Which costs less to open, Boulder Designs or Gnc Holdings?

Boulder Designs: $147,565 – $236,130 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Gnc Holdings: $31,870 – $530,342 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Gnc Holdings. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.

How do Boulder Designs and Gnc Holdings royalties compare?

Boulder Designs: 7% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12); Gnc Holdings: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 39). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.

Which has more locations, Boulder Designs or Gnc Holdings?

Boulder Designs: 82 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 45); Gnc Holdings: 1,960 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 109). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.

Do Boulder Designs and Gnc Holdings disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

Boulder Designs makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Gnc Holdings has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Franchise opportunities compared

Boulder Designs vs Gnc Holdings

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.

Boulder Designs2026 FDD

Gnc Holdings2026 FDD

Initial investment · Item 7

Boulder Designs

$147,565 – $236,130

2026 FDD · Item 7

Gnc Holdings

$31,870 – $530,342

2026 FDD · Item 7

Initial franchise fee · Item 5

Boulder Designs

$63,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

Gnc Holdings

Not available

Royalty · Item 6

Boulder Designs

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

Gnc Holdings

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 39

Before you compare

Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
Boulder Designs and Gnc Holdings disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
Only Gnc Holdings has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

Financial commitment

Disclosure

Boulder Designs

Gnc Holdings

Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

Boulder Designs

$147,565 – $236,130

2026 FDD · Item 7

Gnc Holdings

$31,870 – $530,342

2026 FDD · Item 7

Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

Boulder Designs

$63,000

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

Gnc Holdings

Not available

No single standard fee identified

Royalty (Item 6)

Boulder Designs

Royalty percentage of Gross Revenue

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

Gnc Holdings

Royalty

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 39

Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

Boulder Designs

$0.00

Marketing Fee current monthly

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13

Gnc Holdings

National advertising fee — 3%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 39

System scale & health

Disclosure

Boulder Designs

Gnc Holdings

Total outlets (Item 20)

Boulder Designs

Outlets at end of 2025

2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 45

Gnc Holdings

1,960

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 109

Net outlet change (Item 20)

Boulder Designs

−13

Calculated: 95 at end of 2022 → 82 at end of 2025

Gnc Holdings

+1,210

Calculated: 750 at end of 2023 → 1,960 at end of 2025

Outlet exits (Item 20)

Boulder Designs

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Gnc Holdings

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Franchising since (Item 1)

Boulder Designs

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Gnc Holdings

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Franchisor founded (Item 1)

Boulder Designs

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Gnc Holdings

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

Boulder Designs

Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

Gnc Holdings

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record

259 stores

other Stores at or above average

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 108

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.

Boulder Designs vs Gnc Holdings: common questions

Which costs less to open, Boulder Designs or Gnc Holdings?: Boulder Designs: $147,565 – $236,130 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Gnc Holdings: $31,870 – $530,342 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Gnc Holdings. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
How do Boulder Designs and Gnc Holdings royalties compare?: Boulder Designs: 7% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12); Gnc Holdings: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 39). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
Which has more locations, Boulder Designs or Gnc Holdings?: Boulder Designs: 82 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 45); Gnc Holdings: 1,960 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 109). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
Do Boulder Designs and Gnc Holdings disclose financial performance (Item 19)?: Boulder Designs makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Gnc Holdings has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group. 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