Pick Pause Studio if you want an immersion cold plunge with your infrared sauna. Pick Perspire Sauna Studio if a SNØ cold shower is enough and you want a flat published single session. See how they compare on Pricing, locations, and extras.
The useful split is immersion plunge versus cold shower, then how you pay.
If you want an immersion cold plunge, book Pause. Every Perspire location we track pairs its infrared sauna with a SNO cold shower rather than a tub, and publishes a flat single session. Pause sells infrared plus plunge on credit memberships and stacks extra recovery services.
At a glance
| Feature | Pause Studio | Perspire Sauna Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Locations we track | ||
| Published single session | $159-$479 or $89-$479 | $60 or $40 or $50 |
| Cold side | Immersion cold plunge in the suite | SNO cold shower, not an immersion tub |
| Heat side | Infrared sauna | Infrared sauna, full spectrum at the locations we track |
| How you pay | Credit memberships, $159 to $479/mo at most pins ($89 Base at Long Beach) | Published single session, plus packs and memberships |
| Trying it once | Awkward: the model assumes a membership | Straightforward: book one session at the listed price |
| Other services | Float, compression, cryotherapy, LED, IV, Aescape massage | Red light, halotherapy at some locations |
| ClassPass on our last check | 3 of 9 listed | 1 of 16 listed |
Figures come from our studio listings and can change. Confirm on the operator site before you book. ClassPass inventory is location-specific.
A few practical factors make one a better fit for most people.
Want true cold plunges? Go with Pause. Prefer a simpler sauna-first room with a cold shower? Perspire matches that brief in our data.
Pause has more locations we track overall, especially in Los Angeles and Miami. Perspire covers Austin, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles in our inventory.
Perspire publishes a flat single session that is often more affordable per visit. Pause is credit-membership first with more services in the stack.
Pause offers float, compression, cryotherapy, LED, IV, and Aescape massage. Perspire adds red light or halotherapy at some locations.
Two solid options
Best for contrast therapy and more
Choose Pause Studio if you want cold plunges and infrared sauna in the same visit, plus access to additional recovery services. A fit if you are in Los Angeles or Miami and are comfortable with a membership model.
Best for a focused sauna experience
Choose Perspire if you mainly want a dedicated infrared sauna experience, with a simple booking process and often lower single-session Pricing. A solid option in Austin, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles.
Quick answers
Book Pause. Every Perspire location we track pairs infrared with a SNO cold shower rather than an immersion tub. Confirm amenities on the studio site before you book.
Pause locations we track sit in Los Angeles and Miami. Perspire appears in Austin, Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles. The table lists live counts from our directory.
Perspire publishes a flat single session that is often lower. On our October 9, 2026 check, Pause sold credit memberships from $159/mo Core to $479/mo VIP at most locations (Long Beach also lists an $89 Base tier), which is less convenient for a one-off try unless ClassPass has inventory.
Sometimes. The table shows how many pins were listed on our last check. Confirm live ClassPass inventory in the app before you rely on it.
Pause sells credit memberships that redeem within a regional set of studios (five LA studios share; Brickell and Coral Gables share), with tier prices posted on each Pause location page, so confirm the live tier before you buy. Perspire memberships come in three tiers (IRelax 4 sessions, IRecover 8, IRitual unlimited) and work at every Perspire studio. On our October 9 checks they ran $99 to $199/mo at Cherry Hills and Porter Ranch and up to $129 to $249/mo at Long Beach Exchange. Perspire intro sessions run $20 to $30.
Pause locations we track are in Los Angeles (Venice, Brentwood, West Hollywood, Studio City, South Bay, and Long Beach) and Miami (Brickell and Coral Gables). Perspire locations we track are in Austin, Chicago, Denver, Seattle (Redmond), and Los Angeles. Los Angeles is the only city where we track both. Open your city hub for everything nearby, or the brand pages for every location.
Every location we track, in the cities both brands share
Pause Studio (1 location)
More head-to-heads
Both brands appear in Chicago, Los Angeles. Compare options in your area.
