Anytime Fitness Franchise Analysis 2026

What is Anytime Fitness?

Founded in 2002, Anytime Fitness operates 3,000 US locations emphasizing 24/7 access and convenient neighborhood locations. The company pioneered the small-format fitness model and has built a global franchise network with flexible membership options and streamlined operational support.

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Investment & Fee Data

Investment Overview

Franchise Fee$42K

Total Investment$459K – $908K

Royalty Rate7.0%

Ad/Marketing Fund2.0%

Total Fee Burden9.0%

System Size & Growth

US Locations3,000

Unit Growth Rate+0.5%

Founded2002

Franchising Since2002

FDD Item 19Yes ✓

🔒 Premium Data Available

Avg Unit Volume (AUV)$441K

Owner Earnings$85K

SBA Default Rate15.0%

5-Year Survival85%

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💡 What This Means For You

The combined fee burden of 9.0% is within the industry average of 8-10%. Beyond the listed investment, expect approximately $204K in hidden costs (working capital, legal, insurance, tech fees) — bringing your realistic total closer to $888K.

Financial Performance & Risk Analysis

Financial Performance

Avg Unit Volume (AUV)$441K

Net Profit Margin20%

Est. Owner Earnings$85K

Breakeven18-30 months

Payback Period5-8 years

Capital Requirements & Operations

Liquid Capital Required$250K

Net Worth Required$500K

Staff Required3-8

Training2 weeks

TerritoryDesignated area

Multi-Unit RequiredNo

Term Length6 years

Risk & SBA Safety Data

SBA Default Rate15.0%

5-Year Survival85%

Renewal Fee$5,000

Transfer Fee$5,000

💡 Financial Analysis

The revenue-to-investment ratio of 0.6x is below the 2x benchmark — meaning the business needs strong margins to justify the capital deployed. At estimated owner earnings of $85K/year, the simple payback period is approximately 8.0 years.

Due Diligence Deep Dive

The data franchise brokers don't show you — real costs, owner lifestyle, franchisee satisfaction, exit options, and FDD transparency.

💰 True Cost of Ownership

Working Capital (6 mo)$80K

Legal & Accounting$20K

Insurance (Annual)$25K

Tech/Software (Monthly)$2K/mo

Lease Deposit Est.$50K

Grand Opening$20K

Total Hidden Costs$204K

👤 Owner Reality Check

Hours Per Week40-50

Absentee Owner Friendly?Yes ✓

Manager-Run Possible?Yes ✓

Seasonal VariationModerate

Labor Cost (% of Revenue)25%

Owner-managed operations. Expect to invest 40-50 hours per week managing day-to-day activities, staff oversight, customer acquisition, and brand compliance. Focus on operational efficiency and franchisee standards adherence.

📊 Franchisee Health

Satisfaction Score72/100 (Good)

Annual Turnover Rate6.0%

Litigation Count (Item 3)12 cases

5-Year Closure Rate4%

Avg Franchisee Tenure7 years

Franchisee AssociationYes ✓

🚪 Exit Strategy & Resale

Resale Value Multiple2.0-3.0xx earnings

Transfer RestrictionsFranchisor approval required; right of first refusal

Non-Compete Period2 years

Non-Compete Radius5 miles

Avg Time to Sell8-14 months

Exit DifficultyModerate

📋 FDD Transparency Report

Item 19 QualityModerate

Item 19 Includes:

✓ Average unit volume

✓ Member acquisition costs

Territory ProtectionModerate

Territory scope varies by location; moderate exclusivity provided

Required Suppliers?No

Supplier Markup RiskNone

Renewal Terms6-year term; renewal terms subject to brand standards compliance

🚩 FDD Red Flags & Green Flags

⚠️ Watch Out For:

High combined fee burden (>8%) (9.0% total)Litigation count: 12 cases

✅ Positive Signals:

Item 19 comprehensive financial disclosureEstablished system with strong unit baseTrack record data available

AI Disruption Risk Assessment

🛡️ AI Disruption Risk: Low

21/100

AI-Proof Disruption Timeline: 5-10 years High Risk

Low risk. While AI fitness apps (Peloton, Apple Fitness+) compete for attention, people still want physical gym space, equipment, and community. Anytime Fitness' low-cost model and convenience positioning remain defensible.

AI Threats:

AI fitness apps and virtual training competing for engagementReduced foot traffic from home fitness adoption

Defensive Moat:

Physical gym real estate, 24-hour access, low-cost positioning, global footprint, and community aspect.

🤖

AI Risk Analysis

See how AI will impact Anytime Fitness over the next 5-10 years — threats, moats, and disruption timeline.

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Territory Saturation Analysis

0.89

Units per 100K pop.

0.27x

Saturation Index

vs. Fitness & Wellness avg (3.36/100K)

States with Presence

Low Saturation

Anytime Fitness has significant whitespace opportunity relative to its category.

Geographic Distribution

No units

High density

Most Saturated States

State	Units	Population	Per 100K
Wyoming	67	581,000	11.53
Vermont	50	645,000	7.75
North Dakota	52	781,000	6.66
South Dakota	57	887,000	6.43
Hawaii	80	1,424,000	5.62

Least Saturated States

State	Units	Population	Per 100K
Texas	75	30,503,000	0.25
California	117	39,029,000	0.30
New York	73	18,777,000	0.39
Florida	97	23,555,000	0.41
Pennsylvania	61	12,961,000	0.47

Growth Opportunity States

High-population states where Anytime Fitness has minimal or no presence — potential expansion territories.

Nevada Alaska Washington DC

Investment Thesis

Anytime Fitness carries a CAUTION signal with a FutureScore of 56/100. Massive scale but mediocre unit economics. The $441K AUV is low relative to the $459K-$908K investment, and the above-average SBA default rate suggests many operators struggle. The 20% margin is decent but on a small revenue base. The Purpose Brands merger may bring improvements.

Ideal Investor Profile: Semi-absentee investor seeking low-staff recurring revenue model

Strengths

World's largest gym franchise24/7 access modelLow staffing requirementsRecurring membership revenue20% net margin despite low AUV

Risk Factors

Above-average SBA default rate (15%)Merged with Orangetheory parentLow AUV ($441K)Short 6-year term24-hour model has security concerns

Anytime Fitness