Gyms & Fitness in Shanghai for Foreigners: Costs, Classes & English-Friendly Options (2026)

Getting fit in Shanghai is easy. Not getting burned by a gym is the harder part. The city runs on prepaid annual cards and commission-hungry personal trainers, and in the last two years one of the country's biggest chains collapsed and took hundreds of thousands of members' money with it. So this guide is built around a simple rule: keep your commitment small, keep your money flexible, and you can train however you like without ever signing a two-year contract. Here is how gyms, classes, and fitness apps actually work here, with real prices.

First, a warning: avoid the big prepaid annual cards

Traditional Chinese gym chains sell you a one to three year membership up front, then push expensive personal training on top. It is the single biggest source of consumer complaints in the sector; Shanghai's consumer hotline logged well over fifteen thousand prepaid-gym complaints in a single year. In late 2024 Will's (威尔士), once the largest chain with dozens of Shanghai branches, collapsed and left members owing around 1.6 billion yuan in prepaid fees. Another major chain, 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. Pay-as-you-go and month-to-month options below give you the same workout without the risk.

Useful to know: Shanghai now has a standardized gym contract with a seven-day cooling-off period, so if you do sign something and change your mind within a week, you are entitled to a refund. Keep every receipt.

The smartest option: pay-per-class studios

The model that changed fitness here is pay-per-class, no membership, book on your phone.

• Supermonkey (超级猩猩) is the one everyone starts with. No annual card, no salespeople. You browse and book a single class (spinning, boxing, strength, dance, Pilates) inside 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. You can literally book your first class in a couple of taps with no account setup.
• Z&B Fitness in Xuhui runs barre, yoga, Pilates and Les Mills classes with internationally certified, multilingual instructors. A first trial class is around 50 RMB and a three-class pack about 200 RMB, so it is an easy, low-commitment way to try things.

Cheap and flexible: 24-hour smart gyms

If you just want a room with 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-based QR entry and group classes through the day. Expect roughly 199 to 249 RMB a month. One quirk to know before you sign up: most Lefit branches have no showers, to keep costs down, so plan to shower at home.

English-speaking gyms and studios

If training in 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: good for personal training and small-group sessions where you want to actually understand your coach.
• 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.
• Boutique studios also take WeChat and Instagram messages in English, so you can ask about a trial class before you show up.

Want something other than a gym? Try climbing

Indoor bouldering has gone mainstream in Shanghai and it is a genuinely fun, social way to get strong without touching a weight machine. Beta Boulders in Jing'an, tucked inside the Anken Life complex, is bouldering only (no ropes needed), with proper locker rooms and a sauna. Day passes run around 110 to 120 RMB with shoe rental about 10 RMB, and you can walk in outside peak hours. It is beginner-friendly, and staff are used to first-timers.

The cheapest way to work out: public sports centers

Every district runs a public sports center (体育中心) with a gym, pool, and courts at prices that make private gyms look silly. Community fitness stations can cost as little as 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 for straightforward training the value is hard to beat. If swimming is your thing, see our guide to Shanghai pools worth the entry fee.

Which fitness apps do foreigners actually use?

• Keep is China's biggest fitness app and has an English mode. Free basic home workouts with video guidance, good for the days you cannot get out.
• Supermonkey's mini-program is the main way to browse and book 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, classes and discounted passes; the interface is Chinese, but it is worth learning for the deals.

Pay for all of it with WeChat Pay or Alipay linked to your card. Our Alipay and WeChat Pay guide covers setup.

How to try a class with no Chinese

1. Open the Supermonkey mini-program in WeChat, pick a class near you, and book. The flow is visual and you only need a few taps.
2. Message an English-speaking studio (Olive Branch, Z&B) on WeChat or Instagram to reserve a trial.
3. Or buy a hotel day pass (many five-star hotels sell gym-plus-pool access for around 150 to 400 RMB) when you want zero apps and zero commitment.

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.

How much does Supermonkey cost per class?

Roughly 79 to 159 RMB per class in Shanghai, with no membership required. You pay per session in the WeChat mini-program.

Are Shanghai gym memberships refundable?

There is a standardized contract with 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 exactly why flexible options are safer.

What is the cheapest 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 gym is easiest if I do not speak Mandarin?

Olive Branch Fitness runs in English, Z&B has multilingual coaches, and Supermonkey's booking flow needs almost no reading. Any of the three works with little or no Chinese.

Train on your own terms here: 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 both thank you.