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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Massage Envy vs Sun Tan City

    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.

    MEMassage Envy2026 FDDSun Tan City2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Massage Envy

    $695,870 – $1,046,506

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Sun Tan City

    $1,048,790 – $1,797,750

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Massage Envy

    Not available

    Sun Tan City

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    Massage Envy

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 27

    Sun Tan City

    8% · New — 8%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Massage Envy 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 (Massage Envy: 22, Sun Tan City: 2). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Massage Envy

    $695,870 – $1,046,506
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Sun Tan City

    $1,048,790 – $1,797,750
    Total single-salon initial investment excluding real estate — lower estimate
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Massage Envy

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Sun Tan City

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

    Massage Envy

    6%
    Royalty fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 27

    Sun Tan City

    8% · New — 8%
    Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Massage Envy

    2%
    National Advertising Fund contribution — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 27

    Sun Tan City

    2%
    National marketing fund contribution — current percentage of Gross Revenue — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Massage Envy

    993
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71

    Sun Tan City

    252
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Massage Envy

    −60
    Calculated: 1,053 at end of 2023 → 993 at end of 2025

    Sun Tan City

    −1
    Calculated: 253 at end of 2023 → 252 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Massage Envy

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Sun Tan City

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

    Massage Envy

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sun Tan City

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Massage Envy

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sun Tan City

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    MEMassage Envy
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Massage Envy Businesses in the Network, third Quartile, Fiscal Year 2025.
    120 businesses
    other 3rd Quartile businesses attaining/exceeding average
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 67
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Current Format Businesses (Total), Fiscal Year 2025; the FDD defines this forma…
    43.4 percent
    other Current Format Total businesses attaining/exceeding average
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 67
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Massage Envy Businesses in the Network open 15 - <20 years as of the end of Fis…
    220 businesses
    other 15 - <20 years open businesses attaining/exceeding average
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 68
    +19 more groups in the full report
    Sun Tan City
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 92 full-year company salons
    $360,969
    other 92 full-year company salons
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised full-year salons; narrative154,table heading162
    3,488 sessions
    other Franchised full-year salons; narrative154,table heading162
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 51

    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.

    Massage Envy vs Sun Tan City: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Massage Envy or Sun Tan City?
    Massage Envy: $695,870 – $1,046,506 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Sun Tan City: $1,048,790 – $1,797,750 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Massage Envy. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Massage Envy and Sun Tan City royalties compare?
    Massage Envy: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 27); Sun Tan City: 8% · New — 8% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 14). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Massage Envy or Sun Tan City?
    Massage Envy: 993 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 71); Sun Tan City: 252 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Massage Envy and Sun Tan City disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Massage Envy has reviewed Item 19 figures for 22 location groups; Sun Tan City has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 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 Massage Envy report

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

    Full Sun Tan City report

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

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