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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Appell vs Fitness Machine Technicians

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    AAppell2025 FDDFitness Machine Technicians2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Appell

    $105,450

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16

    Fitness Machine Technicians

    $65,950 – $127,990

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Appell

    Not available

    Fitness Machine Technicians

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Appell

    8%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    Fitness Machine Technicians

    5% · Percentage of Gross Sales: 6% of the first $499,999 of Gross Sales each calendar year; 5% of Gross Sales in excess of $500,000 each calendar year.

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Before you compare

    • Appell figures come from its 2025 FDD and Fitness Machine Technicians figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Only Fitness Machine Technicians has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Appell

    $105,450
    Total Estimated Initial Investment: $105,450–$274,200
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16

    Fitness Machine Technicians

    $65,950 – $127,990
    Total
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Appell

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Fitness Machine Technicians

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Appell

    8%
    Royalty: 8% of Gross Sales; National Accounts: 15%–20% of Gross Sales or $500/month, whichever is greater
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    Fitness Machine Technicians

    5% · Percentage of Gross Sales: 6% of the first $499,999 of Gross Sales each calendar year; 5% of Gross Sales in excess of $500,000 each calendar year.
    Royalty Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Appell

    1%
    Brand Fund Contribution: 1% of Gross Sales or $200/month, whichever is greater — 1%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    Fitness Machine Technicians

    1% of percentage of gross revenues
    National Marketing Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Appell

    9
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 53

    Fitness Machine Technicians

    141
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Appell

    +8
    Calculated: 1 at end of 2022 → 9 at end of 2024

    Fitness Machine Technicians

    +16
    Calculated: 125 at end of 2023 → 141 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Appell

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Fitness Machine Technicians

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Appell

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Fitness Machine Technicians

    2023
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 1
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Appell

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Fitness Machine Technicians

    2020
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 1

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    AAppell

    No reviewed Item 19 figures

    Fitness Machine Technicians
    Franchised (129 businesses) — revenue — 41 franchisees operating 129 franchised Businesses
    $13,373,592
    other System-Wide Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48
    Franchised (13 locations) — revenue
    $176,592
    other Gross Revenue by Years Active
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 51
    Franchised (129 businesses) — revenue — 41 franchisees that operated 129 franchised Businesses during the 2025 fiscal y…
    $489,562
    mean Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Appell vs Fitness Machine Technicians: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Appell or Fitness Machine Technicians?
    Appell: $105,450 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16); Fitness Machine Technicians: $65,950 – $127,990 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Fitness Machine Technicians. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Appell and Fitness Machine Technicians royalties compare?
    Appell: 8% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10); Fitness Machine Technicians: 5% · Percentage of Gross Sales: 6% of the first $499,999 of Gross Sales each calendar year; 5% of Gross Sales in excess of $500,000 each calendar year. (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Appell or Fitness Machine Technicians?
    Appell: 9 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 53); Fitness Machine Technicians: 141 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Appell and Fitness Machine Technicians disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Appell has no reviewed Item 19 figures on file; Fitness Machine Technicians has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

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    Full Appell report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Fitness Machine Technicians report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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    Plain-language meaning of each Item