Franchise brand comparison
F45 Training vs Orangetheory Fitness
Compared on figures each brand discloses in its own Franchise Disclosure Document — 2025 for F45 Training, 2025 for Orangetheory Fitness. Investment, fees, and Item 19 gross sales, with the sample size behind every average.
Short answer
Two global group-HIIT brands with the two biggest boutique samples in our data — 699 F45 studios against 1,256 Orangetheory — so both averages deserve trust, and they are far apart: $454,320 for F45 against $857,377 for Orangetheory. F45 is much cheaper to open ($567,650 midpoint against $1,099,391) and slightly better on capital efficiency, 0.80x against 0.78x, but its fee stack is brutal at low revenue: the $2,500 royalty floor, $2,500 required marketing spend, and fixed fees push the median studio's load near 18% of gross, against Orangetheory's roughly 14.5%. Orangetheory's larger box produces nearly twice the revenue on twice the capital with the steadier fee curve; F45's case is the lower entry ticket, centrally shipped programming, and top-third studios averaging $684,477. Mind F45's history — its disclosed averages describe the survivors of a major system contraction.
Side by side
| Measure | F45 Training | Orangetheory Fitness |
|---|---|---|
| Concept category | Fitness & movement | Fitness & movement |
| FDD year | 2025 | 2025 |
| Total investment (Item 7) | $349,200–$786,100midpoint $567,650 | $821,622–$1,377,160midpoint $1,099,391 |
| Initial franchise fee | $60,000 | $59,950 |
| Royalty | 7% (min $2,500/mo) | 8% |
| Brand fund | 2% (min $200/mo) | 3% |
| Local advertising | $2,500/mo required marketing spend | greater of $2,500/mo or 2% |
| Average gross sales (Item 19) | $454,320699 units — franchised studios open 12+ months as of February 28, 2025; Item 19 reports thirds, not quartiles | $857,3771,256 units — franchised studios operating the entirety of 2024 |
| Median gross sales | $407,220 | $807,976 |
| Top quartile | Not disclosed | $1,286,123 |
| Bottom quartile | Not disclosed | $512,572 |
| Revenue ÷ investment | 0.80x | 0.78x |
| Quartile spread | — | 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. F45 Training discloses a total initial investment of $349,200 to $786,100 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $567,650, with an initial franchise fee of $60,000. 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. F45 Training reports average gross sales of $454,320 and a median of $407,220 across 699 units (franchised studios open 12+ months as of February 28, 2025; Item 19 reports thirds, not quartiles). 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. F45 Training returns 0.80x 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.
Full review
F45 Training
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
- F45 Training vs Orangetheory Fitness: which is the better franchise?
- Two global group-HIIT brands with the two biggest boutique samples in our data — 699 F45 studios against 1,256 Orangetheory — so both averages deserve trust, and they are far apart: $454,320 for F45 against $857,377 for Orangetheory. F45 is much cheaper to open ($567,650 midpoint against $1,099,391) and slightly better on capital efficiency, 0.80x against 0.78x, but its fee stack is brutal at low revenue: the $2,500 royalty floor, $2,500 required marketing spend, and fixed fees push the median studio's load near 18% of gross, against Orangetheory's roughly 14.5%. Orangetheory's larger box produces nearly twice the revenue on twice the capital with the steadier fee curve; F45's case is the lower entry ticket, centrally shipped programming, and top-third studios averaging $684,477. Mind F45's history — its disclosed averages describe the survivors of a major system contraction.
- How much does a F45 Training franchise cost compared to Orangetheory Fitness?
- F45 Training discloses a total initial investment of $349,200 to $786,100 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $567,650, with an initial franchise fee of $60,000. 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 F45 Training or Orangetheory Fitness generate more revenue?
- F45 Training reports average gross sales of $454,320 and a median of $407,220 across 699 units (franchised studios open 12+ months as of February 28, 2025; Item 19 reports thirds, not quartiles). 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 F45 Training and Orangetheory Fitness?
- F45 Training charges a royalty of 7% (min $2,500/mo) and a brand fund contribution of 2% (min $200/mo), plus a local advertising obligation of $2,500/mo required marketing spend. 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.