US-based fitness membership company ClassPass will launch its services in Singapore by August 9 this year, the firm announced in a press release today.
It operates in four countries so far, including international markets Australia, Canada and the UK. The online platform lets users book fitness classes in different gyms with just one monthly subscription.
Depending on the package the user picks, they will be given a set number of credits to use for classes. The number of credits varies, so while the average class in New York, US, might cost nine credits, the average class in Adelaide, Australia, might cost just five instead.
Founded in 2013, the company has ties with Singaporean state fund Temasek. In June last year, ClassPass announced closing a US$70 million Series C round led by Temasek. To date, the firm says, it has raised a total of US$173 million in funding.
“Wellness in Singapore is truly vibrant and thriving. To stay in peak form in such a fast-paced society, Singaporeans are increasingly prioritising health and fitness, while also valuing the convenience that technology like ClassPass enables,” said ClassPass CEO Fritz Lanman.
Lanman also noted that the company is “honing in on Singapore as a springboard into Asia”, but did not specify which markets ClassPass will be launching in next. KrASIA has reached out to find out more about its plans and the partners it will be working with in Singapore and other Southeast Asian markets.
The experiences on ClassPass include yoga, cycling, Pilates, barre, running, strength training, dance, and sports. As part of its move to spur user numbers in Singapore, the company will also be giving out a free month of unlimited classes to a number of early adopters. For now, interested fitness enthusiasts can register online via a waitlist.
In February this year, ClassPass also started offering beauty and wellness services in selected markets. The company did not share if its offerings in Singapore will include spas, massages and facials.
In Southeast Asia, there are already a number of online fitness membership companies, like KFit and GuavaPass. KFit, which is available in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong, works as both a marketplace for discounted classes and a fixed subscription package that allows users to attend 10 sessions per month. It started out with a subscription for an unlimited number of classes, but scrapped that deal after one year.
GuavaPass has tiered packages allowing users to attend classes at any of its partner studios across all 12 markets it operates out of: Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Bangkok, Beijing, Dubai, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Mumbai, and Shanghai. The pricing depends on the city of purchase.
However, GuavaPass noted on its official website that should users take more than 50 percent of their classes in a month outside of their city of purchase, the company might adjust the pricing to match the new city without any prior notice.
Update (23/7): An earlier version of this article noted that GuavaPass operates out of 10 markets. It should have been 12, according to the company.
Editor: Nadine Freischlad