A website for your gym: class timetable, memberships and booking from the phone
What a gym website needs beyond Instagram: a timetable that is easy to update, memberships and terms, trainers, booking from the phone and a free trial that collects contacts with consent.
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Most gyms in Albania rely on Instagram alone: the class timetable goes up as a story, prices are given by message and the first trial is arranged by word of mouth. That works until the messages pile up and the same question arrives ten times a day. A simple website answers those questions without you: what a membership costs, which classes are on today and at what time, who the trainers are, where to park. It also lets people book a class or a free trial from their phone, and leaves you with the contact details of whoever came for a trial, so you can follow up afterwards.
Your members always have their phones in hand. According to INSTAT, 87.2% of people aged 16–74 in Albania used the internet in 2025, and 99.9% of them went online by mobile phone. A gym website is opened mostly on phones, so build it and test it there first.
Laws, tools and Google guidance were checked against official sources on 27 October 2026. Terms change, so confirm them before you decide.
What people ask before they join
Look at last month’s messages on Instagram and WhatsApp: most of them are the same questions. The website should answer every one.
| Question | Where it is answered | What to write |
|---|---|---|
| “How much is it?” | Memberships | The membership types, their length and what each includes. |
| “What classes are on today?” | Timetable | Day, time, duration, trainer, level and places left. |
| “Who is the trainer?” | Trainers | Speciality, qualifications and hours. |
| “Where are you and when are you open?” | Contact | Map, parking, opening hours and public holidays. |
| “What is inside?” | Facilities | Equipment, showers, lockers and any dedicated areas. |
| “Can I try it?” | Free trial | What the trial includes and how to book it. |
A class timetable that is easy to update
The timetable is the most visited page. Publish it as text or as a calendar on the website, not as an image: an image is hard to read on a phone, has to be remade for every change and Google does not read it as text.
- For each class, give the name, day and time, duration, trainer, level and room.
- If you run many classes, let people filter by day, type of class or trainer.
- Put changes, such as public holidays, summer hours or a cancelled class, at the top of the timetable, not only in a story.
- Keep the timetable in one place. If you use booking software, the website should display the timetable from it, so you never have two timetables that disagree.
Do not mark up opening hours or members-only classes as events for Google. According to Google’s guidelines, business hours are not events, and events that require a membership are not eligible for event results. For structured data, a gym has its own type on schema.org: ExerciseGym.
Memberships and terms
The most common message to a gym’s Instagram is “How much is it?”. If you publish the price, also say what it includes. If you do not, at least explain the membership types and how to get a quote.
- Types: monthly, three-month, annual, a limited number of visits, classes only or with a personal trainer.
- What is included: equipment, classes, the sauna, an introductory session with a trainer.
- Terms: freezing a membership for holidays or injuries, cancellation, renewal and discounts for students or families.
- Payment: at reception, by card, by bank transfer or by payment link.
When memberships are sold online
An online sale is a distance contract under Albania’s Law no. 9902/2008 on consumer protection, as amended, which remains in force while a new law is being prepared (Consumer Protection Commission annual report). For the website, this means:
- 14 days to withdraw: the consumer can withdraw from the contract within 14 days without giving a reason (Article 37/1). For a class on a specific date, this right may not apply (Article 37/8).
- Starting straight away: if a member wants to start training within those days, ask them to request it expressly. If they withdraw later, they pay in proportion to what they have used (Articles 37 and 37/6).
- The order button: the button that completes the purchase must clearly say “order with obligation to pay” or something equivalent; otherwise the consumer is not bound to pay (Article 37).
- Automatic renewal: before the purchase, state how long the contract lasts and how to end it if it renews automatically (Article 36). An automatic renewal with an unreasonable deadline to stop it is an unfair term (Article 27).
This section is not legal advice; for your own contract, ask a lawyer.
Monthly payments
Automatic monthly card payments are harder for a business in Albania. Many gym software platforms collect them through Stripe or GoCardless: TeamUp integrates with both, and Glofox lists Stripe, GoCardless, Ezidebit and PayU. Stripe does not include Albania in its supported countries, and neither does GoCardless in its merchant countries. Before choosing the software, ask how members pay when the gym is registered in Albania. Some banks offer recurring card payments, such as Raiffeisen Bank in its ecommerce service; otherwise, payment at reception or a monthly payment link remain the simplest options.
Trainers
Many people choose a gym for its trainers. For each one, add a page or a section with:
- a real photo and their name;
- what they offer: strength, weight loss, recovery after injuries, group classes;
- the qualifications and certificates they actually hold;
- the hours they work and how to book a personal session.
