Planet Fitness vs Club Pilates Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Planet Fitness vs Club Pilates including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Planet Fitness Franchise
Club Pilates Franchise
Investment $968,100 - $4,113,000$178,000 - $365,200
Franchise Fee $20,000$60,000
Royalty Fee 7% of Gross Membership Fees7%
Advertising Fee 9%2%
Year Founded 19922007
Year Franchised 20032012
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Term Of Agreement 10 years-
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements

 
Planet Fitness Franchise
Club Pilates Franchise
Experience -At Club Pilates, we're looking for franchise owners who are outgoing, results oriented, eager to learn the Pilates industry and have sales, marketing and/or management experience. A person who can build strong relationships, lead a team, and is committed to building the brand and driven to success. You'll need a minimum of $80k in liquid capital, and be ready to DO PILATES. DO LIFE!

Financing Options

 
Planet Fitness Franchise
Club Pilates Franchise
  In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
Franchise Fees No/No-/-
Start-up Costs No/No-/-
Equipment No/Yes-/-
Inventory No/No-/-
Receivables No/No-/-
Payroll No/No-/-

Training & Support

 
Planet Fitness Franchise
Club Pilates Franchise
Training * Available at headquarters: 2 weeks * At franchisee's location: as neededYou’ll attend a 3-day training course at our corporate headquarters in Costa Mesa, California along with an annual Franchise Convention and ongoing weekly support. Ongoing web-based and in person training. Private class training, instructor training and general manager training. On-The-Job Training: 2 hours Classroom Training: 44 hours Additional Training: Instructor training
Support * Newsletter * Meetings * Toll-free phone line * Grand opening * Internet * Security/safety procedures * Field operations/evaluations * Purchasing cooperativesPre-Opening Support Real Estate: Our dedicated staff will help you in the site selection and lease negotiation to find the ideal site for your Club Pilates Franchise. Finance: Our Finance team will provide assistance in loan processing through the SBA and preferred financiers. Site Build Support: You’ll be walked through the entire build out process from corporate approved layout and general construction to interior design and on-site security & technology. Sales: Get introduced to our sales process, retail range and POS system to drive sales from the start. Marketing: The minute you sign your lease agreement, the marketing of your location begins, with personalized support to set up social media, marketing materials and all means of generating website traffic and memberships. Recruitment: Receive assistance hiring the most qualified instructors, general managers and sales associates. To compliment this, our Certified Club Pilates Teacher Training Program ensures a seamless on boarding process for Pilates instructors new to our unique Pilates method. Comprehensive Training: You’ll attend a 3-day training course at our corporate headquarters in Costa Mesa, California along with an annual Franchise Convention and ongoing weekly support. Ongoing Personalized Support Ongoing web-based and in person training Sales, marketing & operations tools and resources accessible online 24 hours and the ability to communicate with and learn from other franchisees. Branding and marketing support with monthly materials developed for your studio. Monthly marketing updates and performance reporting. 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 * Co-op advertising * Ad slicks * Regional advertisingCo-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app
Operations * 40% of all franchisees own more than one unit * Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (70% of current franchisees are owner/operators)Absentee Ownership Allowed Number of Employees Required to Run: 4 - 8

Expansion Plans

 
Planet Fitness Franchise
Club Pilates Franchise
US Expansion YesYes
Canada Expansion --
International Expansion -Yes

Company Overviews

About Planet Fitness

Planet Fitness got its start in 1992 when Michael Grondahl acquired a struggling gym. He reduced membership prices to compete against better-known brands and focused on serving occasional or first-time gym users. Every Planet Fitness location holds a pizza night for members once a month, as well as a bagel morning, and Tootsie Rolls are available at all times.
Planet Fitness strives to promote health in a respectful atmosphere. For over a decade, Planet Fitness has gone to great lengths to provide its members with a friendly space to work out. We call it the Judgment Free Zone. We discourage weight dropping and obnoxious grunting so you can focus on your own workout and not the person next to you.

The total investment necessary to begin operation of a single Planet Fitness facility ranges from $968,100 to $3,072,000 if you finance your equipment.
This includes $48,000 to $297,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliate.
If you choose to purchase your equipment, the total investment necessary to begin operation of a single Planet Fitness facility ranges from $1,500,000 to $4,113,000.
This includes $295,000 to $912,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliate.
These estimated initial investment ranges also apply to each location that you develop under the Area Development Agreement (plus the Area Development Fee you pay at the time you sign the Area Development Agreement). If you sign an Area Development Agreement, you must develop one or more Planet Fitness facilities, and you will pay an Area Development Fee of $10,000 per planned location (paid in full when you sign the Area Development Agreement) in addition to the then-current initial franchise fee due for each location at the time the Franchise Agreement for that location is signed.

"Entrepreneur

#7 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#8 in Franchise 500 for 2021.






About Club Pilates

 
"Club

Club Pilates is the largest Pilates brand, with more than 600 studios open.
Ranked #69 in Entrepreneur Magazine's 2020 Franchise 500 list and on Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000 list 4 years running,
we provide an established executive model and completely scalable business to make the possibilities endless!

Join us in bringing the benefits of Pilates to as many people as possible!

"Entrepreneur
#69 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
#104 in Franchise 500 for 2021.