Crunch Fitness Junk Fees Class Action Lawsuit, Are Members Being Overcharged?

Crunch Fitness faces multiple class action lawsuits and consumer complaints alleging the gym chain charges hidden fees, upgrades memberships without consent, and makes cancellation deliberately difficult. One case, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, accuses Crunch Waterfront of billing members at a higher tier rate without prior notice or consent. No settlement has been reached. Litigation is ongoing, and no claim deadline currently applies.

Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	No settlement reached — litigation phase
Claim Deadline	TBD — no settlement yet
Who Qualifies	Current and former Crunch Fitness members charged unauthorized fees
Payout Per Person	TBD
Proof Required	TBD
Settlement Status	Active litigation — no settlement announced
Administrator	TBD
Official Website	crunch.com

Current Status & What Happens Next

• Multiple lawsuits against Crunch Fitness are currently active in state and federal courts across Pennsylvania, California, and Florida — no case has reached a settlement or produced a claim form.
• In October 2024, a Pennsylvania consumer filed suit alleging Crunch Fitness refused to let him cancel his membership and continued charging him despite his requests to stop, in violation of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
• The FTC’s broader crackdown on gym cancellation abuses is ongoing. The FTC’s click-to-cancel rule, which would have required businesses to allow cancellation through the same channel used to sign up, was blocked by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in July 2025 — but the FTC continues to pursue enforcement under existing law.

What Is the Crunch Fitness Junk Fees Lawsuit About?

Crunch Fitness advertises memberships “starting at $9.99 a month,” but the actual cost is significantly higher once all fees are applied. Crunch charges a $2 recurring monthly processing fee on all three of its membership tiers. The $9.99 base rate is only available to members who commit to a 12-month term — choosing the month-to-month option raises the price to $15.99 per month.

Related article: Schreiber Foods Einstein Bros. Cream Cheese Recalled for Undeclared Almonds, Do You Have It?

The fees don’t stop there. Crunch also charges a $34–$40 enrollment fee at sign-up and an annual fee that can reach up to $89, which the company discloses only briefly in small print during advertising. Consumer watchdog Truth in Advertising (TINA.org) flagged these practices in a January 2024 ad alert, concluding that the true cost of a Crunch membership requires significant effort to calculate.

Beyond the fee structure, members allege Crunch goes further by changing membership tiers without consent. One class action lawsuit in Pennsylvania accuses Crunch of unilaterally upgrading a member’s base plan to a higher-cost All-Inclusive Peak Plus membership — doubling her monthly charge — without prior notice, and then refusing to issue a refund after she objected. Consumers also report that canceling a membership is made intentionally difficult, with some members continuing to be charged months after submitting cancellation requests.

Who Is Eligible to File a Claim?

Because no settlement has been finalized, there is no official claims process open right now. However, you may be part of a potential future class if any of the following apply:

• You may qualify if you were charged a fee (annual, processing, or enrollment) that was not clearly disclosed to you at the time you signed up for a Crunch Fitness membership.
• You may qualify if Crunch upgraded your membership tier or increased your monthly rate without your written consent.
• You may qualify if you submitted a valid cancellation request and Crunch continued charging your account after that date.
• You may qualify if you were sent automated collection calls or texts after requesting that contact stop, potentially under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
• You may qualify if you were a Crunch member in Pennsylvania, California, Florida, or another state where specific consumer protection laws apply to health club contracts.

How Much Can You Receive?

No payout amounts are confirmed at this time because no settlement exists. If the litigation results in a settlement or judgment, compensation amounts will depend on the type of claim, the state involved, and the number of class members.

In the Pennsylvania lawsuit, the plaintiff is seeking actual damages, statutory damages, treble damages (up to three times actual damages), attorney’s fees, and injunctive relief requiring Crunch to change its billing practices.

A separate Pennsylvania case seeks treble damages, attorney’s fees, and other economic or equitable relief for a consumer who was denied cancellation and charged for additional months without authorization.

Potential payout amounts are TBD and will only be confirmed if and when a settlement is approved by the court.

