The Max Challenge Express Franchise Cost & 2025 FDD Data
46/100
Second tier
46 this brand46 Health & Fitness medianlikely 31–61: narrower with more SBA loans (low confidence)
Higher is better · an editorial assessment, not investment advice
#1,944 of 3,068 graded brands
Why a B: Helped by legal record. Held back by unit growth, scale and transparency. See all six factors
- Total investment
- $63K – $125K
- Express Franchise format
- Avg gross sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from the FDD filing. Analysis by FranchiseVerdict · Methodology · Website · Report an error · Franchisor? Claim this listing
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2025 FDD
Per the 2025 FDD, a Max Challenge Express franchise requires a total initial investment of $63K – $125K for the Express Franchise format (the filing prices $63K to $349K across two formats), including a $15K franchise fee. Once open, the ongoing royalty is 7.0%. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the verdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Verdict grade: B (Second tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice.
Sources: 2025 FDD · What one unit could make and lose →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: medium (issued 12 to 24 months ago; a newer filing is likely on file)
Evidence for the headline figures: partial✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✗ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored4 of 4 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
Quick verdict · vs Health & Fitness median
Top edge: green = better than the Health & Fitness median by more than 10%, red = worse by more than 10%, gray = within 10% or no benchmark. Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a).
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Methodology
Bottom line
- RETURNSThe FDD makes no financial performance representation in Item 19, so it discloses no revenue or earnings figures; Item 19 is voluntary, and the Financial performance section explains what that does and does not mean.
- GROWTHIn the latest Item 20 year, the number of franchised outlets grew by 1 (1 opened, 0 closed).
- DATAThe FDD makes no financial performance representation in Item 19, so it discloses no revenue or earnings figures; Item 19 is voluntary, and the Financial performance section explains what that does and does not mean. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
AT STAKEOne unit at the Item 7 midpoint: $12K a year in payments on assumed SBA 7(a)-style terms.You put in about $19K of your own cash and personally guarantee a $75K loan. Assumptions are labeled in Sales; not investment advice.See what one unit could make and lose
Things to check before you sign (2)
- The franchisor keeps the right to compete inside your territory (Item 12, territory).
- The franchisor receives rebates or payments from suppliers you buy from (Item 8, required suppliers).
Checked and clear: no auditor doubt that the franchisor can keep operating, no lawsuit naming the franchisor in Item 3, no rule that the owner must run it personally and the full filing on file. Not on file here, so ask: unit trend, SBA charge-off rate against the category median and jury-trial waiver.
What to do next
Step 1: Read the FDD itself.
Free: the franchisor must give it to you at least 14 days before you sign or pay. Or look it up in a state registry (Wisconsin, Minnesota, California). What to read first.
Step 2: Talk to current and former owners.
Free: Item 20 of the FDD lists every current owner and those who left last year, most with a phone number. Questions to ask.
Step 3: Talk to an SBA lender.
Free: the SBA's Lender Match. Ask what you would personally guarantee and what the monthly payment would be. If you plan to use retirement savings, ask a CPA about the rules for that first.
Step 4: Have a franchise attorney review the FDD and agreement.
Free: your state bar's lawyer referral service can name franchise lawyers, and many offer a short first consultation. Bring the checks listed above.
Research steps, not investment or legal advice.
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost (the Item 7 midpoint) is 78% below the Health & Fitness median ($420K).
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7 (fees and startup costs)
Do you qualify? The filing states no minimum net worth or liquid capital. Ask FIT FRANCHISE BRANDS, LLC (Item 1: Justin Corporate Center (Bldg. 2, #400), 200 Route 9 North, Manalapan, New Jersey 07726) and your lender what they require, and keep living costs for the first year outside the deal.
Item 7 (startup costs) · 2 formats · 2025 FDD
Every building format
The filing prints a separate Item 7 table for each format.
