Blink Fitness vs ShapeXpress Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Blink Fitness Franchise
ShapeXpress Franchise
Investment $637,000 - $2,150,000$89,500 - $152,000
Franchise Fee $10,000 - $40,000$20,000
Royalty Fee 5%Varies
Advertising Fee 5%-
Year Founded 20102002
Year Franchised 20152003
Term Of Agreement -10 years
Term Of Agreement -10 years
Renewal Fee -$2.5K


Business Experience Requirements

 
Blink Fitness Franchise
ShapeXpress Franchise
Experience 5+ years of relevant business experience or operator with that level of experience
  • Marketing skills
  • Sales skills, previous employee supervision skills

  • Financing Options

     
    Blink Fitness Franchise
    ShapeXpress Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/YesNo/No
    Start-up Costs No/YesNo/Yes
    Equipment No/YesNo/Yes
    Inventory No/YesNo/Yes
    Receivables No/YesNo/No
    Payroll No/YesNo/Yes

    Training & Support

     
    Blink Fitness Franchise
    ShapeXpress Franchise
    Training We offer an industry-leading 150 hours of training to prepare you to run your Blink business successfully. This training includes: Orientation that includes a thorough overview of the business Deep-dive classroom and virtual training on each area of the Blink business Hands-on operational training at one of our gyms A support person who will spend up to a week at your location during your club opening. Ongoing
    Support When you join the Blink Fitness family as a franchise owner, you gain instant access to one of the most well-rounded executive teams in the business. In addition to having deep roots in the fitness industry, our leadership team brings a mix of experience from world-class companies that includes Equinox, Dunkin Donuts, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, Whole Foods Market, Starbucks, and Ann Taylor.Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations
    Marketing -Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, Regional advertising
    Operations Number of employees required > about 20 Owner/operator required Absentee ownership allowed Franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 3 - 4

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (35% of current franchisees are owner/operators)


    Expansion Plans

     
    Blink Fitness Franchise
    ShapeXpress Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion NoNo

    Company Overviews

    About Blink Fitness

    Blink Fitness is perfectly positioned at the premium end of the value segment. Blink brings a unique positioning to the segment by addressing common consumer barriers to joining a gym. Most people believe that gyms aren't for people like them; they're for people with hard bodies like the ones shown in most gym advertising. Blink has removed the barriers of working out at a gym by celebrating the positive emotions people get from exercise.
     *We're MOOD LIFTERS TM who greet you with enthusiasm and treat you with respect
     *Our gym design is colorful, bright, and open
     *We have an everyone cleans philosophy so our gyms are always spotless
     *We specifically select energizing music that will keep you motivated
     *We offer training programs that boost confidence, not your wallet.

     *We Put Mood Above Muscle
     *We’re the first gym to showcase body diversity and engage people who have been disenfranchised by stereotypical fitness ads.

    We have proven ourselves as the leader in the premium value fitness sector and have perfected the model so you can run with it.
    Our recurring revenue model for the important first three years and beyond is backed by solid statistics.
    Median gross sales in years 1 through 3 at existing company-operated locations are impressive.
     *How we know our model works - We've created a highly affordable, premium-quality member experience across all our company-owned clubs that has achieved:
     + Success across a wide range of demographics, psychographics and markets (urban and suburban) in the NY Metro area
    + More than 200,000 members who love us. (Just read the Yelp reviews!)

    About ShapeXpress

    NO LONGER FRANCHISING

    Proven results for members AND franchisees! Join our success in the $14.8 billion fitness industry! ShapeXpress for Women is setting the standard for women's only fitness franchise opportunities. "Amazing support from the corporate office." That's what our franchisees are saying about ShapeXpress. Support in every area of starting and operating your club: finding a location, negotiating a lease, decor & build-out, financing, marketing, membership sales, daily operations, billing, member tracking, hiring and more. Each franchisee is assigned a Franchise Support Executive to personally assist with setting goals and addressing concerns. Weekly conference calls keep our franchisees in communication with our corporate office and each other. Among U.S. franchises, 65% consist of fewer than 100 stores and 49% have under 50 locations. Compare this to ShapeXpress, which in its first 3 years of offering, has sold over 300 franchises!