Curves vs Planet Fitness Franchise Comparison

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

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Curves Franchise
Planet Fitness Franchise
Investment $115,600 - $243,200$968,100 - $4,113,000
Franchise Fee $39,900$20,000
Royalty Fee 5%7% of Gross Membership Fees
Advertising Fee -9%
Year Founded 19921992
Year Franchised 19952003
Term Of Agreement 5 years10 years
Term Of Agreement 5 years10 years
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Curves Franchise
Planet Fitness Franchise
Experience
  • Financially stable
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Curves Franchise
    Planet Fitness Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/No
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/No
    Equipment No/NoNo/Yes
    Inventory No/NoNo/No
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support
     
    Curves Franchise
    Planet Fitness Franchise
    Training At regional meetings (full day), convention (3 days), local events (1 day)* Available at headquarters: 2 weeks * At franchisee's location: as needed
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations* Newsletter * Meetings * Toll-free phone line * Grand opening * Internet * Security/safety procedures * Field operations/evaluations * Purchasing cooperatives
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising* Co-op advertising * Ad slicks * Regional advertising
    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. (70% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		* 40% of all franchisees own more than one unit * Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (70% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    Expansion Plans
     
    Curves Franchise
    Planet Fitness Franchise
    US Expansion -Yes
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Curves

    At the age of 20, pre-med student Gary Heavin had taken over a failing fitness center in Houston, turning the business around and, within five years, opened six more centers. After 10 years and 17 centers, Heavin's business went under. Not wanting to give up, Heavin took lessons from the strengths and weaknesses of his first chain and decided to open a second. In 1992, Heavin opened Curves for Women, a women-only fitness center, in Harlingen, Texas. The company began franchising in 1995.

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    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.

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