2026 FDD Issued May 22, 2026 Minnesota Commerce (CARDS) Checked Sep 28, 2026
Planet Fitness Franchise Cost (2026)
A Planet Fitness franchise costs an estimated $1,282,500 – $5,386,000 to open, according to Item 7 of the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). That total includes the $40,000 initial franchise fee (Item 5) and covers this format: Single club, new or converted. Item 6 lists royalty: 7% of membership dues (EFT draft), subject to the conditions below.
- Total investment
- $1.28M – $5.39MItem 7 source and qualifications
- Franchise fee
- $40KItem 5 source and terms
- Royalty
- 7% of membership dues (EFT draft)Item 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Brand fund
- VariesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Units (2025)
- 2,709Item 20 source and scope
- Franchise exit rate
- 0.2% / yrCalculated 3-year average; definition and source
What stands out about Planet Fitness
Equipment replacement and remodeling are separate obligations in Item 6, not expenses limited to opening the club. The equipment replacement range matches the initial equipment purchase range in Item 5. The timing depends on the contractual requirements, so a flat annual fee calculation does not capture these later capital outlays.
Membership fees collected by electronic funds transfer, or EFT, are not the same base as all club revenue. National and local advertising have different membership-fee definitions, temporary rules and a local spending floor. A join fee also depends on new memberships. The middle-group EFT average of $1,873,231 is insufficient to determine every charge.
Item 19 groups franchised clubs by revenue rather than disclosing a systemwide average. It also reports a separate cost statement for company-owned clubs. Those company figures are not franchisee owner income, and equipment replacement and remodeling are recorded as capital assets rather than operating expenses in that statement.
What are the initial franchise fees and financial requirements for Planet Fitness?
Item 5 lists an initial franchise fee of $40,000 for Planet Fitness. Check the cited Item 5 for payment timing, discounts and format-specific terms.
The same for new and conversion clubs. Currently waived for franchise agreements signed under an area development agreement, which carries an area development fee of $10,000 per location ($30,000 per location in some re-granted territories). Site evaluation expenses may add $0–$10,000. A $5,000 plan review fee applies if you do not use the designated architects; a further $5,000 design resubmission fee applies if resubmitted plans still materially fail specifications (PDF p. 19).
Source: Planet Fitness 2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 18.
This record lists no minimum net worth or liquid-capital requirement for Planet Fitness, because no sourced figure has been recorded. Ask the franchisor for its current financial qualifications in writing.
How much does it cost to open a Planet Fitness franchise? (Item 7)
Source: Planet Fitness 2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 29.
Item 7 of Planet Fitness’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document estimates the total cost to open one single club, new or converted at $1,282,500 – $5,386,000. This total includes the initial franchise fee.
| Expense Category | Low ($) | High ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $0 | $40,000 |
| Site selection costs | $0 | $10,000 |
| Construction plan review fee | $0 | $5,000 |
| Design resubmission fee | $0 | $5,000 |
| Leasehold improvements | $1,000,000 | $2,167,000 |
| Fitness equipment | $33,300 | $995,000 |
| Non-fitness equipment | $89,200 | $1,315,000 |
| Pre-sale / grand opening marketing | $40,000 | $120,000 |
| Exterior signs | $12,000 | $40,000 |
| Computer, point-of-sale system and supplies | $1,000 | $7,000 |
| Insurance | $25,000 | $45,000 |
| Real estate lease deposits | $0 | $95,000 |
| Other deposits | $0 | $23,000 |
| Professional fees | $2,000 | $25,000 |
| Out-of-pocket initial training expenses | $2,000 | $10,000 |
| Licenses and bonds | $10,000 | $25,000 |
| Additional funds (3 months) | $68,000 | $459,000 |
| Total | $1,282,500 | $5,386,000 |
Other formats
| Format | Total investment |
|---|---|
| Equipment financed (cover page) | $1,282,500 – $3,769,000 |
| Equipment purchased (cover page) | $2,385,000 – $5,386,000 |
For comparison, the median high-end investment among 7 fitness records without a source-review hold is $1,029,811.
The printed Item 7 total excludes the cost of purchasing or leasing real estate (PDF p. 31). The cover separately describes financing versus purchasing equipment; those financing alternatives are not separate club formats.
