Franchise brand comparison
Club Pilates vs Orangetheory Fitness
Compared on figures each brand discloses in its own Franchise Disclosure Document — 2025 for Club Pilates, 2025 for Orangetheory Fitness. Investment, fees, and Item 19 gross sales, with the sample size behind every average.
Short answer
Two of the largest boutique fitness systems, and on disclosed figures this is not close. Club Pilates costs far less to open — a $612,053 midpoint against Orangetheory's $1,099,391 — and discloses higher average revenue, $984,270 against $857,377. That is 1.61x capital efficiency against 0.78x, meaning an Orangetheory studio generates less annual revenue than it cost to build while a Club Pilates studio generates substantially more. Club Pilates is also the more consistent system, with a 1.90x quartile spread against 2.51x. Orangetheory carries the heavier fee load too: 8% plus 3% plus a local advertising floor of $2,500 a month, roughly 14.5% at average revenue, against Club Pilates' 12%. Orangetheory's genuine advantages are sample credibility — 1,256 studios against 849 — and a workout format with strong engagement and retention. But it is asking for nearly twice the capital to produce less revenue.
Side by side
| Measure | Club Pilates | Orangetheory Fitness |
|---|---|---|
| Concept category | Fitness & movement | Fitness & movement |
| FDD year | 2025 | 2025 |
| Total investment (Item 7) | $385,048–$839,058midpoint $612,053 | $821,622–$1,377,160midpoint $1,099,391 |
| Initial franchise fee | $65,000 | $59,950 |
| Royalty | 8% | 8% |
| Brand fund | 2% | 3% |
| Local advertising | greater of $1,500/mo or 2% | greater of $2,500/mo or 2% |
| Average gross sales (Item 19) | $984,270849 units — studios open the full 2024 calendar year | $857,3771,256 units — franchised studios operating the entirety of 2024 |
| Median gross sales | $969,022 | $807,976 |
| Top quartile | $1,305,116 | $1,286,123 |
| Bottom quartile | $686,457 | $512,572 |
| Revenue ÷ investment | 1.61x | 0.78x |
| Quartile spread | 1.9x | 2.5x |
Bolded figures mark the stronger side of a row where both brands disclose a comparable number — lower investment, higher revenue, higher return on capital, narrower quartile spread. A brand that discloses nothing is never marked as losing a row: an undisclosed figure is an unknown, not a poor result.
What the numbers mean
Investment is Item 7, the franchisor's own estimate of everything needed to open. Club Pilates discloses a total initial investment of $385,048 to $839,058 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $612,053, with an initial franchise fee of $65,000. Orangetheory Fitness discloses a total initial investment of $821,622 to $1,377,160 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $1,099,391, with an initial franchise fee of $59,950.
Revenue is Item 19, and the unit count matters as much as the figure. Club Pilates reports average gross sales of $984,270 and a median of $969,022 across 849 units (studios open the full 2024 calendar year). Orangetheory Fitness reports average gross sales of $857,377 and a median of $807,976 across 1,256 units (franchised studios operating the entirety of 2024).
Return on capital divides disclosed average sales by the midpoint investment. Club Pilates returns 1.61x and Orangetheory Fitness returns 0.78x. This measures capital efficiency, not profit — it says how much annual revenue each dollar of build-out buys, and says nothing about the margin either concept actually runs.
Quartile spread divides top-quartile revenue by bottom-quartile: 1.9x for Club Pilates and 2.5x for Orangetheory Fitness. It is the number brand marketing never leads with, because it measures how much of your outcome depends on site selection and operating skill rather than on which brand you sign.
Full review
Club Pilates
Cost, fees, and Item 19 revenue, reviewed against the 2025 FDD.
Full review
Orangetheory Fitness
Cost, fees, and Item 19 revenue, reviewed against the 2025 FDD.
Frequently asked
- Club Pilates vs Orangetheory Fitness: which is the better franchise?
- Two of the largest boutique fitness systems, and on disclosed figures this is not close. Club Pilates costs far less to open — a $612,053 midpoint against Orangetheory's $1,099,391 — and discloses higher average revenue, $984,270 against $857,377. That is 1.61x capital efficiency against 0.78x, meaning an Orangetheory studio generates less annual revenue than it cost to build while a Club Pilates studio generates substantially more. Club Pilates is also the more consistent system, with a 1.90x quartile spread against 2.51x. Orangetheory carries the heavier fee load too: 8% plus 3% plus a local advertising floor of $2,500 a month, roughly 14.5% at average revenue, against Club Pilates' 12%. Orangetheory's genuine advantages are sample credibility — 1,256 studios against 849 — and a workout format with strong engagement and retention. But it is asking for nearly twice the capital to produce less revenue.
- How much does a Club Pilates franchise cost compared to Orangetheory Fitness?
- Club Pilates discloses a total initial investment of $385,048 to $839,058 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $612,053, with an initial franchise fee of $65,000. Orangetheory Fitness discloses a total initial investment of $821,622 to $1,377,160 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $1,099,391, with an initial franchise fee of $59,950.
- Does Club Pilates or Orangetheory Fitness generate more revenue?
- Club Pilates reports average gross sales of $984,270 and a median of $969,022 across 849 units (studios open the full 2024 calendar year). Orangetheory Fitness reports average gross sales of $857,377 and a median of $807,976 across 1,256 units (franchised studios operating the entirety of 2024). These are gross sales, not profit, and the number of units behind each average decides how much it tells you.
- What are the ongoing fees for Club Pilates and Orangetheory Fitness?
- Club Pilates charges a royalty of 8% and a brand fund contribution of 2%, plus a local advertising obligation of greater of $1,500/mo or 2%. Orangetheory Fitness charges a royalty of 8% and a brand fund contribution of 3%, plus a local advertising obligation of greater of $2,500/mo or 2%.
Other comparisons
Before you rely on any of this
FDDs are filed annually and figures move. Request the current document from each franchisor and read Items 5, 6, 7 and 19 yourself — this is a summary to orient you, not a substitute for the disclosure or for your own advisors. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or compensated by either brand; see our disclosure policy.
Compare every brand at once in the sortable cost comparison table, or run these figures against your own assumptions in the ROI & payback calculator.