Franchise brand comparison
Massage Envy vs Elements Massage
Compared on figures each brand discloses in its own Franchise Disclosure Document — 2025 for Massage Envy, 2026 for Elements Massage. Investment, fees, and Item 19 gross sales, with the sample size behind every average.
Short answer
Massage Envy discloses higher revenue — $1,137,964 against $981,430 — and better capital efficiency, 1.26x against 1.18x, on a midpoint investment about $68,000 higher. But Elements publishes the larger sample: 234 studios against Massage Envy's 187, and the Massage Envy figure covers only current-format locations, which is a selective base. Elements is also the cheaper way in at the low end, $567,239 against $719,350, with a $40,000 franchise fee against $45,000. The fee structures land close at average revenue — Massage Envy at 6% plus 2% plus 2%, Elements at 6% plus 2% plus a fixed $2,000 a month — but the fixed local advertising fee makes Elements meaningfully more expensive for a weak studio: 3.9% of revenue for a bottom-third location against 1.7% for a top-third one. Note also that Elements discloses thirds rather than quartiles, so its spread is not directly comparable to Massage Envy's 2.97x. Both live or die on recruiting licensed massage therapists.
Side by side
| Measure | Massage Envy | Elements Massage |
|---|---|---|
| Concept category | Massage & skincare | Massage & skincare |
| FDD year | 2025 | 2026 |
| Total investment (Item 7) | $719,350–$1,081,000midpoint $900,175 | $567,239–$1,097,853midpoint $832,546 |
| Initial franchise fee | $45,000 | $40,000 |
| Royalty | 6% | 6% |
| Brand fund | 2% + 2% | 2% |
| Local advertising | None disclosed separately | $2,000/mo |
| Average gross sales (Item 19) | $1,137,964187 units — current-format locations open 12+ months, FY2024 | $981,430234 units — studios open at 1/1/2025 that operated throughout 2025; Item 19 reports thirds, not quartiles |
| Median gross sales | $1,070,589 | $897,288 |
| Top quartile | $1,815,058 | Not disclosed |
| Bottom quartile | $610,237 | Not disclosed |
| Revenue ÷ investment | 1.26x | 1.18x |
| Quartile spread | 3.0x | — |
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. Massage Envy discloses a total initial investment of $719,350 to $1,081,000 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $900,175, with an initial franchise fee of $45,000. 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. Massage Envy reports average gross sales of $1,137,964 and a median of $1,070,589 across 187 units (current-format locations open 12+ months, FY2024). 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. Massage Envy returns 1.26x 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
Massage Envy
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
- Massage Envy vs Elements Massage: which is the better franchise?
- Massage Envy discloses higher revenue — $1,137,964 against $981,430 — and better capital efficiency, 1.26x against 1.18x, on a midpoint investment about $68,000 higher. But Elements publishes the larger sample: 234 studios against Massage Envy's 187, and the Massage Envy figure covers only current-format locations, which is a selective base. Elements is also the cheaper way in at the low end, $567,239 against $719,350, with a $40,000 franchise fee against $45,000. The fee structures land close at average revenue — Massage Envy at 6% plus 2% plus 2%, Elements at 6% plus 2% plus a fixed $2,000 a month — but the fixed local advertising fee makes Elements meaningfully more expensive for a weak studio: 3.9% of revenue for a bottom-third location against 1.7% for a top-third one. Note also that Elements discloses thirds rather than quartiles, so its spread is not directly comparable to Massage Envy's 2.97x. Both live or die on recruiting licensed massage therapists.
- How much does a Massage Envy franchise cost compared to Elements Massage?
- Massage Envy discloses a total initial investment of $719,350 to $1,081,000 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $900,175, with an initial franchise fee of $45,000. 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 Massage Envy or Elements Massage generate more revenue?
- Massage Envy reports average gross sales of $1,137,964 and a median of $1,070,589 across 187 units (current-format locations open 12+ months, FY2024). 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 Massage Envy and Elements Massage?
- Massage Envy charges a royalty of 6% and a brand fund contribution of 2% + 2%. 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.