2 formats, from $63K to $349K
| Format | Total investment | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Stand Alone Franchise | $151K – $349K | p.27 |
| Express Franchise(the range shown above) | $63K – $125K | p.29 |
Full Item 7 breakdown14 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $15K | $15K | |
| Training Fee | $15K | $15K | |
| Opening Advertising- Enrollment /First Three Months Local Advertising Expenditures | $11K | $11K | |
| Computer Equipment | $6K | $7K | |
| Grand Opening Package | $3.73K | $4.73K | |
| Insurance | $1K | $2K | |
| Signage | $2K | $8K | |
| Equipment and Furnishings | $6K | $16K | |
| Prepaid Rent and Security Deposit | $0 | $5K | |
| Leasehold Improvements/Fit out | $0 | $6K | |
| Utility Deposits | $0 | $500 | |
| Licenses and Permits; Fictitious Name Registration and/or Incorporation and Legal Review | $500 | $5K | |
| Initial Training; Travel, Lodging, Meals, etc. for Initial Training | $200 | $5K | |
| Additional Funds | $3K | $25K | |
| Total initial investment | $63K | $125K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. The total row is the total as printed in Item 7. Actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 6 · what you pay once you are open
Ongoing fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| RoyaltyPercentage of sales; paid monthly (Item 6). Minimum: Minimum Monthly Royalty Fee: $600/month (months 1-12), $1,100/month (months 12-120) | 7.0% of gross revenues |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross revenues |
| Technology feeTechnology and Support Services Fee, currently $599/month, for SOCi marketing platform, photo app, MAXconnect, local website, constant contact | $599/month |
| Transfer fee | $20,000 |
| Renewal fee | $20,000 |
| Total fee loadnear the Health & Fitness median of 9.0% | 9.0% of sales |
What do units actually make?
This FDD makes no Item 19 financial performance representation - a voluntary item - so unit sales aren't disclosed.
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 19 (sales and earnings)
Items 6 (other fees), 7 (startup costs) and 19 (sales and earnings) · assumptions labeled
What you could make and lose: one unit
What one The Max Challenge Express unit would ask of you, from the filing's Item 7 total and labeled assumptions.
How these figures are worked out
- Loan (assumption): 80% of the $94K Item 7 midpoint (Express Franchise format) is a $75K loan, paid over 10 years at 10.5%: $12K a year. SBA 7(a)-style terms on a long-term rate; your lender sets yours.
What you put at risk
Your own cash in: about $19K Assumption (the part the loan does not cover of the $94K Item 7 midpoint), plus whatever anything Item 7 leaves out (its notes say what). The loan is $75K.
Personal guarantee. SBA 7(a) loans require a personal guarantee from anyone who owns 20% or more of the business. If the unit cannot pay, the lender can collect from you personally, which can include your savings and your home. The worst case is losing the cash you put in and still owing the rest of the loan.
Gross sales are not profit, and none of these figures is take-home pay until tax and every operating cost are paid. The assumptions are ours, not the filing's. Not investment advice.
Returns modelOne unit · several units · editable
The Max Challenge Express makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no gross sales figures are disclosed. The return models need one gross sales figure to start from, plus the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions; nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · one unit
What would one The Max Challenge Express unit leave you each year after the loan payment?
Not disclosed in Item 19. Enter your own gross sales assumption
Gross sales, not profit: the costs below decide what is left.
No Item 19 figures are on file for this brand. Enter your own costs from a lease quote, a payroll plan and calls with current owners.
Illustrative category typicals, not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Item 7 midpoint of $63K to $125K
Item 7's $3K to $25K additional funds are already in the total
Left after the loan payment · per year
The unit's EBITDA minus the assumed loan payment. Before tax, depreciation and any cost your inputs leave out (insurance, accounting and legal, licenses, technology fees): not take-home pay.
Gross sales are not profit. Neither the filing nor a stated assumption on this page supplies annual revenue, direct costs, labor, rent / occupancy and other operating costs. Enter your own (a lease quote, owner calls) and the model runs on it.
Loan of $75K at 10.5% over 10 years, an assumption, not a quote. Return and payback are before tax, depreciation and the costs above. The loan usually needs your personal guarantee.
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 · filed by FIT FRANCHISE BRANDS, LLC
Financial performance
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the verdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
vs Health & Fitness medians
How The Max Challenge Express compares
Category median of published Health & Fitness brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
System figures: see The Max Challenge
System figures: see The Max Challenge
Government records
SBA loan data
Matched to this brand from SBA 7(a) and 504 FOIA loan records.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
What are the risks?
Main risk in the grade: unit growth, then scale and transparency. The reasons are below.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Verdict grade + FDD Items 3 (litigation), 4 (bankruptcy), 8 (required suppliers), 16 (what you may sell), 21 (audited financials)
Risk and legal
Grade B: Second tier, 46/100 (category median 46); the full grade is at the top of the page.
