Virgin Active
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Virgin Active does
Virgin Active is a global premium health club operator headquartered in London, running 200+ clubs across five territories: the United Kingdom, South Africa, Italy, Australia, and Singapore/Thailand. The company serves approximately 1.023 million active members through tiered memberships (12-month commitment, monthly rolling, corporate, and multi-club access) that grant access to gym floors, pools, spas, racquet facilities, and an extensive group exercise portfolio including Reformer Pilates, Boxing, Lift Club, Sound Bath, Yoga, Cycle, and Les Mills programmes. Ancillary revenue streams include three-tier personal training (Expert/Elite/Icon), nutrition coaching, and a sub-brand partnership with Kauai health food cafés now operating in 20 UK clubs with delivery extensions via Uber Eats and Deliveroo.
The technology stack centres on a Virgin Active mobile app (iOS and Android) that delivers class booking, dynamic rewards with weekly goals and milestone tracking, tiered benefits (Bronze/Silver/Gold), and AI-powered member retention analytics. A seven-tier club access system governs which locations members can visit based on tier and join date. The company also operates Discovery Lab, a product development hub whose first output was the 'Mudder Maker' class co-developed with Tough Mudder, and is rolling out the Collection Country Club format — premium social wellness facilities integrating fitness, recovery, nutrition, co-working, and community services.
Virgin Active's revenue model is primarily subscription-based membership fees supplemented by personal training add-ons (session packs or monthly direct debit), corporate wellness packages sold through a B2B sales channel, and transaction-based ancillary revenue from cafés, guest passes, swim lessons, merchandise, and junior activities. The business is privately held and majority-owned by Johannesburg-listed investment holding company Brait, which accounts for 54% of its assets and is currently funding a £175m capital raise while positioning Virgin Active for an exit within two years. For the 12 months to September 2025, EBITDA reached £112m (up 45% year-on-year) with revenue growth across all territories, and capital expenditure rose to £96m to fund refurbishment and new club development.
Virgin Active firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Virgin Active
- Legal name
- Virgin Active Limited
- Website
- https://virginactive.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Virgin Active industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Health and Fitness Clubs
- NAICS
- Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Personal Training (In-Person & Virtual) (HSADAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Group Fitness, Personal Training & Wellness Coaching (EDALAIAE)
Keywords
Where Virgin Active is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
Virgin Active business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Recurring monthly or annual membership fees from individual and corporate members. Memberships available in multiple tiers with varying levels of club access. 12-month commitment plans offer discounted rates compared to monthly rolling memberships.
- Personal Training Add-ons: Additional revenue from personal training sessions sold as monthly direct debit plans or packs of 2-8 sessions. PT offered at Expert, Elite, and Icon levels with pricing varying by trainer qualification and experience.
- Nutrition and Café Services (Kauai): Revenue from Kauai health food café operations within clubs. Meals, smoothies, and nutrition products sold on-site. Also available via delivery platforms (Uber Eats, Deliveroo).
- Ancillary Services: Additional revenue from guest passes, swim lessons, junior activities, crèche passes, merchandise, and other ancillary products and services. Club credit can be used for these items.
- Corporate Wellness Packages: Bespoke corporate wellness packages sold to employers, offering discounted memberships and workplace wellness benefits for employees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | 12-Month Membership - Commitment-based plan with discounted rates |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Membership - Rolling monthly flexibility |
| Subscription | Monthly | Corporate Membership - Bespoke workplace wellness packages |
| Subscription | Monthly | Multi-Club Access - Tier-based club visiting rights |
| Unit Pricing | Monthly | Personal Training - Session-based or monthly plans |
| Subscription | Monthly | South Africa Full Membership - Regional pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Virgin Active product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Virgin Active operates premium health and fitness clubs that sell memberships providing access to gyms, swimming pools, spas, group fitness classes (including Reformer Pilates, Boxing, Lift Club, and Sound Bath), racquet sports, personal training, nutrition services, family and childcare activities, and on-site Kauai cafés. It also runs a separate corporate wellness program offering bespoke workplace packages with meeting rooms and conference facilities, supported by a mobile app and member rewards platform.
Product overview
Virgin Active is a global health and fitness club operator offering a comprehensive wellness ecosystem. The core product is the health club membership (available as 12-month, monthly rolling, corporate, or multi-club access tiers) providing access to gym facilities, swimming pools, spas, and diverse group fitness classes. The class portfolio includes signature offerings like Reformer Pilates (with Foundations, Align, Athletic, and Recovery variants), Lift Club, Sound Bath, Boxing, Yoga, Cycle, and Les Mills programs. Ancillary services include Personal Training (with Expert/Elite/Icon tiers) and Nutrition Coaching, supplemented by the Kauai health food café partnership. Family offerings encompass childcare and junior activities. The Virgin Active App and Member Rewards program provides digital engagement with tiered benefits. Racquet sports including Tennis, Padel, Pickleball, and Squash are available at select clubs.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Kauai: Health food café partner integrated within Virgin Active clubs, offering nutritious meals, snacks, smoothies, and drinks. Available in 20 Virgin Active Health Clubs throughout the UK, with delivery via Uber Eats and Deliveroo. Originally founded in South Africa over 30 years ago.
