Franchise brand comparison
Row House vs CycleBar
Compared on figures each brand discloses in its own Franchise Disclosure Document — 2023 for Row House, 2025 for CycleBar. Investment, fees, and Item 19 gross sales, with the sample size behind every average.
Short answer
Now two Extraordinary Brands concepts, bought a year apart, in very different condition. CycleBar came over as a functioning large system — 183 disclosing studios averaging $424,125 — while Row House arrived in 2024 as a turnaround at roughly 60 units with no revenue figure we could verify and a 2023 FDD as its freshest public document. Row House is the cheaper build by far, a $409,500 midpoint against $760,501, and rowing's low-impact positioning is a real differentiation story. But a cheap entry into a contracting system is not a bargain until Item 20 shows the contraction has stopped. A conventional buyer wanting boutique cardio with disclosed evidence picks CycleBar; Row House is for the experienced operator pricing distressed resales or betting early on the new owner's rebuild — a different purchase entirely, at what should be a different price.
Side by side
| Measure | Row House | CycleBar |
|---|---|---|
| Concept category | Fitness & movement | Fitness & movement |
| FDD year | 2023 | 2025 |
| Total investment (Item 7) | $328,000–$491,000midpoint $409,500 | $410,809–$1,110,193midpoint $760,501 |
| Initial franchise fee | $60,000 | $60,000 |
| Royalty | 7% | 7% |
| Brand fund | 2% | 2% |
| Local advertising | None disclosed separately | greater of $1,500/mo or 2% |
| Average gross sales (Item 19) | Not disclosedno verified figure in the filings we reviewed — see review | $424,125183 units — studios franchisee-owned and operated the entire 2024 calendar year |
| Median gross sales | Not disclosed | $406,514 |
| Top quartile | Not disclosed | $709,117 |
| Bottom quartile | Not disclosed | $192,302 |
| Revenue ÷ investment | — | 0.56x |
| Quartile spread | — | 3.7x |
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. Row House discloses a total initial investment of $328,000 to $491,000 in its 2023 FDD, a midpoint of $409,500, with an initial franchise fee of $60,000. CycleBar discloses a total initial investment of $410,809 to $1,110,193 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $760,501, with an initial franchise fee of $60,000.
Revenue is Item 19, and the unit count matters as much as the figure. Row House discloses no Item 19 figure we can use (no verified figure in the filings we reviewed — see review). CycleBar reports average gross sales of $424,125 and a median of $406,514 across 183 units (studios franchisee-owned and operated the entire 2024 calendar year).
Full review
Row House
Cost, fees, and Item 19 revenue, reviewed against the 2023 FDD.
Full review
CycleBar
Cost, fees, and Item 19 revenue, reviewed against the 2025 FDD.
Frequently asked
- Row House vs CycleBar: which is the better franchise?
- Now two Extraordinary Brands concepts, bought a year apart, in very different condition. CycleBar came over as a functioning large system — 183 disclosing studios averaging $424,125 — while Row House arrived in 2024 as a turnaround at roughly 60 units with no revenue figure we could verify and a 2023 FDD as its freshest public document. Row House is the cheaper build by far, a $409,500 midpoint against $760,501, and rowing's low-impact positioning is a real differentiation story. But a cheap entry into a contracting system is not a bargain until Item 20 shows the contraction has stopped. A conventional buyer wanting boutique cardio with disclosed evidence picks CycleBar; Row House is for the experienced operator pricing distressed resales or betting early on the new owner's rebuild — a different purchase entirely, at what should be a different price.
- How much does a Row House franchise cost compared to CycleBar?
- Row House discloses a total initial investment of $328,000 to $491,000 in its 2023 FDD, a midpoint of $409,500, with an initial franchise fee of $60,000. CycleBar discloses a total initial investment of $410,809 to $1,110,193 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $760,501, with an initial franchise fee of $60,000.
- Does Row House or CycleBar generate more revenue?
- Row House discloses no Item 19 figure we can use (no verified figure in the filings we reviewed — see review). CycleBar reports average gross sales of $424,125 and a median of $406,514 across 183 units (studios franchisee-owned and operated the entire 2024 calendar year). 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 Row House and CycleBar?
- Row House charges a royalty of 7% and a brand fund contribution of 2%. CycleBar charges a royalty of 7% and a brand fund contribution of 2%, plus a local advertising obligation of greater of $1,500/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.