How the grade is built
Why a B, factor by factor
- Financial health NeutralAudited financials; no going-concern doubt; franchisor net income positive; negative net worth
- Unit economics NeutralNo Item 19 sales figure to set against the investment, so neutral
- Unit growth Weighs on it, weakest dimensionTurnover 5.9%
- Scale Weighs on itFranchising since 2013
- Legal HelpsNo litigation naming the franchisor in Item 3
- Transparency Weighs on itItem 19 declines to disclose financial performance; audited financials
From the six scored dimensions, an editorial assessment, not investment advice. How the score is built
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: officers or affiliates. The franchisor is not a named party in these cases.
No litigation disclosed
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
The revenue figures are in the Franchisor tab, under The franchisor.
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Audited statements are for Fit Franchise Brands, LLC (formerly Max Franchising, LLC), the franchisor entity; balance sheet reconciles (assets 922,121 = liabilities 1,207,397 + member's deficit -285,276). Figures in whole USD. 2024 total revenues 3,617,577 (royalties, ENE fees, technology fees, call center fees, brand fund fees, transfer/termination fees, franchise fees, other franchise related fees, rebate income). Net worth is a member's deficit (negative). Auditor firm name not present in extracted text (report signed from Florham Park, NJ, dated 4/25/2025). Going concern language present. Other revenue is rebate income 98,922 (non-franchise-related).
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
Ask what the franchisor earns on the supplies it sells you or the rebates it takes (Item 8).
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Franchisor takes supplier rebates: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
System figures: see The Max Challenge
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 9.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before your own operating costs.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12 (territory), 15 (owner participation) and 17 (renewal, termination and disputes)
Contract and territory detail
| Protected territory | Yes |
|---|---|
| Exclusive territory | No |
| Territory radius | 2 mi |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Who runs it (Item 15) | Owner-operator not required |
| Non-compete (years) | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles) | 10 mi |
| Right of first refusal | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | New Jersey |
Items 10 (financing), 11 (training and support)
Training and operations
- On-the-job training
- 5 hrs
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Site selection
- franchisee
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
Items 5 (initial fees) & 11 (training and support)
Franchisor support
Franchisee contacts
We hold no owner list for this brand. Item 20 of the FDD lists the current and former owners; the free FDD is the source.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to open a Max Challenge Express franchise?
Per the 2025 FDD, the total investment to open a Max Challenge Express franchise ranges from $63K to $125K for the Express Franchise format, with an initial franchise fee of $15K. Across every format the filing prices, totals run from $63K to $349K (two formats). This is the Item 7 total in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD): the startup costs the franchisor lists, such as build-out, equipment, inventory and working capital. It usually leaves out buying land or a building; Item 7's notes say what is excluded.
What do The Max Challenge Express franchise owners earn?
The Max Challenge Express makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no gross sales figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the verdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns The Max Challenge Express?
The Max Challenge Express is franchised by FIT FRANCHISE BRANDS, LLC. Its parent company is Max Transformation Holdings, LLC (MAX Holdings). The ultimate parent named in the FDD is Max Transformation Holdings, LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Max Challenge Express 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. The Max Challenge Express FDD does not make an Item 19 financial performance representation, so this page shows no earnings figure.
What is The Max Challenge Express' franchise failure rate?
There is no published franchise failure rate, and The Max Challenge Express has too few resolved SBA 7(a) loans on file (fewer than 10) to show an SBA charge-off rate that would mean anything. The SBA charge-off rate is the share of a brand's resolved SBA 7(a) loans to its franchisees that the SBA wrote off, including purchased guarantees. Resolved means paid in full or charged off; active loans are excluded because their outcome is not yet known. It is a lending outcome, not a count of closed businesses. Review the turnover and closure figures in Item 20 of the FDD and speak with current and former franchisees.
Is The Max Challenge Express a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict gives The Max Challenge Express a B Verdict grade (Second tier) with a verdict score of 46 out of 100 (higher is better), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Helped by legal record (no litigation naming the franchisor in Item 3). Held back by unit growth (turnover 5.9%), scale (franchising since 2013) and transparency (Item 19 declines to disclose financial performance). The “Why a B” section on this page lists all six dimensions and any adjustment. Speak with current franchisees before making any investment decision.
Other Health & Fitness franchises
Similar investment first, then by grade
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.