What ongoing royalties and fees does Planet Fitness charge? (Item 6)
Source: Planet Fitness 2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 19.
Item 6 of Planet Fitness’s 2026 FDD lists the charges below. Recurring charges and charges triggered by a transfer, renewal or other event have different conditions. Read each fee’s basis and notes before comparing rates.
How to read an Item 6 fee table.
| Fee Type | Amount / Rate | Payment Frequency | Notes & Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 7% of membership dues (EFT draft) | Every period | Charged on total monthly and annual membership fees due via EFT, whether or not collected. On 60 days' notice, the franchisor may use total net membership revenue instead and may charge an equivalent royalty on memberships outside the EFT draft. Eligible clubs opened early under an area development agreement may have an incentive period until the required opening date or 180 days after opening, whichever comes first. PDF p. 27. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Interest | 10% of overdue amounts, per year | When it applies | Or the highest legal rate, if lower. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Join fee | 20% of the regular monthly fee for each new membership | When it applies | Charged once per new membership, or 5% of the price of a prepaid membership. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Administrative fees | Varies | When it applies | For administering certain commercial partnerships; up to 50% of the revenue you receive from them. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Refresher training workshops | $500 – $1,500 | When it applies | (Item 6, PDF p. 20) |
| Per diem fee | $100 – $1,000 | When it applies | For extra operational training you request, plus the trainers' travel. (Item 6, PDF p. 20) |
| Re-equip costs | $333,000 – $995,000 | When it applies | Required replacement, paid to the affiliate. Ordinary frequency limits are 6 years for cardio and 8 for other equipment; low-use clubs have 7/9-year limits and high-use clubs 5/7-year limits. Costs can increase. Note 6 permits earlier changes with approval by 66% of U.S. company-owned and franchised clubs or 51% of U.S. franchised clubs; legal and limited-equipment requirements also apply. PDF pp. 27-28. (Item 6, PDF p. 20) |
| Remodel costs | $250,000 – $1,200,000 | When it applies | Substantial remodeling can be required up to once every 12 years (signage more often). (Item 6, PDF p. 20) |
| Fees to evaluate alternative suppliers | $25,000 | When it applies | The franchisor's costs, capped at $25,000. (Item 6, PDF p. 21) |
| Third-party payments | Varies | When it applies | (Item 6, PDF p. 21) |
| Insurance | Varies | When it applies | Only if the franchisor has to obtain coverage for you. (Item 6, PDF p. 21) |
| Pre-sale / grand opening marketing expense | $120,000 | When it applies | Up to $120,000, only if the franchisor carries out the opening marketing plan for you. (Item 6, PDF p. 21) |
| National Advertising Fund (NAF) | Varies | Every period | 2% of monthly membership fees and certain annual membership fees, capped at 3% of the EFT dues draft. During 2026 only, 2% of the EFT dues draft plus 1% of gross monthly membership fees payable via EFT. NAF adjustments can change the monthly NAF and LAF requirements. PDF pp. 21, 26 and 29. (Item 6, PDF p. 21) |
| Local Advertising Funds (LAF) | Varies | Every period | Annual requirement: the greater of $60,000 or 7% of cumulative monthly EFT (during 2026 only, $50,000 or 6%), subject to NAF adjustments. Note 7 also requires the greater of $24,000 or 10% of cumulative monthly EFT in the first quarter and $4,000 or 3% of monthly EFT in each later month. Combined NAF/LAF is capped at 9% of the EFT dues draft. If the franchisor administers funds after noncompliance, it anticipates administrative costs around 8% of funds administered. PDF pp. 21-22 and 29. (Item 6, PDF p. 21) |
| Advertising cooperative fees | Varies | When it applies | (Item 6, PDF p. 22) |
| Special marketing programs | 7% of monthly EFT for a single month | When it applies | Up to 7%, credited toward the local advertising requirement. (Item 6, PDF p. 22) |
| Auditing and inspection costs | Varies | When it applies | (Item 6, PDF p. 22) |
| Franchise agreement transfer fee | $10,000 | When it applies | $10,000 plus up to $10,000 of the franchisor's costs per club. No fee for certain transfers among owners and family. (Item 6, PDF p. 22) |
