Franchise brand comparison
Hand & Stone vs Elements Massage
Compared on figures each brand discloses in its own Franchise Disclosure Document — 2025 for Hand & Stone, 2026 for Elements Massage. Investment, fees, and Item 19 gross sales, with the sample size behind every average.
Short answer
Hand & Stone wins on the disclosed numbers, and by a clear margin. It is cheaper at the midpoint — $725,055 against $832,546 — and discloses substantially higher revenue, $1,390,276 across 502 spas against $981,430 across 234 studios. That is 1.92x capital efficiency, the strongest in our entire comparison, against Elements' 1.18x. Hand & Stone's sample is also more than twice the size. Elements' counterweights are the lower entry point at the bottom of the range and the lowest franchise fee of the three national massage brands at $40,000. On ongoing cost the two are closer than the headline rates suggest: Hand & Stone's 4% local advertising with a $400 weekly floor is roughly $20,800 a year minimum, against Elements' fixed $24,000. Neither brand publishes quartiles — Hand & Stone discloses none and Elements reports thirds — so in both cases you are underwriting an average without knowing how much of it depends on being a good operator.
Side by side
| Measure | Hand & Stone | Elements Massage |
|---|---|---|
| Concept category | Massage & skincare | Massage & skincare |
| FDD year | 2025 | 2026 |
| Total investment (Item 7) | $578,507–$871,602midpoint $725,055 | $567,239–$1,097,853midpoint $832,546 |
| Initial franchise fee | $32,500–$49,500 | $40,000 |
| Royalty | 5% yr 1, then 6% | 6% |
| Brand fund | 1% | 2% |
| Local advertising | 4% (min $400/wk) | $2,000/mo |
| Average gross sales (Item 19) | $1,390,276502 units — franchised spas open 12+ months, CY2024 | $981,430234 units — studios open at 1/1/2025 that operated throughout 2025; Item 19 reports thirds, not quartiles |
| Median gross sales | $1,311,889 | $897,288 |
| Top quartile | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Bottom quartile | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Revenue ÷ investment | 1.92x | 1.18x |
| Quartile spread | — | — |
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. Hand & Stone discloses a total initial investment of $578,507 to $871,602 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $725,055, with an initial franchise fee of $32,500–$49,500. Elements Massage discloses a total initial investment of $567,239 to $1,097,853 in its 2026 FDD, a midpoint of $832,546, with an initial franchise fee of $40,000.
Revenue is Item 19, and the unit count matters as much as the figure. Hand & Stone reports average gross sales of $1,390,276 and a median of $1,311,889 across 502 units (franchised spas open 12+ months, CY2024). Elements Massage reports average gross sales of $981,430 and a median of $897,288 across 234 units (studios open at 1/1/2025 that operated throughout 2025; Item 19 reports thirds, not quartiles).
Return on capital divides disclosed average sales by the midpoint investment. Hand & Stone returns 1.92x and Elements Massage returns 1.18x. 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
Hand & Stone
Cost, fees, and Item 19 revenue, reviewed against the 2025 FDD.
Full review
Elements Massage
Cost, fees, and Item 19 revenue, reviewed against the 2026 FDD.
Frequently asked
- Hand & Stone vs Elements Massage: which is the better franchise?
- Hand & Stone wins on the disclosed numbers, and by a clear margin. It is cheaper at the midpoint — $725,055 against $832,546 — and discloses substantially higher revenue, $1,390,276 across 502 spas against $981,430 across 234 studios. That is 1.92x capital efficiency, the strongest in our entire comparison, against Elements' 1.18x. Hand & Stone's sample is also more than twice the size. Elements' counterweights are the lower entry point at the bottom of the range and the lowest franchise fee of the three national massage brands at $40,000. On ongoing cost the two are closer than the headline rates suggest: Hand & Stone's 4% local advertising with a $400 weekly floor is roughly $20,800 a year minimum, against Elements' fixed $24,000. Neither brand publishes quartiles — Hand & Stone discloses none and Elements reports thirds — so in both cases you are underwriting an average without knowing how much of it depends on being a good operator.
- How much does a Hand & Stone franchise cost compared to Elements Massage?
- Hand & Stone discloses a total initial investment of $578,507 to $871,602 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $725,055, with an initial franchise fee of $32,500–$49,500. Elements Massage discloses a total initial investment of $567,239 to $1,097,853 in its 2026 FDD, a midpoint of $832,546, with an initial franchise fee of $40,000.
- Does Hand & Stone or Elements Massage generate more revenue?
- Hand & Stone reports average gross sales of $1,390,276 and a median of $1,311,889 across 502 units (franchised spas open 12+ months, CY2024). Elements Massage reports average gross sales of $981,430 and a median of $897,288 across 234 units (studios open at 1/1/2025 that operated throughout 2025; Item 19 reports thirds, not quartiles). 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 Hand & Stone and Elements Massage?
- Hand & Stone charges a royalty of 5% yr 1, then 6% and a brand fund contribution of 1%, plus a local advertising obligation of 4% (min $400/wk). Elements Massage charges a royalty of 6% and a brand fund contribution of 2%, plus a local advertising obligation of $2,000/mo.
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.