I have free membership access to these 3 gyms because of Medicare. Standard membership so no add ons like red light therapy.
1. Planet Fitness (I like that you really can do free weights because I'd need a spotter but they have Smith racks)
2. Crunch Fitness
3. Anytime Fitness

Thanks!

I like anytime. But that's basically the only one I'm signed up at. Like that I can go to any location. Only extra cost was $40 when I signed up (for the key fob).

I have a gym program through BCBS that allows signing up at different gyms, as long as the gym is part of the program I can sign up. My only negative for Planet Fitness is that no access to any location, although there is a work around (supposedly) by signing up at individual locations.

Also signed up at my city parks gym through the program.

Thinking about adding Crunch Fitness as another option.

A YouTube review stated Anytime Fitness doesn't have a locker room. How can that even be true???

Ugh. Talk about the least worse choice...

Visit all three. See which one is most convenient and has what you like to do.

Planet fitness - usually has decent machines. Free weights are the issue. I can't stand their no judgement zone policy and I think they prey on the weak. But, you do get guest passes and can get an unlimited memebership that you can use at any PF. Good deal if you travel a lot like I used to.

Crunch fitness - my experience their equipment is subpar. I bent a barbell one time squatting while there. Guy was like it wasn't a big deal and he'd just go to Walmart and get a new one. Not much variety and all their equipment, to me at the ones I visted, seem like something you would get at K-mart.

Anytime - the ones I've been to seem almost like a decent hotel gym. You can get a lift in but doesn't have what I needed at the time. Their equipment seems decent but not much variety either.

Bottom line, all three will work. Neither of the three are my cup of tea. Again, visit and join the one you like the best.

Don't just visit all three, but go at the time you would normally go. Does not really matter what equipment a gym has if you are having to wait all the time to use it.

As far as anytime, they vary greatly by location. They all have 10-12 of the same pieces of equipment, but the size of the gym will depend on what else they offer. It is good to have while traveling though and want to get a workout in.

I don't know how other planet fitness are, but my son and I use to go to a couple around us in Plano / McKinney. They were both formerly part of a small chain called Texas Family Fitness. They had plenty of free weights and lifting platforms, which we used a lot as he was getting into powerlifting. They got bought out by PF about a year and a half ago. PF actually added more lifting platforms. I've never been to any other PF, but ours had plenty of free weights (which was contradictory to what we had always heard about them). I was kind of under the impression they were moving that direction.

Anyway, long story short, we had no issue with them and they were cheap. We've since moved on to an actual powerlifting gym, though.

None? Pay for a better gym? Sometimes the best things in life aren't free.

I agree. Like sex for example.