Are you looking to join a gym in San Francisco? Here we've looked into some of the city's best membership options, from small community locations to nationwide chains.
Jamie Ferrell - Staff Writer•
From crowd-favorite Crunch Fitness to the luxury chain Equinox, opinions vary widely when it comes to all the gyms San Francisco has to offer. We’ve pulled a selection of excellent gyms around the city for a variety of budgets and fitness levels. Whether you want to join a national fitness club chain or a small family-owned outpost, this list should give you a good overview of the best gyms in San Francisco to fit all sorts of lifestyles, in no particular order.
1. Fitness SF
Fitness SF began as part of a national gym chain before breaking away to become an independent brand in the Bay Area. Their mission is to create opportunities for all people to go to the gym, and their commitment to the community even stretches into local volunteering. Whether you go to Fitness SF’s SoMa location or the Transbay location spanning 2 city blocks, the excellent gym facilities are fantastic for those seeking an open gym experience, private training sessions, or group classes. They also host completely FREE workout classes at Salesforce Park every single week that are open to the public. Thanks to Fitness SF’s commitment to eliminating enrollment fees, cancellation fees, processing fees, and annual fees, members can enjoy a no-hassle payment process. This is one of the best gyms in San Francisco if you’re trying to get the most bang for your buck.
💵 Prices: 1-day membership to try the gym is free, all-gym access membership is $109.95/month,
📍 Locations: See all 8 locations for Fitness SF here.
2. Crunch Fitness
Ever since its humble beginnings in an NYC basem*nt in 1989, Crunch Fitness has strived to provide a judgment-free environment open to a diverse clientele. No matter your fitness level, body type, or background, you’ll find a way to achieve your own best self thanks to their range of all-level group fitness classes, online videos, state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, and personal training options. Their commitment to maintaining a fun and energetic environment means you’ll keep coming back — and might make some new friends in the process. Above is an image of their stunning Polk Street location, which is located inside of the former Alhambra Theatre.
💵 Prices: Single club membership is $94/month, city club membership is $99/month, worldwide membership is $150/month
📍 Locations: See all 5 locations for Crunch Fitness in San Francisco here.
3. YMCA SF
The YMCA has served communities worldwide for over 160 years, and it dates back to 1853 in San Francisco’s Portsmouth Square. Since then, YMCA SF has opened 14 branches, 54 after-school programs, and 120 program sites around the city, each of which is dedicated to a central mission of building healthy communities for all. Your YMCA membership will give you access to every branch in SF, San Mateo, and Marin; access to all pools, classes, and equipment; access to all virtual classes; and access to 1-on-1 coaching. As a nonprofit organization, the YMCA is all about removing obstacles to fitness for everyone. They offer financial assistance for eligible members and special programming for children and seniors.
💵 Price: Adult memberships are $88 per month, but there are packages for seniors, young adults, and entire households.
📍 Locations: See all YMCA SF branches here.
4. Mission Cliffs
As SF’s oldest climbing gym, Mission Cliffs‘ reputation precedes it. The gym is run by Touchstone Climbing, which is constantly renovating and updating about 23,000 square feet of terrain to provide the most interesting routes possible. With a 50-foot lead wall and 160+ routes, even experienced climbers will be impressed with the facilities here. But the gym has more than just climbing walls — here you’ll find a variety of fitness classes including yoga, flexibility, strength and conditioning, and functional fitness, not to mention a weight room, cardio equipment, and saunas.
💵 Price: General monthly membership is $99/month with a $100 initiation. More price options are available for partners, families, seniors, youth, college students, and more.
📍 Location: 2295 Harrison St, San Francisco
5. LuxFit
LuxFit is a premier outdoor gym in San Francisco that prides itself on science-based training and community-centered programming. It’s a great option if you love exercising outdoors but want all the top-level equipment and resources of a full-service gym. They offer personal training, small group workouts, and open gym memberships to fit any fitness level. The trainers are independent contractors who run their respective small businesses through LuxFit, so you’ll find that prices and class types fit a wide range of budgets and lifestyles.
💵 Prices: Personal training sessions start at $100 per session, Group classes start at $125/month 2x per week, Open classes start at $125/month 2x per week, and one-day passes are $25 for non-members.