- Collection Country Club
Products and services
- 12-Month Membership
Quantifiable outcome
- 37% year-on-year EBITDA growth to £110m
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Virgin Active
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Virgin Active technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature4 records
Virgin Active partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Tough MuddercoreVirgin Active's Discovery Lab partnered with Tough Mudder to develop the 'Mudder Maker' class, a 45-minute circuit of 11 obstacles mimicking Tough Mudder events. First output from the creative hub of health and fitness experts driving new gym products and classes.
- KauaicoreHealth food café partnership bringing Kauai's nutritious meals, snacks, and drinks into Virgin Active clubs. After 30 years in South Africa, Kauai is expanding globally through Virgin Active. Currently in 20 UK clubs with more planned.
- CambriLearnminorVirgin Active opens club spaces to CambriLearn families for in-person meetups and community events. Partnership supports the online school's student socialisation programme with over 100,000 daily interactions among students.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Virgin Active competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Equinox: Global luxury fitness club operator with premium positioning, signature group classes, and integrated wellness amenities (spa, recovery). Targets affluent urban consumers with multi-club access tiers, mirroring Virgin Active's premium 'social wellness' strategy.
- Third Space: London-based luxury fitness club chain with premium positioning, elite training, and integrated spa/recovery. Competes directly with Virgin Active's UK premium clubs (Kensington, Mayfair, Chiswick Riverside) for affluent London members.
- Nuffield Health: UK premium health and wellbeing operator combining fitness clubs with medical/wellness services. Comparable integrated wellness positioning and UK market presence to Virgin Active, though with greater emphasis on clinical health services.
- Fitness First: International premium fitness club chain operating across Europe and Asia-Pacific with tiered memberships, group classes, and personal training. Closely comparable to Virgin Active in target market, club format, and service mix.
- David Lloyd Clubs: UK/Europe premium family-focused health and racquet clubs with similar social wellness positioning, multi-tier memberships, and family/children's programming. Operates ~130 clubs across UK and continental Europe with comparable premium pricing model.
Emerging players
- F45 Training: Global boutique functional training franchise with 1,500+ studios. Represents the boutique studio competition that challenges Virgin Active's group fitness differentiation through specialized, community-driven class formats.
- Barry's: Global premium boutique fitness brand known for signature 'Bootcamp' and 'Lift' classes. Competes for Virgin Active's affluent, class-focused members through premium boutique experiences in shared urban geographies.
Broad incumbents
- PureGym: UK's largest low-cost gym operator with 600+ clubs across UK, Europe, and Middle East. Competes at the value end of the same market, pressuring Virgin Active's mid-market positioning through aggressive pricing.
- Life Time Fitness: US-listed premium fitness operator with large-format clubs integrating fitness, spa, family programming, and recovery. Comparable 'healthy way of life' positioning to Virgin Active's social wellness concept, though primarily US-focused.
- Basic-Fit: Europe's largest low-cost fitness chain with 1,500+ clubs across Europe. Directly competes with Virgin Active in Italy and UK at the value end of the market, defining the price floor in shared geographies.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Virgin Active social profiles
Digital presenceVirgin Active financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Virgin Active leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Virgin Active funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Virgin Active M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A2 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Virgin Active
What does Virgin Active do?
Virgin Active operates premium health and fitness clubs that sell memberships providing access to gyms, swimming pools, spas, group fitness classes (including Reformer Pilates, Boxing, Lift Club, and Sound Bath), racquet sports, personal training, nutrition services, family and childcare activities, and on-site Kauai cafés. It also runs a separate corporate wellness program offering bespoke workplace packages with meeting rooms and conference facilities, supported by a mobile app and member rewards platform.
Is Virgin Active a public or private company?
Virgin Active is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Virgin Active founded?
Virgin Active was founded in 2000. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Virgin Active based?
Virgin Active is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Virgin Active make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are personal Training Add-ons, nutrition and Café Services (Kauai), ancillary Services and corporate Wellness Packages.
Who are Virgin Active's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Equinox, Third Space, Nuffield Health, Fitness First and David Lloyd Clubs. Emerging players are F45 Training and Barry's. Broad incumbents are PureGym, Life Time Fitness and Basic-Fit.
Does Virgin Active have an API?
No public API is recorded for Virgin Active.
What industry is Virgin Active in?
Virgin Active's product category is Health and Fitness Clubs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSADAAAA, General Personal Training (In-Person & Virtual), with a secondary code of EDALAIAE, Group Fitness, Personal Training & Wellness Coaching. Its NAICS code is 713940 and its SIC code is 7997.