Contours Express vs The Barre Code Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Contours Express vs The Barre Code including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Contours Express Franchise
The Barre Code Franchise
Investment $35,000 - $50,000$190,500 - $411,800
Franchise Fee $12,500$49,500
Royalty Fee $395/mo.6%
Advertising Fee -1%
Year Founded 19982010
Year Franchised 19982012
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Contours Express Franchise
The Barre Code Franchise
Experience --

Financing Options
 
Contours Express Franchise
The Barre Code Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/No-/Yes
Start-up Costs No/No-/Yes
Equipment No/Yes-/Yes
Inventory No/No-/Yes
Receivables No/No-/Yes
Payroll No/No-/Yes

Training & Support
 
Contours Express Franchise
The Barre Code Franchise
Training - On-The-Job Training: 42 hours Classroom Training: 128 hours
Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet

# Protected Territory # 5 days of Training at Contours Express University # 3-Day Training at your gym # Adjustable Weight Stack Equipment # 16 Stations - 4 extra stations optional # Butt-n-Gut cd # Preferred Vendor Discounts # Unlimited Ongoing Training # Advertising and Marketing Advice # 24/7 Online Marketing Materials Library # Personal Gym Website # Prepared PowerPoint Marketing Presentations # Nutritional Counseling Program - C.O.R.E. # Site Selection Assistance

Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Ad slicks Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
Operations 50% of all franchisees own more than one unit

Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 2

Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (50% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

 Number of Employees Required to Run: 1 - 2

Expansion Plans
 
Contours Express Franchise
The Barre Code Franchise
US Expansion -Yes
Canada Expansion No-
International Expansion Yes-

Company Overviews

About Contours Express

After operating coed clubs, working as consultants and working in other areas of the fitness industry, Daren Carter, Mike Widener and Charlie Woodward joined forces to create a fitness center just for women. In 1998, the partners founded Contours Express, a women-only center catering to towns with populations too small to support a full-scale, coed gym.

Contours Express members follow a 29-minute cue tape that keeps them moving through aerobic stations and strength training machines. A fitness trainer (the franchisee or an employee) works with the members during their workouts, providing motivation and other services.

Clubs, which are usually located in strip centers, are about 1,200 square feet in size and can accommodate up to 20 members at a time.

About The Barre Code

 ‎Co-founders, Jillian and Ariana launched The Barre Code in 2010, with a shared passion for personal training and empowerment through positivity.
Franchising since 2012, we have grown from the inaugural location in Chicago’s River North neighborhood to nearly 50 prosperous locations across 17 states with thousands of members while generating national media coverage.   As The Barre Code continues to expand, one powerful consistency remains: a dedication to helping transform people into their strongest, fittest selves while supporting franchise owners to reach their personal goals.

"Entrepreneur
#379 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#195 in Franchise 500 for 2021.