Fitness|August 19, 2026|BodyBuddy Team
F45 vs Orangetheory: Cost, Workouts, Results & Progress
Compare F45 vs Orangetheory on cost, class format, cardio, strength, coaching, metrics, beginner fit, and which is easier for tracking progress.
F45 and Orangetheory solve the same basic problem: you want someone else to plan the workout, coach you through it, and make exercise more engaging than wandering around a gym by yourself.
The experience inside the room is very different.
F45 is usually the better fit if you want a shorter, fast-moving functional circuit with lots of exercise variety.
Orangetheory is usually the better fit if you enjoy treadmills, rowing, visible heart-rate feedback, and cardio numbers that are relatively easy to compare over time.
Neither automatically wins for strength, fat loss, beginners, or value. Those answers depend on the classes your local studio actually offers, the quality of its coaches, and which format you will attend consistently.
The short answer: Choose F45 for functional variety and a 45-minute floor-based workout. Choose Orangetheory for more structured treadmill and rowing work with highly visible performance data. If strength is your main goal, compare the actual resistance-focused classes at your two local studios rather than choosing by brand name.
F45 vs Orangetheory at a glance
Category | F45 | Orangetheory |
Signature format | Functional circuit training using timed stations | Treadmill, rowing, and strength-floor intervals |
Typical class length | 45 minutes; some hybrid sessions run longer | 60-minute signature class; 50-minute specialty classes |
Workout variety | Very high | Moderate; templates change but core equipment repeats |
Cardio emphasis | Ergs, bodyweight work, plyometrics, agility, and circuits | Treadmill and rowing intervals with heart-rate zones |
Strength emphasis | Dedicated resistance days plus hybrid sessions | Strength floor inside Orange 60; Strength 50 at participating studios |
In-class technology | F45TV demonstrations; optional LionHeart tracking | OTbeat heart-rate zones displayed in real time |
Progress metrics | LionHeart reports, Benchmark and other assessments, exercise-specific notes | Heart-rate zones, treadmill and rower results, challenges and benchmarks |
Best fit | People who enjoy variety, stations, and functional movements | People who enjoy measurable cardio and consistent equipment |
Main tradeoff | Constant exercise changes make progression harder to see | The signature class divides time across cardio and strength |
What an F45 workout is actually like
F45 describes its standard workout as a 45-minute, high-intensity functional circuit. Classes use timed stations and can focus on cardio, resistance, or a hybrid of both. Exercises and timing formats rotate, while screens in the studio demonstrate each movement. (F45: What Is F45?)
A class may include movements such as:
- Dumbbell presses
- Kettlebell squats
- Romanian deadlifts
- Lunges
- Suspension rows
- Sled work
- Ski erg or rower intervals
- Jumps, carries, and bodyweight exercises
The exact mix depends on the class. F45’s published programming includes dedicated resistance workouts as well as cardio and hybrid formats. (F45 resistance workouts, F45 hybrid workouts)
The appeal is obvious: the room moves quickly, the workout rarely feels boring, and you do not have to plan anything.
The tradeoff is that variety makes comparison difficult. Your squat variation, work interval, equipment, and station order may all change. You can leave every class exhausted without knowing whether your strength or conditioning is actually improving.
What an Orangetheory workout is actually like
Orangetheory’s signature Orange 60 class is a coach-led, one-hour workout combining treadmill intervals, rowing, and strength-floor work. Intensity is organized around five personalized heart-rate zones, which appear on screens when you use an OTbeat monitor. (Orangetheory workout overview, Orangetheory FAQ)
A typical class includes some combination of:
- Walking, jogging, or running on a treadmill
- Rowing intervals
- Dumbbells
- Benches
- TRX suspension trainers
- Medicine balls
- BOSU exercises
- Bodyweight movements
Orangetheory also lists 50-minute specialty formats:
- Tread 50, focused on cardiovascular endurance and running performance
- Strength 50, focused on muscular strength and endurance
Class availability varies by studio.
The equipment repeats more often than it does at F45, particularly the treadmill and rower. That makes cardiovascular progression easier to measure. You can compare pace, incline, distance, rowing time, and how your heart rate responds to similar work.
The tradeoff is that a signature Orange 60 class divides its time among several modalities. If your main goal is gaining strength, the floor portion alone may not provide the consistency or weekly volume you want.
F45 vs Orangetheory cost
There is no honest nationwide winner on price.
Price check: August 19, 2026. Neither company publishes one fixed US membership price that applies to every studio.
