Home Gym vs. Gym Membership: Costs & Benefits

There is a seemingly endless variety of fitness options available to exercise enthusiasts, from boutique studios to commercial gyms to home gyms.

But you may be wondering which option is the best for both your health and your wallet. Follow along as we navigate the ins and outs of working out at home vs. at the gym and what makes exercise so beneficial to your overall well-being.

Pros and Cons: Home Gym vs. Gym Membership

Deciding between investing in a home gym or a gym membership boils down to what types of exercises and workouts you’re looking to tackle and your workout style. 

If you thrive at the squat rack or power rack, enjoy pumping iron, and love zoning out on cardio machines, a gym membership offers equipment and other amenities (like saunas or juice bars) that you likely can’t get at home and may be worth the high cost of gym fees for you.  

On the other hand, if you’re self-motivated, enjoy working out on your own schedule in your own workout sanctuary, and love to push your limits with comprehensive workout videos, a home gym may be a better option for you and your wallet.

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Pros of Breaking a Sweat at Home 

For folks who want to save time and would prefer more privacy and financial flexibility, creating your own home gym space is the perfect solution to fit into your busy lifestyle.

For those daydreaming about home gym ideas, there are also various benefits of a home gym, including:

Set your own schedule

No need to set an insanely early wake-up alarm to get you out of bed and on the road before rush hour traffic. Your home gym’s hours are whatever you want them to be, and you can feel good knowing you always have the place to yourself. 

Pick your own pace

At home, it’s just you vs. you. You can make your home workouts as leisurely or as intense as you desire. If you’ve ever worried about turning beet red and making the odd grunting noise at the gym, you can go ahead and go all out at home with no one around to see you. 

Convenience

Some folks don’t have the luxury of spending an hour or two at a gym or boutique fitness studio. Whether you’re on-call for work or need to watch the little ones around the house, working out at home allows you the luxury of multitasking.

Lonnie Poupard Jr., lululemon Studio Trainer says that working at home offers the convenience of breaking down your workouts and spreading them throughout the day. This way, you don’t have to worry about finding enough time to work out during one stretch of time. This convenience is missing when it comes to gym memberships because you probably won’t hit the gym more than once a day. 

Spending less money

The greatest boon to exercising at home is that, even with the purchase of some select fitness equipment, you’re bound to spend less money in the long run than you would on an annual gym membership.

Variety

Nowadays there are so many different options for a home workout. You can stream live classes, try an outdoor workout in the sun, use a workout app, or embrace the latest fitness technology. At the gym, you may be limited to traditional equipment and indoor space. With an interactive fitness mirror like lululemon Studio, you have access to a host of live and on-demand classes like high-energy cardio, weight lifting, yoga, and more. 

Equipment always available

Never again will you have to work up the courage to ask, “Are you using this machine?” At home, all the equipment needed is always available, so you can get more reps in without feeling guilty about holding anyone else up.

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Cons of Breaking a Sweat at Home

For people who are accustomed to a gym environment, pivoting to a home workout can feel a bit stifling. But the following factors don’t have to hold you back from a successful home gym workout.

Lack of accountability or motivation

Gyms provide a uniquely motivating environment that can’t be found in home gyms. At a gym, you get to interact with other fitness enthusiasts and find a gym buddy, both of which can be very motivating. Moreover, gyms also have bigger, bulkier equipment that you can’t find at home.
To overcome this barrier with a home gym, Poupard Jr. recommends joining online fitness classes or live streams to get the feeling of working with others. 

Space

If you live in a small place or apartment, finding space for a home gym can be an issue; however, you don’t need a ton of exercise equipment for a successful at-home workout. lululemon Studio is a nearly invisible home gym that can be hung up on your wall, taking up virtually no space and blending in beautifully with your home decor. In many cases, depending on your fitness goal, the only other home gym equipment you might need is a yoga mat, resistance bands, and weights.

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Unsightly equipment

Gym equipment isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing to have in your home, especially if you need to create a home gym in one of your main living areas. And for city-dwellers in condos or apartments, a garage gym just isn’t feasible. lululemon Studio, however, is a sleek fitness mirror that seamlessly fits within the aesthetics of your home. When you’re ready for a workout, it turns into a fully immersive home gym and when you’re not using it, it can be used as a mirror.

1-on-1 training

One of the biggest draws of many gyms is the option for personal training. At home, you’re your own coach, left wondering if your form is correct. With lululemon Studio, however, this isn’t the case. lululemon Studio offers 1-on-1 personal training sessions, in which coaches will fix your form and technique in real-time, so you can be sure your squat or row is perfect.

Group mentality

Some people thrive off high-energy classes and instructors, and regular workout videos on YouTube just don’t bring that group element into your home. lululemon Studio’s immersive experience eliminates that, with the opportunity to interact with instructors, Face Off and compete with friends, and take live classes with other members all over the United States and Canada.

