Anytime Fitness vs Planet Fitness franchise comparison: investment range, royalties, unit count, member economics, and which model fits which buyer profile.
Quick answerPlanet Fitness is the bigger bet with bigger output: $1,282,500-$5,386,000 investment and $1,863,300 median club revenue per the 2026 FDD. Anytime Fitness costs less ($539,329-$905,482) but its median club grosses $398,982. Pick Planet Fitness if you can fund a big-box build; pick Anytime Fitness for a small-footprint, semi-absentee model.
Anytime Fitness and Planet Fitness are two of the most-searched fitness franchises in America, and they represent almost opposite operational models. A buyer weighing both is really weighing two different business profiles, not two flavors of the same business. The capital required, the real estate required, the staffing model, the member economics, and the day-to-day operational style all diverge meaningfully.
This guide breaks down how the two franchises actually compare on the dimensions that affect a franchise buyer’s decision in 2026.
| Metric | Anytime Fitness | Planet Fitness |
|---|---|---|
| Concept | 24/7 access, small-footprint gym | Big-box, high-volume, low-price gym |
| Typical square footage | 4,000–6,000 sq ft | 18,000–25,000 sq ft |
| Total initial investment | $539,329–$905,482 | $1,282,500–$5,386,000 |
| Franchise fee | $42,500 | $40,000 |
| Royalty | Up to 8% of Gross Revenue | 7% of gross membership fees |
| Advertising fund | $900/month | 2% |
| Typical member dues | $30–$50/month | $10–$25/month |
| Typical members per club | 800–1,200 | 5,000–8,000+ |
| U.S. franchised units | 2,271 | 2,432 (+270 company-owned) |
| Item 19 median revenue | $398,982 (1,656 clubs) | $1,863,300 (2,291 clubs) |
| Operational model | Owner-operator or semi-absentee | Owner-operator with full staff |
(Investment, fee, royalty, unit-count, and Item 19 figures come from each brand’s 2026 FDD as parsed in VetMyFranchise’s database of 2,000+ FDDs; member-dues and square-footage figures are industry-typical ranges as of 2026. Verify Item 7, Item 6, and Item 19 in the current documents before relying on any single number.)
The single biggest difference between the two: real estate footprint and capital requirement.
A typical Anytime Fitness club requires 4,000–6,000 sq ft. Annual lease cost depends heavily on submarket (suburban strip mall vs. urban storefront) but typically ranges $40,000–$120,000 NNN. Build-out costs are modest by fitness standards: equipment package, locker rooms, and basic finish work. Total investment ranges from $539,329 at the low end to $905,482 for premium territories with extended equipment packages, per the 2026 FDD’s Item 7.
A Planet Fitness club requires 18,000–25,000 sq ft of contiguous retail space. That alone limits where you can open, because many submarkets simply don’t have buildings of that size available at acceptable rates. Annual lease cost typically runs $250,000–$700,000 NNN. Build-out is substantial: extensive cardio and strength equipment packages, large locker rooms, sometimes tanning, sometimes hydromassage, signage, and a Black Card lounge. Total investment ranges from $1,282,500 at the low end (smaller club, simpler build-out) to $5,386,000 for premium markets and larger clubs, per the 2026 FDD.
For a franchise buyer with $300K available, Anytime Fitness is potentially within reach (with SBA financing); Planet Fitness is typically not. For a buyer with $1.5M available and access to additional debt capacity, Planet Fitness becomes feasible.
The fee structures used to be opposites; they’ve converged more than most older comparisons admit.
Anytime Fitness historically used a flat monthly royalty of roughly $699. That era is over: the 2026 FDD discloses a royalty of up to 8% of Gross Revenue plus a $900 per month marketing fee. Buyers should consult the current FDD Item 6 for the exact schedule, because percentage-based royalties change the math meaningfully for high-revenue clubs that used to benefit from the flat fee.
Planet Fitness charges a 7% royalty on gross membership fees plus a 2% advertising fund contribution, per the 2026 FDD. Higher revenue clubs pay more in absolute terms. Planet Fitness’s higher member volumes mean total royalty contribution per club is meaningful: at 6,000 members paying an average $15/month, gross dues are $90K/month, of which 9% ($8,100/month) goes to royalty and ad fund.
For an Anytime Fitness club at the brand’s Item 19 median of $398,982/year (about $33,000/month), an 8% royalty plus the $900 marketing fee works out to roughly $3,600/month. For a typical Planet Fitness club generating $80,000–$120,000/month in dues, royalties + ad fund add up to roughly $7,000–$11,000/month.
The two brands target very different consumer segments.
Anytime Fitness positions toward a higher-paying member who values 24/7 access, key-card entry to any club nationwide, and a more boutique gym experience. Average membership pricing runs $30–$50/month depending on submarket. Typical membership counts run 800–1,200 per club. The economic model: moderate volume × moderate dues = consistent monthly revenue.
Planet Fitness positions explicitly as the value alternative: $10–$15/month standard membership, $25/month “Black Card” upgrade with tanning/massage chair access. The economic model: very high volume × low dues = very large absolute revenue. Successful Planet Fitness clubs run 5,000–8,000+ members.
The question for a franchise buyer is which model fits your real estate access. If you have a 5,000 sq ft strip-mall space in a strong suburb, Anytime Fitness fits. If you have or can secure 22,000 sq ft of high-visibility retail in a high-density market, Planet Fitness fits.