F45 says its studios are independently owned and that membership prices, trials, class packages, schedules, and cancellation policies vary by location. (F45 FAQ)
Orangetheory also says rates and fees vary by studio. Its national membership page describes these options without assigning one nationwide price:
- Basic: four classes monthly
- Elite: eight classes monthly
- Premier: unlimited classes
- Class packs: 10, 20, or 30 classes
Orangetheory says a first workout is free at most studios, while F45 trial offers are set locally. (Orangetheory memberships, Orangetheory FAQ)
F45 memberships are generally connected to a home studio. Its FAQ says eligible paid-in-full and autopay unlimited memberships may receive a limited number of Passport visits at participating studios. Orangetheory advertises nationwide studio privileges, although membership tier, premium-location fees, and studio-specific terms can still matter.
Before choosing, ask both studios for the total cost of the same use pattern—for example, eight classes per month or three classes per week.
Include:
- Monthly membership or class-pack price
- Enrollment or initiation fees
- Heart-rate monitor purchase or rental
- Late-cancellation and no-show charges
- Contract length
- Cancellation notice
- Freeze terms
- Cross-studio access
- Current trial offer
Then calculate:
Effective cost per class = total monthly cost and fees ÷ classes you will realistically attend
The cheaper sticker price is not the better value if its schedule causes you to attend half as often.
Which has the better workouts?
That depends on what makes a workout good for you.
Choose F45 if you enjoy movement variety
F45 changes exercises, station layouts, timing, and equipment frequently. It suits people who become bored repeating the same treadmill or lifting routine.
The format also exposes you to a wide range of movement patterns. You may squat, hinge, press, pull, carry, jump, and use several conditioning machines within the same week.
That variety can improve general work capacity and make classes fun. It can also be mentally demanding for a new member who is learning several unfamiliar exercises while the clock is running.
Choose Orangetheory if you like repeatable cardio
Orangetheory changes its daily template, but the treadmill and rower provide continuity.
You can ask concrete questions:
- Is my base pace improving?
- Can I hold a faster push pace?
- Can I cover more distance during the same interval?
- Is my 500-meter row getting faster?
- Does the same pace produce a lower perceived effort?
That makes Orangetheory especially attractive to people who enjoy running, power walking, rowing, or visible numbers.
Neither format is automatically “more effective”
The American College of Sports Medicine’s updated resistance-training guidance emphasizes that consistency, appropriate effort, and matching training to your goal matter more than finding a needlessly complicated routine. (ACSM resistance-training guidance)
The brand name on the wall matters less than:
- How often you attend
- Whether the class trains what you care about
- Whether you gradually increase the challenge
- Whether you recover between sessions
- Whether the coach helps you move well
- Whether the schedule survives contact with your real life
Which is better for strength?
For strength, compare F45 resistance classes against Orangetheory Strength 50, not a resistance-focused F45 day against a cardio-heavy Orange 60 class.
The case for F45
F45 schedules dedicated resistance workouts. Its resistance programming includes compound movements, different tempos, loaded circuits, and strength-oriented formats. F45 also provides standardized assessments such as Benchmark, which can give members recurring performance checkpoints.
The challenge is that much of the work remains timed, and exercise variations rotate. You may not repeat the same lift often enough to use a traditional week-by-week progression.
The case for Orangetheory
The strength floor in Orange 60 contributes useful resistance work, and Strength 50 gives participating studios a more focused strength option.
Orangetheory’s newer strength tracking can make loads and repetitions easier to preserve in supported classes. Still, the availability of classes, equipment, and repeated exercise patterns depends on the studio and programming cycle.
The honest strength verdict
Either brand can help a beginner become stronger.
If your goal is maximizing a specific lift or building as much muscle as possible, a repeatable progressive resistance program may eventually be easier to measure than either brand’s constantly changing group templates.
Adults should generally include muscle-strengthening work for all major muscle groups on at least two days each week, alongside aerobic activity. (CDC adult activity guidelines)
Ask each studio:
- How many resistance-focused classes can I attend at times that work for me?
- How often do important movement patterns repeat?
- Can I record weights and repetitions?
- Does the equipment allow me to keep progressing?
- Will a coach help me choose an appropriate load and improve my form?
Those answers tell you more than the logo.
Which is better for cardio?
Orangetheory has the clearer edge for people who want structured treadmill or rowing progress.
Its signature workout gives those modalities a prominent role, and the app can preserve class, challenge, and benchmark results. Heart-rate zones provide immediate feedback about effort. (Orangetheory memberships and app)
Running is not mandatory. Orangetheory’s official FAQ says members can power walk and that studios provide bikes and striders as lower-impact treadmill alternatives. (Orangetheory FAQ)
F45 cardio is broader. Depending on the session, it may combine ergs, agility, bodyweight movements, plyometrics, and resistance exercises. That can build versatile conditioning, but the changing stations make it harder to isolate one performance number.
