Yes, gyms in Shanghai sell day passes and drop-ins instead of annual memberships: Supermonkey runs roughly 79 to 159 RMB a class, F45 drop-ins around 200 RMB.
As of August 2026, Shanghai gyms sell day passes and drop-ins rather than memberships: Supermonkey runs roughly 79 to 159 RMB a class, F45 drop-ins around 200 RMB, Beta Boulders climbing day passes 110 to 120 RMB, and five-star hotel gyms 150 to 400 RMB for gym-plus-pool. For something regular, Lefit is month-to-month at 199 to 249 RMB. Avoid prepaid annual cards.
Getting fit here is easy; not getting burned by a gym is the harder part. The city runs on prepaid annual cards and pushy personal trainers, and in the last two years a major national chain collapsed with members' money. So the rule is simple: keep your commitment small and your money flexible.
First, a warning: avoid the big prepaid annual cards
Traditional Chinese gym chains sell a one to three year membership up front, then push expensive personal training. The Shanghai Consumer Council (上海市消费者权益保护委员会) treats prepaid fitness deals as a leading source of consumer complaints, logging well over fifteen thousand in a single year. In late 2024 Will's (威尔士), a major chain with dozens of Shanghai branches, collapsed and left members owing around 1.6 billion yuan in prepaid fees, and Tera Wellness (一兆韦德) has closed outlets and delayed staff pay. The lesson is not "never join a gym", it is never hand a struggling chain a big lump sum up front.
The same council backs a standardized gym contract with a seven-day cooling-off period, so if you sign and change your mind within a week, you are entitled to a refund. Keep every receipt.
Update, July 2026: only a couple of Will's stores remain open nationwide and the refund claims are still unresolved. Do not buy a Will's membership, and treat any gym pushing a multi-year prepaid deal as the same story waiting to happen.
Pay-per-class studios, the flexible option
The model that changed fitness here is pay-per-class, no membership, book on your phone.
- Supermonkey (超级猩猩) is the one people start with. No annual card, no salespeople: you book a single class (spinning, boxing, strength, Pilates) in its WeChat mini-program, pay per session, and get a door code about ten minutes before class. Classes run roughly 79 to 159 RMB each.
- Z&B Fitness in Xuhui runs barre, yoga, Pilates and Les Mills classes with certified, multilingual instructors. A first trial is around 50 RMB and a three-class pack about 200 RMB, a low-commitment way to try things.
Monthly gyms: smart gyms and midrange chains
If you just want weights and a treadmill on your own schedule, Lefit (乐刻) is the go-to: low-cost, month-to-month, 24 hours a day, with app QR entry and group classes through the day. Expect roughly 199 to 249 RMB a month. One quirk: nearly all branches have no showers, so plan to shower at home.
The classic midrange gym adds good equipment, showers, often a pool, and a salesperson pushing a personal training package in week one; say no firmly. Midrange chains run about 2,000 to 5,000 RMB a year, and Liking Fit (莱美健身), the main midrange name, sits around 2,000 to 3,500 RMB a year, the low end of that band. Quality varies by branch, so visit first, never pay more than one year up front, and negotiate.
English-speaking gyms and studios
If Mandarin feels like a barrier, a few places run in English or with multilingual coaches:
- Olive Branch Fitness in Jing'an (831 Xinzha Road) is expat-founded, runs classes in English, and does not require a membership.
- F45 runs several Shanghai locations (around Shaanxi Nan Lu, Yanping Lu and Xintiandi) with 45-minute functional HIIT classes in an English-friendly format. Drop-ins are around 200 RMB.
- Prime Fitness in Jing'an is personal-training focused with English-speaking coaches at roughly 400 to 600 RMB a private session.
- Feel Good Fitness in Xuhui is small, friendly and English-speaking, a good landing spot for beginners.
- Supermonkey also runs bilingual group classes at some studios; the Xuhui and Jing'an locations have more, so check the class description when you book.
Climbing and premium clubs
Indoor bouldering has gone mainstream: a fun, social way to get strong without a weight machine. Beta Boulders in Jing'an, inside the Anken Life complex, is bouldering only (no ropes), with locker rooms and a sauna; day passes run around 110 to 120 RMB plus about 10 RMB shoe rental, and you can walk in off-peak.
