Analysis
Planet Fitness vs Anytime Fitness: Franchise Data Compared
Planet Fitness vs Anytime Fitness on cost, revenue, fees, and SBA default rates. Big-box vs small-box gym franchising, by the numbers.
Planet Fitness vs Anytime Fitness — total investment (high end)
Planet Fitness and Anytime Fitness are the two dominant gym franchises, but they are built on opposite models. Planet Fitness is a high-cost, big-box concept; Anytime Fitness is a smaller, 24-hour, capital-light format. The franchise data shows the trade-off between them clearly.
The numbers side by side
| Metric | Planet Fitness | Anytime Fitness |
|---|---|---|
| Total Investment | $1,525,000–$5,221,500 | $539,329–$905,482 |
| Franchise Fee | $20,000 | $42,500 |
| Royalty Rate | 7.0% | N/A |
| Avg. Gross Sales (Item 19) | Not disclosed | $446,814 |
| Total Units | 2,568 | 2,282 |
| SBA Loans on File | 173 | 1,108 |
| SBA Charge-Off Rate | 0.0% | 11.7% |
| Avg. SBA Loan Size | $1,042,801 | $405,226 |
Capital: a 4x difference in entry cost
Anytime Fitness opens for $539,329 to $905,482. Planet Fitness runs $1,525,000 to $5,221,500, several times higher, because the big-box format requires a large lease, extensive equipment, and a major build-out. Anytime Fitness is the more accessible entry; Planet Fitness is a serious capital project closer to a real-estate development than a turnkey gym.
Revenue vs risk
Planet Fitness discloses average gross sales of N/A, well above Anytime Fitness at $446,814. The SBA records tell a more cautious story on the charge-off side. Planet Fitness shows a 0.0% charge-off rate across 173 loans, while Anytime Fitness sits at 11.7% across 1,108 loans. A literal 0.0% across more than a hundred loans is almost certainly understated rather than evidence of zero risk, so treat it as “no recorded charge-offs yet” rather than proof Planet Fitness is safer. Anytime Fitness, at 11.7%, draws from a much larger loan pool and is the more reliable repayment signal of the two.
A note on fees
Planet Fitness charges a 7.0% royalty. Anytime Fitness uses a flat monthly royalty rather than a percentage of sales, which is why no percentage royalty appears in the table. A flat royalty helps high-volume locations and hurts low-volume ones, since the dollar amount does not scale down with weak sales. See our guide to FDD Item 6 fees for why flat fees bite hardest at low revenue.
The verdict
Anytime Fitness wins on accessibility: lower capital, smaller footprint, and a proven small-box model. Planet Fitness wins on scale: higher disclosed revenue, at the cost of a much larger and riskier upfront build. Its 0.0% SBA charge-off rate looks favorable but rests on too few resolved loans to bank on, so it is not a reliable safety edge. If you have the capital and the real-estate appetite, the Planet Fitness revenue data is stronger. If you want a more accessible entry, Anytime Fitness is the realistic choice.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Planet Fitness or Anytime Fitness a better franchise?
- It depends on your capital. Anytime Fitness is far more accessible at $539,329 to $905,482. Planet Fitness costs $1,525,000+ but discloses much higher revenue (N/A vs $446,814). Planet Fitness's 0.0% SBA charge-off rate rests on too few resolved loans to rely on, so revenue, not repayment data, is its real edge.
- How much does a Planet Fitness vs Anytime Fitness franchise cost?
- Planet Fitness costs $1,525,000 to $5,221,500 with a $20,000 fee. Anytime Fitness costs $539,329 to $905,482 with a $42,500 fee.
- Which gym franchise has the lower failure rate?
- On paper Planet Fitness shows a 0.0% SBA charge-off rate across 173 loans, versus 11.7% across 1,108 loans for Anytime Fitness. But a literal 0.0% across that many loans is almost certainly understated, so it should be read as "no recorded charge-offs yet" rather than a proven safety advantage. Anytime Fitness's rate comes from a far larger loan pool and is the more reliable figure.