unfulfilled minimum-term membership. Life Time: No public numeric cancellation fee was displayed on the official help center. The numeric fee is only one part of cancellation; method, notice deadline, commitment balance and final draft also matter. Compare the exact U.S. location, named plan, billing cycle and mandatory first-year charges before making the final decision.

How do I compare first-year cost for Planet Fitness and Life Time?

Annualize the recurring dues, then add enrollment, annual and mandatory charges plus tax. Planet Fitness: The reviewed monthly figures annualize to about $180.00–$299.88 across 12 payments, before annual, enrollment, tax and optional charges. Life Time: No source-backed annualized recurring total can be calculated from the reviewed public pages. Do not combine fees from different locations or promotional periods.

Which has better access, Planet Fitness or Life Time?

The preliminary access edge is Location-specific tie. Planet Fitness: Classic is centered on the home club. PF Black Card includes access to participating Planet Fitness locations, subject to reciprocal-use rules and possible limits or charges at non-home clubs. Life Time: Access depends on the club access level and any additional-club upgrade. Confirm the exact tier because home-club, multi-club, nationwide and booked-session access describe different rights.

Which has better amenities and classes, Planet Fitness or Life Time?

Planet Fitness commonly offers cardio and strength equipment, PF Black Card multi-club access, guest privileges on Black Card, HydroMassage or recovery amenities at participating clubs, locker rooms and showers. Life Time commonly offers large fitness floors, unlimited studio classes on eligible memberships, indoor and outdoor pools at selected clubs, child center and family programming, tennis, pickleball and recovery services at selected clubs. The preliminary facility edge is Life Time, but only the exact nearby location and selected plan can confirm availability.

Which is better for a beginner, Planet Fitness or Life Time?

Planet Fitness is generally best for budget-focused beginners who want basic equipment and a large network; Life Time is generally best for families and high-frequency users who will use premium facilities. A beginner should use the free trial or introductory visit, evaluate coaching and comfort, and choose the option that can be attended consistently.

Who should choose Planet Fitness instead of Life Time?

Choose Planet Fitness when you are budget-focused beginners who want basic equipment and a large network and value low national starting price and broad location network. Choose Life Time when you are families and high-frequency users who will use premium facilities and value resort-style facilities and family programming. The final choice should use the exact local price, schedule, access and cancellation terms.

Primary research

Planet Fitness vs Life Time official U.S. sources reviewed

Sources were checked on July 11, 2026. Promotional prices can change after publication.