Franchise opportunities compared

    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

    Gym

    $101,500 – $2,232,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    planet fitness

    $1,282,500 – $5,386,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31 · printed p. 24

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Gym

    Not available

    planet fitness

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Gym

    $1,250

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    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

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Gym discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only planet fitness has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Gym

    $101,500 – $2,232,500
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    planet fitness

    $1,282,500 – $5,386,000
    Total
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31 · printed p. 24
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Gym

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    planet fitness

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Gym

    $1,250
    Royalty fee: $1,250 monthly, increases by $50 at each one-year anniversary
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    planet fitness

    7% · percent of total gross monthly and annual membership fees payable via EFT Dues Draft
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19 · printed p. 12
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Gym

    $350
    Brand Development Fund contribution: Not currently assessed; if implemented, not more than $350 per month
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12

    planet fitness

    2% of eft dues draft; during 2026, 2% of eft dues draft plus 1% of monthly eft
    National Advertising Fund Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21 · printed p. 14

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Gym

    18
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 58

    planet fitness

    2,709
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 91 · printed p. 84
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Gym

    −6
    Calculated: 24 at end of 2023 → 18 at end of 2025

    planet fitness

    +254
    Calculated: 2,455 at end of 2023 → 2,709 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Gym

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    planet fitness

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

    Gym

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    planet fitness

    2018
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Gym

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    planet fitness

    2018
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    GGym

    No reviewed Item 19 figures

    PFplanet fitness
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record
    $1,873,231
    other Annual EFT Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 83 · printed p. 76

    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.

    Gym vs planet fitness: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Gym or planet fitness?
    Gym: $101,500 – $2,232,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7); 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 Gym. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Gym and planet fitness royalties compare?
    Gym: $1,250 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 12); 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, Gym or planet fitness?
    Gym: 18 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 58); 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 Gym and planet fitness disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Gym has no reviewed Item 19 figures on file; 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.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

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