Is Gold’s Gym or PLANET FITNESS cheaper to open?

Gold’s Gym costs $2,356,000–$5,162,000 and PLANET FITNESS costs $1,525,000–$5,221,500 to open (FDD Item 7). PLANET FITNESS has the lower entry cost.

Which earns more, Gold’s Gym or PLANET FITNESS?

Gold’s Gym reports $1,797,000 average annual unit revenue vs $1,873,895 for PLANET FITNESS (FDD Item 19). PLANET FITNESS is higher.

Which is the better franchise, Gold’s Gym or PLANET FITNESS?

FranchiseVerdict grades Gold’s Gym C and PLANET FITNESS A, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Gold’s Gym vs PLANET FITNESS

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Gold’s Gym and PLANET FITNESS are health & fitness franchises. Gold’s Gym requires an investment of $2.4M – $5.2M while PLANET FITNESS requires $1.5M – $5.2M. In terms of revenue, PLANET FITNESS reports higher average unit revenue at $1.9M. Gold’s Gym has SBA lending data on file with a 15.5% charge-off rate. FranchiseVerdict rates Gold’s Gym C (Average) and PLANET FITNESS A (Strongest tier).

Metric	Gold’s Gym	PLANET FITNESS
Verdict Grade	CAverage	AStrongest tier
Investment Range	$2.4M – $5.2M	$1.5M – $5.2M
Franchise Fee	$40K	$20K
Royalty Rate	5.0%	7.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	$1.8M	$1.9M
SBA Charge-Off Rate	15.5% (169 loans)	Limited data
Total Units	182	2,568
Unit Growth (YoY)	-27 units	+97 units
Year Began Franchising	1999	2018
FDD Year	2026	2025