Health & Fitness (Gyms, Studios, PT)

The shape tilts toward Digital Maturity (65.4) and away from Data & Tracking (56.3). That tilt tells you where the industry's marketing dollars have gone and where they haven't. The businesses that correct the tilt first will see outsized returns because they're fixing the constraint that's holding everything else back.

Dimension Breakdown

The gym membership paradox and what the data reveals

The Australian fitness industry runs on a well-known paradox: gyms profit most from members who do not show up. But the data tells a different story. The fitness operators with the highest retention scores are not the ones banking on no-shows. They are the ones actively driving engagement, because engaged members stay longer, spend more on add-ons and refer friends.

The composite of 63.3 places fitness in the middle of the pack. Digital maturity at 65.4 with 15% weight shows the sector has modernised through app-based booking, wearable integration and digital class scheduling. The boutique studios (F45, Barry's, Orangetheory) have pushed the digital standard up, and traditional gyms have followed.

Retention at 63.9 with a 30% weight is the defining metric. The average gym in Australia loses 30-50% of its members annually. The top performers lose 20-25%. That 10-25 percentage point gap in churn represents the difference between a thriving business and one perpetually on the acquisition treadmill.

Acquisition at 63.4 is driven by two distinct models. Big-box gyms (Fitness First, Goodlife, Anytime Fitness) rely on brand awareness, promotional pricing and high-traffic locations. Boutique studios rely on community, social proof and referral networks. The boutique model typically has higher acquisition cost but significantly better retention.

Brand at 61.8 is the weakest dimension, and it maps to the challenge of differentiation. In a market where there are six gyms within a 5km radius, "we have weights and cardio equipment" is not a positioning statement. The operators with strong brand scores have a clear identity: F45 owns group HIIT, Anytime owns 24/7 access, boutique Pilates studios own a specific community feeling. The gyms without a clear position compete on price, which is the weakest possible strategy in fitness.

Conversion Efficiency at 62.5 with 20% weight. The industry gets attention but doesn't convert it. If your shopfront has a thousand people walking past and only a handful walking in, the problem isn't traffic. It's the shopfront.

Where you sit in Health & Wellbeing

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Frequently Asked

Where does your business sit in this picture?

Health & Fitness (Gyms, Studios, PT) scores 63.3 on average. That's one number across 6 dimensions. Your number will be different, and the breakdown will tell you exactly where to invest and where to stop wasting money.