What gym members actually want in 2026

Most people join the gym for traditional reasons. Get fit. Improve physical and mental wellbeing. Work towards a goal. However, ask them six months later why they're still going, and the picture becomes more complicated.

The most recent data suggests the standard assumptions around what motivates the average gym-goer – assumptions which many corners of the industry still operate on – are increasingly far from the truth. We looked through Australian fitness surveys and industry data to establish what gym members actually want in 2026: why they join, why they stay, and what keeps them coming back.

Join for fitness. Stay for friendship

The perception that gyms are primarily transactional – turn up, use the equipment, leave – has been fading in recent years; and that seems to tap into a wider generational issue. Lululemon's research into Australian wellbeing found 61% of Gen Z Australians report feeling lonely at least sometimes, well above the 40% reported across the general population. With a large number of younger people seeking connection and purpose, the gym is increasingly where they're finding it.

ABC Fitness's global Mid-Year 2026 Wellness Watch report claimed that 67% of active consumers say fitness communities increase their motivation and accountability, with community now one of the strongest indicators of long-term engagement – a significant number for an industry that tends to still market on equipment and classes first.

Opportunities: Beginner-friendly taster sessions, "bring a friend" passes, staff-accompanied day one sessions, and grouped class formats emphasising social connections are all opportunities to bring solo-averse customers out of their shell.

Confidence and mental health results now rival the physical

While chasing physical and aesthetic gains is by no means on the back burner as a reason to get in the gym, confidence, mental health, and general wellbeing are increasingly rival motivators across the board.

A recent UK study from ukactive cites improving confidence as an important reason for exercising by 74% of UK adults overall. That rises to 81% of Millennials and 76% of Gen Z – who make up the majority of gym-goers. Improving mental health and wellbeing scored even higher for mid-range age groups (84% of Millennials and 76% of Gen X), which sits right alongside the more traditional motivators of building strength and fitness (83% overall) and improving physical appearance (78% overall).

The numbers may not be exactly the same here, but the direction of travel is well established globally: wellbeing-focused motivations are catching up with, and in some cases overtaking, purely physical ones.

Memberships are therefore no longer sold solely on the premise of physical transformation. Of course, a boost in self-confidence and mental wellbeing tends to come hand-in-hand with physical gains, but the data suggests members across the board are more interested in how exercise makes them feel – over how it makes them look – than ever before.

Opportunities: Another ukactive report on mental health from last year found that people with mental health conditions were more likely to join a gym if it was offered as a workplace benefit or discount. Fitness Passport, Australia's workplace gym-benefit scheme, now counts more than 550,000 members across 950+ employer partners, with some organisations seeing engagement from around 40% of their workforce – well above the estimated 13–15% of Australians who regularly attend a gym. Many smaller scale operators don't consider employer partnerships, but they can be a great route to acquisition if you can find suitable partners.

Affordability is the biggest hurdle for non-members

Rising prices have made cost the clearest barrier standing between Australians and a gym membership. IBISWorld's latest Gym & Fitness Centre Operation in Australia report found average monthly membership fees climbed from $62 in 2023 to $77 in 2025. Over the same period, participation in gym and fitness activities fell 15.6%, as some people swapped memberships for home workouts, outdoor exercise, and other free alternatives. 72% of non-members cite cost as the primary reason they haven't joined a gym, and that a 10% reduction in membership fees could attract as many as 1.8 million additional Australians – with lower-income Australians showing the greatest sensitivity to price.

Of course, it’s much easier said than done to simply make memberships cheaper and open your club to a greatly extended customer base. However, if you can give members a sense of control over what they're paying for and why – rather than a single, rigid price point – you may find a largely lost customer group starts coming back through the door.

Opportunities: Layered or off-peak pricing (cheaper access outside busy hours, or for members who use fewer services), and clear, upfront fee communication, are both opportunities to appeal to price-sensitive members and prospects without a blanket discount on rates. If you make it easy for members to flex their membership as circumstances change, you can turn potential cancellations into smaller, retained memberships instead.

The modern gym is a multi-layered lifestyle facility

The IBISWorld report also found that improving discretionary incomes and changing consumer sentiment further up the income ladder are expected to benefit clubs offering more than just standard gym access.

Features like recovery facilities, reformer Pilates, coworking areas, nutrition services, and wellness programs are increasingly commonplace among premium Australian club offerings, resetting the bar for what a “good” modern gym offers. Members increasingly expect a club to flex around and work with the rest of their life, rather than being the single-purpose stop it used to be.

Opportunities: If it's available, reallocate space to offer the additional layers mentioned. As for what activities matter to your members, speak to people on the floor and find out what would make their experience even better. Even a handful of insights can help with retention-boosting ideas.

Everyone wants easy payments

Member or owner, everyone wants the payment process to work without a fuss. For members, an easy route to payment is a key part of a simple sign-up experience, and for owners, getting paid reliably and on time is critical for cash flow and reducing admin.

With GoCardless, you can set up a fully automated Direct Debit process with ease – and it's ideal for the recurring membership payments you're collecting every month. It's a one-time sign-up for your members, then every one of their payments is pulled automatically without either side needing to do anything. It helps reduce failed payments, which in-turn reduces your back office admin load, and creates more time for you to spend on adding value for your members.

Try us for free for 90 days and see what gains you make.

If you'd like more guides, advice and general pointers around how payments should work for gym owners, head back to our gyms and wellness hub.