Hannah H.
The discount fitness program used to be too good to be true – now it’s good only if you pick the right gym.
Before summer 2024, Active and Fit Direct was a fitness cheat code: pay $28/month to access unlimited standard gyms, with no cancellation fees or contracts.
It was too good to be true, like the MoviePass of gym memberships.
In 2026, the program is a ghost of its former self, but I’m still subscribed – for now. Let’s see why I’ve stayed and whether Active and Fit Direct membership is still worth it for you.
They Removed the Unlimited Gyms Feature
I remember the good old Active & Fit Direct days when you could pick as many standard gyms as you wanted for just $28/month. For example, you could have active memberships at LA Fitness, Planet Fitness, Gold’s Gym, and Anytime Fitness – all for $28 total.
It was ideal for people who traveled often, or for athletes who needed access to equipment available only at certain gym chains. It also set the program apart from Active and Fit Now, which didn’t have this feature.
Then, in Summer 2024, Active and Fit Direct suddenly changed their membership to include only one standard gym at a time. Additional gyms would now cost $23/month.
People Still Hate Active and Fit Direct For Doing This
And it’s easy to understand why: it was an all-of-a-sudden switch-up that killed a lot of the program’s value – particularly for any gym that costs less than $28/month.
The downgrade was unfortunate, but you can still switch gyms once a month. While it’s not as convenient as before, I find that Active and Fit is still more flexible than going directly through the gyms.
Active and Fit Direct is a Great Deal for Some Gyms and Terrible for Others
The $28 standard membership monthly price is way cheaper than going directly through some gyms. For example, I have access to Anytime Fitness through my Active and Fit membership. Let’s do the math on how much I save in a year.
Gym Cost Comparison
Through Anytime Fitness
$40 enrollment fee +
$25 Security Activation Fee +
$35 biweekly Membership Fee =
$
12 months Through Anytime Fitness
Through Active and Fit Direct
$28/Month Membership Fee =
$
12 Months at Anytime Fitness Through Active & Fit Direct
That’s about 63% cheaper. On the other hand, Active and Fit costs more than going directly through a budget gym like Planet Fitness.
Through Planet Fitness
$49 Annual Fee +
$15/Month Classic Membership Fee
$
12 Months Through Planet Fitness
Through Active and Fit Direct
$28/Month Membership Fee
$
12 Months at Planet Fitness Through Active & Fit Direct
That’s a waste of money. Always do the math before signing up.
Gym Amenities and Location Hopping are YMMV
When you sign up for Active&Fit Direct, you pick a home fitness center. You bring your paperwork to the gym and finish the enrollment process there.
Here's what the fine print says on my membership card.
- Here's what the fine print says on my membership card.
That’s now your home base, but if it’s a chain gym, you’re supposed to be able to access locations anywhere in the country. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
Some franchise locations don’t participate in Active and Fit Direct. Others have rules that you have to go to your home club more often.
It’s not clear if the fitness centers are allowed to do this, but be prepared to have a conversation with corporate at some point.
Membership Amenities
Amenities access is also ambiguous, and you need to specifically ask your potential home gym what Active and Fit Direct gets you.
For example, chain gyms like Crunch, EoS, etc. have cheap plans that cost under $28/month directly. They also have more expensive plans with more amenities.
There’s no clear answer on what you’ll get, and it even varies between clubs. Obviously, if it’s the most expensive plan, a $28 flat rate is actually a pretty sweet deal.
They Have a Decent Gym Network
Active and Fit Direct’s network includes 12,700+ standard gyms and 9,800+ premium exercise studios. It’s pretty easy to find a decent gym nearby.
That being said, fitness centers seem to come and go from the network. For example, LA Fitness appears to have completely left the program.
I’m also seeing a number of gyms on the map showing “Not Accepting New Members.” I could see gyms abusing this feature if they’re not making money through Active and Fit.
This location says it's not accepting new members on Active and Fit Direct. But on the Gold's website, they are.
- This location says it's not accepting new members on Active and Fit Direct. But on the Gold's website, they are.
Standard Fitness Centers
The best deals are the local, independent gyms. There are quite a few in the standard network, and $28 all-in is a steal for most of them.