📍 Locations:
- Hayes Valley: 432 Octavia St, San Francisco
- East Cut: 200 Folsom St, San Francisco
6. YuBalance
In 2011, Shala and Rory Cox started YuBalance Gyms for people who “hate the gym.” They now operate three gyms in San Francisco offering high-intensity free-weight workout classes and personal training. The experience is designed for busy professionals who want an efficient total body workout in 45 minutes or less, carefully structured to build strength, cardio, and core muscles over time. Although YuBalance doesn’t offer an open gym experience, it’s great for people who crave more guidance and accountability in their exercise routine.
💵 Prices: Silver Membership is $99/month, Gold Membership is $169/month, Platinum Membership is $199/month. Save $30-50 on first month depending on plan.
📍 Locations:
- 1461 Church St, Noe Valley
- 26 Clement St, Richmond
- 447 Irving St, Sunset
7. Equinox
Equinox is a luxury fitness chain with 107 locations worldwide, all of which offer state-of-the-art facilities, high-quality personal training, and excellent unlimited group classes. Whether you seek access to a pristine spa or a top-notch Pilates class, you’ll find that Equinox’s dedication to quality goes for all aspects of the experience. Across the six Equinox sports clubs in SF you’ll find indoor pools, heated yoga studios, eucalyptus steam rooms, skincare services, and more. This is a popular option for those seeking out luxury gyms in San Francisco.
💵 Price: Access to select location is $210-282 per month, access to 80+ clubs in US and Canada is $310/month, additional packages are up to $405 per month.
📍 Locations: See all SF Equinox locations here.
8. Hit Fit SF
Hit Fit SF is a popular boxing gym in San Francisco that’s dedicated to providing a safe, fun, and high-intensity experience for everyone. Beginners are well taken care of with an introductory course that teaches you the basics of punches, footwork, head movement, and how to wrap your hands. From there you can jump into the intermediate boxing classes which include jump rope, partner combination drills, bag work, and conditioning. In addition to boxing, they offer 60-minute HIIT Fit classes which will no doubt get your heart rate up. This gym is a great option if you’re in the market for intense guided workouts.
💵 Prices: Six month agreement is $199 per month, month-to-month agreement is $229 per month (2 month minimum). Plus $75 sign up fee.
📍 Locations:
- 1150 Sutter St, Nob Hill
- 2345 Harrison St, Mission
9. Live Fit Gym
Live Fit Gym began as a chiropractic office over 2 decades ago and remains the only doctor-owned gym in San Francisco. Here you’ll find an inviting mix of resources dedicated to luxury fitness and holistic wellness, made easy with their eight locations in the city. This is a great option if you want a gym that goes above and beyond the fun group classes and high quality facilities (although they offer both). Additionally, you’ll find everything you need in the realms of nutrition, skin and body treatments, physical therapy, and massage. Enjoy top-notch services whether you visit the swanky Live Fit location at the Fairmont Hotel or the converted Masonic temple in the Inner Richmond.
💵 Price: Basic package is $107-127 per month, including unlimited classes. Additional packages available for monthly chiropractic adjustments.
📍 Locations: See all 8 Live Fit Gym locations here.
10. Bay Club
After opening its flagship SF location in 1977 as the first co-ed gym in country, Bay Club has expanded into a regional chain operating 26 campuses across California and the Pacific Northwest. In San Francisco you’ll find four centrally-located campuses with a huge range of facilities including year-round pools, basketball courts, tennis and pickleball courts, saunas and steam rooms, and state-of-the-art fitness centers. Some people thrive in an all-encompassing fitness club that goes beyond the resources of your typical gym. If this sounds like you, it might be worth looking into Bay Club as an option.
💵 Price: Plans starting at $300+ per month, can add up to 5 people for package pricing
📍 Locations:
- Bay Club San Francisco: 150 Greenwich Street, San Francisco
- Bay Club Gateway: 370 Drumm Street, San Francisco
- Bay Club Financial District: 555 California Street, San Francisco
- Bay Club South San Francisco: 501 Carter Street, Daly City
11. Sunset Gym
Sunset Gym is a modest yet highly-rated neighborhood gym in San Francisco that’s perfect for those seeking an affordable open gym experience. The family-owned business fosters an energetic atmosphere with two floors of amenities including squat racks, specialty barbells, free weights, speed bags, cardio equipment, and resistance machines. With the addition of personal trainers and an outdoor patio, this is a well-rounded option if you’re seeking something budget-friendly that’s reliably equipped with the basics you need.
💵 Price: Standard rate is $69.99 per month, couples rate is $130 per month.
📍 Location: 1247 9th Ave, San Francisco
Want more options to continue your fitness journey in SF?
Tags:gym, outdoor workout, personal trainer