Both brands publish Financial Performance Representations (Item 19) in their FDDs, the earnings disclosure the FTC Franchise Rule regulates. Read these carefully (see our Item 19 deep-dive) and ideally talk to existing franchisees in your specific geography. What the 2026 disclosures show:
Per the 2026 FDD’s Item 19, the median Anytime Fitness club grossed $398,982 for the 12 months ended February 28, 2026, across 1,656 reporting franchised centers. The 25th percentile club did $233,169 and the 75th percentile $746,996, so location and member volume swing outcomes hard. EBITDA margins of 20–35% and break-even in 12–24 months are typical industry patterns for a well-located club.
Per the 2026 FDD’s Item 19, the median Planet Fitness club grossed $1,863,300 in fiscal 2025 across 2,291 reporting franchised units, with a 25th percentile of $1,597,497 and a 75th percentile of $2,170,135. EBITDA margins of 25–40% are typical depending on submarket and Black Card upsell rate. Time-to-break-even is often 18–36 months given the higher build-out cost and ramp time to mature membership.
The absolute dollar EBITDA at a successful Planet Fitness is meaningfully higher; the percentage-of-investment ROI depends on multiple factors and varies by club.
Mostly owner-operator or semi-absentee. Many franchisees run their club with 1–2 part-time front-desk staff and 1–2 trainers. The 24/7 model relies heavily on key-card automation, which reduces staffing needs during overnight and early-morning hours.
Owner-operator with full staffing. Typical clubs employ 8–15 staff including managers, front desk, trainers, and cleaning. The big-box, high-volume model requires more hands-on management of staff scheduling, member experience, equipment maintenance, and facility cleanliness.
Multi-unit Planet Fitness operators are common; many of the most successful franchisees own 5+ clubs. Multi-unit Anytime Fitness operators exist but are less common.
| Buyer Profile | Better Fit |
|---|---|
| First-time franchise buyer, $200K–$400K capital | Anytime Fitness |
| Experienced multi-unit operator, $1.5M+ capital | Planet Fitness |
| Buyer wanting semi-absentee operation | Anytime Fitness |
| Buyer with access to large-format retail space | Planet Fitness |
| Buyer focused on high-volume value pricing | Planet Fitness |
| Buyer in a small/secondary market | Anytime Fitness |
| Buyer in a metro market with available 20K+ sq ft retail | Planet Fitness |
| Buyer wanting boutique/community-club experience | Anytime Fitness |
For both franchises, the items most worth scrutinizing:
Weighing Anytime Fitness against Planet Fitness for real? The full 12-section FDD analysis covers Item 19 earnings, litigation history, fee footnotes, and a buyer verdict personalized to your capital and market: $49 per brand, or three brands for $99 if you’re comparing finalists. Or start with our free side-by-side comparison tool.
Anytime Fitness and Planet Fitness aren’t really competitors for franchise buyers. They’re two different businesses for two different buyer profiles. The right comparison is between which model matches your capital, real estate access, operational appetite, and target market. Buyers who pick the wrong model spend two years fighting their own infrastructure; buyers who pick the right one spend two years compounding into mature unit economics.
The right next move is concrete: pull the Item 19 disclosures for both brands, talk to three existing franchisees in markets that resemble yours, and price out the equipment and build-out on a real piece of real estate before either pitch deck makes the decision for you.
For a full standalone deep-dive on either brand, see our Anytime Fitness franchise cost guide: Item 7 line items, Item 19 quartile data on 1,656 reporting clubs, and the royalty math that shapes the brand’s economics. On the other side, the Planet Fitness franchise cost guide walks through the $1.28M-$5.39M investment, annual operating costs, and what owners actually net per location.
For a category-level overview and side-by-side comparisons, see Best Fitness Franchises Under $200K (2026).
Per the 2026 FDDs, Anytime Fitness total initial investment ranges $539,329–$905,482 depending on territory, build-out, and equipment package. Planet Fitness total initial investment ranges $1,282,500–$5,386,000 depending on real estate, square footage (typically 18,000–25,000 sq ft for a big-box club), equipment package, and signage. Always consult the franchise's current FDD Item 7 for the latest exact numbers.
Anytime Fitness historically used a flat monthly royalty, but its 2026 FDD discloses a royalty of up to 8% of Gross Revenue plus a $900/month marketing fee. Planet Fitness charges a 7% royalty on gross monthly and annual membership fees plus a 2% advertising fund contribution. The structures are now closer than they used to be; the actual cost comparison depends on your club's revenue.
Anytime Fitness markets itself as semi-absentee-friendly; many franchisees have part-time staff and don't run the club day-to-day. Planet Fitness clubs are larger operations with full-time managers and front-desk staff; they're typically owner-operator or multi-unit operator businesses, not pure absentee. Both franchisors require some initial owner involvement during ramp-up regardless of long-term operational model.
Anytime Fitness has a lower barrier to entry on capital ($539,329 minimum per the 2026 FDD versus Planet Fitness's $1,282,500 minimum) and a simpler operational model that fits well with first-time buyers. Planet Fitness's higher investment and big-box operational complexity typically attract more experienced multi-unit operators or buyers with significant capital. There's no universal 'better'; match the model to your situation.
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