Anytime Fitness FDD Review: What Franchise Buyers Need to Know in 2026
Meta Description: Anytime Fitness FDD review: flat royalty structure, territory saturation risks, tech fees and what the financials actually look like. Read before you sign.
Anytime Fitness is one of the most recognizable names in franchising. With over 2,600 US locations and a 24/7 access model that keeps overhead low, it's pitched as one of the more accessible gym franchise options. But "accessible" doesn't always mean "safe." The FDD has details worth knowing before you commit.
If you just received your FDD packet, here's what to focus on. You can also check our quick Anytime Fitness risk analysis in our FDD library.
What Is the Anytime Fitness Franchise?
Anytime Fitness operates 24-hour, staffed or minimally-staffed fitness clubs. Members get key fob access, allowing them to work out any time, including overnight when no staff is present. The format keeps labor costs lower than full-service gyms and avoids the expensive amenity overhead (pools, saunas, group class studios) of traditional health clubs.
Founded in 2002 in Minnesota, Anytime Fitness is owned by Self Esteem Brands, a portfolio company that also owns Waxing the City and Basecamp Fitness. As of 2024, the brand has approximately 2,600 domestic locations and over 5,000 globally. It is one of the largest fitness franchise systems in the world.
The core customer is the value-conscious adult who wants a clean, functional gym near home or work without the premium boutique price tag. Memberships typically run $35-$50/month.
Key FDD Findings
The Flat Royalty Structure Is Unusual and Important
Something sets Anytime Fitness apart: rather than charging a percentage royalty on gross revenue, Anytime Fitness charges a flat monthly fee. As of recent FDD filings, this is approximately $699/month regardless of how much revenue you generate.
Why does this matter? It cuts both ways:
- If your revenue is low (say, $200K/year), that flat fee represents 4.2% of gross. Higher than a 4% royalty would be.
- If your revenue is high (say, $700K/year), that flat fee is effectively only 1.2% of gross. Far lower than any percentage royalty in the industry.
This structure rewards scale. If you can build membership counts above median, the fee structure becomes favorable. Below median, it's a fixed overhead you can't reduce.
Technology Fees Are a Material Second Cost
Beyond the flat royalty, Anytime Fitness requires franchisees to use its proprietary access control system (key fobs), POS platform (ABC Fitness Solutions) and various mandated tech tools. These aren't optional. They're system requirements.
When you add up the monthly costs of required technology, you're typically looking at an additional $400-$800/month beyond the royalty. This matters because it's a fixed cost, not variable. A struggling club still pays the same tech fees as a thriving one.
2,600+ Locations Means Saturation Is Real
Anytime Fitness has been one of the fastest-growing franchise systems in history. That is impressive. It also means that market saturation is a legitimate concern in many US metros. Territory protection is typically a 1-mile radius, which can mean multiple Anytime Fitness clubs within a few miles of each other in suburban markets.
Before selecting a location, do the work: map every existing Anytime Fitness within 10 miles of your target site. Look at the Item 20 data for your target state. Are clubs closing or growing in your region? If you're considering other gym franchises, compare with Orangetheory Fitness and Planet Fitness.
The Fee Math
Anytime Fitness's flat fee structure makes the math different from typical franchise modeling.
Monthly Fixed Fee Burden:
- Royalty: $699/month
- Technology/system fees: ~$600/month (estimated)
- National advertising: ~$600/month
- Total fixed monthly fees: ~$1,900/month
- Annual total: ~$22,800
As a percentage of revenue:
- At $300K annual revenue: 7.6% effective fee rate
- At $500K annual revenue: 4.6% effective fee rate
- At $700K annual revenue: 3.3% effective fee rate
The median Anytime Fitness club in the US generates approximately $350,000-$450,000/year in revenue based on historical Item 19 disclosures. At $400K, your effective fee burden is about 5.7% of gross. Reasonable, but you need to hit that revenue number first.
What does $400K in annual revenue require? At $40/month average membership, you need approximately 833 active members to hit $400K. Most clubs target 800-1,200 members at maturity. Getting there typically takes 2-3 years.
What Item 20 Tells Us
Anytime Fitness has had relatively stable unit counts in recent years, though growth has slowed significantly from its peak expansion pace. Item 20 data typically shows:
- Moderate transfer activity (franchisees selling, not closing. Generally a healthier sign)
- Some terminations, primarily from undercapitalized operators or poor location selections
- Continued slow net growth, not decline
This is a relatively healthy picture compared to some boutique fitness competitors. The brand has proven durability. It survived the 2020 closures better than most gym concepts because its minimally-staffed model allowed for faster reopening and lower ongoing costs.
That said, the slowdown in new unit openings suggests the franchisor may be struggling to find quality markets that aren't already served. That affects your site selection options and increases the importance of thorough market research.
Red Flags to Watch For
1. Saturation in your target market. This is the number one risk. Run the map exercise before you go further. A territory technically "available" can still be economically over-served if there are 3 Anytime Fitness clubs within 3 miles.
2. The Self Esteem Brands portfolio. Anytime Fitness is owned by a private equity-backed portfolio company alongside other fitness and wellness brands. PE ownership isn't automatically bad. But it means the brand's strategic direction can shift based on portfolio decisions that have nothing to do with your club's performance. Monitor any changes to fee structures or operational requirements that emerge post-acquisition.
3. Key fob security incidents. The 24/7 unstaffed model is efficient but creates security and liability exposure. Members have been assaulted in unstaffed clubs. Review your state's requirements for camera coverage, liability protocols and incident response. Understand what your franchise agreement says about your liability exposure vs. the franchisor's.
4. Competition from apps and home fitness. Like all gym concepts, Anytime Fitness faces structural pressure from improved home fitness options. The brand's value proposition (affordable access, proximity) remains relevant but it's not immune to the trend.
5. Pre-sales and ramp-up timing. Most franchisees are required or strongly encouraged to run pre-sales campaigns before opening. Your success in this phase significantly impacts your first-year membership base. Understand what support the franchisor provides, what your minimum pre-sale targets should be and what happens if you open below threshold.
Questions to Ask Before Signing
- What is the average membership count for clubs in markets demographically similar to mine? Get data filtered by market size, not just national averages.
- How many Anytime Fitness clubs have closed or transferred in my target state in the past 3 years? Pull this from Item 20.
- What is the total all-in monthly cost including technology fees, local co-op requirements and mandatory service fees? Don't accept "the royalty is just $699."
- What territory protection language is in the franchise agreement? Are there carve-outs for company-owned clubs, digital sales or corporate memberships?
- What does the franchisor's real estate and site selection support actually look like? Is it a dedicated team or a checklist you fill out yourself?
- Can I speak with 5 franchisees in my target state, including ones who transferred or closed in the last 2 years? The franchise disclosure list in Item 20 includes contact information for all franchisees. Use it.
- What does the territory look like in 5 years if the brand continues slow expansion? Is there risk of encroachment if growth resumes?
Get a Full ClearFDD Analysis
This review covers the headlines. But there's a lot more in Anytime Fitness's FDD: vendor relationships, renewal terms, transfer fees, training obligations and dozens of contract clauses that affect your daily operations and exit options.
A full ClearFDD analysis gives you:
- Complete review of all 23 FDD items
- A breakeven model calibrated to your specific target market and location costs
- Franchise Agreement clause analysis: what you can negotiate, what you can't and what's non-standard
- 10 custom due diligence questions for Anytime Fitness specifically
- Our straight assessment of whether this is the right fit for your financial situation
Starting at $497, delivered in 24 hours.
The FDD took them months to write. You're allowed to spend a few days understanding it.