Last editedOct 20263 min read
Quick summary
For most gyms, yes. Direct Debit collects memberships automatically, and Pay by Bank (an instant payment straight from your member's bank account) lets you take the joining fee in the same sign-up process. Together, they cut failed payments and admin time, and make price changes, pauses, and payment plans much easier to manage.
Gyms and fitness studios of all sizes use Direct Debit to collect membership fees. Payments are collected automatically on the dates you set, so your team spends less time chasing and more time with members.
Bank payments now go further than Direct Debit alone. Here's what that means for memberships, joining fees, and packages – and whether it suits your gym.
Why do gyms use Direct Debit for memberships?
Gyms use Direct Debit because it collects memberships automatically and fails less often than cards, which helps with member retention. Bank details rarely expire or change, so members don't need to update anything when a card runs out.
Card payments can fail 10 to 15% of the time, against 0.5 to 2.9% with GoCardless (GoCardless Payment Success Index, 2020). Overall, 97.3% of automated recurring payments are collected on the first try (GoCardless Payment Success Rates, 2025).
For the payments that do fail, our automatic recovery tool, Success+, retries them on the day a member is most likely to have the funds. Your team doesn't need to chase, your members don't need to have an awkward chat at the desk, and fewer members lapse by accident.
How can gyms take a joining fee and set up a membership in one go?
With Pay by Bank, a new member can pay the joining fee instantly and set up their monthly Direct Debit in the same sign-up - no card details needed. That gives you one flow and one record, instead of a joining fee on one payment method and a membership on another, with a second step to chase if the member doesn't finish setting up.
You can also use Pay by Bank on its own for one-off payments such as day passes, equipment, merch, or challenge entries.
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How do gyms change prices and memberships without members re-signing?
Direct Debit lets you change the amount you collect without asking members to set anything up again; as required by the Direct Debit rules, they’ll be notified that a change to price is due with plenty of notice. That covers price rises, upgrades, downgrades and limited offers. So a price change doesn't need to mean losing a customer to the process.
You can also choose the collection date and frequency that suit your members, and easily edit a subscription at any time.
Can members pause their membership?
Yes. Whatever reason your members or clients need to pause their membership, whether they’re injured, going away or want a break, you can pause a membership and then restart it without a new sign-up or your customer needing to lift a finger. Your member keeps their place, you keep the relationship, and nobody has to re-enter their payment details.
How can gyms offer flexible payments for packages?
Instalments let members spread the cost of a bigger purchase, such as an annual membership, a course or a block of PT sessions, across an agreed schedule. That makes higher-value packages easier to say yes to, instead of members choosing the cheapest monthly option. You can also customise the value of each instalment payment, for example, taking a deposit up front, or covering the cost of equipment for a class.
Once set up, each instalment is collected automatically, so your team doesn't need to chase them.
How does this cut payment admin?
With automated payment collection, you always know what has and hasn't been paid without checking your bank statements. The GoCardless dashboard shows payment status at a glance, and you can manage prices and payments either in bulk - or at the customer level - whichever you need. Businesses using GoCardless spend 59% less time managing payments (IDC, 2020).
If you already use membership software, we connect to 350+ tools, including TeamUp, Glofox, Gym Master and more. Payments are then seamlessly connected to your gym management software, and nothing changes about how you run your gym.
“Automated payments from GoCardless mean we’ve never needed to hire a dedicated accounts receivable person, and I’ve never had to chase anyone for a payment.” Zac Joyce, Co-founder, Virtual Spotter.
Is Direct Debit cheaper than cards for gyms?
Most gyms spend less collecting memberships by Direct Debit than by card. The savings come from lower fees, fewer failed payments to retry and less time spent chasing, and it adds up fast when the same members pay every month. Businesses using GoCardless cut the cost of taking payments by 56% (IDC, 2020).
Your own savings depend on how many members you have and what they pay, so try our savings calculator to work it out for your gym.
Is Direct Debit right for your gym?
If your gym runs on recurring memberships or offers blocks of classes and PT sessions, Direct Debit and bank payments take the manual work out of collecting them. Memberships collect on the dates you set, joining fees come in at sign-up, failed payments retry automatically, and price changes, pauses and payment plans don't mean starting again.
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