| Securities offering fee | $100,000 | When it applies | Up to $100,000, plus reasonable out-of-pocket expenses separately capped at $100,000, for certain proposed securities offerings. (Item 6, PDF p. 23) |
| Area development agreement transfer fee | $5,000 | When it applies | $5,000 per location to be developed, plus up to $5,000 of costs. (Item 6, PDF p. 23) |
| Site evaluation fees | $25,000 | When it applies | Reasonable expenses, capped at $25,000. (Item 6, PDF p. 23) |
| Successor franchise fee | $20,000 | When it applies | (Item 6, PDF p. 23) |
| Indemnification | Varies | When it applies | (Item 6, PDF p. 23) |
| Administrative third-party costs | $5,000 | When it applies | Up to $5,000. (Item 6, PDF p. 24) |
| Costs and attorney's fees | Varies | When it applies | (Item 6, PDF p. 24) |
| Cure period extension fee | 4% of total gross monthly and annual membership fees payable via EFT | When it applies | Up to 4%, paid monthly, only if the franchisor agrees to extend a cure period after an uncured default. (Item 6, PDF p. 24) |
| Debrand deficiency fee | $35,000 | When it applies | $35,000 for strength or amenity equipment, plus another $35,000 for cardio equipment, if equipment is not debranded as required. (Item 6, PDF p. 24) |
| Management fees | 10% of monthly gross revenue | When it applies | The franchisor's costs, up to 10%, if it must manage the club. (Item 6, PDF p. 25) |
| Emergency purchases | Varies | When it applies | (Item 6, PDF p. 25) |
| Software licensing | $100 per year | Every period | (Item 6, PDF p. 25) |
| Late development fee | $5,000 | When it applies | For every 30 days a club opens late. Under the franchise agreement, capped at the then-current initial franchise fee; the cap does not apply under an area development agreement. (Item 6, PDF p. 25) |
| Early termination fee | Varies | When it applies | Average monthly royalty over the prior 24 months times the lesser of 36 or the months left in the term. (Item 6, PDF p. 25) |
| Late non-renewal fee | $25,000 | When it applies | (Item 6, PDF p. 26) |
| Temporary closure fee | Varies | When it applies | Average monthly royalty, if the franchisor requires a temporary closure after an uncured default. (Item 6, PDF p. 26) |
Explore annual fees and payback assumptions
This fee schedule cannot be reduced to the calculator’s simple sales-based formula. Enter your own assumptions and check them against the Item 6 terms.
Planet Fitness startup investment and modeled fees over 10 years
Some recurring charges depend on a sales subset, usage or another amount not supplied by the annual sales figure. We do not combine them into an all-sales percentage or estimate total fees. See the fee amounts and definitions in Item 6 above. Open the calculator with your own assumptions.
Item 20: Planet Fitness franchised outlet history
Source: Planet Fitness 2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 97.
Item 20 Table 3 reports 2,432 franchised outlets at the end of 2025. The company-owned table reports a further 277 outlets. Our calculated average annual franchised exit rate is 0.2% across the 3 reported years, using the definition below.
| Year | Franchised at Start | Opened | Reported Exits | At End | Franchise Exit Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2,082 | 123 | 4 | 2,201 | 0.2% |
| 2024 | 2,201 | 100 | 3 | 2,298 | 0.1% |
| 2025 | 2,298 | 141 | 7 | 2,432 | 0.3% |
Franchised units went from 2,082 to 2,432 over 3 years (+350).
Reported exits include terminations, non-renewals, franchisor reacquisitions and other cessations. A reacquired outlet may continue operating. How we calculate the exit rate. How to read the Item 20 outlet tables. Compare Planet Fitness’s exit rate with other brands.
71 units changed owners in 2025.
The FDD's company-owned totals conflict for 2024: Table 1 reports 270 (PDF p. 91), while Table 4 reports 271 (PDF p. 99). The companyEnd value shown here uses Table 4's 271, as required for the company-owned field, including affiliate-operated locations. Table 4 itself starts 2025 at 270, one below its printed 2024 end; the change appears in the Alabama rows (PDF p. 98) without an accompanying explanation. The source disagreement remains unresolved and requires clarification from the franchisor; choosing the prescribed source table does not reconcile the tables.
