Low-Cost Gym Franchises: Fees, Startup Costs and the Independent Alternative

Figures quoted around the web often disagree. This one uses only what each franchisor publishes on its own franchise page, which in turn cites its Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). We read them on 8 October 2026. Where a page did not publish a number, the table says so. Planet Fitness is not included because its franchise page blocked our requests. This is general information, not financial or legal advice.

What is a low cost gym franchise?

The phrase usually means two things. One is a low-price gym brand, such as Crunch, whose franchise page says its entry membership is typically $9.99 a month. The other is a franchise with a smaller footprint and a lower build cost, such as a boutique studio. Neither is cheap to open. The cheapest current range we found on a franchisor page is StretchLab's $281,390 to $814,545 (2026 FDD); Xponential still shows its 2025 FDD range from $269,019.

A 24/7 gym franchise is a third type. Anytime Fitness describes its model as a low initial investment with flexible prototypes and 24/7 club access. Its listed range is $539,329 to $905,482, which is low compared with a full-size gym and high compared with a studio.

How much does a gym franchise cost to open?

Read the footnotes. Crunch states that its range excludes real estate, and its clubs run 20,000 to 40,000 square feet. Burn Boot Camp says its range covers build-out, equipment, pre-opening marketing and working capital. Check Item 7 of each FDD for what is in and out of the number you are comparing.

What franchise fees and royalties do gym franchises charge?

The initial fee is the smaller part. The ongoing cost is what you carry for the life of the agreement.

• Anytime Fitness: $42,500 initial fee and $842 a month per center for 1 to 9 gyms, $647 a month at 10 or more. Two locations cost $75,000 in total in fees.
• Burn Boot Camp: $60,000 fee and a royalty of 6% of gross revenue.
• Crunch: a royalty of 5% of monthly gross sales and 2% to the Brand Marketing Fund. It also requires at least $15,000 a month of local advertising in year one, then the higher of $10,000 a month or 7% of gross sales.

How much cash and net worth do you need?

Franchisors screen on money before they screen on passion. The pages we read state: Title Boxing Club $150,000 liquid capital and $500,000 net worth, Burn Boot Camp $200,000 liquid and $500,000 net worth, StretchLab and Club Pilates $250,000 liquid and $500,000 net worth, and Anytime Fitness an ideal candidate with $225,000 liquid and $380,000 net worth. Crunch asks for a combined $500,000 liquid and $2.5 million net worth across all partners to be eligible for additional financing.

Crunch says it will help you review your finances and introduce lenders, but each franchisee arranges and carries its own financing.

Is a gym franchise cheaper than opening an independent studio?

Not in dollars. Independent costs depend on size. A 2026 StartCosts guide puts a small personal training studio at $10,000 to $50,000, a boutique studio at $50,000 to $150,000 and a full-service commercial gym at $150,000 to $500,000 or more. There is no franchise fee and no royalty.

The honest trade is brand and system for fees and control. If you are a trainer rather than an investor, starting with a studio you control is usually the lower-risk step. Our guides on the cost to open a gym and the gym business plan template give line-by-line costs and a break-even model. The personal trainer income calculator shows what a smaller studio needs to earn.

What costs are easy to miss in a gym franchise?

• Real estate. Crunch's range excludes it. Rent, deposits and lease build-out can be the biggest line.
• Brand fund. Crunch takes 2% of monthly gross sales on top of its 5% royalty.
• Local marketing minimums. Crunch requires at least $15,000 a month in local advertising in year one.
• Working capital. Burn Boot Camp builds it into its range. Others may not, so ask how many months of running costs you need.
• Financing. Crunch introduces lenders, but interest and repayments are yours.
• Your own salary. Many models assume an owner who works on the business full time. Budget what you will live on while the site ramps up.

Is a gym franchise a good fit for a personal trainer?

It is a better fit for an operator than for a coach. The franchisors say so themselves. Orangetheory's franchise page asks for investors with solid entrepreneur experience, an owner or operator who engages with the team daily and no absentee ownership, with $350,000 in liquid capital and $1 million in net worth. Anytime Fitness lists a $380,000 minimum net worth. Those are business owner profiles: you run a site, a lease, staff and a sales funnel, and you coach less.

If you want to spend your day coaching, a franchise can still work, but you hire coaches and manage them. If you want to be the coach, a small studio you control suits you better.

What should you ask a franchisor before you sign?

• What is in the Item 7 range, and what is not? Crunch excludes real estate, for example.
• What do existing owners earn? Ask for the Item 19 numbers and for a list of current owners you can phone.
• How long is the agreement, what does renewal cost and what happens if you want to sell?
• What size and kind of site do you need? Crunch says its clubs run 20,000 to 40,000 square feet, with a sweet spot of 25,000 to 30,000 and at least 125 parking spots.
• How is the marketing fund spent, and how much local marketing is required? Crunch requires at least $15,000 a month in year one.
• Which equipment and suppliers are you required to use, and can you negotiate?

A franchise lawyer and an accountant who know franchising are worth paying for before you sign. Their fees are small next to a $500,000 commitment.

How do you read a franchise disclosure document?

Ask each franchisor for its current FDD and read the same items in each. The franchisor pages above point to them.

1. 1.Item 5, initial fees. The franchise fee and any multi-unit discount.
2. 2.Item 6, other fees. Royalties, marketing fund and technology charges.
3. 3.Item 7, estimated initial investment. The range you saw above, with what is included.
4. 4.Item 19, financial performance. Earnings claims, if the franchisor makes any. Crunch points to it for what you can earn.
5. 5.Your own plan. Put the numbers into a break-even model before you sign. Have a franchise lawyer review the document.

What does the independent alternative look like?

Most independent studios start with a personal training or small group model and add classes as they grow. The software bill is small next to build-out. Scraler Ultimate, from $109 a month, adds studio and team management, a branded app, a custom domain and automations. Plus is $49 a month for 50 clients. See fitness studio software and gym management software for how the options compare, and the gym management software cost calculator for your numbers.