Whether you go to a gym or do at-home workouts, there's often some cost associated with getting fit, whether it's a gym membership, buying equipment or signing up for subscription to an online fitness program.
You can save money on these expenses by using the right credit card. There are cards that offer bonus rewards on gym memberships and at retailers that sell fitness equipment.
Let's say you spend the average $58 a month on a gym membership, for a total of $696 a year. If you charge it to a cash-back credit card offering up to 5% back, you can earn roughly $35 cash back annually. And if you live in major metro areas where the cost of a gym membership can be upwards of $100 a month, you'll see the savings add up.
Below, CNBC Select reviews the best credit cards for gym memberships and fitness.
Best credit cards for gym memberships and fitness
- U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card: Up to 5% cash back at gyms and fitness centers
- Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card: 5% cash back on Amazon purchases
- Target RedCard™: 5% discount on most Target purchases
- Chase Freedom Unlimited®: 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining, including takeout, and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases
U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card
Rewards
5% cash back on two categories you choose quarterly (on your first $2,000 in combined eligible net purchases each quarter, then 1%); 2% cash back on one everyday category; 1% cash back on everything else
Welcome bonus
$200 after you spend $500 within the first 90 days of account opening
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% APR for the first 12 billing cycles on balance transfers
Regular APR
13.99% to 23.99% variable*
Balance transfer fee
3%, minimum $5
Foreign transaction fee
2% to 3%
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
*See rates and fees and our methodology, terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- High 5% cash back on select entertainment purchases, when you activate bonus categories
- Low spending required to earn a good welcome bonus
Cons
- 5% cash back is limited to $2,000 in combined purchases each quarter
- Activation is required to earn 5% cash back
- 2% to 3% foreign transaction fee
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $514
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $1,972
Rewards totals incorporate the points earned from the welcome bonus and assume you spend $58 a month on gym memberships
Who's this for? If paying for a gym membership is what gets you motivated to work out, the U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® card is the only card we could find that offers bonus rewards (more than 2%) on eligible gyms. Cardholders can benefit from 5% cash back on two bonus categories each quarter, on your first $2,000 in combined eligible net purchases, then 1%.
Gyms and fitness clubs are considered one category, and popular merchants include:
- SoulCycle
- LA Fitness
- Planet Fitness
- Weight Watchers
- Equinox
Check out the full list of eligible gyms and fitness centers.
There are some exclusions, which include: purchases at recreational facilities that do not require membership, such as golf driving ranges, baseball batting cages and ski slopes. In addition, purchases made at fitness centers outside of your membership fee, like personal training or fitness classes, may not qualify.
Other bonus categories include sporting good stores (which pairs nicely with gyms/fitness centers), home utilities, department stores and more.
You can also enjoy no interest on balance transfers for 12 billing cycles (after 13.99% to 23.99% variable APR), so if you need to pay off high interest debt, this may be the card for you.
Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card
Rewards
5% cash back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market; 2% back at restaurants, gas stations and drugstores; 1% back on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
$100 Amazon.com gift card upon approval
Annual fee
$0 (but Prime membership is required)
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
14.24% to 22.24% variable
Balance transfer fee
5%, $5 minimum
Foreign transaction fee
None
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
See our methodology, terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- $100 Amazon.com gift card upon approval, with no spending requirements
- 5% back at Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market
- No fee charged on purchases made outside the U.S.
Cons
- Prime membership is required
- The 5% back on groceries only applies to groceries bought on Amazon.com or at Whole Foods Market
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $540
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $2,302
Rewards totals incorporate the points earned from the welcome bonus
Who's this for? If you rather opt for an at-home workout than forking over a monthly membership fee, the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card can earn you 5% cash back on purchases from Amazon. You can purchase fitness equipment, such as weights, yoga mats, bikes and more to build your home gym.
To get you started, when you sign up for the card, you receive a $100 Amazon.com gift card automatically after account approval. This welcome bonus is a great way to help fund your future home gym.
And if you want to grab some healthy food after your workout, take advantage of 5% cash back Whole Foods Market.
While there is no annual fee, Prime membership is required, which currently costs $119 annually or $12.99 a month.
Target RedCard™
Rewards
5% discount at checkout on most purchases in-store and at Target.com
Welcome bonus
Receive $40 off a future qualifying purchase of $40 or more when approved from 11/1/20 to 12/26/20
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
None
Regular APR
22.90% variable
Balance transfer fee
N/A
Foreign transaction fee
N/A
Credit needed
N/A
See our methodology, terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Instant 5% discount at checkout
- Free two-day shipping on most items
- Extra 30 days for returns
Cons
- Card can only be used in-store at Target or at Target.com
- High 22.90% variable APR
CNBC Select didn't calculate estimated rewards for store cards.
