Studio rental vs commercial gym as a personal trainer in Amsterdam

As a freelance PT in Amsterdam you have two main paths: work in a commercial gym (Optimum, Sportcity, David Lloyd) or rent a private studio (SculptClub model). Both bring clients — but structural differences determine whether in 5 years you still keep 100% of what you charge, or half goes to someone else.

The two models

Commercial gym = you work under their roof, with their members, in their system. Studio rental = you rent space per hour, with your clients, in your system.

• Commercial gym: Examples: Optimum, Sportcity, David Lloyd, SportCity Plus, USC. Usually a fixed monthly fee or per-session commission.
• Private studio rental: Example: SculptClub. You rent per hour, with all your own clients. No membership, no commission.

Commercial gym — what you get, what you give up

Working at a commercial gym in Amsterdam typically means:

• Access to member base: Direct potential clients on the floor. You don't have to do all acquisition yourself.
• Gym uniform / branding: You often wear a gym shirt; you communicate on behalf of the gym, not yourself.
• Mandatory hours: A number of “floor hours” per week you're available for members (often unpaid or low-paid).
• 30-50% commission: The gym takes 30-50% of your session rate. €60 session → €30-42 for you.
• No client contact outside session: Communication outside the gym (DMs, planning) often runs via the gym system.
• Lock-in via client base: Clients belong to the gym. When you leave, you can't take them (contractually).

Net effective: €30-42 per session instead of your full €60. At 20 sessions/week = €600-840/week vs €1,200 on own rental. Difference: €360-600/week = €1,500-2,500/month.

Private studio rental — what you get, what you do yourself

At SculptClub:

• Rent per hour from €12: No membership. No contract. Fixed costs = zero.
• 0% commission: What you charge, you keep. No cut, no percentage.
• Own profile on the website: Since 2026: trainers get a profile page on sculptclub.nl with photo, bio, specializations + WhatsApp CTA. We're your distribution partner.
• Own client contact: DMs, planning, WhatsApp — all via you. The client is yours.
• Own branding: No mandatory uniform. You present yourself under your own name + brand.
• You handle your own acquisition: We do bring inbound (free intro requests via the site), but most clients you bring yourself.

Net effective: €60 (your rate) − €12 rental = €48 per session. At 20 sessions/week = €960/week vs €600-840 at a commercial gym.

Commissions compared in numbers

Over a year of 20 sessions/week (~864 sessions): the difference between SculptClub (€48 net) and commercial gym at 40% (€36 net) = €12 × 864 = €10,368 per year in your pocket.

Client ownership — who does the client belong to?

The real legal + emotional split:

• Commercial gym: Clients are members of the gym. Their contract is with the gym, not you. Legally + contractually you cannot take them when you leave. Some gyms even include non-compete clauses (~3-12 months) where you cannot approach their clients within X km.
• Private studio rental: Clients are your clients. You have the relationship. If you leave SculptClub for somewhere else — your clients come along. We have no contract with them, only with you (and that's per hour, no lock-in).

This is the most underestimated structural difference. Build 5 years of client book at a commercial gym, and everything you built stays there when you leave.

Brand positioning

Commercial gym branding often hurts your brand more than helps:

• In commercial gym: “Trainer at Optimum Vondelpark” — you're part of a brand where people also take €5/month memberships. Your premium status dilutes automatically.
• At private studio: “Trainer at SculptClub Jordaan” OR simply “Personal Trainer in Jordaan” — you're an independent professional, not a gym employee.

For trainers who want to charge premium rates (€75+/session), brand positioning is critical. Premium clients pay for an independent expert, not for “the PT at the gym where I work out”.

When commercial gym IS still better

This blog doesn't pretend there's zero rationale for commercial gym. For some profiles it works:

• Beginners without a network: You have zero existing clients and want volume fast. The gym gives you access to their member base. First 6 months of experience can be valuable.
• Trainers who don't want to handle anything: No admin, no marketing, no intake flow. The gym handles it in exchange for commission. Fits people who just want to train.
• Niche trainers with specific equipment: A gym with cryotherapy, EMS, or a hyperbaric chamber offers equipment you'd never buy yourself. Specific niche can be worth it.

For most mid-career trainers (12+ clients, €55+ rate, want autonomy), studio rental is financially AND strategically the better choice.

Hybrid: best of both worlds

Some trainers do both at once:

• 50/50 split: 12 sessions/week own clients at SculptClub + 12 sessions/week gym members at commercial gym.
• Build a brand: Start in commercial gym for client acquisition. After 12 months migrate your best clients to studio rental — take back your margin.
• Specific niches: General PT in commercial gym, premium 1-on-1 in private studio. Two rate tiers, two client types.

The hybrid model works — just watch out for contractual non-compete clauses and consistent client relations. Don't mix your SculptClub clients with gym clients.