Membership for fitness, beauty, more services

Want the ultimate golden ticket to spa services, hair cuts, massages and more?

Instead of downloading an app for each or keeping a rolodex of numbers, ClassPass is a one-stop shop for all of the above and more.

Many know the app as something for gym junkies, booking spin classes on Monday’s, boxing on Wednesday’s and yoga on Sunday’s of course. However, did you know ClassPass has expanded to include more than just gym and fitness bookings?

We didn’t, which is why we wanted to try the service to help us keep up with our fitness and our beauty regimen, adding manicures and massages to the mix of biking and barre classes.

How does ClassPass work?

Signing up is the easiest part, and there is usually a free trial for new members ranging from 14 days to a whole month during certain times of the year. These will get you around 20 credits, to then be “spent” at various gyms, spas or other participating businesses — more on ClassPass features later.

Then, simply search in your location for what type of class you want to attend, using the map feature or typing in a location to see what is offered around you and for how many credits. This is a super fun way to discover new gyms and services you’ve never tried before, like cryotherapy treatments or infrared boxing classes.

Once you book your class, simply show up as you would if you had booked over the phone and credits will be removed from your account.

ClassPass membership plans: how much does it cost?

The answer is that it varies based on what you want out of it. The pricing structure is by number of credits, which are active for a full month of your membership, with options for some to roll-over to the next month if you don’t use them all.

The default plan gives you 38 credits to use for the month for $79. Since many classes are as little as two to three credits, this is great for those that like booking free time at gyms, off-hours at classes and most other fitness classes. From there, they offer a larger 80 credit plan for $159 per month or an 100 credit plan for $199. These are perfect for those that want a combination of health and wellness bookings, as those tend to use more credits per appointment, but also retail for a lot more if you were to book without ClassPass.

Also worth noting, tips and extras are not included, so be sure to bring some cash or a card with you when booking beauty services and tip your stylist, massage therapist and so on for their time.

Our review: Is it worth it?

Anyone who has lived in New York, or even visited the Big Apple, knows that things here can get pretty expensive. I moved here from Minneapolis, so the culture shock hit my wallet most of all, especially when booking nail appointments, massages and hair cuts.

This is why I decided to try ClassPass for myself, as I’m all set with my basic Planet Fitness membership for the gym, but wanted the option to spice up my routine on occasion while also checking off wellness visits in a more economical fashion than paying full price.

Since I wanted to utilize both the gym and wellness services this month, I opted for the larger credit package, noticing that in Brooklyn and Manhattan, many services cost a bit more. 80 credits made the most sense for $159, as when I did the math that is really only about the cost of one normal haircut and color in the city, tip not included.

For my first treatment (a much-needed massage at Chelsea Body Work) I was able to book it for the same day, choosing the 7 PM slot after work. It’s best to arrive 15 minutes early just in case, advised in the app to do so. Sure enough, when it was my turn, I was treated like any other customer and ushered back to get my deep tissue massage, only using 13 credits in the process. Since the service normally costs $48 without ClassPass, I was feeling more relaxed by the second.

Similarly for a manicure, a local spot near me normally charges $35 for a gel manicure, while I only used 9 credits to score mine. When doing the math, on the 80 credit plan, each credit is just under $2, making my mani $18 and basically half-off. Also, for those with COVID concerns, be sure to check the app for their stamp of cleanliness-approval as well as the comments section, as I was pleased to find safety measures like vaccine checks, barricades and mask-wearing at each place I visited, just like the app said I would.

Right away my key takeaways from using the service were positive. From the easy-to-use interactive map when looking for what services to book, to the in-app calendar for booking (which eliminates the need to call the salon or gym directly — great for those with phone anxiety). Plus, having one app to manage all of my appointments was brilliant for a busy person with too many subscriptions to keep track of.

The final verdict:

Pros:

• Super easy to discover new salons and treatments, read reviews and book all in one place.
• Booking calendar is in the app, so no need to call or find the external website.
• Membership options range in price, per credits, with options for rollover credits so they don’t go to waste.
• When booking traditionally expensive services like hair cuts and massages, it is a very affordable option.
• TONS of options to choose from — gyms and wellness included.
• No commitment to any gym or service, letting you try it once or having it become your go-to spot.

Cons:

• Remember to bring money for the tip, as that is not included in the ClassPass credits (tip: look up the full cost of the service before you go so you are prepared!)
• If there is a problem with your booking, the salon or gym will call you, not ClassPass — answer your phone if you have a booking coming up.
• Not all your credits will roll over if left unused, so be sure to read the fine print of your membership tier.

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