Franchise brand comparison
StretchLab vs Stretch Zone
Compared on figures each brand discloses in its own Franchise Disclosure Document — 2025 for StretchLab, 2025 for Stretch Zone. Investment, fees, and Item 19 gross sales, with the sample size behind every average.
Short answer
The two assisted-stretching franchises, and the closest head-to-head in our data. Stretch Zone is dramatically cheaper to open — a $229,422 midpoint against StretchLab's $439,622, the lowest entry cost of any brand we have reviewed. StretchLab discloses about 70% more revenue, $556,263 across 417 studios against $328,042 across 293. On capital efficiency Stretch Zone edges ahead at 1.43x against 1.27x, and its fee load is lighter: 7% plus 2%, against StretchLab's 8% plus 2% plus a local advertising floor of $1,500 a month or 2%. Two cautions. Stretch Zone excluded 37 of 330 eligible units from Item 19 for reporting non-compliance, and units that fall out of compliance are rarely the strong ones. And absolute scale matters as much as ratio: a median Stretch Zone studio bills $307,794, so a good percentage return still produces a modest dollar income. Both models pay a practitioner for every session, so neither gets class leverage.
Side by side
| Measure | StretchLab | Stretch Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Concept category | Fitness & movement | Fitness & movement |
| FDD year | 2025 | 2025 |
| Total investment (Item 7) | $269,019–$610,224midpoint $439,622 | $138,745–$320,099midpoint $229,422 |
| Initial franchise fee | $65,000 | $59,500 |
| Royalty | 8% | 7% (min $900/mo) |
| Brand fund | 2% | 2% |
| Local advertising | greater of $1,500/mo or 2% | None disclosed separately |
| Average gross sales (Item 19) | $556,263417 units — qualified studios, FY2024 | $328,042293 units — franchised units open 12+ months at 12/31/2024; 37 of 330 excluded for reporting non-compliance |
| Median gross sales | Not disclosed | $307,794 |
| Top quartile | $842,342 | $507,663 |
| Bottom quartile | $312,680 | $192,138 |
| Revenue ÷ investment | 1.27x | 1.43x |
| Quartile spread | 2.7x | 2.6x |
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. StretchLab discloses a total initial investment of $269,019 to $610,224 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $439,622, with an initial franchise fee of $65,000. Stretch Zone discloses a total initial investment of $138,745 to $320,099 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $229,422, with an initial franchise fee of $59,500.
Revenue is Item 19, and the unit count matters as much as the figure. StretchLab reports average gross sales of $556,263 across 417 units (qualified studios, FY2024). Stretch Zone reports average gross sales of $328,042 and a median of $307,794 across 293 units (franchised units open 12+ months at 12/31/2024; 37 of 330 excluded for reporting non-compliance).
Return on capital divides disclosed average sales by the midpoint investment. StretchLab returns 1.27x and Stretch Zone returns 1.43x. 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: 2.7x for StretchLab and 2.6x for Stretch Zone. 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
StretchLab
Cost, fees, and Item 19 revenue, reviewed against the 2025 FDD.
Full review
Stretch Zone
Cost, fees, and Item 19 revenue, reviewed against the 2025 FDD.
Frequently asked
- StretchLab vs Stretch Zone: which is the better franchise?
- The two assisted-stretching franchises, and the closest head-to-head in our data. Stretch Zone is dramatically cheaper to open — a $229,422 midpoint against StretchLab's $439,622, the lowest entry cost of any brand we have reviewed. StretchLab discloses about 70% more revenue, $556,263 across 417 studios against $328,042 across 293. On capital efficiency Stretch Zone edges ahead at 1.43x against 1.27x, and its fee load is lighter: 7% plus 2%, against StretchLab's 8% plus 2% plus a local advertising floor of $1,500 a month or 2%. Two cautions. Stretch Zone excluded 37 of 330 eligible units from Item 19 for reporting non-compliance, and units that fall out of compliance are rarely the strong ones. And absolute scale matters as much as ratio: a median Stretch Zone studio bills $307,794, so a good percentage return still produces a modest dollar income. Both models pay a practitioner for every session, so neither gets class leverage.
- How much does a StretchLab franchise cost compared to Stretch Zone?
- StretchLab discloses a total initial investment of $269,019 to $610,224 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $439,622, with an initial franchise fee of $65,000. Stretch Zone discloses a total initial investment of $138,745 to $320,099 in its 2025 FDD, a midpoint of $229,422, with an initial franchise fee of $59,500.
- Does StretchLab or Stretch Zone generate more revenue?
- StretchLab reports average gross sales of $556,263 across 417 units (qualified studios, FY2024). Stretch Zone reports average gross sales of $328,042 and a median of $307,794 across 293 units (franchised units open 12+ months at 12/31/2024; 37 of 330 excluded for reporting non-compliance). 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 StretchLab and Stretch Zone?
- StretchLab 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%. Stretch Zone charges a royalty of 7% (min $900/mo) and a brand fund contribution of 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.