As of 2024, more people than ever in the UK had a gym membership and that figure is expected to rise again in 2025 (2024 State of the UK Fitness Industry Report).
However, how much money can you make from gym franchising? It’s understandably one of the most common questions we receive from potential franchisees and we’re here to give you an idea of the significant profit potential available.
Snap Fitness franchisees typically see a return on investment within three years and many going on to own multiple gyms, the majority of which have no prior fitness industry experience.
Membership revenue
The main source of your income as a gym owner will be your membership revenue. Paid via Direct Debit on a monthly basis, membership payments provide you with a consistent source of income. Experienced franchisees are drawn to this model, having typically had backgrounds in quick service restaurants where every day is completely different and less predictable.
Our average monthly membership rate at Snap Fitness is £36 a month, with our gyms’ average membership bases nearly double of what’s needed to reach operational breakeven. This shows the significant profit potential of being a gym owner.
With our gyms opening with more members than ever before, some locations are almost instantly making a profit from their grand opening day.
Personal training
The availability of personal training within a gym is a big selling point for members and can increase their loyalty. While some members instantly feel comfortable in a gym environment, personal trainers provide others with additional support and guidance to maximise their membership and achieve their goals.
Recent statistics have shown that 62% of personal trainers in the UK are self-employed. This is predominantly because personal trainers enjoy the freedom and opportunities that this provides.
This arrangement provides a revenue stream for you as a gym owner. Self-employed personal trainers typically pay rent to you in return for being able to access your membership base and at the same time, provide a valuable service to your members and help with the overall running of the gym.
At Snap Fitness, our gyms typically have two full-time employed members of staff; a Club Manager and Assistant Manager. The rest of the team typically comprises self-employed personal trainers and group exercise instructors.
Room rental and hire
Our gym designs include space for one or more private treatment rooms as part of your location. Franchisees tend to rent out these spaces to local physiotherapists or masseurs for additional income. With these businesses usually also operating in the health and wellness space, they can be popular among members.
Merchandise
Our members are proud to be part of the Snap Fitness family and we encourage them to stock branded merchandise such as water bottles, protein shakers and sweat towels. Available via one of our partners, these allow our clubs to retail these items for another secondary revenue stream.
Vending
A consistent income for franchisees is providing vending machine options to members in the club. The products stocked will typically be fitness and endurance focussed such as protein shakes, supplements and sports drinks. These provide members with convenient, on-the-go options which are complementary to their fitness goals.
Typically, there are no upfront costs for vending and all the maintenance and stock uptake is done by third-party providers. You’ll then receive a percentage of the income based on the amount of products sold.
As you can see with the revenue streams above, gym franchising can be lucrative if you get it right. The profit potential gets even greater as you become a multi-site owner which many of our franchisees are; over 60% of the Snap Fitness network owns multiple locations.
This article comes courtesy of Snap Fitness, the UK’s fastest-growing gym franchise with over 100 locations across the UK & Ireland.