While there are some downsides to a home gym, lululemon Studio’s home workout experience is a game-changer—whether you choose an in-app experience or The Mirror. lululemon Studio provides an immersive experience that’s not only better than an in-person gym, but it eliminates the downsides that come with other home gyms.

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Pros of Breaking a Sweat at a Commercial Gym or Boutique Studio

When you join a gym, you’re often signing up for a package deal that includes a variety of amenities, from saunas and pools to showers and hot tubs. 

While these add-ons are luxurious, consider whether these amenities are necessities when making your decision. That being said, there are some perks to joining a commercial gym or boutique studio including:

Equipment galore

Gyms offer a variety of equipment and workout machines, including squat racks, heavy weights, iron plates, and cardio machines. If you’re an equipment fiend, chances are you’ll spend less money investing in a monthly gym membership than you would by stocking your own home with commercial-level equipment. 

Targeted classes

If all you’re looking for is a group boxing class or reformer Pilates, a boutique studio specializing in a single form of fitness will get you what you need. 

An escape

For those looking to momentarily escape life’s many obligations, a local gym provides a sanctuary for sweat-filled workouts and offers a break from daily life. The ritual of driving or taking public transportation to the gym and psyching yourself up in the locker room can also help you get into the right mindset before your sweat sesh.

Cons of Gym Memberships 

While there are numerous benefits to a gym membership, gyms also come with their own set of disadvantages, including:

High costs

The average gym membership cost in the US is about $40 per month. Depending on your location, type of studio, and specific package, membership fees can run up to $180+—and that’s not including set up or initiation fees. If you’re a chronic gym skipper, that’s a sunk cost.  

Crowded classes

Having a gym membership doesn’t guarantee you a spot in your favorite workout class—you may be put on a waitlist if the class is extremely popular. And you’ll be left to the rickety elliptical in the back corner with your exercise plans derailed. 

Less privacy

If you prefer private, peaceful workouts with limited interactions, you’ll likely need to hit up the gym at off hours, extra early in the morning or late in the evening. Otherwise, a gym workout may be prone to cramped spaces riddled with unwanted small talk and attention. 

More germs

Germaphobes beware: Late-night gym visits may also mean sweatier gym equipment, especially if daytime goers forgo equipment wipe-downs. Due to the large capacity of gyms, space won’t be as spick-and-span as a home gym.

Hassle

We don’t always have enough time to travel to the gym and have time for a full workout session. Traffic, parking, subway delays, and more can make a trip to the gym take longer than you were hoping.

Best At Home Gym Equipment

When designing your home gym, there are certain must-haves:

• Dumbbells
• Barbells
• Workout bench
• Squat rack with pull-up bar
• Cardio equipment (elliptical, rowing machine)
• Exercise mat
• Resistance bands
  

Home Gym vs. Gym Membership: Cost Breakdown

Both home gyms and gym memberships require some sort of investment. Depending on where you live and what type of gym you prefer to frequent, your gym membership may cost anywhere between $20 to $100 a month, and even higher if your gym is particularly high-end. 

If you want to rent some extras like cycling gloves, you’ll have to pay more. Want to book a personal trainer? That’ll be $40-$70 extra per hour. Over a year, a gym membership can easily end up costing you anywhere between $240 to upwards of $1200. 

A home gym, on the other hand, has a higher upfront cost, but no additional monthly fees year after year after year. A survey revealed that the average cost to build a home gym lies between $300 to $5000. Based on the type of equipment you need, you can build a decent home gym for $2000 to $2500. Taking the average monthly cost of a gym membership as $40, you’ll save money with a home gym after 4-5 years. 

Here’s a breakdown of the cost analysis:

Gym Membership:

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Home Gym:

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Even though the initial cost for a home gym could be higher than a yearly gym membership depending on the equipment you choose, you’ll save money in the long run as equipment costs are one-time only.

Elevate Your Home Workout with lululemon Studio

Deciding between a home gym vs. gym membership can be difficult, especially if you’re an avid exerciser looking for the ideal workout environment.

While joining a gym provides access to a slew of high-quality gym equipment and training, it may leave you with little privacy and often a hefty annual payment plan. Working out at home allows for more flexibility and convenience, allowing you to work out in the privacy of your home—at your own schedule. 

For the best of both worlds, elevate your fitness alongside lululemon Studio and bring the energy of a gym to the comfort of your home. With the lululemon Studio App, you’ll get access to over 10,000 workout classes spanning over 60+ categories, alongside 9 partner studios and led by best-in-class trainers. 

Ready to get started? Get 30 day access to The App for free when you sign up for a membership.‍

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