Crunch Fitness

You can work up quite a sweat attempting to add up all the fees that aren’t disclosed in this Crunch Fitness TV commercial advertising gym memberships “starting at $9.99 a month.”

After receiving a tip from a reader, TINA.org took a closer look at the true costs of Crunch’s memberships.

According to the website of a Crunch gym located in Connecticut, Crunch charges a $2 “recurring monthly processing fee” on all three of its memberships. It’s the least expensive of these plans, the Base membership, that starts at $9.99 a month (the rate promoted in the above ad). But here’s the thing – the rate is only available to consumers who select the option to pay “Monthly w/ 12 Month Commitment.” Selecting “Month-to-Month No Commitment” jacks up the price to $15.99 a month. Then there’s a $34-$40 “enrollment fee” (the amount depends on whether consumers commit for 12 months or not) that is due upon signing up and an additional “annual fee” that can cost up to $89 according to a website FAQ.

Where are these fees disclosed in the advertised $9.99/month rate, you ask? For a couple seconds, in minuscule print, Crunch discloses, among other things, “Annual Fee and applicable taxes apply.”

Not only is this disclosure inconspicuous (we had to break out the magnifying glass and hit the pause button a few times), it’s incomplete, at best.

So if you’re looking to join a gym this month and potentially take advantage of Crunch’s offer that expires in a few days, do the (full) math to see if it works for you and your wallet.

TINA.org, which has supported regulatory efforts to end junk and hidden fees at both the state and federal level, reached out to Crunch for comment. Check back for updates.

Find more of our coverage on hidden fees here.