FDA cleared means the FDA found the device substantially equivalent to one already on the market. It is a real regulatory review you can look up by its number, and it is not a promise of any particular fitness result. Affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you.
Prices checked 10 August 2026 against Katalyst's own store and support pages. We may earn a commission on purchases through links on this page. That never changes the verdict.
Katalyst charges $49 a month for its membership, or less per month if you prepay: $488 for a year, $926 for two years, or $1,264 for three. It is not optional. Katalyst's own support page states it plainly: "Yes, membership is required with your initial purchase to use Katalyst."
That matters because the suit is $2,999 before the membership starts. So the number to plan around is not $2,999. It is closer to $3,487 in your first year on the cheapest annual plan, and it keeps going after that.
Every Katalyst membership plan, and what it works out to per month
| Plan | Price | Effective per month | Can you pause it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly | $49 | $49.00 | Yes, deactivate and reactivate any time |
| 1 year | $488 | $40.67 | No |
| 2 years | $926 | $38.58 | No |
| 3 years | $1,264 | $35.11 | No |
Renewals are priced the same as the initial terms, at $488, $926 and $1,264 respectively. There is also a Commercial Membership License at $250 for anyone training clients rather than themselves.
The pause rule is worth reading twice. Only the monthly plan can be switched off and back on. Katalyst's support page says "The monthly membership can be deactivated and reactivated at any time," and the annual terms do not carry that flexibility. So the cheaper per month you go, the more you are locked in. If you train seasonally, the $35.11 headline is not really available to you.
What it actually costs to own over time
Here is the arithmetic laid out, using Katalyst's $2,999 system price and the prepaid membership tiers. Visionbody is in the last column for scale, at its US price of $1,890 with our code applied, and no membership at any point.
| Period | Katalyst, monthly plan | Katalyst, prepaid plan | Visionbody |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $3,587 | $3,487 | $1,833.30 |
| 3 years | $4,763 | $4,263 | $1,833.30 |
| 5 years | $5,939 | $5,189 | $1,833.30 |
Working: year one monthly is $2,999 plus twelve payments of $49, which is $588. Year one prepaid is $2,999 plus $488. Three years prepaid is $2,999 plus the $1,264 three year term. Five years prepaid is that same $1,264 plus a $926 two year renewal on top of the suit. The Visionbody figure is $1,890 less the $56.70 that ROUTINES50 takes off, which is $1,833.30, and it does not change in later years because there is nothing recurring to pay.
By year five the gap is $3,355.70 on the prepaid comparison. That is not a rounding difference. It is another suit, plus a spare, plus change.
What happens if you stop paying
Katalyst's support page describes cancellation this way: your membership stays active through the last date of your paid subscription, and after that, if you originally paid by card, "your membership will auto-renew at $49 per month."
So the default behaviour after a prepaid term expires is a monthly charge, not a stop. If you prepay three years and then forget about it, you are on $49 a month from month 37 unless you act. Set a reminder when you buy.
We should be careful about one thing that gets repeated online: we have seen it claimed that the suit physically stops working without an active membership. Katalyst's support page does not say that. It says membership is required to use Katalyst and to access the workout content. Whether the hardware refuses to power on is a different claim, and we could not verify it, so we are not making it. If that distinction matters to your decision, ask Katalyst directly before you buy.
Why the subscription exists
In fairness to Katalyst, the membership is not purely a toll. It funds the app, and the app is genuinely the best in the category. Structured programming, guided sessions, a coach in your ear telling you when to push. Reviewers who have spent months in the suit consistently rate the software above everyone else's. If you are the kind of person who needs a plan handed to you or you will not train, that is worth real money.
The question is whether it is worth $35 to $49 a month forever, on top of a suit that already cost $2,999, when the alternative includes its programming in the purchase price.
The suits that charge nothing monthly
Two we have checked ourselves, both against the sellers' own storefronts on 10 August 2026:
- Visionbody, $1,890 in the US for a single system, $1,833.30 with the code below. Eight programmes and 64 subprograms come with it. The app runs on iOS 12.4 and later and on Android, which matters if you are not in the Apple ecosystem.
- TitanBody, $1,895 for the dry suit, with a newer 2.0 model listed at $2,995. It also advertises no subscription fee. Our full Visionbody against TitanBody comparison goes through where they differ.
For the wider field, including the suits whose pricing we could not independently confirm, see our ranked guide to EMS suits and the price comparison across every model.
Our read
If the app is the reason you are buying, Katalyst earns its money and you should pay it with your eyes open, on the monthly plan so you can stop when you want. Take the annual discount only if you are certain you will still be training in three years, because you cannot pause it.
If you mainly want the suit and can follow a written plan, the membership is the most expensive part of the purchase and you are paying it every month for something Visionbody bundles. On a five year view that is $3,355.70, and the hardware difference does not account for it.
