Gym app SPORTL launches in London after GBP £250,000 raise

SPORTL, a pay-as-you-train gym booking app, has launched in London after closing a £250,000 pre-seed funding round and signing up 50 studios for its initial roster.

SPORTL has spoken with more than 300 gyms about joining the platform. At launch, the app lists London-based gym studios and fitness centres that users can book without a membership or subscription.

The initial group of venues includes Common Bond, which represents several fitness and wellbeing brands across the city. Listed studios and operators include Boom Cycle, Triyoga, Barrecore and Reformcore. Other venues include RFRM, TrainYard, Revolt Cycling, Manor and Reformer Collective.

The launch adds to a crowded market for fitness discovery and booking, and to an ongoing debate among studio operators about how third-party platforms affect pricing and customer relationships. SPORTL positions itself as a way to sell unused class capacity to meet ad hoc consumer demand.

Co-founder Ryan Lovelock said the product grew out of extensive conversations with gym owners and managers across London.

"My co-founder Matt and I spent the last year walking the streets of London, sitting down and talking firsthand with gym owners and managers to understand what is missing in the industry, and if SPORTL could be the answer. Seeing SPORTL launch today and physically opening the app is a dream come true. Our mission is to work alongside gym owners, giving them the flexibility and transparency they deserve from a booking platform. We're incredibly proud of what we've built, and we can't wait for SPORTL to become part of people's everyday routines, helping them book classes on their terms, whenever it suits them," Lovelock said.

Funding and board

The £250,000 round attracted backers with experience in consulting, consumer delivery and health-related businesses. Kevin Hewitt, former EMEA Chairman of FTI Consulting, participated in the round and will join SPORTL as chairman of the board.

Other investors include James Hardy, a former Deliveroo executive and co-founder of personalised supplements business Bioniq, and recruitment entrepreneur and health tech investor Jamie Hearne.

Hewitt described the company as a response to the mismatched supply and demand in the fitness market.

"SPORTL is revolutionising the fitness industry, bridging a real gap in the market where spare gym capacity meets the need for spontaneous demand. The early traction has been impressive, and I'm proud to be part of what Matt and Ryan are building. This is just the beginning, and I look forward to being part of the journey ahead," Hewitt said.

Commercial model

SPORTL markets itself as a pay-as-you-go alternative to gym memberships and monthly subscriptions. Users book sessions through the app, which is available on iOS and Android.

For gym and studio operators, SPORTL frames its proposition around selling excess capacity without relying on long-term customer commitments. It enters a landscape shaped by class aggregators and discount-driven channels, which some operators say can complicate yield management and member access.

Katrina Fox, founder of RFRM., said studios can be cautious about listing inventory on external booking platforms because of concerns around control, pricing and brand value.

"As an independent studio, filling underutilised capacity without diluting our brand or membership value is something every owner thinks about. Opening your doors to external booking platforms can feel like a scary ride, there's always that fear of losing control of your pricing, your community, and ultimately the value of each booking. RFRM. was founded on the belief that movement should feel accessible and community-led, and SPORTL gives people a way to find us without the barrier of a commitment they're not ready to make. When you introduce new people in the right way, everyone wins - That's how you build a loyal fitness community and absolutely something I am happy to be a part of," Fox said.

Hiring and expansion

SPORTL has made two hires following the funding. Lucy Gray has joined as Marketing Manager. SPORTL described her as a fitness influencer with more than 12,000 followers. Sean Sevant has joined as Partnerships Manager, bringing sales experience from David Lloyd Leisure.

The pre-seed investment will fund further product development and new features after the initial launch phase. SPORTL also plans to broaden its network beyond London and expand into other major UK cities.

Operators continue to assess how third-party platforms affect profitability when bookings come through discounted channels. Tony Chin, Founder of Amica Shoreditch, compared SPORTL's approach with the economics of class aggregators.

"Users who access our classes through ClassPass don't want a membership because they already have one. We're only losing money, and looking at the SPORTL model here, it means that even if we gave them the price that ClassPass are offering, then we'd actually make some money. If we converted every ClassPass member, we would have thousands of pounds however, we often make nothing and have to turn away our own members; we look busy, but we're struggling," Chin said.

SPORTL's next focus is increasing the number of venues available for booking in London and signing studios in other UK cities as it scales beyond its initial footprint.