How to Take Action Right Now

Even without an open claims process, you have steps you can take today:

Step 1 — Document everything. Save all billing statements, membership agreements, cancellation confirmation emails, and any screenshots of fees charged to your account.

Step 2 — Submit a complaint to the FTC. Visit reportfraud.ftc.gov to file a complaint. The FTC uses consumer reports to build enforcement cases.

Step 3 — File a complaint with your state attorney general. Most states have a consumer protection division that handles gym billing complaints. Search “[your state] attorney general consumer complaint” to find the form.

Step 4 — Dispute unauthorized charges with your bank. If you were charged after a valid cancellation, contact your bank or credit card company to initiate a chargeback for unauthorized transactions.

Step 5 — Consult a consumer protection attorney. Many consumer attorneys offer free consultations and work on a contingency basis, meaning you pay nothing unless they win.

Step 6 — Monitor this case for updates. If a settlement is reached, a claim deadline will be announced. Bookmark this page or search for official updates at the court docket.

Estimated time to complete Steps 1–3: 20–30 minutes.

Important Deadlines & Dates

Milestone	Date
First Known Lawsuit Filed	December 2018 (W.D. Pennsylvania)
TINA.org Ad Alert Issued	January 12, 2024
Pennsylvania Consumer Complaint (Halpin)	October 30, 2024
FTC Click-to-Cancel Rule Vacated	July 2025
Claims Period Opens	TBD — no settlement yet
Claim Filing Deadline	TBD
Opt-Out Deadline	TBD
Objection Deadline	TBD
Final Approval Hearing	TBD
Expected Payment Date	TBD

Frequently Asked Questions About the Crunch Fitness Lawsuit

Do I need a lawyer to file a claim against Crunch Fitness? 

You do not need a lawyer to file complaints with the FTC or your state attorney general — those steps are free and simple. However, if you want to join or pursue a class action lawsuit, consulting a consumer protection attorney is strongly recommended. Many work on a contingency basis and charge no upfront fee.

Is this Crunch Fitness lawsuit legitimate?

 Yes. Multiple lawsuits against Crunch Fitness entities are documented in federal and state court records. A class action was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania as far back as December 2018, alleging Crunch automatically renewed memberships and changed membership terms without members’ affirmative consent. Consumer watchdog organizations have independently confirmed deceptive fee disclosures.

When will I receive my payment from a Crunch Fitness settlement? 

There is no settlement at this time, so no payment date exists. If a settlement is reached, payment typically follows final court approval, which can take six months to over a year after the settlement is announced. Check back here for updates.

What if I missed the claim deadline? 

No claim deadline has been set yet. Once a settlement is announced and a deadline is established, consumers who miss it generally cannot recover compensation. This is why documenting your experience and monitoring the case now is important.

Will a Crunch Fitness settlement payment affect my taxes? 

Settlement payments that compensate you for actual financial losses (such as unauthorized charges refunded) are generally not taxable. Payments that go beyond your actual losses — such as punitive or statutory damages — may be taxable. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

What fees is Crunch accused of hiding from members? 

Crunch is accused of inadequately disclosing a $2 monthly processing fee, a $34–$40 enrollment fee at sign-up, and an annual fee of up to $89 — none of which appear in the advertised starting rate of $9.99 per month. Members also allege undisclosed upgrades to higher-cost membership tiers without consent.

Can Crunch Fitness send my account to collections after I cancel? 

At least one lawsuit alleges that Crunch continued charging a member after a cancellation request and engaged in harassing contact with intent to collect unauthorized fees, which may violate state consumer protection and fair debt collection laws. If you believe you’ve been sent to collections for a debt you don’t owe, you can dispute it in writing with the collection agency and file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at consumerfinance.gov.

Does the FTC’s new cancellation rule protect me from Crunch’s practices?

 The FTC’s click-to-cancel rule, which would have required gyms to allow online cancellation as easily as online sign-up, was blocked by a federal appeals court in July 2025. However, the FTC continues to pursue gyms that use complex and misleading cancellation methods under its authority in Section 5 of the FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (ROSCA).

For more on gym billing lawsuits, see our coverage of the LA Fitness FTC cancellation lawsuitaffecting 3.7 million members.

Last Updated: April 16, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.