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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Arthur Murray International vs Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    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.

    Arthur Murray International2026 FDDFred Astaire Dance Studios2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Arthur Murray International

    $122,500 – $407,625

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    $298,000 – $665,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 32

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Arthur Murray International

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    $35,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 20

    Royalty · Item 6

    Arthur Murray International

    10%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    7% · percent of Gross Revenue for the preceding week

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Arthur Murray International discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Arthur Murray International: 16, Fred Astaire Dance Studios: 3). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Arthur Murray International

    $122,500 – $407,625
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    $298,000 – $665,000
    TOTAL
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 32
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Arthur Murray International

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    $35,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 20
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Arthur Murray International

    10%
    Royalty rate high
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    7% · percent of Gross Revenue for the preceding week
    Royalty Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Arthur Murray International

    10%
    Digital advertising platform fee high — 10%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    $150/mo
    Advertising Fees — per month
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Arthur Murray International

    240
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    285
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 86
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Arthur Murray International

    +10
    Calculated: 230 at end of 2023 → 240 at end of 2025

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    +39
    Calculated: 246 at end of 2023 → 285 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Arthur Murray International

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

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

    Arthur Murray International

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    Not expressly stated
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 11
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Arthur Murray International

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Fred Astaire Dance Studios

    1995
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 10

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Arthur Murray International
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Top Quartile eligible franchised studios, sorted by gross receipts
    $1,208,678
    other Top Quartile Median gross receipts
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 46
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2nd Quartile eligible franchised studios, sorted by gross receipts
    $798,208
    other 2nd Quartile Average gross receipts
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 46
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 3rd Quartile eligible franchised studios, sorted by gross receipts
    $528,675
    other 3rd Quartile Average gross receipts
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 46
    +13 more groups in the full report
    Fred Astaire Dance Studios
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record
    $85,567 – $4,117,263
    range Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 85
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record
    $624,953
    median Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 81
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — "all Mature Studios"; a “Mature Studio” is any Studio in the United States that…
    $250,000
    other For 2025, the Performance Standards are: YEAR OF OPERATION PERFORMANCE STANDARD 2 $250,000 3 $312,476.66 4 $343,724.33 5 $374,971.99
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 85

    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.

    Arthur Murray International vs Fred Astaire Dance Studios: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Arthur Murray International or Fred Astaire Dance Studios?
    Arthur Murray International: $122,500 – $407,625 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Fred Astaire Dance Studios: $298,000 – $665,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 32). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Arthur Murray International. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Arthur Murray International and Fred Astaire Dance Studios royalties compare?
    Arthur Murray International: 10% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15); Fred Astaire Dance Studios: 7% · percent of Gross Revenue for the preceding week (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Arthur Murray International or Fred Astaire Dance Studios?
    Arthur Murray International: 240 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 57); Fred Astaire Dance Studios: 285 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 86). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Arthur Murray International and Fred Astaire Dance Studios disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Arthur Murray International has reviewed Item 19 figures for 16 location groups; Fred Astaire Dance Studios 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

    Keep researching

    Full Arthur Murray International report

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

    Full Fred Astaire Dance Studios report

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

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