The 10 Best Health & Wellness Franchises of 2020

There’s no question that there’s a lot of money in the fitness industry. Consumers today are more health-conscious than ever, and they are willing to invest to reach their fitness goals. 

The U.S. is the world’s largest health and wellness market, with an annual growth rate of about 4.5% and currently estimated at $32 billion. With new business models, training concepts and trends arising consistently, the fitness market shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. 

Drawing from this year’s Entrepreneur Franchise 500 List, 1851 has compiled a list of 10 of the best health and wellness franchises to invest in this year

Orangetheory Fitness (Entrepreneur ranking: 43)

• Investment: $563,529 to $999,121
• Units: 1600+ 

Orangetheory offers a total-body workout based on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) paired with fitness equipment delivering your heart rate data in real-time. Packed schedule? Based on the Orange Zone science, 12 minutes in the 84-to-91-percent range of your max heart rate charges your metabolism and makes the most of your 60-minute workout,  the Orangetheory afterburn, which is continued caloric burn long after the workout is over. 

It is personal training in a group setting, where their certified personal trainers and coaches are ensuring you’re doing the exercise moves safely and effectively. 

Founded in 2010 and now with over 1,600+ locations worldwide, 24/7 Wall St. identified the brand as one of the hottest businesses to franchise in America due to having the fastest domestic franchise establishment growth from 2014 to 2019.

Burn Boot Camp (Entrepreneur ranking: 212)

• Investment: $148,830 to $353,150
• Units: 247

Started in 2012 as a boot camp in the parking lot of a gymnastics studio, Burn Boot Camp offers guests 45-minute workouts that burn up to 700 calories per camp. The brand also offers unlimited one-on-one training sessions, complimentary child care services and “Burn Nation,” which allows members to share their experiences with one another. 

Burn Boot Camp nearly tripled in growth in 2019, and 75% of Burn Boot Camp’s franchisees are also members, which goes to show how passionate they are behind the workouts and their results. 

GYMGUYZ (Entrepreneur ranking: 274)

• Investment: $56,072 to $122,483
• Units: 234

GYMGUYZ is the first franchise to deliver in-home mobile personal trainers for customized one-on-one or group workouts in the privacy of one’s own home. Since its founding in 2008, the mobile fitness franchise has grown to 234 locations, bringing the workout to the client when and where it’s convenient for them. 

Trained and certified coaches bring the equipment, their guidance and make sure every workout is customized for the client based on their own personal goals and fitness level. 

Workout Anytime (Entrepreneur  ranking: 351)

• Investment: $351,300 to $836,500
• Units: 150+

Workout Anytime allows customers to get in a workout at any time that works for them, thanks to a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week fitness concept. 

The company’s goal is to provide members with first-class facilities at the lowest cost possible. Memberships start as low as $10 a month at participating locations. 

Founded in 1999, Workout Anytime now has more than 150 locations across the country.

Elements Massage (Entrepreneur ranking: 456)

• Investment: $225,000 to $374,000
• Units: 240+

Founded in 2006, Elements Massage’s main goal has always been to connect their clients with the right massage therapist and ensure that the massage therapist is prepared to provide a massage that fits their expertise. Their core model is a monthly wellness membership that provides a special membership rate on sessions, which creates monthly recurring revenue for their franchisees. 

Planet Fitness (Entrepreneur ranking: 7)

• Investment: $1,084,600 to $4,178,000
• Units: 2,000+

With more than 14 million members worldwide, Planet Fitness has grown exponentially since its founding in 1992. 

Part of that growth is due to the franchise’s Judgement Free Zone philosophy, which makes first-time gym users feel more comfortable joining and working toward their fitness goals. The brand strives to provide an affordable, high-quality fitness workout in a welcoming, supportive environment. 

Anytime Fitness (Entrepreneur ranking: 22)

• Investment: $76,720 to $521,437
• Units: 4,700+

Founded in 2001, Anytime Fitness is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. That’s thanks largely to their security systems, which allow members access into the gym during unstaffed hours. 

It is also the first franchise with locations on all 7 continents and more than 4 million members worldwide. 

F45 Training (Entrepreneur ranking: 68)

• Investment: $227,000 to $315,000
• Units: 1,000+

F45 Training consists of team-based interval training since its founding in 2012, they’ve grown to over locations. Each studio offers a 45-minute high-intensity circuit training workout session from a database of over 4,000 different exercises. Every workout is developed through a “Stage and Gate” process, which starts with testing in one studio, then documents the results and makes revisions based on feedback before the workout is released company-wide.

Club Pilates Franchise (Entrepreneur ranking: 69)

• Investment: $167,967 to $280,446
• Units: 600+

Founded in 2007, Club Pilates is part of the Xponential Fitness family of brands, which has more than 25 years of boutique fitness franchising experience, providing the resources and network to ensure success for franchisees. The reformer-based group classes include TriggerPoint, TRX, Springboard, Chair and other equipment to build overall strength. 

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa (Entrepreneur ranking: 151)

• Investment: $543,563 to $618,327
• Units: 400+

Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa was founded in 2004 when the founder realized there was no national massage brand, despite the service’s popularity worldwide. Services include massages, facials and waxing services along with a monthly membership, providing consumers an affordable way to treat themselves monthly.