When the company is paying, Kerry Sports at Kerry Centre in Pudong is a premium name popular with expats: open 24 hours, with a pool, running track, and tennis and basketball courts, at roughly 15,000 to 20,000 RMB a year, and nobody sells you anything once you are in. Further up, Shanghai Racquet Club in Minhang runs about 60,000 RMB a year for tennis, swimming, a full gym and long-term expat families. For an occasional plush workout, many five-star hotels sell gym-plus-pool day passes at 150 to 400 RMB.
Free and cheap ways to train
Every district runs a public sports center (体育中心) with a gym, pool, and courts at low prices. Community fitness stations can cost a few RMB an hour, and a discounted lap-swim session at a district pool is often 30 to 40 RMB. English is limited and you pay on the spot, but the value is hard to beat. If swimming is your thing, see our guide to Shanghai pools worth the entry fee.
Running is the free option, and Shanghai is flat outside the brutal midsummer weeks. The West Bund waterfront in Xuhui is the classic route: a paved, car-free riverside path with distance markers, good for 5K, 10K or more. Century Park in Pudong has a shaded, flat 5K loop, and the 10 RMB entry fee keeps it calm. The Suzhou Creek greenway covers 3 to 5K paved runs through Putuo and Jing'an. For company, expat clubs post meetups on WeChat under "Shanghai Running Club" or "Shanghai Trail Runners".
Which fitness apps do expats actually use?
- Keep has an English mode and free home workouts for the days you cannot get out.
- Supermonkey's mini-program browses and books its classes, all inside WeChat.
- Lefit's app handles door entry and class booking, though the interface is mostly Chinese.
- Dianping (大众点评) is where locals find gyms and discounted passes; Chinese-only, but worth learning for the deals.
Pay with WeChat Pay or Alipay linked to your card; our Alipay and WeChat Pay guide covers setup.
Which one fits you
Want cheap and no sales pressure? A 24-hour smart gym like Lefit. Want English coaching and community? Olive Branch, Z&B or Supermonkey. Company paying? Kerry Sports for pool, track and courts. Rather not pay, or bored of gyms? The West Bund path, or climbing at Beta Boulders.
Common questions
Is Will's Fitness still open in Shanghai?
Will's collapsed in late 2024 and left members out of pocket. Do not buy a Will's membership. Choose pay-per-class or month-to-month options instead.
Are Shanghai gym memberships refundable?
A standardized contract includes a seven-day cooling-off period, so a membership signed within the last week can be refunded. Beyond that it depends on the contract, which is why flexible options are safer.
What is the lowest-cost way to work out in Shanghai?
Public sports centers and community fitness stations (a few RMB an hour), the free tier of the Keep app, or a Lefit monthly pass at around 199 RMB.
Which gyms are English-friendly, and where do I find English-speaking trainers?
Olive Branch Fitness, Prime Fitness, Feel Good Fitness and Z&B Fitness all run in English with English-speaking coaches. Supermonkey's booking flow needs almost no reading and runs some bilingual group classes, especially in Xuhui and Jing'an.
Can I get a day pass at Shanghai gyms?
Yes. Supermonkey offers pay-per-class (79 to 159 RMB), F45 has drop-ins around 200 RMB, and Beta Boulders climbing gym sells day passes for 110 to 120 RMB.
Does Lefit have showers in Shanghai?
Nearly all Lefit branches lack showers to keep costs low, so plan to shower at home.
What is the cheapest gym option in Shanghai?
Public sports centers and community fitness stations cost a few RMB an hour, the Keep app free tier costs nothing, and Lefit monthly passes run around 199 RMB.
Are there English-friendly gyms near the Bund?
Supermonkey runs bilingual classes at some Xuhui and Jing'an locations, and other English-friendly gyms include Olive Branch Fitness, Prime Fitness, Feel Good Fitness and Z&B Fitness.
Does Lefit gym have locations in China?
Yes, Lefit is a low-cost, month-to-month gym chain in China with 24-hour access and app QR entry, but nearly all branches lack showers.
Train on your own terms: book a class when you feel like it, keep your money flexible, and skip anything that wants a big prepaid card. Your body and your bank account will thank you.
