BFS State of the Industry

2026 Fitness Studio
Industry Report

Industry benchmarks and insights from 250 fitness studio operators worldwide.

250
Operators Surveyed
Profitable
30+
Countries
Showing 250 of 250 operators
2026 BFS State of the Industry

Industry Overview

Profitability, business models, and market profile of the 250 fitness studio operators surveyed.

Profitability Breakdown
of studios are profitable
17%
23%
Below Profitable ()
Breakeven ()
Profitable ()
Key Finding
Loading industry data…
Market Category
Below Profitable Breakeven Profitable
Business Ownership
Number of Locations
Years in Business (1st Location)
Primary Business Service
All Business Services Offered
% of studios offering each service (multi-select)
Primary Business Model
Primary Fitness Modality
All Fitness Modalities Offered
% of studios offering each modality (multi-select)
Expert Insight
Industry Commentary
Expert or sponsor commentary will appear here. Content to be added before launch.
Revenue

Revenue Benchmarks

Gross annual revenue, per-client revenue, and pricing trends across 250 studios.

Gross Annual Revenue
Avg Studio Gross Annual Revenue
Top Revenue-Generating Service
Average Revenue per Client per Month
Avg Visits per Person per Week
Increased Prices in Last 12 Months
By What % Did Prices Increase

57% of studios generate more than half their revenue from recurring memberships.

When most of your revenue renews monthly, the in-studio experience becomes a retention variable — and a revenue one. Studios investing in what members notice and appreciate day-to-day give clients a tangible reason to stay.

How operators are addressing this

FloWater

FloWater replaces standard water coolers with purified dispensers studios offer as a premium amenity — often generating $2–3 per member per month in incremental revenue while becoming a brand standard members expect.

Learn more about FloWater →
Membership & Retention

Membership & Retention Benchmarks

Churn, member lifetime, and recurring revenue patterns across 250 studios.

Client Volume
Paying Clients per Month
Net Yearly Membership Growth
Recurring Revenue
Sells Recurring Memberships
Clients with Recurring Payments per Month
% Revenue from Recurring Payments
Recurring Revenue Options Offered
Most Popular Recurring Revenue Option
Retention & Churn
Average Member Lifetime
Monthly Churn Rate
3rd Party Aggregators
Uses 3rd Party Aggregators
(e.g. ClassPass, Wellhub)
Which 3rd Party Aggregators Used
% Monthly Revenue from Aggregators

Studios using third-party aggregators — but few have a strategy to convert that traffic into retained members.

Aggregator platforms can fill classes and introduce new clients, but the studios seeing real return treat them as an acquisition channel — with intentional conversion paths, not just a revenue share arrangement.

How operators are addressing this

Wellhub

Wellhub connects employees to fitness studios through employer wellness benefits — giving studios access to a steady pipeline of pre-motivated members at no cost to join.

Learn more about Wellhub →
Sales & Marketing

Sales & Marketing Benchmarks

Lead generation and conversion rates across 250 studios.

Funnel Performance
Most Effective Lead Source
New Leads per Month
Lead to First Visit Conversion Rate
Avg First Time Visitors per Month
1st Visit Return Rate
Conversion to Membership or Bigger Package
Marketing
Has a Dedicated Marketing Role
Below Profitable Breakeven Profitable
Who Manages Marketing
Monthly Digital Marketing Budget
Below Profitable Breakeven Profitable
Sales
Do You Track 1st Visit Returns?
% of 1st Time Visitors Return a 2nd Time
2nd Visit Uses Paid Intro Package
Has Someone Managing Sales Conversions
Below Profitable Breakeven Profitable
Who Manages Sales Conversions
Intro Offers
Has an Intro Offer
Intro Offer Price
Most Effective Intro Offer
Other Intro Offers Mentioned
Expert Insight
Sales & Marketing Expert Module
Expert commentary or sponsor callout for sales/marketing tools. Content to be added before launch.
Operations

Operations Benchmarks

Class volume, utilization, and growth plans across 250 studios.

Space & Rent
Location Size
Avg Rent per Sq Ft
Rent as % of Revenue
Group Classes
Offers Group Classes
Max Class Capacity
Average Class Utilization Rate
Classes per Week
Most Popular Class Length
Private Sessions
Offers Private Sessions
Max Private Session Capacity / Week
Avg Private Session Utilization Rate
Booking & Billing Platforms
Scheduling & Management Software
Team

Team & Employment Benchmarks

Staffing levels, payroll, and compensation across surveyed studios.

Team Overview
Number of Employees
Filter by # locations:
Total Payroll as % of Revenue
Filter by # locations:
Provides Employee Benefits
Which Benefits Are Offered
Payroll Change vs Last Year
Plan to Change Payroll Next 12 Months
Owner / CEO
Owner Personally Teaches or Trains Clients
Owner Annual Salary
Managers
Has a Manager (Revenue-Driving Role)
Below Profitable Breakeven Profitable
Manager Role & Responsibilities
Below Profitable Breakeven Profitable
Manager Employment Type
Manager Pay
Manager Compensation Includes Sales Incentives
Front Desk Staff
Has Front Desk Staff
Number of Front Desk Staff
Front Desk Employment Type
Front Desk Pay
Instructors & Coaches
# Classes per Week per Instructor
(majority of instructors)
Number of Instructors / Coaches
Instructor Employment Type
Avg Instructor Pay per Class

Most studios treat instructor talent as a hiring problem. Peer conversations tell a different story.

Across the BFS network, studios struggling with instructor talent aren’t just facing a supply problem — they’re missing a system. Operators who’ve built one have moved from reactive hiring to internal development: structured career paths, pipelines from their own member base, and a reason for instructors to stay.

How to start building your instructor pipeline

Les Mills

Les Mills licenses 25+ group fitness programs — including Functional Strength, Yoga, Pilates, and Core formats — alongside instructor training, certification, and career development frameworks.

Explore Les Mills programming →
Business Priorities

Objectives & Challenges

What operators are focused on and what's getting in the way across 250 studios.

#1 Business Objective
Plan to Open a New Location
Top 3 Business Challenges
Expert Panel
Industry Expert Commentary
BFS expert or partner commentary on this year's top challenges. Content to be added before launch.
Survey Submitters
See How Your Studio Compares
Get a personalized scorecard showing where you stand against your peers on the six metrics that matter most to studio profitability.
View My Scorecard →
BFS Members
Get Help Acting on This Data
Use the BFS Member Portal to ask questions, find resources, and get guidance on improving the metrics that matter to your business.
Open Member Portal →
💬

Ask the Data

AI · your active filters apply automatically

Welcome to the BFS SOTI Data Assistant.
This is preliminary data from 250 studio operators collected for the 2025–2026 survey cycle. Ask me anything — revenue ranges, churn trends, what profitable studios do differently, or how your modality stacks up. Your active filters apply automatically.
Loading industry data…