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Author’s Note: This post is not sponsored or affiliated with Smart Fit. I wrote this review because I am a big fan of Smart Fit and want to help others traveling throughout Latin America.
Kevin and I are not gym rats, gym buffs, or bodybuilders. However, I love to go to the gym to work out, and Kevin tolerates me dragging him along. Working out and sweating helps me with my depression, and it is something I always look forward to. It also helps that gyms are also full of good-looking guys!
However, how do you work out at the gym when you are nomading and constantly moving from city to city? In a large country like the United States, joining a gym like Planet Fitness or 24-Hour Fitness can be beneficial because they have many locations throughout the U.S. But that only works if you travel domestically in the U.S. What about when you travel internationally?

Smart Fit Gym Overview
However, there is another way in Latin America: Smart Fit gym. Smart Fit – pronounced SMAHRT-feet in Spanish – is Latin America’s largest chain of gyms, with over 1,200 locations throughout Central and South America (see a list of countries here). We have worked out in Smart Fit locations in Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Argentina, Panamá, Perú, and Chile. But before I say how this is possible, what does a Smart Fit gym have?

What You’ll Find at a Smart Fit Gym
Most Smart Fits have four zones: cardio, machine weights, free weights, and group classes. The cardio zone has treadmills and bikes and often has either cross trainers or elliptical machines. The free weight area seems well stocked, but Kevin and I don’t use free weights. Instead, we use the machine weights, which are labeled by color in all Smart Fit gyms to correspond to the part of the body it trains. And finally, there is usually a large open space for free group classes you can join. There is often a calendar near the front desk showing upcoming classes.

In addition, most—but not all—Smart Fit gyms have a “spa” area with massage chairs. This area is reserved for Smart Fit members with the Black membership plan, which is the highest membership level. As a Black member, I have used these massage chairs many times, and they are great. However, they are ultimately massage chairs—don’t expect a relaxing body massage from them. I move my back and neck in the chair to ensure the massager gets parts that wouldn’t be massaged otherwise. Additionally, many locations limit your massage time to five minutes or less.
Smart Fits also have a lot of lockers – a lot – and changing rooms with showers. Note that the lockers require you to bring your own padlock. At some locations, we have seen many people not bother using a padlock, meaning they trust their fellow gym members. At other locations, however, we have seen heavy padlock use. (Side note: Perhaps that is a new way of measuring the safety of a specific neighborhood?)
Finally, Smart Fit has an Android app. You can use it to keep track of your workouts, although I don’t find it that easy to use (there are better workout trackers). What is more valuable is the on-demand classes you can watch in the app. If you are not near a Smart Fit gym or want to work out at home, you can use the training classes in the app to work out. The app also allows you to track your billing and contact information and find Smart Fit locations (although I use Google Maps).

Smart Fit Gym Membership Plans
Smart Fit gyms have two membership plans: regular and Black. A regular membership is good if you only want to use one Smart Fit location, and that is it. The regular membership doesn’t allow you to visit gyms other than your home location, bring guests, or use massage chairs. Depending on the country you are in, a regular membership is generally around the US$20/month range plus an annual membership fee. You should ask for any sign-up promotions and check your country’s Smart Fit website first for any special pricing.
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On the other hand, the Black membership is robust. First, if you prepay for one year of Black membership, you get a lower monthly rate, and you don’t have to pay the annual membership fee for big savings (can be as low as US$25/month). Otherwise, a Black membership is around US$30-35 per month – depending on the country – plus the annual membership fee.
Black membership gives you five guest passes per month, which is fantastic if you want to work out with a buddy. Black members have access to the “Smart Fit spa,” the fancy term for the massage chairs (there is no actual spa). But most importantly, Black members can use any Smart Fit location throughout Latin America.

Black Membership: Access to 1200+ Locations
This is why we are Black members. Our “home” gym is in Quito, Ecuador, where we signed up for Smart Fit. However, we have spent most of the past year outside of Ecuador, and our membership has never failed us. We have visited Smart Fit locations in Mexico City, Asunción, Buenos Aires, Panamá City, Lima, and Santiago de Chile. We have never been treated differently or had any problems accessing any location. In short, a Black membership is a continent-wide pass to working out. (See a list of countries and locations here.)

The first time you visit a Smart Fit gym outside your “home” gym, you’ll need to download your fingerprints onto the turnstile at the front. You’ll type in your ID number from your home country into the turnstile to access your fingerprints, and then the turnstile will automatically download the fingerprints. Once this occurs, you are saved at that location and can use your fingerprints to enter each successive time.
If that doesn’t work, head to the front desk and tell them you are a Black member from another country. You may need to show your ID card from your home country. As we are Ecuadorian residents and Ecuador is our “home” country for Smart Fit’s purposes, we carry our Ecuadorian IDs the first time we visit a new Smart Fit in case we need it (we had to show it in Asunción, for example). Give the Front Desk person your ID and your Smart Fit membership number – which you can find in the app – and they will download your fingerprints and enter it into the turnstile (or just open the turnstile for you).

Note that we are residents of a Latin American country, and thus, we used our Ecuadorian IDs to sign up for Smart Fit in Ecuador. I don’t know if Smart Fit accepts a foreign passport. Based on how the system works, my hunch is that they would, but I have not personally verified this. Also, note that if you sign up in Argentina, we understand that you need a medical exam first. But if you are a Smart Fit member from outside Argentina, you don’t need a medical exam to use the gym as a guest. We had no issues in Buenos Aires using our Ecuadorian membership.

