Franchise opportunities compared

    The Little Gym vs W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

    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

    The Little Gym

    $420,324 – $722,773

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25

    W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

    $994,400 – $1,424,550

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    The Little Gym

    $59,500

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

    W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

    $50,000

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Royalty · Item 6

    The Little Gym

    8% or $2,500/mo min

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

    $2,500

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Before you compare

    • The Little Gym figures come from its 2026 FDD and W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system figures from its 2025 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (The Little Gym: 7, W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system: 5). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    The Little Gym

    $420,324 – $722,773
    TOTAL — first Gym
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25

    W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

    $994,400 – $1,424,550
    Total Initial Investment
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    The Little Gym

    $59,500
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

    W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

    $50,000
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15
    Royalty (Item 6)

    The Little Gym

    8% or $2,500/mo min
    Royalty Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

    $2,500
    Royalty Fee
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    The Little Gym

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    The Little Gym

    256
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 70

    W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

    12
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 63
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    The Little Gym

    +70
    Calculated: 186 at end of 2023 → 256 at end of 2025

    W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

    +4
    Calculated: 8 at end of 2022 → 12 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    The Little Gym

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

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

    The Little Gym

    September 1992
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

    W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

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

    The Little Gym

    1992; originally incorporated June 16, 1992
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

    W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    The Little Gym
    Franchised (37 locations) — revenue and EBITDA
    $310,507
    mean Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 66
    Franchised (166 outlets) — EBITDA
    $372,316
    mean EBITDA
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 64
    Franchised (5 locations) — EBITDA and revenue
    $842,268
    median Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 67
    +4 more groups in the full report
    WAW ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Water Wings Swim Schools owned and operated by affiliates (Corporate Schools),…
    $2,722,319
    other Table 1 corporate schools FY2024 High
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 60
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Water Wings affiliate-owned corporate schools; Table 2 reflects expected franch…
    $163,339
    other Table 2 corporate schools FY2024 with expected franchise fees High
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 60
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Water Wings Swim Schools owned and operated by affiliates (Corporate Schools),…
    $374,979
    other Table 1 corporate schools FY2024 High
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 60
    +2 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.

    The Little Gym vs W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system: common questions

    Which costs less to open, The Little Gym or W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system?
    The Little Gym: $420,324 – $722,773 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25); W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system: $994,400 – $1,424,550 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 25). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for The Little Gym. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do The Little Gym and W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system royalties compare?
    The Little Gym: 8% or $2,500/mo min (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16); W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system: $2,500 (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, The Little Gym or W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system?
    The Little Gym: 256 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 70); W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system: 12 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 63). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do The Little Gym and W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    The Little Gym has reviewed Item 19 figures for 7 location groups; W ATER W INGS S WIM S CHOOL trademarks and system has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 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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