Let’s take The Works Gym in Upland, CA. Directly, their prepaid 12-month membership is $575 up-front. Their month-to-month is $55/month + $95 initiation fee. But through A&D Direct, they cost just $336 annually.
Premium Fitness Centers
Active and Fit Direct also includes “Premium” fitness centers. These tend to be more expensive specialty gyms, such as Rumble Boxing, Nike Studio, Club Pilates, StretchLab, OrangeTheory, and more.
Premium gyms aren’t part of the $28 rate. Instead, you get a discount, typically to their classes. For example, I can get a 4 class pass to Club Pilates for $99 via A&D Direct.
I can get 4 classes for a discounted price from this premium gym.
- I can get 4 classes for a discounted price from this premium gym.
Other premium gyms might offer general membership access, e.g. YMCA. Unfortunately, it’s YMMV at the YMCA: some YMCAs include access to other YMCAs, while others only include single-location membership.
This YMCA has a note about possible access to additional locations.
This YMCA does not have that info, which means you probably only get single-location access.
- This YMCA has a note about possible access to additional locations.
- This YMCA does not have that info, which means you probably only get single-location access.
They’re Still Waiving the Enrollment Fee – For Now
Active & Fit Direct charges a $28 enrollment fee, but it was automatically waived the last two times I signed up. As of this writing, they have the same promotion with code MOVEMORE.
So for now, it only costs $56 at sign-up: that’s for the first and second month of standard gym access ($28 + $28).
Overall, it’s low risk and low-investment to try out Active and Fit Direct. However, with the way the program has been slowly molting features, I bet they’re going to start charging the enrollment fee again soon.
Cancelling Is Easier Than With a Gym, But It’s Still Annoying
A nice feature of Active and Fit is that there’s no labyrinthian gym contract. After the pre-paid first 2 months, you can easily cancel via the big “Cancel Entire Program” button in your Active and Fit Direct portal.
Just click the CANCEL ENTIRE PROGRAM button.
- Just click the CANCEL ENTIRE PROGRAM button.
However, timing the cancellation can be annoying, since you’re always pre-paying for the next month.
Cancelling an Active and Fit Direct Membership
For example, I signed up on July 25th. The enrollment fee was waived, so Active & Fit charged me $56 as soon as I enrolled (prepaid first two months of membership).
Does Active and Fit Direct Pro-Rate or Refund?
I had to choose whether to count the 6 days left in July as my full first month, or to wait until August 1st to access the gym. Active & Fit doesn’t pro-rate, so I picked the latter.
I now had access to Anytime Fitness through September 30th, with August and September already paid. Eventually I got injured and wanted to cancel, and I tried to do it at the end of November.
Unfortunately, since my recurring billing date was the 25th, it had already auto-billed me for December access. There are no refunds for the month paid in “advance.”
That’s why I recommend signing up on the 1st instead. It’s the best value if you intend to use the gym right when you enroll, and it’s an easier billing date to remember if you want to cancel.
It’s Easy to Get Access
There are two Active & Fit programs: Direct and Now. They’re both run by American Specialty Health. Direct is what we’ve been discussing. It’s limited to people who have access through their employer, insurance, or association, and members can share it with their spouse/domestic partner.
USAA, Blue Shield, AAA, and hundreds of other organizations offer access to Active & Fit Direct. In other words, it isn’t particularly exclusive. I joined through my health insurance. The only hoop I had to jump through was clicking the Active and Fit link in my insurance portal and entering my insurance plan number.
If, for some reason, you don’t qualify for Direct, just use Active and Fit Now. It’s $32 per month and includes less gyms than the Direct network, but it’s open to any U.S. resident age 18+.
Active and Fit Direct is Worth It If You Do the Math First
Yes, it sucks that we can’t join unlimited gyms. It’s also annoying that benefits differ between gym locations. I also dislike the pre-paid billing feature, and that LA Fitness is gone.
Despite all of this, I’m keeping my Active and Fit subscription. I save tons of money at Anytime Fitness, and I know that I can cancel at-will. Plus, if I decide I want to join yet again, I probably won’t have to pay the enrollment fee.
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