Two recovery-minded brands with immersion cold. Sway is Denver day-pass and lounge Pricing. Pause is private suite contrast sold on credits in Los Angeles and Miami. Geography decides first; format and extras decide second.
No shared city. Match your market, then compare day-pass versus credit membership.
They do not share a city on our list. Choose Sway when you are in Denver and want a published day-pass recovery circuit with immersion plunge. Choose Pause when you are in Los Angeles or Miami and want a locked private suite on credit memberships with stacked recovery add-ons.
At a glance
| Feature | Sway Wellness Spa | Pause Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Locations we track | ||
| Published single session | $49 | $159-$479 or $89-$479 |
| Cold side | Immersion cold plunge | Immersion cold plunge |
| Heat side | Sauna and/or infrared by location | Infrared sauna in a private suite |
| Format | Recovery lounge / circuit, day-pass friendly | Timed private suite on credits |
| Also included | Compression, LED/lounge amenities by pin | Float, cryotherapy, compression, Aescape at some pins |
| ClassPass on our last check | 1 of 3 listed | 3 of 9 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.
Sway is Denver only on our list (Larimer, RiNo, Central Park). Pause is Los Angeles and Miami. If you are not traveling between those markets, book the local brand and skip this fork.
Sway markets Remedy Room / Remedy Lounge style circuits with published drop-ins. Pause books a timed private suite. Privacy and clock control favor Pause; social lounge energy favors Sway.
Sway publishes lounge drop-ins around $49 and memberships from about $99 to $129/mo depending on pin. Pause publishes credit memberships from $159/mo Core at most locations (Long Beach also lists an $89 Base), with Contrast 30 using 4 credits and Contrast 60 using 6 (October 9, 2026 check). Confirm live rates on the operator site.
Both list immersion cold plunge. That is not the differentiator here. Perspire-style SNØ shower brands are a different product; see SweatHouz vs Perspire or Pause vs Perspire when shower versus plunge is the question.
Two solid options
Best for Denver day-pass recovery
Choose Sway when Denver is home and you want a published lounge drop-in with plunge, heat, and compression without buying private-suite credits.
Best for private suite credits
Choose Pause when you want a locked infrared plus plunge suite in Los Angeles or Miami, with credit memberships and recovery add-ons.
Quick answers
No on our list. Sway is Denver. Pause is Los Angeles and Miami. Geography is the first filter. City hubs: Denver, Los Angeles, Miami. Brand pages: Sway Wellness Spa and Pause Studio.
Both list immersion cold plunge on the studios we track. If your fork is plunge versus SNØ shower, compare Pause vs Perspire or SweatHouz vs Perspire instead.
Sway publishes lounge drop-ins around $49 and memberships near $99 to $129/mo by pin. Pause publishes credit memberships from $159/mo Core at most locations (October 9, 2026 check). Confirm live rates. Broader context: contrast therapy cost guide.
Sway Larimer showed ClassPass on our last check; other Sway pins vary. Pause Brentwood, Brickell, and Coral Gables showed ClassPass on our checks. Confirm inventory in the app. Primer: ClassPass for contrast therapy guide.
For Denver format forks, start on the Denver hub. For LA private suites, see Pause vs SweatHouz or Pause vs Perspire. For shower versus plunge nationally, see SweatHouz vs Perspire.
These two do not overlap, so the choice is where you live
3 locations in Denver
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