“I want to put my membership on hold”

“I want to put my membership on hold” or "can you pause my membership?"

Are your membership pausing policies turning your loyal members into frustrated strangers?

At my gyms, I like to keep things simple and easy. I let members pause their membership for up to two months, and they don't even have to tell me why! People often offer a reason, but I don't ask. They seem to feel like they have to convince me, and I don't want that. I know things come up in life, and I want to be friendly but still professional.

What are your gyms policies around allowing members to pause or put holds on their memberships and payments? At my gyms I'm pretty flexible. I allow members to pause for up to two months for any reason. I don't even ask them why they want or need to pause although they do often offer  a reason. Often they sound like they're feeling they need to sell me on the pause or hold. In fact at my gyms I allow people to log into their account and put a hold on all themselves.

What do you do when a gym member needs to stop their payments for a little while?

I've moved away from the old way of asking members a lot of questions. I learned that being flexible and allowing holds for most any reason actually makes members more loyal in the long run than a strict contract. When members feel they have to "sell" me on their break, it creates a bad feeling. We want our gym to be the friendly "Hometown Hero" in our community! Our members can even log into their account and set up the hold themselves, which is a great help.

This model isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. I analyzed data from small boutique studios to large-scale franchises. I also talk to gym owners every single day.

Here are the hard truths you must consider before setting your policy.

Tips on how you can handle holds like a pro, keep your recurring revenue stable, and use your Gym Software to do the heavy lifting.

1. The "No Surprises" Notice Period

In a small town, a billing dispute is a reputation killer. You need a clear window to adjust the notification before the next invoice triggers.

• The Advice: Don't settle for "whenever." Set a hard 7 to 10-day notice period. Tell your members: "I need a week to tell the system you’re taking a break so it doesn't accidentally charge you." This isn't about being strict; it’s about procedures. It ensures their billing and their access stay synced.

2. Master "Ghost Mode" (Automated Access)

When someone goes on hold, they shouldn't have access to the gym. Period. This is the Wi-Fi Rule: if the subscription is paused, the signal (access) is cut. Do the same at your fitness studio.

• The Advice: Don't manually track who is on hold. Your software should automatically put the member into "Hold or Pause Mode." Their entry or access is deactivated the second the hold begins. If they try to scan in during a hold, the system should reactivate their billing automatically. It keeps the "Member-Only Hours" sacred and prevents "free riders" from taking advantage of you.

3. The "Hold Fee" vs. The "Cancellation"

You’re running a $10k–$25k MRR business. Every cancellation is a leak you have to plug.

• The Advice: Instead of letting them quit, offer a Maintenance Fee (usually $15–$25 a month). Frame it as "Rate Insurance." They pay a small fee to keep their current membership rate locked in and their account active in the system.
• The Exception: For your Institutional Anchors (the shift workers at the mine or the plant), be the "Hometown Hero." If they’re on a 2-week-on/2-week-off rotation, build a policy that fits their life. It builds a "monopoly" on loyalty that no big-box gym can touch.

4. The "Doctor’s Note" Safety Net

Life happens. Injuries, surgeries, or pregnancies and more. This is where you earn your "Hometown Hero" title.

• The Advice: Have a "Medical Waiver" ready. If they provide a note, waive the hold fee entirely. It shows you care about the person, not just the payment. A key is to make sure your Canadian Gym Software has an end date for that hold. You don't want a "medical hold" to turn into a "permanent ghost" that you're still paying licensing fees for.

Based on the provided sources, here is an overview of the typical processes and options for pausing or holding a gym membership.

The General Process

To initiate a hold, members are generally required to follow a formal procedure rather than simply stopping attendance or payments.

• Advance Notice: Gyms typically require a "freeze request" to be submitted a specific number of days before the next billing cycle. Common timeframes found in the sources include:
• 5 days before the upcoming invoice 1-3.
• 7 days written notice 4-6.
• 10 days (or 10 business days) prior to the billing date 7, 8.
• 30 days written notice in some contracts 9.
• Submission Method: Requests usually must be in writing. This can be done via a specific "Membership Hold Request" form 3, 10, an email to the studio 7, 8, or through a member app/portal if the gym uses management software like Glofox or Zen Planner 11, 12.
• No Retroactive Holds: Policies consistently state that freezes cannot be applied retroactively. If a request is submitted after a payment has been processed, the freeze usually begins with the next billing cycle 9, 13.

Duration and Frequency Limits

Gyms rarely allow open-ended or indefinite holds. They typically impose specific time limits to manage revenue and membership rolls.

• Maximum Duration: A common standard is allowing members to freeze for up to 3 months (or 90 days) in a 12-month period 1, 3, 4, 14. Some studios limit this to 60 days per calendar year 15.
• Minimum Duration: Gyms often require a minimum freeze period, such as one month 13, 16 or two weeks 2, 4.
• Increments: Members may be required to freeze in specific blocks of time, such as 30-day increments (e.g., 30, 60, or 90 days) rather than choosing arbitrary dates 1, 3.
• Frequency: Policies may limit the number of times a member can freeze their account, such as once or twice per year 3, 4, 17.

Financial Implications

Pausing a membership is rarely free unless there is a specific medical exemption. Let's add up the cost.

• Freeze Fees: Instead of the full membership rate, gyms often charge a reduced "maintenance" or "freeze" fee to keep the account open and the rate locked in. Examples from the sources include:
• $2.50 per week 4, 18.
• $5.00 per month 8, 14.
• $8.00 per week 1.
• $25.00 per month (or per 4-week period) 15, 19.
• Medical Waivers: If the pause is due to injury, illness, or pregnancy, gyms often waive the freeze fee. This typically requires submitting a letter or certificate from a doctor 4, 14, 15, 20.
• Billing Resume: Once the hold period expires, billing automatically resumes at the standard rate. Members do not usually need to contact the gym to "unfreeze" unless they wish to return early 1, 21.

Impact on Membership Terms

Putting a membership on hold has several operational consequences:

• Contract Extension: The time spent on hold is almost always added to the end of the contract term. For example, if you freeze a 12-month contract for one month, your obligation ends one month later than originally scheduled 1, 4, 14, 22.
• Suspended Access: During the freeze period, access to the facility is revoked. Key fobs or access cards are typically disabled 9, 14.
• Immediate Reactivation: If a member enters the gym or checks into a class while on hold, the system may automatically reactivate the membership and charge the regular dues immediately 21.
• Class Cancellations: Gym management systems (like Glofox or Zen Planner) will often automatically cancel any future class bookings that fall within the requested pause window 23, 24.

Cancellation During a Hold

If a member decides to cancel their membership entirely while it is on hold, standard cancellation policies usually still apply. This often means the member must reactivate the membership or pay out the standard notice period (e.g., 30 days) before the contract is fully terminated 1, 25, 26.

TL;DR

Stop making members "sell" you on why they need a break. Flexibility builds loyal fans and a better gym culture.

Use a 7 to 10-day notice period and automated software to keep your billing clean and your access secure.

Protect your revenue with a small Hold Fee but keep your Hometown Hero status by waiving it for medical needs.