The Visionbody single system is $1,890 at the official store, and the code ROUTINES50 takes $56.70 off, bringing it to $1,833.30. Our link applies the code for you, so there is nothing to type at checkout. Confirm the total reads $1,833.30 before you pay.
Full disclosure on the incentive: we earn a commission when someone buys Visionbody through us, and we earn nothing from Katalyst. The prices above are checkable at both stores in about two minutes, so check them. Katalyst raised or changed terms would make this page wrong, and we would rather you catch it than trust us.
FAQ
How much is the Katalyst membership?
$49 a month on the monthly plan. Prepaid terms are cheaper per month: $488 for one year, which is $40.67 a month, $926 for two years, which is $38.58, and $1,264 for three years, which is $35.11. Renewals cost the same as the initial terms. There is also a $250 Commercial Membership License for trainers. Prices checked at Katalyst's own store on 10 August 2026.
Is the Katalyst membership required?
Yes. Katalyst's support page states "Yes, membership is required with your initial purchase to use Katalyst." It is not an optional add-on to the $2,999 system. We have seen it claimed elsewhere that the suit physically will not switch on without one, but Katalyst's page does not say that, so we are not repeating it. Ask them directly if that distinction matters to you.
What does a Katalyst actually cost in the first year?
About $3,487 on the cheapest annual plan, which is the $2,999 system plus a $488 one year membership. On the monthly plan it is $3,587, being $2,999 plus twelve payments of $49. Neither figure includes an iPad if you do not already own one, since reviewers report the app is iPad only.
Can I pause my Katalyst membership?
Only on the monthly plan. Katalyst's support page says the monthly membership can be deactivated and reactivated at any time. The one, two and three year terms do not carry that flexibility, so the cheaper per month tiers are also the more locked in. If you train seasonally, the $35.11 a month headline is not really available to you.
What happens if I cancel my Katalyst membership?
Katalyst says your membership remains active through the last date of your paid subscription. After that, if you originally paid by card, it auto-renews at $49 per month. So the default after a prepaid term expires is a monthly charge rather than a stop. Set a calendar reminder for the end of your term.
Which EMS suits have no monthly fee?
Visionbody at $1,890 in the US, which includes eight programmes and 64 subprograms and runs on iOS 12.4 or later and Android. TitanBody at $1,895 for its dry suit also advertises no subscription. Both prices were checked at the sellers' own stores on 10 August 2026. Over five years the no subscription route saves about $3,355 against Katalyst's prepaid plan.
Is the Katalyst subscription worth paying?
It is if the app is the reason you are buying. Reviewers consistently rate Katalyst's software and guided programming as the best in the category, and if you need a plan handed to you or you will not train, that has real value. It is poor value if you mainly want the hardware and can follow a written plan, because competing suits include their programming in the purchase price.
More from our EMS hub
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Katalyst membership?
$49 a month on the monthly plan. Prepaid terms are cheaper per month: $488 for one year, which is $40.67 a month, $926 for two years, which is $38.58, and $1,264 for three years, which is $35.11. Renewals cost the same as the initial terms. There is also a $250 Commercial Membership License for trainers. Prices checked at Katalyst's own store on 10 August 2026.
Is the Katalyst membership required?
Yes. Katalyst's support page states "Yes, membership is required with your initial purchase to use Katalyst." It is not an optional add-on to the $2,999 system. We have seen it claimed elsewhere that the suit physically will not switch on without one, but Katalyst's page does not say that, so we are not repeating it. Ask them directly if that distinction matters to you.
What does a Katalyst actually cost in the first year?
About $3,487 on the cheapest annual plan, which is the $2,999 system plus a $488 one year membership. On the monthly plan it is $3,587, being $2,999 plus twelve payments of $49. Neither figure includes an iPad if you do not already own one, since reviewers report the app is iPad only.
Can I pause my Katalyst membership?
Only on the monthly plan. Katalyst's support page says the monthly membership can be deactivated and reactivated at any time. The one, two and three year terms do not carry that flexibility, so the cheaper per month tiers are also the more locked in. If you train seasonally, the $35.11 a month headline is not really available to you.
What happens if I cancel my Katalyst membership?
Katalyst says your membership remains active through the last date of your paid subscription. After that, if you originally paid by card, it auto-renews at $49 per month. So the default after a prepaid term expires is a monthly charge rather than a stop. Set a calendar reminder for the end of your term.
Which EMS suits have no monthly fee?
Visionbody at $1,890 in the US, which includes eight programmes and 64 subprograms and runs on iOS 12.4 or later and Android. TitanBody at $1,895 for its dry suit also advertises no subscription. Both prices were checked at the sellers' own stores on 10 August 2026. Over five years the no subscription route saves about $3,355 against Katalyst's prepaid plan.
Is the Katalyst subscription worth paying?
It is if the app is the reason you are buying. Reviewers consistently rate Katalyst's software and guided programming as the best in the category, and if you need a plan handed to you or you will not train, that has real value. It is poor value if you mainly want the hardware and can follow a written plan, because competing suits include their programming in the purchase price.