Planet Fitness

What Planet Fitness does

Planet Fitness South Africa, founded in 1995 by Mannee De Wet and Manny Rivera, is a privately held mid-market gym operator running 51 clubs across five provinces (Gauteng, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, North West) with approximately 220,000 members and ~1 million workouts per month as of September 2025. The group operates three brands — Planet Fitness (core), Planet Fitness Signature (premium), and JustGym (budget) — under Planet Fitness Holdings (Pty) Ltd, headquartered in Sandton.

The core product is tiered subscription gym membership: National Membership (R1,600/month, all-club access), Club Membership (single-club access at lower per-club pricing), and Student Membership (R199/month promotional pricing for ages 18-23). Add-on revenue is generated through ELEVATE (R199/month premium tier unlocking Reformer Pilates, Red Light Therapy, Compression Boots, Buddy Tag, Towel Service, and Signature Classes), Buddy Tag (guest access), an annual maintenance levy (one month's fee), one-time joining/access tag fees, and the Blue Vault referral rewards programme. Operations rely on a biometric club-access system, the Planet Fitness PLAY mobile application for class booking, partner benefit redemption, and membership management, plus HYROX training zones and on-site recovery areas at select clubs.

Revenue is subscription-recurring, collected via debit order on the 1st, 15th, or 25th of each month, with annual escalation capped at CPI or 10% on membership anniversaries. Go-to-market is product-led and self-serve through club walk-ins, the website, and the PLAY App, supplemented by deep channel partnerships with South African medical aids (Discovery Vitality, Momentum Multiply, Bonitas BValue, Sanlam Reality, CompCare) and lifestyle brands (Garmin, PUMA, USN, UCOOK, Thyme FitChef, IWG, IVBAR, Africa Padel, FNB, Pick n Pay). The company is in an active expansion phase, having opened its 50th gym in August 2025 and committing to ~5 new clubs per year through 2030 to reach ~75 locations, while progressively launching premium recovery and functional-fitness services and the Boksburg club in February 2026.

Name

Planet Fitness

Legal name

Planet Fitness Holdings (PTY) LTD

Website

https://planetfitness.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Planet Fitness South Africa operates a 51-club mid-market gym subscription chain across five provinces with ~220,000 members and ~1M workouts per month, offering tiered monthly memberships, a premium ELEVATE add-on tier, and an integrated medical-aid and lifestyle-brand partner ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fitness Center Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

General Personal Training (In-Person & Virtual) (HSADAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private 1:1 Yoga/Pilates & Small-Group Sessions (HSADACAI), Youth & Teen Personal Training (HSADAAAJ)

Keywords

• Gym membership services
• Fitness center operations
• Group fitness classes
• Recovery and wellness amenities
• Corporate wellness partnerships

Headquarters

HQ city

Sandton

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Monthly Membership Fees: Core revenue from tiered monthly memberships: National Membership (R1600pm for access to all 51 clubs), Club Membership (single-club access at a lower rate), and Student Membership (discounted entry tier for ages 18-23). All memberships are subscription-based with monthly debit order collections on the 1st, 15th, or 25th of each month.
2. ELEVATE Premium Add-on: Premium membership upgrade at R199 per month, unlocking exclusive benefits including Dual Club Access, Reformer Pilates Studio access, Signature Classes, Towel Service, Buddy Tag, Advanced Bookings, Red Light Therapy, and Compression Boots. This is an add-on to the base subscription.
3. Buddy Tag Add-on: Optional monthly add-on allowing members to bring one guest per training session. Subject to a two-month cancellation settlement fee during fixed membership term.
4. Annual Levy: Annual maintenance levy equal to one monthly membership fee, collected either in July/December or spread over 12 months, depending on join date. Excludes Student/Pensioner and JustGym memberships.
5. Blue Vault Referral Programme: Referral programme where existing members unlock reward selections (SKOON vouchers, USN vouchers, gym hoodies, tog bags, free months, R200 off) when friends sign up on 12- or 24-month plans. Rewards funded from partner contributions and new member acquisition value.
6. Joining and Access Tag Fees: One-time joining fees, access tag fees (R150), and activation fees charged at point of enrollment. Some promotional offers waive these fees for qualifying members (e.g., Discovery Vitality benefit swap, Bonitas BValue).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Planet Fitness South Africa operates 51 fitness clubs selling tiered monthly gym memberships: National Membership (R1600/month, access to all 51 clubs), Club Membership (single-club access), and Student Membership (R199/month first 3 months, ages 18-23). Premium ELEVATE add-on at R199/month unlocks Reformer Pilates, Red Light Therapy, Compression Boots, Dual Club Access, Signature Classes, Towel Service, and Advanced Bookings. Additional offerings include Buddy Tag guest access, the Blue Vault referral rewards programme, the Planet Fitness PLAY mobile app, and partner-discount benefits across medical aids, wearables, nutrition, and lifestyle brands.

