FitActive buys eight Spanish gyms as low-cost sector consolidates

FitActive’s purchase of eight Spanish assets from KeasyFit marks another step in the low-cost gym business moving from rapid expansion to hard-nosed consolidation. The Italian chain had already shown its appetite for scale, with more than 60 clubs in Italy and a first Spanish site in Barcelona backed by an investment of about 700,000 euros.

The deal lands after KeasyFit sold ten gyms in Italy to ViBE Fitness, a sequence that underlines how operators are now rotating portfolios across borders rather than simply adding clubs one by one. FitActive had said it was building a Spanish team and planned 15 openings in Spain, but buying existing sites gives it a faster route into the market, especially in cities where finding a strong location can be harder than fitting out the club itself.

Barcelona is where that shift is easiest to see. The city remains one of Spain’s most competitive fitness markets, and existing operators are still pressing in. Fitness Park opened at Westfield La Maquinista in March and reached eight gyms in Barcelona with that move, while Planet Fitness opened near Sants in 2025 for its Barcelona debut. Each new arrival tightens the fight for members who are price-sensitive but still expect modern equipment, longer opening hours and enough space to avoid overcrowding.

The wider market data point in the same direction. Spain logged 83 gym openings in the first quarter of 2026 and 61 million euros of investment, with boutique studios accounting for half of all openings and low-cost gyms another 25%. That is a crowded growth story, but it is no longer an easy one. Chains with deeper pockets can move faster, secure better procurement terms and spread marketing costs over more clubs, while smaller independents have less room to absorb rent pressure or staffing costs.

That is why the Barcelona angle matters beyond one acquisition. VivaGym has already been cast as a major consolidation platform in Spanish low-cost fitness, alongside national players such as Basic-Fit and Synergym. On top of private-sector rivalry, Barcelona also has about 12 municipal gym concessions in play, covering roughly 30,000 members, with operators such as Eurofitness, CET10, GO fit and Forus in the mix. For landlords, municipalities and neighborhood members, the result is a market where every new deal can reshape pricing, membership flexibility and where the next club will open.