People who are considering boutique fitness always end up in the same place: staring at two tabs, one for Orangetheory Fitness and one for F45, trying to figure out which one to try first.
I'm going to help you with that. But I'll be upfront that I'm an OTF Obsessive. I write a newsletter about it. I track every class I take in a Notion dashboard.
So yeah, I have a bias. But I'll give F45 a fair shake, because it genuinely deserves one.
Here's what you actually need to know.
What Is Orangetheory Fitness?
Orangetheory (OTF) is a 60-minute group fitness class built around heart rate zone training. You wear a heart rate monitor, and your stats are displayed on screens throughout the studio in real time. The goal is to spend time in the "orange zone,” which triggers the afterburn effect (technically called EPOC, or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), meaning your body keeps burning calories for hours after class.
Every class rotates through three stations: treadmill, rowing machine, and the floor (dumbbells, TRX, medicine balls, ab work). The structure is consistent class to class, though the specific exercises and intervals change daily.
OTF has over 1,500 locations across all 50 states and 24 countries. Finding one near you is usually pretty easy.
What Is F45?
F45 stands for "Functional 45.” It’s basically functional training in 45-minute sessions. You’ll experience a circuit-based class where you rotate through stations and each is loaded with a different exercise. The equipment mix is broader than OTF: kettlebells, battle ropes, sandbags, sleds, dumbbells, plyo boxes, and more.
Unlike Orangetheory, F45 doesn't have a human coach leading you through the workout. Instead, screens at each station show you the movements, and coaches walk around to check form and offer encouragement. The programming changes daily and in theory, you'll never do the same workout twice.
F45 has over 2,000 locations across 45 countries, though its footprint in the U.S. is smaller than OTF's.
The Key Differences
Structure
OTF has a predictable format: treadmill, rower, floor. You always know the basic shape of what you're walking into. F45 is more of a mystery every day. There’s different equipment, different stations, different vibe depending on whether it's a cardio day or a resistance day.
If you like knowing what to expect and building mastery over time, OTF wins.
If you get bored easily and want to be surprised, F45 has the edge.
Cardio vs. Functional Strength
OTF is fundamentally a cardio-forward workout. Even the floor work is done at a pace that keeps your heart rate elevated. The weights tend to be lighter and the reps faster. F45 leans more toward functional strength — heavier implements, more varied movement patterns, more time under tension.
If running and rowing is your thing, OTF is home. If you want to swing kettlebells and drag sleds, F45 is calling.
The Data Element
This is where OTF has a real differentiator. The heart rate monitor system, the splat points, the post-workout summary — they all turn your workout into something trackable and gameable. As someone who logs every class, I love this. F45 does have its own heart rate tracking (Lionheart), but it's optional and less central to the experience.
Community Feel
Both have strong communities, but they feel different. OTF has a bit of a team-sport energy. You're often grouped with a partner or rotating alongside people you start to recognize class after class. F45 tends to feel more like a gym community than a squad. Neither is better, just different.
Cost
OTF memberships typically run $99–$189/month depending on your frequency package and location. (Memberships in big cities can go higher.) F45 memberships tend to start around $170–$199/month and can go higher.
Who Should Choose Orangetheory?
You want data: splat points, heart rate zones, post-class summaries
You like a coach-led, structured experience
You're more of a runner than a lifter
You travel and want gym access on the road
You want a consistent workout format you can get better at over time
Who Should Choose F45?
You get bored doing similar workouts repeatedly
You want more variety in equipment and movement patterns
You're interested in functional strength alongside cardio
You don't care as much about data and tracking
Your local F45 is priced competitively with OTF
My Take
I won’t pretend to be neutral here. I go to Orangetheory multiple times a week. I've been doing it long enough to beat five-year-old benchmarks and feel the difference when I miss a week.
What keeps me at OTF isn't just the workout. It's the data, the community, and the fact that I can walk into any studio in any city and know exactly what I'm getting into. There's something to be said for a system you can actually master.
F45 is a legitimately great workout. The variety is real, the equipment is fun, and if you've been in OTF for years and want something different, it's worth trying.
But for someone who's just deciding between the two? I think OTF gives you more to work with long-term.
Enjoyed this? OTF Obsessed is a weekly newsletter about Orangetheory culture, workouts, and community — written by someone who genuinely can't stop going.
