Planet Fitness Franchise

About the Planet Fitness franchise

Planet Fitness — The Judgement Free Zone — high-volume low-price gym — has built its franchise system in the health fitness category since 1992, headquartered in Hampton, NH. Publicly-traded HVLP gym franchise with $10–$25/month memberships and ADA model.

As of recent disclosures, Planet Fitness operates approximately 2,600 units worldwide. Initial investment for a single location typically falls between $1,200,000 and $4,900,000, with a franchise fee of approximately $20,000.

Unit economics and ongoing fees

Ongoing royalties run approximately 7.0% of gross sales, plus a brand fund / national advertising contribution of about 9.0%. Model these as recurring overhead — they apply to top-line revenue, not profit. Confirm the exact fee schedule and any local/regional marketing co-op requirements in Items 5, 6, and 11 of the current FDD.

Why prospective franchisees consider Planet Fitness

Operators considering Planet Fitness typically weigh the following advantages:

• Recurring membership revenue model
• Mature publicly-traded parent
• Large addressable market at low price point
• Strong unit-level economics at maturity

Where Planet Fitness has real trade-offs

Honest diligence also requires looking at where the system has friction:

• High capex per club ($2M+ typical)
• Multi-unit ADA only — no single-unit awards
• High net worth requirement
• Long ramp to maturity

How to evaluate the Planet Fitness opportunity

Before signing any franchise agreement, request the current Planet Fitness FDD, talk to at least 8–10 existing franchisees (both new and mature), and build a unit-level model that stress-tests labor, occupancy, royalties, and ramp. Pay particular attention to Item 19 (financial performance representations) if disclosed, Item 7 (estimated initial investment), and Item 20 (system size and turnover) trends over the past three years. Validation calls with existing operators are the single highest-leverage step in the process.

Figures above are seed estimates compiled from public sources and may not reflect the most recent FDD. Always verify against the current Franchise Disclosure Document before relying on any number commercially.