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One in ten people in Switzerland has a gym membership. But there are some 1,200 gyms and fitness centres to choose from. The services offered are diverse, reflecting the widely varying needs of their customers. The question is: which is the best fit for you?
- Differences between the main fitness centres in Switzerland
- Which is the cheapest gym or fitness centre?
- When does health insurance cover the cost of gym membership and how much will it pay?
- Which gyms and fitness centres are approved by health insurers?
- Group classes and wellness services in fitness centres
Differences between the main fitness centres in Switzerland
The biggest fitness chains account for over a quarter of all the gyms in the whole of Switzerland. However, fitness chains tend to be regional rather than national. The cost of an annual membership ranges from 498 to 1,790 francs. The services included in an annual membership also vary significantly. Some gyms may include free trials, group classes, saunas, childcare, drinks and so on in their memberships but others may not even offer such services in the first place. We have compiled all the information for you in our downloadable table.
Which is the cheapest gym or fitness centre?
| Fitness chain | Membership period | Annual price in CHF | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discountfit | 1 month | 468 + 30 * | Sign up |
| Basefit | 12/24 months | 499 + 20 * | Sign up |
| Update Fitness | 12 months | 690 | Sign up |
| ACTIV FITNESS | 12/24 months | 740 | Sign up |
| MFIT | 1/3/6/12 months | 790 | Sign up |
| Evo Fitness | 1 month | 828 + 69 * | Sign up |
| Fitnessplus | 1/2/3/6/12 months | 990 | Sign up |
| Kieser Training ** | 12/24/36 months | 1,040 | Sign up |
| ONE Training Center | 1/2/3/12/24 months | 1,090 | Sign up |
| Let's Go Fitness | 3/6/12 months | 1,289 | Sign up |
| FlowerPower | 1/6/12/24 months | 1,240 + 70 * | Sign up |
| Fitness-Park | 10 session pass, 1/12 months | 1,050 - 1,415 *** | Sign up |
| Migros FitnessCard | 12 months | 1,420 | Sign up |
| Indigo Fitness | 10 session pass, 3/6/12 months | 1,550 - 1,790 *** | Sign up |
* Registration fee
** Strength training only / no endurance training
*** Depending on location
When does health insurance cover the cost of gym membership and how much will it pay?
Whether your health insurer will make a contribution to your membership usually depends on two factors.
- The health insurer will only pay if the gym or fitness centre has been quality-certified. The most well-known certification is Qualitop/QualiCert, but other certifications like EMfit and Fitness-Guide are sometimes also accepted.
- To have your costs reimbursed, you need to take out a supplemental insurance policy that covers gym memberships, whether fully or partially. In some cases, health insurers may impose further requirements.
Refer to the Qualitop list (in German only) and Fitness-Guide (in German, French and Italian only) to find out whether your health insurer and insurance model will reimburse any money for gym memberships, and how much.
Which gyms and fitness centres are approved by health insurers?
| Fitness chain | Locations | Certification for health insurer | Trial session |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACTIV FITNESS | FR, GE, GL, NE, SG, SZ, TI, VD, VS, ZH | Yes, Qualitop | Free |
| Basefit | AG, BE, BS, GR, LU, SG, SO, ZG, ZH | Yes, Qualitop | Free |
| Discountfit | AG, BE, BS, FR, ZH | None | No |
| Evo Fitness | BE, BS, FR, GE, LU, ZH | None | Free |
| Fitness-Park | AG, BS, LU, SG, VD, ZH | Yes, Qualitop | Free * |
| Fitnessplus | BS, ZH | Yes, Qualitop | Free |
| FlowerPower | AG, BE, SO | Yes, Qualitop | CHF 29 |
| Indigo Fitness | BS, GE, LU, ZG, ZH | Yes, Fitness-Guide (partially) | Free |
| Kieser Training ** | AG, BE, BL, BS, FR, LU, SG, SH, SO, TG, ZG, ZH | Yes, Qualitop | Free |
| Let’s Go Fitness | BE, FR, GE, JU, NE, VD, VS | Yes, Qualitop | Free |
| Migros FitnessCard | All of Switzerland except AI, JU, NW | Yes, Qualitop | Free * |
| MFIT | GR, SG, SH, TG, ZH | Yes, Qualitop | Free |
| ONE Training Center | LU, NW, SZ, UR, ZG | Yes, Qualitop | Free |
| Update Fitness | AR, AG, BE, BL, BS, GR, LU, SG, SO, TG, ZH | Yes, Qualitop | Free |
* Depending on location
** Strength training only / no endurance training
Group classes and wellness services in fitness centres
Many fitness chains also offer group classes, which are often included in the membership fee. Popular classes include aerobics, bodypump, pilates, yoga and zumba. Less often included are wellness services such as saunas, steam baths, solariums and quiet zones.
You can find an overview of what the leading fitness chains have to offer in this downloadable table.