Almost nobody writes to a gym asking about programming philosophy first. They ask what it costs, then decide whether the rest of the page is worth reading. Fair enough. Here are the numbers, with nothing buried at the bottom.

CrossFit in Chicago generally runs between $150 and $250 a month for unlimited classes. What moves a gym up or down inside that band is mostly rent. A gym paying River North rent charges River North prices; a gym on the northwest side does not have to. Our own rates follow that same boring logic: $230 a month at River North, $210 at Logan Square, $190 at Avondale.

Why it costs more than the gym with the $10 sign

A budget gym sells access to a room. Its model assumes most members stop showing up by March, which is how the price gets to $10. A CrossFit gym sells hours on a schedule instead. Every hour has staff in it, a cap on how many people can be in the room, and training written in advance for that specific day rather than pulled off a wall chart. Payroll per member hour is the entire difference. You are buying somebody's time, not square footage.

That is also why the comparison people reach for first is the wrong one. Set the $10 membership aside for a second. An hour of personal training in this city starts around $100, and our own hour is $110. Class training splits that cost across a room of people, which is the only reason a month of unlimited hours can land at $210.

How to pay less than the sticker price

The month-to-month rate is the highest number in the building, and not many long-term members pay it. Four ways it comes down:

  • Prepay. Twelve months up front brings River North to $196 a month, Logan Square to $179 and Avondale to $162. Three-month and six-month prepays land in between. None of them auto-renew.
  • Buy classes instead of a month. If three sessions a week is your honest ceiling, a 10-class pack is $250, which works out to $25 a visit, and a 20-class pack is $400, or $20 a visit. A single drop-in is $30 at any location.
  • Train on your own. Open-gym memberships are $173, $158 and $143 by location. You get 24/7 door access through the Wodify app outside the 6 to 8am and 5 to 7pm blackout windows, and you can follow the same daily programming without being in a class.
  • Ask about the discount. Ten percent comes off monthly memberships for military, police, fire, paramedics, nurses, full-time teachers and students, corporate partners, couples, and families of two or more.

Every rate above is listed on the membership and pricing page, per gym, with the payment links attached. We do not run a call-us-for-pricing operation.

The HSA and FSA angle most people miss

A gym membership can often be paid for with pre-tax HSA or FSA dollars. We cannot run an HSA card at the front desk, so it happens by reimbursement. You qualify through Truemed, a licensed provider issues a Letter of Medical Necessity, you pay us the normal way, and then you submit that letter with an itemized invoice to your plan administrator. On a $210 membership, somebody in a 30 percent bracket is effectively paying closer to $147. The step-by-step version lives on our HSA and FSA page. We are a gym and not your accountant, so run the specifics past whoever does your taxes.

What your first month costs

New members rarely start at the monthly rate. The first class is free at all three gyms for first-time clients, and you can book it here without handing over a card. From there the common entry point is $99 for an intro month of unlimited classes, or $495 for three months, which includes the Elements one-on-one session for anyone new to the sport. Booked on its own that session is $99.

Two billing details worth knowing before you sign anything anywhere. Payments process on the 1st of the month, and your first one is prorated to the days left in the current month, so joining on the 20th does not cost a full month. Card processing adds 3.7 percent and ACH adds 2.5 percent.

What the price does not include

Unlimited classes cover the CrossFit, HYROX and group fitness hours on the schedule, plus open gym and 24/7 access. A few things carry their own price because not everyone wants them. That list is nutrition coaching, InBody body-composition scans, one-on-one personal training at half price for members, and the physical therapy practice that shares our River North building. A rundown of what runs on the schedule is on the programs page.

Prices at all three gyms

  • River North, 1030 N Larrabee St. $230 a month, $196 a month prepaid for a year, $173 open gym. River North members also receive access to Logan Square.
  • Logan Square, 2080 N Milwaukee Ave. $210 a month, $179 a month prepaid for a year, $158 open gym.
  • Avondale, 3747 W Belmont Ave. $190 a month, $162 a month prepaid for a year, $143 open gym.

Intro offers, drop-ins and class packs are the same price at all three.

Is it worth $200 a month?

That depends completely on how often you walk in. At $210 a month, going twice a week costs about $26 a session, less than a single class at most boutique studios in this city. Going twice a month costs $105 a session, which is a bad deal by any measure. The membership does no work on its own, and any gym that tells you otherwise is selling you the March version of the $10 model.

The reason we push people toward classes rather than a door code is that showing up on a schedule, in a room where somebody notices you missing, is what keeps the number of visits high enough for the math to work. Everything else about pricing is downstream of that.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does CrossFit cost per month in Chicago?

Most Chicago CrossFit gyms charge between $150 and $250 a month for unlimited classes, and the number tracks neighborhood rent more than anything else. Chicago Strength charges $230 a month in River North, $210 in Logan Square and $190 in Avondale. Prepaying twelve months brings those to $196, $179 and $162 a month.

Why is CrossFit more expensive than a regular gym?

A $10 gym sells access to a room. A CrossFit gym sells hours on a schedule, each one staffed and capped at a set number of people, with the day's training written in advance. Payroll per member hour is where the price difference comes from.

Can I try CrossFit in Chicago before paying for a membership?

Yes. The first class is free at all three Chicago Strength gyms for first-time clients, and no card is required to book it. After that, a $99 intro month of unlimited classes is the usual next step, or $30 for a single drop-in.

Can I pay for a CrossFit membership with HSA or FSA money?

Often, yes, by reimbursement rather than by swiping an HSA card. You qualify through Truemed, a licensed provider issues a Letter of Medical Necessity, you pay the gym normally, then you send your plan administrator that letter and an itemized invoice from us.

Is there a contract or a cancellation fee at Chicago Strength?

No contract and no cancellation fee. Monthly memberships run month to month, cancel with 30 days notice, and can be paused in one-month blocks for up to three months. Prepaid plans do not auto-renew.

If you want to see what you would be paying for before you pay for anything, claim the free class at whichever gym is closest, or call 312-664-0130 and ask us anything on this page. The full price list stays public on the membership page.