How much do Planet Fitness franchise owners make? (Item 19)
Source: Planet Fitness 2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 83.
Item 19 of the 2026 FDD reports average annual EFT revenue, middle third of $1,873,231 (2025, 764 of the 2,291 franchised U.S. clubs open all of 2025; 370 (48%) met or exceeded it. The FDD reports thirds, not a system-wide average). Besides sales, Planet Fitness’s Item 19 reports “Average EBITDA, company-owned clubs, middle third”, “Average EBITDA, company-owned clubs, bottom third” and “Average EBITDA, company-owned clubs, upper third”. These profit figures cover company-owned units, not franchised ones, so they do not show a franchisee’s results. Each figure follows the franchisor’s own definition in Item 19, which decides which costs are deducted and whether an owner’s salary is one of them. None of them is necessarily an owner’s take-home pay.
See every Planet Fitness Item 19 figure, with its period and sample.
Payback calculator (enter your own assumptions) Check any inputs against this record’s Item 7 startup costs and Item 6 fee rules.
How to interpret Planet Fitness’s Item 19 figures and sample limits.
How long is the Planet Fitness franchise agreement term?
Source: Planet Fitness 2026 FDD, Item 17, PDF p. 69.
The standard Planet Fitness franchise agreement runs 12 years.
On written request, the franchisor may extend the term by up to one year or reduce it by up to two years to match the lease expiration. A successor franchise is conditional on then-current requirements.
How long does it take to open a Planet Fitness franchise? (Item 11)
Source: Planet Fitness 2026 FDD, Item 11, PDF p. 45.
Item 11 of the 2026 FDD states the time from signing the franchise agreement to opening: 8 to 18 months.
Compare Planet Fitness with other franchises
Head-to-head FDD cost, fee, and earnings comparisons:
Franchises with a similar investment range
These published records are selected by proximity to Planet Fitness’s $1,282,500 low-end Item 7 investment, starting with Fitness. Formats, fees and source qualifications differ; the figures are not interchangeable budgets:
- Panera Bread $1.34M – $4.57M Restaurants & Food
- Popeyes $1.22M – $3.92M Source review pending Provisional publication Restaurants & Food
- Scooter's Coffee $1.16M – $1.35M Coffee, Juice & Beverage
- Sonic Drive-In $1.49M – $2.52M Source review pending Provisional publication Restaurants & Food
- The Goddard School $1M – $1.5M Education & Tutoring
- Tim Hortons $988K – $3.31M Restaurants & Food
Compare other fitness franchises
Frequently Asked Questions about Planet Fitness
- How much does it cost to open a Planet Fitness?
- Item 7 lists $1,282,500 to $5,386,000, excluding purchasing or leasing real estate. The standard franchise fee is $40,000, but it is currently waived under an area development agreement, which has a separate development fee. The table also includes equipment and build-out estimates.
- How much do Planet Fitness owners make?
- Item 19 reports $1,873,231 as average annual EFT revenue for the middle third of the disclosed franchised-club sample, not as a systemwide average gross revenue. EFT excludes the other revenue categories described in the FDD. This is not profit or owner income.
- What are the ongoing royalties for Planet Fitness?
- The royalty is 7% of membership dues (EFT draft). National and local advertising have separate membership-fee bases, temporary rules and spending requirements. Join fees and technology fees are separate obligations; these cannot all be combined into a uniform percentage of gross sales.
Sources
Planet Fitness Franchising LLC Franchise Disclosure Document, issued May 22, 2026, as filed with the Minnesota Commerce (CARDS). Read the source FDD PDF. How to get this FDD yourself.
- Item 5: cited PDF p. 18
- Item 6: cited PDF p. 19
- Item 7: cited PDF p. 29
- Item 19: cited PDF p. 83
- Item 20: cited PDF p. 97
- Agreement term (Item 17): cited PDF p. 69
Page references for Planet Fitness use the PDF viewer's digital page count, not printed page headers. Some viewers download the document instead of opening the referenced page.
If the state document viewer does not open, use Minnesota Commerce's public filing instructions to look up the filing by franchisor name and document date.
Document & verification changelog
- October 29, 2026: Record updated.
- September 28, 2026: Source check completed against the recorded FDD.
- September 28, 2026: Initial cost profile published from the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (issued May 22, 2026).