Two people can walk into the same Portland Yoga Project class and pay different prices for it, on purpose, with no forms and no questions asked. That sliding-scale choice sits at the center of how this Portland, Maine yoga and barre studio is built. If you are deciding whether it fits your budget, your body, and your schedule, the short answer is that it was designed to flex on all three: self-select pricing tiers, a format range from vinyasa to gentle yoga, free weekly community classes, and two studios on opposite sides of the city. Here is exactly how the classes, rates, locations, and booking work so you can decide whether to reserve a spot.
Rates and details below were pulled from the studio’s website and booking platform in July 2026. Pricing and schedules change, so confirm current details with the studio before you book.
Table of Contents
- 1 What the Portland Yoga Project Is
- 2 Classes and Formats
- 3 Tiered Pricing: Community, Standard, and Support
- 4 The Two Locations
- 5 Free Community Classes
- 6 How to Book Your First Class
- 7 Portland Yoga Project vs. Portland Yoga Collective
- 8 Frequently Asked Questions
- 8.1 How much does Portland Yoga Project cost?
- 8.2 Where are the Portland Yoga Project locations?
- 8.3 Is Portland Yoga Project good for beginners?
- 8.4 Does Portland Yoga Project offer free classes?
- 8.5 How do I book a class at Portland Yoga Project?
- 8.6 How does Portland Yoga Project compare to Portland Yoga Collective?
What the Portland Yoga Project Is
The Portland Yoga Project is a yoga and barre studio with two locations in Portland, Maine. Its stated philosophy centers on body autonomy, the belief that bodies carry their own agency and wisdom and that a class should support that connection rather than override it. In practice, that means teachers offer modifications as a default rather than as a special request, and skipping a pose is never treated as failure.
The studio also names both of its locations as sitting on unceded Wabanaki territories, a signal of the social awareness it builds into its values. For anyone who has felt watched or judged in another studio, that operating principle is often the deciding factor between coming back and never returning.
Classes and Formats
The studio runs a full weekly schedule, and matching the right class to your experience level is the fastest way to feel at home on a first visit. Core formats include:
- Vinyasa yoga — a breath-linked flow that builds heat and rhythm, best for students who want to keep moving.
- PYP Barre — a strength-and-endurance format built on small, repeated movements at a higher tempo.
- Hatha and Gentle Yoga — slower, foundational classes that suit beginners and anyone easing back into movement.
- Yin and Restorative yoga — long-held, deeply relaxing poses for recovery and stress relief.
- PYP Matte, Ball Rolling, PYP Build, and Breathwork & Meditation — rounding out strength, mobility, and mind-body work.
If intensity or getting up and down off the floor is what is keeping you from booking, Gentle Yoga is the lowest-stakes entry point, and regular practice carries documented benefits for balance, flexibility, and stress.
Intensity also varies by teacher, so the class description on the schedule is your best read before you commit. Curious what a specific shape looks like first? You can preview a posture like wheel pose and its step-by-step setup so you walk in knowing the mechanics instead of guessing mid-flow.
Tiered Pricing: Community, Standard, and Support
Here is the studio’s defining structure. Memberships use a self-select spectrum with three rates, and the only difference between them is what you pay. Every tier unlocks the exact same classes and perks. The logic is that students who can afford more help fund access for students who cannot, so affordability and steady revenue reinforce each other instead of competing.
| Membership | Community | Standard | Support |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited (monthly) | $105 | $125 | $145 |
| Mini (monthly) | $60 | $72 | $90 |
| Unlimited (yearly) | $1,100 | $1,300 | $1,600 |
Unlimited memberships carry a three-month minimum and auto-renew monthly, with 14 days’ notice to cancel. Every membership includes perks beyond class access: two guest passes a month, free monthly member-only classes, access to more than 200 on-demand videos, and discounts with local partners for massage, skincare, climbing, and cycling.
Not ready to commit? The lowest-risk way in is the studio’s 30 days for $30 intro special, which lets you sample formats and both locations before choosing a tier. Single drop-in class rates are handled through the studio’s booking platform, so confirm the current price there before you reserve.
The Two Locations
The studio runs two sites, so you can pick by commute.
PYP Forest Ave, 449 Forest Ave, is the larger of the two at roughly 6,000 square feet, with three studios, showers, changing rooms, member mat storage, free mat rentals, and free off-street parking. It sits along one of Portland’s main north-south corridors, away from the downtown core, which makes it the easier drive-and-park option after work.
PYP Downtown, 129 Newbury St, is a light-filled, 2,000-square-foot single studio near the city center, better suited to anyone who lives or works downtown and wants a short walk. Parking here is metered street parking or validated at the nearby Ocean Gateway garage.
Class formats and schedules can differ between the two studios, so check which classes run where before you plan your visit.
Free Community Classes
One thing that genuinely sets this studio apart is a standing lineup of free classes every Wednesday at 7 p.m., rotating by week: Queer Movement, a barre class, Trauma-Informed Yoga for Women, and BIPOC Yoga.
The last Friday of the month adds a by-donation Movement for Grief with sound bath and yoga nidra. If cost or nervousness is your barrier to trying yoga at all, these sessions are the no-risk way to walk through the door before you ever pay for a class.
How to Book Your First Class
Scheduling and payment run through the studio’s online booking platform. You select a class, choose your rate tier, and reserve your spot in a few taps. New students are welcome, but if you are unsure whether you can join a particular session mid-series, confirm through the class description or a quick message to the studio.
For a first visit, bring a mat if you own one, though free rentals are available at both studios, plus water and clothing you can move in. Arrive a few minutes early to sign in, meet the teacher, and settle before class starts.
If you landed here to price your own teaching instead of to book as a student, the site’s guide to starting a yoga business covers that side of the funnel.
Portland Yoga Project vs. Portland Yoga Collective
This is the comparison first-timers actively search. Both are Portland studios, but they solve for different priorities. Portland Yoga Project runs the self-select tiered pricing model, a format mix spanning vinyasa, barre, and restorative styles, and two neighborhood locations.
Portland Yoga Collective operates on a more conventional single-rate structure from a downtown location. Neither is objectively better; the pricing model alone separates them clearly. The cleanest way to decide is to try each through an intro offer before committing. For unfiltered takes on vibe and teaching quality, recent local reviews and community forums tend to be more honest than either studio’s own site.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Portland Yoga Project cost?
Memberships use three self-select tiers. Unlimited monthly runs $105 for Community, $125 for Standard, or $145 for Support, with lower-cost mini and yearly options. New students can start with a 30 days for $30 intro. Confirm single drop-in prices on the booking platform.
Where are the Portland Yoga Project locations?
There are two studios in Portland, Maine: PYP Forest Ave at 449 Forest Ave and PYP Downtown at 129 Newbury St, which is closer to the city center.
Is Portland Yoga Project good for beginners?
Yes. Gentle and Hatha classes, a body-autonomy philosophy that offers modifications without judgment, and free weekly community classes make it an easy first-timer entry point.
Does Portland Yoga Project offer free classes?
Yes. Free classes run every Wednesday at 7 p.m. on a rotating theme, plus a by-donation grief and sound-bath session on the last Friday of each month.
How do I book a class at Portland Yoga Project?
Book through the studio’s online booking platform. Select a class, choose your rate tier, and reserve. Message the studio ahead of time with any accessibility or mid-series questions.
How does Portland Yoga Project compare to Portland Yoga Collective?
Portland Yoga Project uses self-select tiered pricing across two locations, while Portland Yoga Collective runs a standard single-rate structure downtown. Try both intro offers before deciding which fits you.