If you belonged to an Equinox gym, SoulCycle, or Equinox+ in New York and had trouble canceling, you may be able to collect a refund under the Equinox membership cancellation settlement reached with New York Attorney General Letitia James in May 2025. Eligible New York subscribers can claim up to $100, or up to $250 if they previously filed a formal complaint about the cancellation process. Claims must be submitted by email no later than August 2, 2025.
Who Can Claim a Refund
The settlement created two tiers of restitution, both limited to New York members of Equinox, Equinox+, or SoulCycle.1NY Attorney General. Attorney General James Secures $600,000 From Fitness Company Equinox for Its Hard-to-Cancel Memberships
- Up to $250 for subscribers who filed a formal complaint about cancellation difficulties with Equinox, the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, or the New York Attorney General’s office between February 9, 2021 and December 31, 2024.2CBS News New York. New York Equinox SoulCycle Settlement
- Up to $100 for New York members who first subscribed or attempted to cancel during the same February 9, 2021 through December 31, 2024 window, even without a formal complaint on file.1NY Attorney General. Attorney General James Secures $600,000 From Fitness Company Equinox for Its Hard-to-Cancel Memberships
The refunds are described as “up to” those amounts, so the actual payout may be lower depending on how many members submit valid claims against the $600,000 the company paid.
How to File Your Claim
Claims are handled by email, and the address depends on which brand you belonged to.2CBS News New York. New York Equinox SoulCycle Settlement
- Equinox gym and Equinox+ members: NewYorkAGclaims@equinox.com
- SoulCycle members: NewYorkAGclaims@soul-cycle.com
Your email needs to include your name and the phone number or email address tied to your membership account. The deadline for all claims is August 2, 2025.2CBS News New York. New York Equinox SoulCycle Settlement
Why the State Ordered Refunds
The Attorney General’s office concluded that Equinox Group’s cancellation process was “complex, difficult and time-consuming” and violated New York law on automatic renewals and simple cancellation.1NY Attorney General. Attorney General James Secures $600,000 From Fitness Company Equinox for Its Hard-to-Cancel Memberships If any of the following happened to you during the eligibility window, it likely fits the pattern the state documented.
Staff at physical clubs were instructed not to process cancellations and to “try to save the member” with freezes or other incentives. The Equinox app pushed users toward freezing rather than canceling, and told members that cancellation was only available in person, by mail, or by email. Members who tried the webchat faced automated prompts, waits for a live agent, and additional retention pitches before a request would even be logged.3NY Attorney General. Equinox Group LLC Assurance of Discontinuance
Many members were also bound by a one-year “Obligation Period” that wasn’t clearly disclosed during online enrollment. Canceling during that year was effectively impossible unless a member qualified for a narrow exception such as a qualifying disability, a move of more than 25 miles, or the closure of their home club.3NY Attorney General. Equinox Group LLC Assurance of Discontinuance
What Equinox Must Do Going Forward
Alongside the $600,000 payment, the Assurance of Discontinuance filed on May 30, 2025 requires Equinox to overhaul how it sells and cancels subscriptions in New York.3NY Attorney General. Equinox Group LLC Assurance of Discontinuance Material terms, including recurring charges, cancellation policies, and any minimum commitment period, must be presented in contrasting fonts or colors so they are “difficult to miss.” The company must obtain unambiguous affirmative consent for auto-renewals, separate from the rest of the transaction. Members who signed up online must be able to cancel online, and cancellation must be at least as easy as sign-up. After enrollment, Equinox has to send a written acknowledgment covering the renewal terms, the cancellation policy, and step-by-step cancellation instructions in a format the member can keep.
Equinox stopped its problematic webchat cancellation process in March 2023 and rolled out an online cancellation option for all New York members by July 28, 2024. A company spokesperson said Equinox began updating its terms before the Attorney General’s inquiry and that “corrective steps were completed last year.”4Athletech News. Equinox Must Pay $600K for Hard-to-Cancel Memberships in NY
Other Equinox Lawsuits Are Separate
Two other cases against Equinox exist but are not part of this refund program. McCarthy v. Equinox Holdings, filed in New Jersey federal court in 2014, challenged the company’s 45-day written notice cancellation requirement; as of the last available reporting the case had not settled.5Top Class Actions. Equinox Membership Cancellation Class Action Lawsuit Filed in N.J. Rothman v. Equinox Holdings, pending in the Central District of California, alleges Equinox kept prepaid dues during 2020 COVID-19 closures and offered limited-duration gift cards instead of refunds; it covers California members with a home club whose agreements included a refund clause, and the opt-out deadline passed on August 1, 2025.6Gym Fee Class Action. Frequently Asked Questions Neither case pays out through the New York claims email above.