Product overview

Planet Fitness is a South African gym chain operating 51 clubs with approximately 220,000 members. The company offers a family of brands including Planet Fitness, Planet Fitness Signature, and JustGym. The core product is gym membership with three tiers: National Membership (R1600/month for nationwide access to all clubs), Club Membership (single-club access), and Student Membership (for ages 18-23 with promotional pricing). Premium services are delivered through the ELEVATE add-on tier at R199/month, which unlocks exclusive access to Reformer Pilates studios, Red Light Therapy, Compression Boots, Dual Club Access, Buddy Tag, Towel Service, Signature Classes, and Advanced Bookings. The company also offers the Buddy Tag add-on for guest access, the Blue Vault referral rewards program, and the Planet Fitness Play mobile app for class booking and partner discount redemption. Facilities include HYROX training zones, recovery areas, and specialized fitness studios across its network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Membership Full-access monthly gym membership priced at R1600/month that lets a member use any of the 51 Planet Fitness clubs across South Africa; designed for members who travel or rotate between locations.
• Club Membership Single-club-only monthly subscription priced lower than National Membership, granting access to one designated Planet Fitness location; price varies by club. Downgrade from National incurs a downgrade fee; upgrade is free.
• Student Membership Discounted monthly gym membership available to members aged 18-23, priced at R199/month for the first three months and 40% off the standard 12-month Student Membership rate for the remaining nine months of the fixed term. R150 Access Tag fee and joining fees apply at point of sale.
• ELEVATE Premium Add-on Premium monthly add-on at R199/month layered on top of a base membership to unlock Dual Club Access, Reformer Pilates Studio access, Signature Classes, Towel Service, Buddy Tag, Advanced Bookings, Red Light Therapy, and Compression Boots. Annual CPI or 10% fee escalation applies.
• Buddy Tag Optional monthly add-on that allows a member to bring one guest per training session; can be added at any point during the membership and is also bundled into ELEVATE. Subject to a two-month cancellation settlement fee during the fixed membership term.
• Blue Vault Referral Programme Member referral rewards programme where existing members unlock the Blue Vault to select rewards (including R5,000 SKOON vouchers, USN vouchers, gym hoodies, tog bags, free membership months, and R200 off) when referred friends sign up on 12- or 24-month plans. Unlimited referrals permitted; validation takes 7 business days.
• Planet Fitness PLAY Mobile App iOS and Android mobile application that handles class booking, benefit reward redemption, Blue Vault referral submissions, and membership management; also hosts embedded iframes for co-branded partner discount codes (PUMA, Garmin, USN, UCOOK, Africa Padel, and others).
• Reformer Pilates Group fitness class offering delivered on reformer Pilates equipment at select Planet Fitness studios, focused on strength, flexibility, posture, and performance; exclusive to ELEVATE members.
• Hybrid Training Floor (HYROX Training Zones) Functional fitness training area inside Planet Fitness clubs featuring HYROX-style workouts, competition-style functional equipment, and structured conditioning stations; open to all members.
• Red Light Therapy Recovery wellness service using red light therapy technology for muscle recovery and skin health; available at select clubs, exclusive to ELEVATE members, with national rollout underway.
• Compression Boots Pro-level recovery service using pneumatic compression boots for muscle recovery; available at select clubs, exclusive to ELEVATE members, with national rollout underway.
• Hybrid Games Competition event platform featuring HYROX-style simulation training and competitive fitness events hosted at Planet Fitness clubs for members to benchmark their performance against other participants.
• Planet Fitness Signature Premium sub-brand under the Planet Fitness family of brands, operating enhanced facilities and additional services versus the standard Planet Fitness club offering.
• JustGym Budget-friendly companion gym brand under the Planet Fitness family, offering lower-priced gym access at multiple locations across South Africa.
• Teens Train Free Free dependant membership programme allowing teen dependants (ages 13-18) of main members to train at selected clubs under a parent/guardian membership; maximum four free dependants per main membership, with R150 Access Tag fee at point of sale and automatic termination at age 18.