F45’s LionHeart system reports heart-rate zones, effort points, personal records, and estimated calorie burn. It can use a LionHeart band or supported Apple Health data. (F45 LionHeart)
Do not confuse either heart-rate score with total fitness.
Splat Points and LionHeart Points describe aspects of effort. They do not tell you whether your squat became stronger, your running economy improved, or your technique got better.
Which is easier for tracking progress?
Orangetheory makes everyday cardio progress easier to see.
F45 gives you more varied performance opportunities but requires a better personal tracking system.
Useful Orangetheory metrics
Track a small set of repeatable numbers:
- Treadmill base pace or incline
- Push or All Out pace
- Benchmark mile or distance
- 500-meter or 2,000-meter row
- Dumbbell load and repetitions for recurring floor movements
- Similar output at a lower perceived effort
- Monthly attendance
The Orangetheory app includes performance history, body-composition scans where available, challenges, and benchmark results.
Useful F45 metrics
F45 members can use:
- Benchmark and other app assessments
- LionHeart reports
- Repeatable rower, ski erg, or bike intervals
- Loads and repetitions for recurring strength exercises
- Assistance level, range of motion, or movement quality
- Monthly attendance
The F45 Training app supports logging assessments such as Benchmark and Playoffs, while LionHeart adds heart-rate context. (F45 Training app)
The mistake is trying to record every station. Track one or two useful anchors per class.
For a complete system, read how to make progress at F45 when every workout is different.
How to track progress when every class changes
Use the same simple system for either studio.
1. Pick four anchors
Choose one measurement from each area:
- Strength: a recurring squat, hinge, push, or pull
- Cardio: treadmill pace, row time, or machine distance
- Technique: range of motion, assistance, control, or pain-free variation
- Consistency: completed classes per week or month
2. Compare like with like
Do not compare:
- A 30-second row against a 60-second row
- A goblet squat against a barbell front squat
- A cardio-class heart-rate score against a resistance-class score
- A treadmill sprint after a rest day against one completed while exhausted
The comparison does not need laboratory precision. It does need enough context to mean something.
3. Keep a 30-second post-class log
Record:
- Class type
- One strength or technique result
- One cardio result
- Effort from 1 to 10
- One target for next time
For example:
Orangetheory Orange 60: Held 5.7 mph base pace for every block. Rowed 512 meters during the four-minute effort. Used 25-pound dumbbells for the chest press. Next target: keep base pace and reach 525 meters.
Or:
F45 resistance: Goblet squat, 45 pounds for 12 clean reps in 40 seconds. Assisted chin-up with the same band for eight reps. Next target: nine chin-ups or less assistance.
4. Review four-week trends
One class can be affected by sleep, stress, heat, hydration, soreness, and station order.
Look for patterns across several weeks:
- More classes completed
- Higher repeatable output
- More load or clean repetitions
- Better range of motion
- Faster recovery
- The same work feeling easier
That is progress even when every template is different.
Which is better for beginners?
Both brands say their workouts are adaptable to different fitness levels.
F45’s certified coaches can modify movements, while studio screens provide a visual reference. The main beginner challenge is speed: you may be learning several exercises while rotating quickly between stations.
Orangetheory may feel easier to understand because the treadmill and rower repeat. Beginners can power walk, and the company lists bikes and striders as lower-impact alternatives. The heart-rate screen can help with pacing, although it can also become distracting if you treat every minute as a competition.
A good beginner experience depends heavily on the local coach.
Before joining, notice whether the coach:
- Asks about injuries, limitations, and goals
- Explains unfamiliar equipment
- Offers meaningful regressions and progressions
- Corrects form without embarrassing people
- Encourages appropriate effort instead of maximum effort
- Can explain what today’s workout is supposed to accomplish
Tell the coach about pain, pregnancy, recent surgery, or clinician-directed restrictions before class. A scalable workout is not a substitute for individualized medical or rehabilitation guidance.
Which is better for weight loss?
Neither class creates weight loss automatically.
Both can contribute meaningful physical activity and help you preserve or build fitness. Long-term weight change still depends on your overall energy intake, daily movement, sleep, recovery, and the consistency of the routine.
The CDC notes that physical activity supports health at any weight, while food intake and regular activity both matter for weight management. (CDC on physical activity and weight)
Do not choose based on the largest advertised calorie number.
Wearable calorie estimates are noisy, and a workout that claims a larger burn can be offset by:
- Attending less often
- Moving less during the rest of the day
- Increased hunger
- Poor recovery
- Treating exercise as permission to overeat
Choose the class you can attend repeatedly while still sleeping, eating, and recovering well.
Which is better for your schedule?
