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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Glow Sauna Studios vs HOTWORX

    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.

    Glow Sauna Studios2025 FDDHOTWORX2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Glow Sauna Studios

    $262,096 – $454,256

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19

    HOTWORX

    $288,890 – $1,083,310

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Glow Sauna Studios

    $49,000

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    HOTWORX

    $19,950

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13

    Royalty · Item 6

    Glow Sauna Studios

    Greater of 6% of Gross Sales or $1,000 monthly; minimum waived for first four calendar months.

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    HOTWORX

    $695 per month per studio location

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Before you compare

    • Glow Sauna Studios figures come from its 2025 FDD and HOTWORX figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • HOTWORX 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 (Glow Sauna Studios: 2, HOTWORX: 11). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Glow Sauna Studios

    $262,096 – $454,256
    Total — single franchised business
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19

    HOTWORX

    $288,890 – $1,083,310
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Glow Sauna Studios

    $49,000
    The $49,000 fee is due in a lump sum when the Franchise Agreement is entered and is non-refundable.
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    HOTWORX

    $19,950
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 13
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Glow Sauna Studios

    Greater of 6% of Gross Sales or $1,000 monthly; minimum waived for first four calendar months.
    Royalty Fee
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11

    HOTWORX

    $695 per month per studio location
    Monthly Royalty Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Glow Sauna Studios

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    HOTWORX

    $500
    Advertising Daily Deal Site Noncompliance Fee — per day
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Glow Sauna Studios

    3
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 64

    HOTWORX

    812
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 90
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Glow Sauna Studios

    +1
    Calculated: 2 at end of 2022 → 3 at end of 2024

    HOTWORX

    +230
    Calculated: 582 at end of 2023 → 812 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Glow Sauna Studios

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    HOTWORX

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

    Glow Sauna Studios

    2023; franchise offers and sales began February 2023
    2025 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 6

    HOTWORX

    January 2017
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 7
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Glow Sauna Studios

    2022; formed September 21, 2022
    2025 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 6

    HOTWORX

    2016
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 7

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Glow Sauna Studios
    Company-owned (1 locations) — other measures and costs and revenue
    $109,370
    other Labor
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 57
    Company-owned (1 locations) — adjusted operating results
    $10,093
    other Estimated Fund Contribution
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 57
    HOTWORX
    Franchised (797 locations) — other measures
    797 outlets
    other Open franchise outlets
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 77
    Franchised (700 locations) — memberships
    490 memberships
    mean Fully operational studio memberships
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 82
    Franchised (149 locations) — other measures
    5.53 – 7.44 percent
    range First-year monthly cancellation rate
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 78
    +8 more groups in the full report

    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.

    Glow Sauna Studios vs HOTWORX: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Glow Sauna Studios or HOTWORX?
    Glow Sauna Studios: $262,096 – $454,256 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 19); HOTWORX: $288,890 – $1,083,310 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Glow Sauna Studios. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Glow Sauna Studios and HOTWORX royalties compare?
    Glow Sauna Studios: Greater of 6% of Gross Sales or $1,000 monthly; minimum waived for first four calendar months. (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11); HOTWORX: $695 per month per studio location (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Glow Sauna Studios or HOTWORX?
    Glow Sauna Studios: 3 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 64); HOTWORX: 812 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 90). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Glow Sauna Studios and HOTWORX disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Glow Sauna Studios has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups; HOTWORX has reviewed Item 19 figures for 11 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 Glow Sauna Studios report

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

    Full HOTWORX report

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

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