Quantifiable outcome

• Approximately 1 million workouts conducted per month across the network, indicating high member engagement and utilisation.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Discovery VitalitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDiscovery Vitality is one of Planet Fitness's most significant GTM partners. Verified Discovery Vitality members transferring their gym benefit to Planet Fitness receive a Benefit Swop offer including discounted joining. Discovery Vitality promotes Planet Fitness as a gym benefit option within its rewards ecosystem. Joint promotions include zero activation fee campaigns for qualifying age groups.
• Momentum MultiplycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMomentum Multiply members receive preferential joining terms at Planet Fitness through the Momentum Multiply gym benefit programme. Planet Fitness × Momentum Multiply offers have included free pro-rata membership for the joining month plus three full free months. Members qualify for up to 60% discount on membership fees based on Healthy Heart Score (HHS).
• Bonitas BValuecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBonitas BValue members aged 18-23 who join Planet Fitness receive promotional benefits including two free months. No joining fee and no access tag fee are waived under the BValue programme. The first debit order commences after the free period. Bonitas members receive up to 10% ongoing discount on membership fees.
• Sanlam RealitysecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerSanlam Reality members can access Planet Fitness through the Sanlam Reality gym benefit programme. Joint promotions have included zero activation fee campaigns. The Sanlam Reality logo appears on the Planet Fitness website as a Trusted Partner alongside Discovery and Momentum Multiply.
• Garmin South AfricasecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerPlanet Fitness Elevate and Buddy Tag members receive up to 40% discount on Garmin online device purchases (excluding marine, aviation, and devices released within 6 months of SA launch). Discount codes are redeemed through the Planet Fitness PLAY App. Garmin verifies eligibility and issues a Pro Forma Invoice; members pay via EFT.
• PUMA South AfricasecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerAll Planet Fitness members (Core, Buddy Tag, Elevate) receive 20% discount on full-priced PUMA South Africa online purchases. Discount codes are generated within the Planet Fitness PLAY App via an embedded PUMA iframe. Applicable to full-priced merchandise only; not valid on sale or clearance items.
• USN (Ultimate Sports Nutrition)secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerUSN is a nutrition and supplement partner. Core and Buddy Tag members receive 10% discount on USN online purchases; Elevate members receive 15% discount. USN discount codes are accessed via the Planet Fitness PLAY App. Blue Vault rewards also include USN vouchers (e.g., R1000 USN Online vouchers as prize options).
• Africa PadelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAll Planet Fitness members (Core, Buddy Tag, Elevate) receive 20% discount on Africa Padel court bookings made through the Playtomic application. Redemption requires logging into the Planet Fitness PLAY App and generating a 24-hour valid discount code.
• UCOOKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAll Planet Fitness members receive 50% discount on their first UCOOK online meal kit purchase, and 10% ongoing monthly discount on subsequent purchases. Codes are redeemed through the Planet Fitness PLAY App. Valid for personal use only; cannot be combined with other promotions.
• Thyme FitChefminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPlanet Fitness members receive 10% off one-time meal plan purchases and up to 20% off recurring meal plan purchases exceeding R1500 through Thyme FitChef. Discount increases progressively: 12% (Month 1), 14% (Month 2), 16% (Month 3), 20% (Month 4+). Redemption is automatic at checkout via the Planet Fitness PLAY App.
• Faithful to NatureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAll Planet Fitness members receive 20% discount on first Faithful to Nature online purchase and 10% ongoing monthly discount on subsequent purchases. Minimum spend of R400 applies. Valid for online and in-store purchases. Discount codes generated via the Planet Fitness PLAY App.
• SKOONminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAll Planet Fitness members receive 20% off first SKOON online purchase and 10% monthly discount thereafter. Minimum spend of R400 applies. Blue Vault rewards include a chance to win a R5,000 SKOON voucher. Discount codes redeemed via the Planet Fitness PLAY App.
• IVBARminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIVBAR provides IV drip therapy discounts to Planet Fitness members. Core members receive 10% off any IVBAR drip, Buddy Tag members receive 15%, and Elevate members receive 25%. Minimum drip spend of R850 applies. Discount codes accessed via the Planet Fitness PLAY App for in-store redemption at participating IVBAR outlets.
• IWG (Spaces, HQ, Regus)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAll Planet Fitness members (Core, Buddy Tag, Elevate) receive 10% discount on IWG membership plans across Spaces, HQ, and Regus brands globally. Redemption requires completing an IWG form link through the Planet Fitness PLAY App, after which an IWG Group Sales representative contacts the member to finalise the contract.
• CompCare Medical AidminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCompCare Medical Aid members can access Planet Fitness as a gym benefit partner. Terms and conditions govern the CompCare Gym Benefit programme, with membership access subject to CompCare scheme rules.
• FNB (First National Bank)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFNB is listed as a Trusted Partner on the Planet Fitness website. The nature of the partnership involves FNB offering Planet Fitness membership discounts or benefits to FNB clients, aligned with FNB's integrated financial wellness offerings.
• Pick n Pay Smart ShopperminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPick n Pay Smart Shopper is listed as a Trusted Partner, suggesting PnP Smart Shopper members may receive Planet Fitness discounts or points benefits through the loyalty programme integration.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PlanetFitnessZA
• Facebookfacebook.com/ThePlanetFitness
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/planet-fitness-head-office
• Instagraminstagram.com/planetfitnessza
• TikToktiktok.com/@planetfitness_za

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Planet Fitness