Who's this for? Another option for financing your home gym is the Target RedCard™. This is a store card, which means it can only be used in-store at Target or online at Target.com. If you frequently do Target runs, this card is a great payment option.
Cardholders receive a 5% discount on most purchases, which includes various items for fitness activities, such as clothing, equipment or even a bigger ticket item, like a smart TV so you can stream your subscription-plan workouts.
This card has no annual fee and offers a bunch of additional perks, such as free two-day shipping on most items with no minimum purchase and an additional 30 days for returns.
Learn more: 5 things to know about the Target RedCard
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Rewards
Earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3% on dining (including takeout) and drugstores and 1.5% on all other purchases
Welcome bonus
$200 cash back after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Annual fee
$0
Intro APR
0% for the first 15 months on purchases
Regular APR
14.99% to 23.74% variable on purchases and balance transfers
Balance transfer fee
Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater
Foreign transaction fee
3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
Credit needed
Excellent/Good
See our methodology, terms apply.
Pros
- No annual fee
- Long intro 0% APR period for purchases
- Rewards can be transferred to a Chase Ultimate Rewards card
- Generous welcome bonus
Cons
- Below average 1.5% cash back on non-bonus category purchases
- 3% fee charged on foreign transactions
- Estimated rewards earned after 1 year: $847
- Estimated rewards earned after 5 years: $2,709
Rewards totals incorporate the cash back earned from the welcome bonus
Who's this for? If you want to purchase a luxury fitness product, such as a Peloton bike or an interactive Mirror, it's a good idea to put it on a rewards card that also offers special financing, such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. Cardholders can benefit from a 0% APR for the first 15 months on new purchases (after 14.99% to 23.74% variable APR).
Plus most purchases earn 1.5% cash back. So if you purchase a Peloton for $2,245 (not including taxes and fees), you could earn roughly $34 cash back. And if you want to pay for it over time, you have over a year to do so without incurring interest charges.
Apart from 1.5% cash back on most spending, you can earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% on dining, including takeout, and drugstores.
Best credit cards for gym memberships and fitness
| Best for | Credit card | Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Gym and fitness memberships | U.S. Bank Cash+™ Visa Signature® Card | Up to 5% cash back at gyms and fitness centers |
| Online shopping for home workouts | Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card | 5% cash back on Amazon purchases |
| In-store shopping for home workouts | Target RedCard™ | 5% discount on most Target purchases |
| Luxury fitness equipment | Chase Freedom Unlimited® | 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase; 3% on dining (including takeout) and drugstores; 1.5% on all other purchases |
Our methodology
To determine which cards will put the most money back in your pocket, CNBC Select evaluated over 234 credit cards offered by the biggest banks, financial companies and credit unions that allow anyone to join. We compared each card on a range of features, including cash-back rewards, annual fee, welcome bonus, introductory and standard APR, balance transfer fee and foreign transaction fees, as well as factors such as required credit and customer reviews when available.
CNBC Select teamed up with location intelligence firm Esri. The company's data development team provided the most up-to-date and comprehensive consumer spending data based on the 2019 Consumer Expenditure Surveys from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can read more about their methodology here.
Esri's data team created a sample annual budget of approximately $22,126 in retail spending. The budget includes six main categories: groceries ($5,174), gas ($2,218), dining out ($3,675), travel ($2,244), utilities ($4,862) and general purchases ($3,953). General purchases include items such as housekeeping supplies, clothing, personal care products, prescription drugs and vitamins, and other vehicle expenses.
CNBC Select used this budget to estimate how much the average consumer would save over the course of a year, two years and five years, assuming they would attempt to maximize their rewards potential by earning all welcome bonuses offered and using the card for all applicable purchases. All rewards total estimations are net the annual fee.
It's important to note the value of a point or mile varies from card to card and based on how you redeem them. When we calculated the estimated returns, we assumed that cardholders are redeeming cash back for a typical maximum value of 1 cent per point or mile. (Extreme optimizers might be able to achieve more value.)
Our final picks are weighted heavily toward the highest five-year returns, since it's generally wise to hold onto a credit card for years. This method also avoids giving an unfair advantage to cards with large welcome bonuses.
While the five-year estimates we've included are derived from a budget similar to the average American's spending, you may earn a higher or lower return depending on your shopping habits.