Do not promise results you cannot prove, such as “lose 10 kg in a month”. A real member’s story, published with their permission, is more convincing.
Booking from the phone
For classes with limited places, booking from the phone replaces the WhatsApp list. There are three ways:
| Method | How it works | When it suits you | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form or WhatsApp | The member asks for a place and staff confirm it. | A few classes a week. | How long it takes to confirm each request. |
| Gym software | Timetable, places left, waiting list, memberships and a member app. | Several classes a day and many members. | The app’s language, payments in Albania and the cost per member or per location. |
| Booking platform | Customers find you and book on the platform. | When you want new customers. | The fees and who holds the customer data. |
Among local platforms, Voop also covers gyms. For foreign software, check the language: Glofox says it runs in more than 15 languages without listing them, and none of the pages we read mention Albanian.
Set the rules too: how late a booking can be cancelled, what happens when a member does not show up, how many classes they can book at once and how the waiting list works. Our online booking guide explains how to prepare the rules and test booking on a phone.
A free trial that collects contacts
A free trial is the easiest way for someone to get to know you. The website turns it into a contact you can follow up:
- A clear offer: a free class, three days’ access or a session with a trainer. Say what it includes and who it is for, for example first-time visitors only.
- A short form: name, phone number, when they would like to come and, if you wish, their goal. Do not ask for health information in the form: Law no. 124/2024 treats it as sensitive data. Ask about injuries or conditions at the gym, with the trainer.
- Consent for later messages: replying about the trial is one thing; sending offers by email or SMS is another. Under Article 165 of Law no. 54/2024 on electronic communications, marketing by email is allowed only with prior consent, so add a separate, unticked consent box. Anyone can withdraw consent and object to marketing at any time.
- Follow-up: an immediate confirmation, a reminder the day before and a call or message after the trial. Our contact form guide explains why reply speed matters.
- Measurement: how many trials were booked, how many people came and how many joined afterwards.
If you run classes for children, remember that for online services, consent for a child under 16 is given by a parent (Law no. 124/2024, Article 8).
Instagram, Google and the website
- Instagram shows the atmosphere, the classes and the trainers. Add links to the timetable and the free trial to your profile; Instagram allows up to five links. What to do if you lose the account is explained in website or just Instagram.
- Google Business Profile: opening hours, photos, phone number and the booking link. In the bookings section you can add your own booking page link (Google’s instructions). Our Google Business Profile guide explains how to complete the profile, and how to get Google reviews covers reviews.
- Photos and videos of members: publish them only with permission. Law no. 124/2024 requires that consent can be withdrawn as easily as it was given, so remove a photo when a member asks.
Illustrative example: a gym with three trainers in Durrës
A gym in Durrës has three trainers and about twenty classes a week. It posts the timetable as a story every Monday, and reception answers dozens of messages about prices. The owner puts the memberships on the website with what each includes, the timetable as text with a filter by day, a page for each trainer and a form for a free trial class. Class bookings move to software with a waiting list, while monthly payments stay at reception, with a payment link for members who pay remotely.
After every trial, reception calls the person the next day. After three months, the owner compares how many trials were booked through the website, how many people came and how many joined, and which questions still arrive by message.
Checklist
- Are memberships on the website, with what each includes and the terms for freezing and cancelling?
- Is the timetable text, up to date and readable on a phone?
- Does each trainer have a page or section, with real qualifications?
- Can a class or trial be booked from a phone in under a minute?
- Does the booking software accept a gym registered in Albania, and how do members pay?
- Does the online purchase button say clearly that the order involves an obligation to pay?
- Is the marketing consent box separate and unticked?
- Does the form ask only for what you need, with no health information?
- Are opening hours and the booking link the same on the website, on Google and on Instagram?
Frequently asked questions
Does my gym need an app?
Usually not. Members can use a booking page that opens in the browser, or the app of the software you use. An app under your own name makes sense for gyms with several locations, a loyalty programme or many members who book every day; we build mobile apps for iOS and Android.
Should I publish membership prices?
It is your choice. A price on the website saves many messages and makes it easier for customers to compare. If you do not publish it, explain the membership types and how to get a quote.
How do I connect Instagram to the website?
Put the timetable and trial links in your profile, and the Instagram link on your website. When you post a new class, send followers to the page where they can book it.
We build gym websites with the timetable, memberships, trainers and a booking setup that suits how you work: a link to the software you use, booking on your own website or custom software. Explore our website design service or tell us about your gym.