Budget operators are shaping the fitness landscape in Germany, with six of the top 10 for membership numbers targeting the low-cost market.

Analysis released by fitness and sports advisory firm Edelhelfer showed that McFIT remained number one on the list, with 1.5 million members, followed by Clever Fit, another low-cost business, with 650,000 customers.

Mid-market club Fitness First came in third with 245,000 members.

The study found that at the end of 2017, the top 10 operators had approximately 3.47 million members. The number of members in the list grew by 9.8 per cent from 3.16m in 2016.

The top 10 organisations account for a third of the total membership market in Germany, which was 10.1 million at the end of 2016.

McFIT grew its membership base last year by 25 per cent, from 1.2 million in 2016, through diversification of its club formats John Reed and High5, according to the analysis.

Last year, its first female-only club opened in Berlin under the John Reed Women’s Club brand. The group also introduced in-house 'live classes' held by instructors and marketed under its Cyberobics brand.

“McFIT uses its established standing and its reach to target new customer groups in the fitness market with related products,” said Edelhelfer’s managing director Niels Gronau.

As well as McFit and Clever Fit, the other companies targeting the low-cost market in the top 10 were FitX, Easy Fitness, Pfitzenmeier and Flexx Fitness. Apart from Fitness First, mid-market operators to make the list were Kieser Training, Injoy and Mrs Sporty.

To view the top 10 click here.