Australian Gym Franchises: The Complete Guide for Gym Owners in 2026

Thinking about buying into one of Australia's gym franchise networks, or simply trying to understand how the landscape works? This guide covers the major Australian gym franchises, what entry typically costs, how franchise and independent gyms differ operationally, and what technology stack keeps multi-site fitness businesses running.

What are Australian gym franchises and how do they work?

Australian gym franchises are fitness businesses where a franchisor licenses its brand, systems and support to individual gym owners (franchisees) in exchange for an upfront fee and ongoing royalties. The franchisee owns and operates their location under the franchisor's rules. Australia has a well-developed gym franchise sector, spanning 24/7 budget clubs, boutique studios, functional fitness gyms and personal training centres.

Major Australian gym franchise brands in 2026

The Australian gym franchise market is one of the most competitive in the Asia-Pacific region. Below are the most recognisable networks active in 2026. Franchise fees, royalties and territory costs vary; always verify current figures directly with each franchisor before signing anything.

Budget and 24/7 access clubs

• Anytime Fitness Australia -- One of the largest gym franchise networks in the country by site count, operating 24/7 with key-fob access. Part of a global network headquartered in the US but with a substantial Australian franchise support operation.
• Snap Fitness -- Another 24/7 budget concept with a large Australian footprint, targeting smaller regional and suburban sites.
• Jetts Fitness -- An Australian-born 24/7 gym franchise that grew significantly before expanding into New Zealand and beyond.
• Viva Leisure (Club Lime, Hiit Republic, et al.) -- An ASX-listed operator that runs both company-owned and franchise locations across the ACT, NSW and Queensland.

Boutique and functional fitness

• F45 Training -- The globally recognised Australian-born functional group-training franchise, now ASX and previously NASDAQ listed. Known for 45-minute team-based workouts and a distinctive equipment setup.
• 9Round -- A kickboxing-inspired 30-minute circuit concept operating in multiple Australian states.
• Orangetheory Fitness -- A US-origin heart-rate-based studio with a growing number of Australian franchise locations.

Personal training and hybrid models

• Vision Personal Training -- An Australian franchise model focused on semi-private personal training studios in suburban shopping centres.
• Plus Fitness -- A 24/7 gym franchise headquartered in Sydney, offering a mid-tier price point and strong regional coverage.

What does it cost to open an Australian gym franchise?

Startup costs for an Australian gym franchise vary enormously by brand, format and location. The figures below are indicative ranges drawn from publicly available franchise disclosure documents and media reporting. Always request the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document and seek independent legal and financial advice.

Franchise vs independent gym: key operational differences

Buying a franchise gives you a proven brand and playbook but reduces your autonomy. Opening an independent gym gives you full creative control but means building everything from scratch. Neither is universally better; the right choice depends on your capital, risk appetite and local market.

• Brand recognition -- A franchise brings instant consumer trust in new suburbs. An independent must build its brand from zero.
• Prescribed systems -- Franchisors often mandate specific equipment suppliers, pricing bands and software. This limits flexibility but speeds launch.
• Marketing support -- National campaigns help fill the top of the funnel, though local execution still falls on the franchisee.
• Exit value -- Franchise agreements contain transfer clauses that restrict how and to whom you sell. Independents have more exit flexibility.
• Technology choice -- Some franchisors lock in a specific gym management platform; others leave software to the franchisee's discretion.

How gym software shapes the franchise owner's business

Whether you are running a single-site franchise or a multi-location independent chain, your gym management platform determines how efficiently you can acquire members, reduce churn and report to any head-franchise or investor. Here is what to look for and how VERVE Pulse's gym CRM addresses each need.

Lead pipeline and sales tools

Franchise gyms often invest heavily in national advertising, so converting website and walk-in enquiries into paying members is critical. VERVE Pulse includes a visual lead pipeline, AI lead scoring, two-way SMS, a unified inbox pulling Instagram and Facebook DMs into one place, automated follow-up sequences and call or tour logging. For franchisees paying a marketing levy to their franchisor, it makes sense to close as many of those generated leads as possible.

Member retention and churn prediction

Royalties are typically calculated on revenue, so a leaky member base directly reduces what a franchisee takes home. VERVE Pulse includes AI churn prediction and at-risk scoring on every plan, with NPS surveys, win-back automation and member lifetime value prediction available on the Grow plan and above. Keeping members longer is the single highest-leverage financial move available to any gym owner.

Multi-site management

Franchisees who own more than one location, or operators building a small independent chain, can add multi-site management as an add-on in VERVE Pulse, managing all locations from a single dashboard. See the pricing page for current add-on details.

Billing and payments built for Australia

VERVE Pulse processes member billing via BECS direct debit (Australian bank accounts) and Stripe for card payments. Payment fees are Stripe's published processing rates plus a 0.8% VERVE Pulse platform fee, quoted separately. There is no monthly gateway fee and no minimums. GST-compliant invoicing and an accounting CSV export keep the books tidy for franchise reporting obligations.

Equipment tracking

Every VERVE Pulse plan includes an equipment register with service and warranty tracking, fault reporting, maintenance guides and usage analytics. For franchisors that set minimum equipment standards, this feature means franchisees can prove compliance and avoid unexpected capital outlay from untracked wear. VERVE Fitness, the parent company behind VERVE Pulse, has completed 16,000+ commercial gym fit-outs across Australia, including high-performance facilities for the NSW Waratahs, Sub60 and Science of Fitness in Brisbane.

VERVE Pulse vs typical international gym platforms

VERVE Pulse pricing for franchise gym owners

VERVE Pulse starts from A$166/month +GST, billed annually (A$1,990/year +GST) on the Core plan, which supports up to 300 active members. The Grow plan is A$291/month +GST, billed annually (A$3,490/year +GST) and covers up to 600 active members, adding gift cards, NPS surveys, win-back automation, Google Calendar sync, Mailchimp and Klaviyo integration, and the marketing AI suite. The Pro plan is A$458/month +GST, billed annually (A$5,490/year +GST) for up to 1,200 members, and adds a custom branded domain, Xero integration, the open REST API, a custom report builder and AI anomaly detection. Monthly billing is also available at A$199, A$349 and A$549/month +GST respectively, with no per-member fees. Annual plans include two months free and white-glove migration concierge, where VERVE's team handles your member data import. See the full pricing page or explore the features directory.

To see the platform in action, learn more about the Australian gym CRM or read the best gym CRM systems in Australia comparison. If you are still at the research stage, the gym software buyer's guide walks through every decision point, and the free calculators can model your revenue, churn and ROI before you commit to anything.

Frequently Asked Questions