Franchise Deep Dive: Anytime Fitness Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data

The large-scale gym brand offers a chance to own a fitness center in 50+ countries.

By Luca Piacentini1851 Franchise Managing Editor

Updated 7:07AM • 02/12/23

LAST UPDATED: January 4, 2023

FRANCHISE WEBSITE: https://www.anytimefitness.com/franchise/

NUMBER OF LOCATIONS: 5,000+ worldwide

REPORTED COST TO GET IN: $290,746 – $783,897 depending on location type

REPORTED ROI (Item 19): $38,496 – $76,992 (VettedBiz estimate)

Anytime Fitness is a hugely popular gym concept that has thousands of franchise units all over the world. One of the top companies in the fitness franchising segment, the brand is widely recognized by both customers and investors. The brand continues to expand, seeing over 12% growth in the last three years and increased interest from franchise partners. Anytime Fitness’ biggest competitors in the space are Planet Fitness, Crunch and Gold’s Gym.

How Many Anytime Fitness Locations Are There?

Entrepreneur reports that, as of 2022, there are more than 5,000 Anytime Fitness locations worldwide. The brand, which was founded in Minnesota by three partners in 2002, has since branched out to reach more than 50 countries, including Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland, Grand Cayman, Poland, the Netherlands, Spain, Qatar, South Korea, India, Italy, Chile, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.

The brand has locations in all 50 states. The 2022 Franchise Disclosure Document shows that there were 2,347 Anytime Fitness locations in the United States at the end of 2021. ScrapeHero data shows the states with the most locations are Texas, Florida and Minnesota.

There has been a slight trend of closings in recent years: with a net change of -94 units in 2020 and -27 in 2021. The number of company-owned units has also dropped over the years, down to 16 gyms from a high of 38 in 2018. However, these numbers are balanced out by the steady rise of openings in international territories: in 2022, there were 2,729 Anytime Fitness gyms in other countries, up from just 1,309 just five years prior.

Due to its quick growth, the brand has received a decent amount of recognition. Anytime Fitness has been named “fastest-growing fitness club” by the International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, one of “America's most promising companies” by Forbes and has appeared on numerous Entrepreneur Magazine lists, such as the Franchise 500, Top Franchises for Veterans and Top Global Franchises.

What is the Anytime Fitness Business Model?

Anytime Fitness offers two gym setups that franchisees can choose between conventional Anytime Fitness centers and Anytime Fitness Express centers. The main difference between these is the size of the facility.

Regular Anytime Fitness centers: between 4,000 and 6,000 square feet.
Anytime Fitness Express centers: between 1,500 and 4,000 square feet and are located in small towns with less than 7,000 people

Both concepts under the Anytime Fitness name operate with the 24/7/365 access the business is known for. The clubs primarily generate revenue through membership sales, personal training, tanning sessions and other revenue streams within the gym.

How Much Can Anytime Fitness Franchise Owners Make?

The financial performance representations in Anytime Fitness’ 2022 Franchise Disclosure Document include reportings from 1,103 of its conventional locations and 156 Express gyms. The Item 19 broke down average sales figures for each type and what the main revenue sources were.

Anytime Fitness Center:

Average Total Revenue $384,958
- Average Membership Revenue: $291,130
- Average Personal Training Revenue: $31,135
- Average Pay-Per-Visit Revenue: $17,422

Anytime Fitness Express Center:

Average Total Revenue $246,246
- Average Membership Revenue: $204,848
- Average Personal Training Revenue: $76,406
- Average Pay-Per-Visit Revenue $10,264

VettedBiz calculated how long the return on investment would be, depending on the average revenue numbers and different profit margins. The site estimated that for a standard gym, with a 10% to 20% profit margin, it would take between ten to 17 years to recoup the money. For an Express center, the return on investment is longer: between 11 to 20 years.

How Much Does it Cost to Open an Anytime Fitness?

The initial investment to begin operations of an Anytime Fitness varies between $381,575 and $783,897 for a conventional Anytime Fitness gym and between $290,746 to $584,441 for an Express center. These costs are explained in the FDD’s Item 7.

The following costs are part of the upfront initial investment and include the ranges for both center types:

Travel and Training Expenses: $3,000 – $3,500
Deposit and Leasehold Improvements: $3,832 – $371,142
3 Months’ Rent: $11,495 – $28,116
Architect/Design Fees: $6,000 – $16,080
Fitness Equipment: $137,081 – $153,010
Technology Equipment Package: $28,488 – $34,805
Supplies: $3,050 – $3,575
Interior & Exterior Signs: $16,000 – $26,000
Miscellaneous Opening Costs: $8,000 – $11,000
Pre-Sale/Grand Opening Advertising: $0 – $23,000
Insurance/Bond: $2,700 – $3,450
Furniture & Fixtures $13,000 – $15,300
Additional Funds – 3 Months: $33,100 – $51,000

Ongoing Costs and Fees include:

Monthly fee: $699 for regular centers, $449 for Express centers
Monthly advertising fee: $600 for regular centers, $300 for Express centers
Monthly technology fee: $799 for regular centers, $720 for Express centers

What is the Franchise Fee for Anytime Fitness

The franchise fee to sign an agreement for an Anytime Fitness location depends on the type of center the investor picks. According to the 2022 FDD, the brand offers discounts for additional locations, veterans and franchisees from sister brands The Bar Method, Basecamp Fitness and Waxing the City.

The franchise fee for a standard gym is $42,500. Existing franchisees within the system are offered a rate of $32,500. For veterans, the fee is discounted to $35,000 or $30,000 if they are an existing owner.

To open an Anytime Fitness Express center, the initial franchise fee is $25,000. Veterans and existing franchisees within the system are offered a rate of $22,500, and those who are both are able to secure an agreement for a low fee of only $20,000.

For area development agreements, where inventors sign for more than one gym, the franchise fee gradually decreases depending on the number of centers in the deal. New franchisees can sign two locations for a $15,000 discount on the fee, three for $32,500 off, and so on. The same discounts for veterans and existing owners are also available.

Anytime Fitness also offers an interesting way to reduce the franchise fee by $2,000. New owners who pledge to donate $100 per month to the HeartFirst Charitable Foundation for the entirety of their term length will get a discount.

Who is the Leadership of Anytime Fitness?

What Helpful Articles Can I Read to Learn More About Anytime Fitness?

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Franchise Deep Dive: Anytime Fitness Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data

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