Break-Even on a Membership Calculator

About this calculator

The break-even point for a membership is simply the monthly membership price divided by the per-visit (drop-in) price — if a gym membership costs $50/month and a drop-in class costs $20, you need 2.5 visits a month (round up to 3) before the membership beats paying per visit. Below that number of visits, paying per visit is actually cheaper; above it, the membership wins.

Gyms, climbing walls, yoga studios, golf courses and museums all sell both membership and per-visit pricing, and this comparison is the single number that tells a prospective member whether their actual usage pattern justifies the membership commitment — a “great deal” membership is only a good deal for someone who will actually hit the break-even visit count regularly, which is why gym memberships are notorious for being purchased far more often than they're used enough to pay off.

This calculator takes the membership price and the per-visit price and tells you exactly how many visits a month you need to make the membership worth it.