Franchise opportunities compared

    Gold's Gym vs ORANGETHEORY

    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.

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Gold's Gym

    $2,356,000 – $5,162,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 20

    ORANGETHEORY

    $764,577 – $1,104,920

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 24

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Gold's Gym

    $40,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

    ORANGETHEORY

    $59,950

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

    Royalty · Item 6

    Gold's Gym

    Greater of 5% of Facility’s Gross Revenue each month or $2,000 per month

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    ORANGETHEORY

    8% · Percent of Gross Sales; weekly; subject to minimum performance standards and royalty shortfall payments.

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Gold's Gym: 8, ORANGETHEORY: 3). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Gold's Gym

    $2,356,000 – $5,162,000
    Total estimated initial investment
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 20

    ORANGETHEORY

    $764,577 – $1,104,920
    Single Studio — TOTAL (excluding real estate purchase costs)
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 24
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Gold's Gym

    $40,000
    Initial training is provided at no additional charge.
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12

    ORANGETHEORY

    $59,950
    The fee is non-refundable; the franchisor may decrease it case-by-case, for promotions, or for area development agreements.
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Gold's Gym

    Greater of 5% of Facility’s Gross Revenue each month or $2,000 per month
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    ORANGETHEORY

    8% · Percent of Gross Sales; weekly; subject to minimum performance standards and royalty shortfall payments.
    Royalty Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Gold's Gym

    $1,350
    Marketing Contribution — Greater of 2% of Facility’s Gross Revenue each month or $1,350 per month
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    ORANGETHEORY

    3% of gross sales; monthly; current rate 3%, may increase to 5%.
    Brand Fund Contributions
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Gold's Gym

    182
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 62

    ORANGETHEORY

    1,224
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 67
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Gold's Gym

    −28
    Calculated: 210 at end of 2023 → 182 at end of 2025

    ORANGETHEORY

    −109
    Calculated: 1,333 at end of 2023 → 1,224 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Gold's Gym

    34
    Closures, terminations & non-renewals in 2025 · Calculated turnover 16.1% of outlets at start of year
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 62

    ORANGETHEORY

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

    Gold's Gym

    2021
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

    ORANGETHEORY

    March 2019 for Studio unit franchises
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Gold's Gym

    2020
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

    ORANGETHEORY

    Franchisor formed December 10, 2018
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Gold's Gym
    Franchised (150 locations) — revenue
    1,743 $ in thousands
    mean Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 60
    Franchised (126 locations) — revenue
    1,759 $ in thousands
    mean Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 60
    Franchised and company-owned (174 locations) — revenue — All Facilities
    1,789 $ in thousands
    median Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 60
    +5 more groups in the full report
    ORANGETHEORY
    Franchised (1,189 locations) — memberships and revenue and other measures
    49 percent
    other Studios at or above average Monthly Member Count
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66
    Franchised (95 locations) — other measures
    95 studios
    other Permanently closed franchised Studios excluded
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65
    Franchised (1,189 locations) — memberships and revenue
    $855,427
    median Total Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 65

    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.

    Gold's Gym vs ORANGETHEORY: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Gold's Gym or ORANGETHEORY?
    Gold's Gym: $2,356,000 – $5,162,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 20); ORANGETHEORY: $764,577 – $1,104,920 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 24). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for ORANGETHEORY. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Gold's Gym and ORANGETHEORY royalties compare?
    Gold's Gym: Greater of 5% of Facility’s Gross Revenue each month or $2,000 per month (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14); ORANGETHEORY: 8% · Percent of Gross Sales; weekly; subject to minimum performance standards and royalty shortfall payments. (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Gold's Gym or ORANGETHEORY?
    Gold's Gym: 182 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 62); ORANGETHEORY: 1,224 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 67). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Gold's Gym and ORANGETHEORY disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Gold's Gym has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; ORANGETHEORY 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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