The Max Challenge Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
THE MAX Challenge is a fitness franchise combining group workout classes with nutrition coaching in a 10-week transformation program. Franchisees run the studios, managing instructors, classes, and member results.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A THE MAX CHALLENGE franchise requires a total initial investment of $151K – $349K, including a $15K – $40K franchise fee. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: C (Average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $151K – $349K
- 26th pct Health & Fitn…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- 36
- 65th pct Health & Fitn…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Health & Fitness · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Health & Fitness avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $151K – $349K including a $40K franchise fee.
- RETURNSNo Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- RISKVerdict C (Average), verdict score 46/100 (higher is better).
- DECLINESystem contracting at -17.1% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven (consolidation) or franchisee-driven (economics).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- FIT FRANCHISE BRANDS, LLC
- Parent company
- Max Transformation Holdings, LLC (MAX Holdings)
- Ultimate parent
- Max Transformation Holdings, LLC
- Predecessor
- Max Franchising, LLC (name changed to Fit Franchise Brands, LLC on May 31, 2024)
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Bryan Klein
- CEO experience
- 30 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- New Jersey
- HQ
- Justin Corporate Center (Bldg. 2, #400), 200 Route 9 North, Manalapan, New Jersey 07726
- Auditor
- Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $1.9M
- vs $3.6M prior year
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
Overview
About
- CEO
- Bryan Klein
- Headquarters
- NJ
- Founded
- 2013
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 5
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 56% below the typical health & fitness franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $40K | $40K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $15K | $45K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $96K | $264K |
| Total initial investment | $151K | $349K |
Source: THE MAX CHALLENGE 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $151K – $349K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $15K – $45K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $15K – $40K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- The Greater of 7% of gross revenues or the Monthly Minimu…
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 9.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty (flat) | The Greater of 7% of gross revenues or the Monthly Minimum Royalty Fee (Months 1-12: $600, Months 12-120: $1100) |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $599 |
| Training fee | $15K |
| Transfer fee | $20K |
| Renewal fee | $20K |
| Total fee load | 9.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
THE MAX CHALLENGE did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one THE MAX CHALLENGE unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
80%
Above the 30–60% band. Verify revenue is per-unit average
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 9.0% (near the Health & Fitness average).
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Operator retention
System contracting at -17.1% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven consolidation or franchisee exits.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Health & Fitness averages
How The Max Challenge Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 36
- Opened
- 1
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 2
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 5.9%
- Company-owned
- 2
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 94%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -17.1%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -17.1%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 1
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 2
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 5
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 0
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Transfer rate
- 13.9%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
- Termination rate
- 5.6%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
- Ceased ops
- 8.3%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 5 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
5
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 14
- Loan volume
- $1.7M
- Median loan
- $125K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- N/A
- no resolved loans yet — rate needs a terminal outcome
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 3
- Defaults
- 3
- Typical loan rate
- 7.9%
- avg rate to borrowers
- Franchised industry avg
- 15.8%
- n=7,965 loans
- Jobs supported
- 75
- 4.5 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 62%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 63% went to startups / new businesses, 37% to established operators
Franchise vs independent — in fitness and recreational sports centers, franchised businesses charge off at 15.8% vs 18.2% for independents — franchising is associated with 13% lower SBA default risk in this category.
Top lenders financing The Max Challenge franchisees
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into The Max Challenge's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 3 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 5 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 6-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
No litigation or bankruptcy, and financials are audited with positive net income of $750,067 on $1.94M revenue. However, franchisor equity is negative (-$285,276), there is no Item 19 disclosure, and the system is shrinking (36 units, net growth -17.1%).
Litigation (Item 3)
No litigation required to be disclosed
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 46 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORNegative franchisor net worth: -$285,276
- 02MINORNo Item 19 earnings disclosure
- 03MINORSystem contraction: net_growth_pct -17.1%, unit_count 36
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 9.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Driveable distance |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory radius | 2 mi |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 10 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | New Jersey |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | New Jersey |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
No litigation required to be disclosed
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 40 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 5 hrs
- Training location
- On-site and franchisor facilities
- Ongoing training
- Required
- POS system
- ClubReady
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: ClubReady
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
54 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
THE MAX CHALLENGE · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a THE MAX CHALLENGE franchise?
The total investment to open a THE MAX CHALLENGE franchise ranges from $151K – $349K, with an initial franchise fee of $40K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do THE MAX CHALLENGE franchise owners earn?
THE MAX CHALLENGE does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is Item 19 in the THE MAX CHALLENGE FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the THE MAX CHALLENGE FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is THE MAX CHALLENGE's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for THE MAX CHALLENGE (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many THE MAX CHALLENGE franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, THE MAX CHALLENGE has 36 total units in the United States, including 34 franchised units and 2 company-owned units. 1 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is THE MAX CHALLENGE a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates THE MAX CHALLENGE as a C-grade franchise with a verdict score of 46 out of 100 (higher is better), based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
Are you the franchisor?
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.