F45’s standard 45-minute format has an obvious advantage if an extra 15 minutes determines whether you can train before work or during lunch.
Orangetheory may compensate with more locations, nationwide privileges on eligible memberships, and a broader mix of class times in some markets.
Do not compare only the scheduled class length. Compare:
- Commute
- Parking
- Required arrival time
- Shower and changing facilities
- Waitlists
- Cancellation window
- Classes available before work, after work, and on weekends
A 45-minute class 25 minutes away may be less convenient than a 60-minute class around the corner.
F45 or Orangetheory: who should choose which?
Choose F45 if:
- You prefer functional circuits over treadmill blocks
- Exercise variety keeps you interested
- A 45-minute class fits your schedule better
- You enjoy moving around the room
- You want dedicated resistance, cardio, and hybrid days
- You are willing to track a few movement anchors yourself
Choose Orangetheory if:
- You enjoy running, power walking, or rowing
- Heart-rate feedback motivates you
- You want repeatable cardio metrics
- You like knowing your pace, distance, and benchmark results
- You want the option of Orange 60, Tread 50, and Strength 50
- Cross-studio convenience matters
Consider another format if:
- Your primary goal is maximizing barbell strength
- You need one-on-one rehabilitation
- Fast group transitions consistently compromise your form
- High-intensity classes interfere with your recovery or sport training
- You dislike scheduled classes enough that you keep skipping them
The best way to decide
Take one class at each studio at a time you could realistically attend every week.
Do not choose based only on which trial workout feels harder. New exercises and unfamiliar equipment can make any first class feel intense.
After each class, answer:
- Did I understand what I was supposed to do?
- Did the coach notice and help me?
- Could I scale the workout without feeling singled out?
- Can I see how I would make progress here?
- Does the schedule work three months from now?
- Did I leave challenged—or simply confused and exhausted?
- Do I want to come back?
Studio culture can outweigh the differences between the two brands. A great local coach, useful schedule, and welcoming community are worth more than a theoretically perfect class you avoid.
Where BodyBuddy fits
Whichever studio you choose, the class itself is only one part of the week.
After class, you can text BodyBuddy a short recap:
F45 resistance today: 45-pound goblet squat for 12 clean reps. Next target is 13 reps or the next weight up. Thursday is my next class.
Or:
Orangetheory today: held 5.7 mph base pace and rowed 512 meters in four minutes. Next target is 525 meters.
BodyBuddy can keep that intention present during your daily accountability and carry your next target into the week. It does not replace the studio’s coaches, programming, or performance systems. It helps prevent a useful class result from disappearing before the next workout.
For a deeper explanation of that layer, read why daily fitness accountability works better than motivation alone.
Disclosure: This article was written by the creators of BodyBuddy. BodyBuddy is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by F45 Training or Orangetheory Fitness.
The bottom line
Choose F45 if you want shorter functional circuits, frequent exercise variety, and dedicated resistance and cardio days.
Choose Orangetheory if you want treadmill and rowing intervals, highly visible heart-rate feedback, and cardio benchmarks that are easier to compare.
For strength, cost, coaching, and convenience, the local studio matters more than the national brand.
The best program is not the one that produces the most dramatic trial class. It is the one you can attend consistently, recover from, and progressively improve within.
Frequently asked questions
Is F45 harder than Orangetheory?
Not universally. F45 may feel harder when a class uses rapid station changes, plyometrics, or unfamiliar movements. Orangetheory may feel harder when treadmill and rowing intervals dominate. The specific template, your pace, and how you scale the workout determine difficulty.
Is F45 or Orangetheory better for building muscle?
Both can build strength and muscle in beginners. Compare F45 resistance days with Orangetheory Strength 50 availability. For maximizing muscle growth, you may eventually benefit from a repeatable resistance program with measurable weekly volume and progression.
Is F45 or Orangetheory better for weight loss?
Neither automatically wins. The better choice is the one you attend consistently while maintaining sustainable nutrition, sleep, and recovery habits. Do not choose based only on estimated calories burned during one class.
Can beginners do F45 or Orangetheory?
Yes. Both companies describe their workouts as scalable. F45 coaches can modify movements, while Orangetheory allows power walking and offers bike or strider alternatives. The quality of the local coach and onboarding experience still matters.
Does Orangetheory have more cardio than F45?
The signature Orange 60 class generally gives treadmill and rowing work a more consistent role. F45 also offers demanding cardio sessions, but the modality changes more frequently across stations and programming phases.
Can I combine F45 and Orangetheory?
You can, but two memberships may be expensive and too many high-intensity sessions can undermine recovery. Decide what each class is adding to your week, avoid stacking every hard session together, and keep at least one clear recovery strategy.
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