Franchise opportunities compared
Gold's Gym vs planet fitness
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. 20planet fitness
$1,282,500 – $5,386,000
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31 · printed p. 24Initial franchise fee · Item 5
Gold's Gym
$40,000
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12planet fitness
Not available
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. 14planet fitness
7% · percent of total gross monthly and annual membership fees payable via EFT Dues Draft
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19 · printed p. 12Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Gold's Gym: 8, planet fitness: 1). Different groups are not directly comparable.
Financial commitment
Gold's GymGold's Gym
planet fitness
Gold's Gym
planet fitness
Gold's Gym
planet fitness
Gold's Gym
planet fitness
System scale & health
Gold's GymGold's Gym
planet fitness
Gold's Gym
planet fitness
Gold's Gym
planet fitness
Gold's Gym
planet fitness
Gold's Gym
planet fitness
Financial performance (Item 19), by location group
Gold's GymItem 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 planet fitness: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Gold's Gym or planet fitness?
- Gold's Gym: $2,356,000 – $5,162,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 20); planet fitness: $1,282,500 – $5,386,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31 · printed p. 24). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for planet fitness. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Gold's Gym and planet fitness 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); planet fitness: 7% · percent of total gross monthly and annual membership fees payable via EFT Dues Draft (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19 · printed p. 12). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, Gold's Gym or planet fitness?
- Gold's Gym: 182 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 62); planet fitness: 2,709 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 91 · printed p. 84). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Gold's Gym and planet fitness disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Gold's Gym has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; planet fitness 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.
Keep researching
Full Gold's Gym report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
Full planet fitness report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
