We provide bookkeeping and accounting services for health, wellness and fitness businesses, including gyms, fitness studios and spas: membership and class-pack revenue recorded correctly, trainer payroll and contractor payments under control, and monthly numbers that show which locations and programs actually make money.
Book your free consultation
Leave your details and we’ll get in touch to set it up. You get a fixed fee in writing before any work starts.
Gym bookkeeping services we provide
- Monthly bookkeeping in QuickBooks Online or Xero, with bank, card and merchant account reconciliations
- Membership, class-pack and personal training revenue tracked separately, reconciled to your membership software and payment processor
- Prepaid packages and annual memberships recorded as deferred revenue and recognized as members use them
- Payroll for staff and payments to independent trainers recorded correctly, with W-9s collected for 1099 reporting
- Retail, supplement and smoothie bar sales with cost of goods sold and inventory counts
- Equipment purchases and leases tracked on a fixed asset schedule
- Profit and loss by location, and a monthly dashboard of the numbers below
What makes gym and fitness studio accounting different?
Cash in is not the same as revenue. When a member buys a 20-class pack or pays a year upfront, you have the cash but you still owe the classes. Accrual-basis books record that payment as deferred revenue and recognize it as classes are used, so a strong January of new sign-ups doesn’t make the rest of the year look weak by comparison.
Several revenue streams, one payout. Memberships, drop-ins, personal training, retail and rentals often settle through the same processor, net of fees and refunds. We split each deposit back into its sources so you can see which programs carry the business.
Trainers and instructors. Whether a trainer is an employee or an independent contractor depends on how much control you have over the work, not on what the agreement calls them. The answer changes payroll taxes, 1099 reporting and how the cost appears in your books, so we flag questions early for you and your payroll provider or tax CPA.
Sales tax. States treat gym memberships, personal training and retail products differently, and some tax one but not the others. We set up your books so taxable and non-taxable sales are separated and the figures for each return are easy to pull.
Which numbers should a gym track every month?
| Metric | How it’s calculated | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue per member | Monthly revenue ÷ active members | Shows whether add-ons such as training and retail are growing |
| Member churn | Members who cancelled ÷ members at the start of the month | Small changes compound into large revenue swings |
| Payroll as a % of revenue | Staff and trainer costs ÷ revenue | Usually the largest cost after rent |
| Rent as a % of revenue | Occupancy costs ÷ revenue, by location | Tells you when a location is under-used |
| Deferred revenue balance | Prepaid classes and memberships not yet used | The obligation you still owe members |
| Retail gross margin | (Retail sales − cost of goods sold) ÷ retail sales | Shows whether the shop is worth the shelf space |
Who we work with
Independent gyms, boutique fitness and yoga studios, CrossFit-style boxes, martial arts schools, spas and wellness practices, including trainers and therapists who rent space inside an existing facility. Monthly packages start at $199; see pricing. If your books are behind, we can catch them up first with a QuickBooks cleanup.
Frequently asked questions
What does a gym bookkeeper do?
A gym bookkeeper records every sale and expense, reconciles bank and merchant accounts to your membership software, tracks prepaid packages, records payroll and trainer payments, and produces monthly financial statements. We add a CPA review on top so the numbers hold up for lenders and your tax CPA.
How should a gym record prepaid memberships and class packs?
As deferred revenue (a liability) when the member pays, then as revenue as the classes or months are used. This keeps monthly revenue accurate and shows how much service you still owe members.
Are personal trainers employees or independent contractors?
It depends on the working relationship: who sets the schedule, supplies the equipment, directs how sessions are run and whether the trainer works for other gyms. The IRS looks at behavioral control, financial control and the relationship as a whole. Get it confirmed with your payroll provider or tax CPA, because the answer affects payroll taxes and reporting.
Do you handle payroll?
We coordinate payroll with providers such as Gusto and ADP and make sure it’s recorded correctly in your books.
Do you prepare tax returns for gyms?
No. We keep your books accurate and tax-ready and work alongside your tax CPA, who prepares and files your returns.
Know which classes and locations make money
CPA-led bookkeeping for gyms and fitness studios, for a fixed monthly fee.