What I really love about Smart Fit is that the interiors are identical no matter what country you are in. We have been to Smart Fit locations in seven countries, and they all have the same machines and layout. I appreciate this because you don’t have to “re-learn” the machines for each location you visit. Furthermore, almost all weight machines tend to be made by Matrix, which are very easy to use. And if you ever need help, Smart Fit staff will quickly help you learn a new machine – for free!
Alternatives to Joining a Gym
If you don’t want to join a gym but want to work out while traveling, there are several alternatives that don’t require you to pay. The easiest alternative is booking a hotel with a gym if you stay at hotels. Most modern hotels have some type of gym, with more luxurious hotels having more robust gyms. Major booking sites and even the hotel’s own website will list the gym as one of the amenities, which you can usually filter. If a gym is crucial, we recommend calling or emailing the hotel directly prior to booking to confirm the gym is functioning during your stay.
Likewise, if you stay at Airbnbs, you can focus on Airbnb condos in modern buildings with on-site gyms. We have found plenty of modern condos throughout Latin America that have on-site gyms. Quality ranges quite a bit, with some gyms nothing more than a treadmill and a few free weights. However, many have some equipment to make most non-bodybuilders content with a solid workout.
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If your Airbnb or hotel doesn’t have a gym, it is easier than ever before to work out in your own hotel room or Airbnb using nothing more than YouTube and your body weight. So many YouTube videos will guide you through specific workouts, catering to whatever part of the body you want to work out. Your body weight acts as the resistance for strength training. And for cardio, try walking or running in your local park like a local. If not, consider using the staircase in your hotel or condo building as your personal stair climber.
Finally, if you want to work out at a real gym but not a Smart Fit, try paying for day passes at a nearby gym. If you will be in one location for more than a week, consider paying for a month-to-month membership. You shouldn’t pay more than $30-40 for a one-month pass to a reputable gym; it can be well worth it to have access to all the equipment you want. However, before you pay, ask for a tour to ensure you can use the cardio and weight equipment you desire.

Final Thoughts on Smart Fit Gym
For those of you who have been to a Planet Fitness gym in the United States, a Smart Fit Gym looks and feels like one (Kevin and I used to be Planet Fitness members in Texas). Many Smart Fits even have rules that prohibit members from being obnoxious, as Planet Fitness also dictates. Or if you have ordered from Amazon, you may find the “smile” logo similar between both companies.
Maybe this familiarity is why we feel right at home at Smart Fit. Or perhaps because the gyms are clean, well-stocked, and welcoming. Or because a Black membership gets you access throughout Latin America, ideal for nomads like us. Whatever the reason is, if you will be spending time in Latin America and have the itch to work out, consider joining a Smart Fit near you.
Smart Fit Country-Specific Websites & Locations

There is no central Smart Fit website. Instead, each country has its own Smart Fit website, where you can find locations and pricing in the local currency. Here are the country-specific Smart Fit websites:
- Argentina: https://www.smartfit.com.ar/
- Brazil (Brasil): https://www.smartfit.com.br/
- Chile: https://www.smartfit.cl/
- Colombia: https://www.smartfit.com.co/
- Costa Rica: https://www.smartfit.cr/
- Dominican Republic (República Dominicana): https://www.smartfit.com.do/
- Ecuador: https://www.smartfit.com.ec/
- El Salvador: https://www.smartfit.com.sv/
- Guatemala: https://www.smartfit.com.gt/
- Honduras: https://www.smartfit.com.hn/
- México: https://www.smartfit.com.mx/
- Panamá: https://www.smartfit.com.pa/
- Paraguay: https://www.smartfit.com.py/
- Perú: https://www.smartfit.com.pe/
- Uruguay: https://www.smartfit.com.uy/
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Each location sets its own hours. Generally, they are open from very early in the morning to late at night on weekdays. Let’s say from 5-6am to 10-11pm. However, hours are reduced a lot on the weekends. Some Smart Fit locations close around 3pm or 4pm on the weekends. And most Smart Fit locations in Argentina aren’t even open on Sundays!
Every location has treadmills, stationary bikes, and some sort of elliptical trainer for cardio. Weights are divided into two zones: weight machines and free weights. We always use the weight machines. Almost all locations use Matrix weight machines with a good assortment of leg, chest, back, and arm machines. Free weights are free weights with weight benches.
No. We have never seen a location with a pool, spa, or sauna. Most locations have massage chairs called the “Black Spa,” but don’t confuse this with an actual spa. Note that the massage chairs are limited to Black members only.
No. We haven’t seen any locations with courts for sports such as basketball or padel.
Yes, if you get the lowest tier membership or if you pay for the Black membership on a monthly basis. Generally, it is around US$59 per year as of 2024. Smart Fit waives the membership fee if you pre-pay for Black membership annually.
Not officially. As a Latin American gym, everything is in Spanish (or Portuguese in Brazil). However, depending on the country, some staff may speak English. Our experience is that at least one staff person at each location can speak some English. But do not expect anyone to speak English.
We strongly recommend buying the Black plan, especially if you can prepay for one year. Only the Black plans allow you to visit any Smart Fit location throughout Latin America, which is why we love Smart Fit so much.
Like any gym, Smart Fit gyms will be busy in the morning and evenings on weekdays. What is incredible is that you can look up any location in the Smart Fit app and see the average attendance per hour to plan when to go. We tend to go either around 9am or 11am on weekdays, which are less busy times. Weekends are generally chill, regardless of when you go.
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This was a very interesting read, and hearing about the massage chairs made me imagine they must feel really good. Too bad it’s only for 5 min, though! Can you go to the massage chairs several times, in the hour or two that you’re there? or is the 5-min deal a one-time shot? Now I know all about Smart Fit. A lot of good information in this blog.