Best way to cancel a gym membership
Four ways to cancel a gym membership, compared on cost, whether a letter goes in the mail, the proof you keep, the time it takes you and what happens if it goes wrong.
The short answer
The surest way is a signed letter by certified mail to your home club, and Postbye is the easiest way to send one. It writes the letter, mails it the next business day and sends you the proof of delivery, for $23.99 once. Cancelling in person or online has no service fee where your gym allows it, but leaves you less proof.
Cancel your gym with PostbyeThe four methods compared
| Criterion | 1 A mailing service Postbye Our pick | 2 A letter you mail yourself Certified mail | 3 Online Member portal | 4 In person At your home club |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $23.99 once | Postage plus the USPS Certified Mail fee | No service fee | No service fee, plus the trip |
| A physical letter | Yes, written and mailed for you | Yes, you write, print and post it | No | No |
| Proof you keep | Tracking number, a copy of the letter and the proof of delivery; signed proof +$13.99 | The Certified Mail receipt and tracking; a return receipt if you buy one | A confirmation screen or email, if the gym sends one | Only what the club gives you in writing |
| Time it takes you | About 2 minutes online; mailed the next business day | Writing, printing and a trip to the post office | Minutes, where it is offered | A visit to your home club |
| Where it works | Gyms that take written notice; more than 370 gyms and fitness companies on file | Gyms that take written notice, if you have the right address | Only where the gym offers it | Gyms that take cancellations at the club |
| If it goes wrong | Money-back guarantee within 10 business days | You follow up yourself | You contact the club | Your word against the club’s |
Planet Fitness, as a worked example
Planet Fitness lists three ways to end a membership: “send written notification via mail to your home club”, visit your home club in person, or log into your account through the member portal on its website. It adds that some “policies and procedures may vary by location based on state and local guidelines”.
- Notice: cancel at least 7 days before your next billing date to stop the next monthly charge.
- Annual fee: the $49 annual fee bills separately and needs its own 7 days’ notice before the annual fee date.
- Buyout: a $58 buyout fee applies if your membership has a minimum term and ends early. No Commitment memberships can cancel at any time without a fee.
- Where the letter goes: your home club, not head office. You pick it from the 2,732 Planet Fitness clubs Postbye has on file; see Postbye’s Planet Fitness page.
What state law adds
Gym contracts are covered by state law, and the rules differ on how you may cancel. Six examples:
- California: online sign-ups must be cancellable online (contracts from July 1, 2025), and you have 5 business days to cancel after signing.
- New York: cancelling must be as easy as signing up, in the same medium; in-person sign-ups can also cancel online or by phone. 3 business days to cancel after signing.
- New Jersey: online sign-ups can cancel online, and a new contract can be cancelled before midnight of the 3rd operating day.
- Illinois: notice by certified or registered mail is allowed, or online if you joined online. 3 business days to cancel after signing.
- Texas: the gym law asks for written notice. 3 days to cancel after signing.
- Florida: the gym law asks for written notice. 3 days to cancel after signing.
Questions
Can I cancel a gym membership by email?
Only where the gym or your state allows it. California’s gym law allows cancellation by email or first-class mail, and Illinois allows email if the contract names one; many gyms and several states ask for written notice.
How many days before billing should I cancel?
Check your contract. Planet Fitness asks for at least 7 days before the next billing date, and the same again before the annual fee date.
Is certified mail necessary?
Not always, but it is the only method here that gives you an independent, dated record of when the gym received your notice.