Crunch Fitness Franchise Cost & Review

Crunch is a high-value low-price (HVLP) gym franchise — big-box clubs with $9.99-and-up memberships, group fitness, and personal training — competing directly with Planet Fitness for members and with private equity for territory. It is the strongest disclosed file we have added to this comparison.

Figures below come from Crunch's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. Brands refile every year; the document the franchisor hands you is the one that governs, not this page. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or compensated by Crunch. See our disclosure policy.

What it costs

Two contract terms stand out in our data. The 5% royalty is the lowest percentage rate we have reviewed — boutique concepts charge 7–8% — and the $35,000 franchise fee is nearly the cheapest. The franchisor's economics work on scale: a 5% royalty on a $2.8M club yields far more than 8% of a boutique studio, which is why the contract can afford to be friendly.

The catch is the denominator. A realistic full-format build runs well into seven figures before real estate, and Crunch development agreements typically expect multi-club commitments from well-capitalized groups. This is not a first-franchise purchase; it is a private-equity-adjacent asset class that individual operators enter through partnerships.

What clubs earn

Three hundred three clubs reporting a full year is a sample with real statistical weight, and the spread is honest: the upper third out-earns the lower by 2.9x. Even the lower third's $1.48M average exceeds every boutique concept in our comparison — scale is the entire story of HVLP economics.

Against a midpoint build of about $2,335,500, the disclosed average gives roughly 1.18x capital efficiency — above the 1.0x line that most of our fitness brands fail to clear, and achieved on percentage fees of only 7% all-in. Note what the comparison with Planet Fitness's disclosure can't tell you: Planet reports EFT membership revenue only, so its $1.87M figure understates total club revenue in a way Crunch's all-revenue figure does not. Crunch's number is the more complete one.

Where the money actually goes

A 7% fee load on $2.77M is about $193,600 a year — a big number that is also the lightest percentage burden in our set. The real cost centers in an HVLP club are elsewhere: rent on 20,000+ square feet, equipment refresh cycles the franchisor mandates, payroll for staffed hours, and the marketing spend that drives the join-rate treadmill. HVLP is a volume business — thousands of members at low price points — so member acquisition cost and attrition management, not fee load, decide the P&L. Our membership business model guide covers the mechanics.

Is Crunch worth it?

On the disclosed numbers, yes — for the buyer it is actually available to. A 1.18x efficiency ratio, a 2.9x thirds spread, the lowest royalty in our data, and a 303-club sample make this the most underwritable file in the comparison alongside Club Pilates and Hand & Stone. The constraints are structural: seven-figure equity checks, multi-unit development expectations, A-grade retail real estate, and competition for territory from established franchise groups that already operate dozens of clubs.

Worth it if you have (or can join) a capitalized group and a market with HVLP white space. Not worth pursuing as a stretch single-unit purchase — the lower-third club still carries a full-size cost structure, and thin capitalization plus a $1.48M revenue outcome is how gym operators fail.

Who this fits

Crunch fits experienced multi-unit operators, family offices, and franchisee groups consolidating HVLP territory — and individual operators with gym management backgrounds joining such groups as operating partners. The disclosed thirds give a capitalized buyer everything needed to model realistic cases.

It fits poorly for first-time buyers, boutique-scale budgets, and markets already saturated by Planet Fitness, EoS, and VASA — HVLP white space, not brand preference, drives returns in this category.

Before you sign

Model all three disclosed thirds against your actual rent quote — occupancy cost is the variable that moves HVLP outcomes most. Ask the franchisor for equipment refresh requirements and their cost history, and existing franchisees what member acquisition actually costs per join in comparable markets. Financing at this scale is its own project: our franchise financing guide covers the SBA-and-beyond landscape. Then work the due diligence checklist and read Item 19 yourself.

Sources

• 1851 Franchise — Crunch franchise costs, fees, and profit potential
• SharpSheets — Crunch Fitness franchise FDD, profits & costs
• The FDD Exchange — Crunch Fitness franchise costs & fees

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Crunch Fitness franchise cost?

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The 2025 FDD discloses a total initial investment of $928,000 to $3,743,000, including a $35,000 initial franchise fee. The range is wide because club formats vary from compact footprints to full-amenity big boxes of 25,000+ square feet.

How much revenue does a Crunch gym generate?

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The Item 19 reports average gross sales of $2,765,220 across 303 franchised clubs open for the full 2024 fiscal year. Performance thirds: the upper third averaged $4,307,728, the middle third $2,506,012, and the lower third $1,481,919.

What are Crunch's ongoing fees?

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A 5% royalty — the lowest percentage royalty among the brands we compare — plus a 2% brand marketing fund. At the disclosed average, that is roughly $193,600 a year, but only about 7% of gross, the lightest percentage load in our set.

How does Crunch compare to Planet Fitness?

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Both are high-value low-price gyms with seven-figure builds and strong disclosed revenue. Crunch enters cheaper ($928K minimum vs. $1.5M+), charges its royalty on all gross sales rather than membership fees only, and offers group fitness and personal training revenue lines Planet Fitness's model excludes. See our head-to-head comparison for the full breakdown.