Swim Spa vs Fitness Spa: A Comprehensive Guide

This guide explains the key differences and similarities between swim spas and fitness spas

Key takeaways: 

• A swim spa is bigger than a fitness spa and takes up more room 
• Swim spas offer a much better swimming experience than fitness spas
• A fitness spa may come with a foot massager and a neck rest 

Homeowners who want to make the most of their outdoor spaces and create backyard oases might be interested in purchasing a spa. A swim spa and fitness spa are two options. 

These terms may seem the same and they do have similarities, but swim spas and fitness spas differ in key ways. We will explain the differences and similarities of these two products in this handy guide. 

What do swim and fitness spas have in common?

A fitness spa and a swim spa share some similarities. Both have seating and can accommodate a number of people for outdoor recreation. Furthermore, both spas help rejuvenate, relax, and destress your mind and body. If you want to heal holistically, both types of spas can help you. 

You can also get adequate physical activity in both a fitness spa and a swim spa, but the features are different. Owners can experience complete relaxation, improve the quality of their sleep, reduce stress, soothe body aches, and get the best hydrotherapy. The combination of temperature, pressure jets, buoyancy, and massage make them both excellent at rehabilitating your body.

Plus, both feature an Ozonator for hygienic water, a durable external frame, foam insulation, 220v with a 50-amp electrical system, digital controls, LED lighting, and much more. Your choice will depend on the features you want and how you want to exercise in the unit. 

Top seven differences between a swim spa and a fitness spa

Now that we’ve gone through the similarities, it's time to take a look at the characteristics that separate a swim spa from a fitness spa.

• Size: Fitness spas are smaller than swim spas. Even the largest fitness spas come up short. Thus, if you want more space, a swim spa makes more sense. However, if your fitness regime is more concentrated and you don’t need a ton of space, a fitness spa will do the job. 

• Real estate: The bigger structure of the swim spa means it'll take up more area in your backyard than a fitness spa. Even the largest fitness spa is more small-scale. In contrast, the bigger swim spas can take up more backyard space. So, if you are a little tight on the surrounding area, a fitness spa may be more appropriate. 

• Limited social capacity: Since a fitness spa is smaller and generally meant for workouts and recuperation, it may not be ideal for socializing. You can still fit people inside and utilize amazing features like foot massagers but it might be a bit cramped.  

• Swimming capability: The "swim" in swim spa clearly suggests that out of the two, it's the one more equipped to handle swim sessions. A swim spa is much more swim-friendly than a fitness spa. That doesn't mean you can't float around a bit in a fitness spa – you definitely can – but if you want a full-blown swimming experience, you should opt for a swim spa.
  
  The bigger design makes a swim spa more suitable for swimming sessions. It's kind of like a mini swimming pool, something that a fitness spa isn’t meant to be. Some of the unit designs are so wide that you can easily accommodate multiple people in the spa. You can get an unparalleled and exhilarating swimming session, either against or with the water current. 

• Fitness: A fitness spa caters to pretty much all your fitness needs, and due to it being primarily catered to fitness, it’s a great option for those seeking a multitude of fitness benefits beyond just swimming. A fitness spa is a total fitness system that’s designed for complete body wellness to support aerobic exercise, strength training, and flexibility. 
  
  It offers the ability to train, recover, and elevate your body, all in one place. A fitness spa is the perfect platform to gain strength, plus you can stimulate and tone your muscles without straining your joints. 

• Foot/calf massager: Swim spas don’t usually come with foot/calf massagers, but fitness spas do. They have pressure jets, one for each foot, positioned at the bottom of the unit that will relieve all your leg tension and strain in no time. 

• Neck rest: If you want to rest your tired, sore, aching neck after a long and stressful day, then a fitness spa will be the best choice. Although both types of spas feature headrests, the neck rest option only comes with a fitness spa. The ergonomically designed neck rest will wrap you in comfort and deliver the ultimate relaxation. 

Now that you know how swim and fitness spas differ, it's just a matter of getting one that best suits your requirements. Both elevate the quality of your life, improve your physical well-being, and lift your mental health. At the end of the day, a workout and warm soak in either one will leave you relaxed and rested.

Fitness spa or swim spa?

Ultimately, whether you want a fitness spa or a swim spa comes down to your unique needs. If you have swimming on your mind and that is what you intend to do more of, then a swim spa is excellent. However, if you want core fitness that targets every area of your body and relaxation features like a foot/calf massager, then a fitness spa makes more sense.