Independent franchise review
The Camp Franchise Review (2026): Costs, Fees, Revenue Potential
The Camp is a franchise for THE CAMP TRANSFORMATION CENTER® fitness and weight control centers. The disclosure indicates a center-based health and wellness business with revenue tied to services, products, and tangible property sold through the center.
Quick verdict: 👉 Mixed — disclosed unit revenue is meaningful, but startup cost is high and results vary widely across centers.
Snapshot
At a glance- Category: Health & Wellness
- Initial Investment: $349,350 to $472,350
- Franchise Fee: $49,500
- Royalty: 6% of Gross Sales
- Marketing / Ad Fee: Up to 2.5% of Gross Sales when the marketing fund operates
- Key additional recurring fees: Digital Marketing Management currently $1,036/month; Sales and Lead Management $488/month when required; local marketing commitment may be the greater of 2% of Gross Sales or $3,000/month if required; merchandise minimum of $1,000 every 3 months plus required supplement inventory
- Number of locations: 76 franchised centers open at end of 2024; 4 company-owned centers open at end of 2024
- Best Fit: Manager-led owner with active oversight rather than passive ownership
What does it cost to start?
The estimated initial investment ranges from $349,350 to $472,350, with a stated initial franchise fee of $49,500. The disclosure also shows additional funds of $50,000 to $75,000, which is a meaningful part of the opening capital requirement.
Beyond the franchise fee, the cost structure appears tied to opening a physical center and supporting ongoing operations with inventory, technology, and marketing. Based on the disclosed range, this is a high-cost startup relative to many small service businesses, and it likely requires substantial upfront capital plus working capital cushion.
Fee structure
- Royalty: 6% of Gross Sales, paid weekly
- Marketing Fund: None currently; up to 2.5% of Gross Sales when implemented
- Local Marketing Commitment: None currently; may become the greater of 2% of Gross Sales or $3,000/month
- Digital Marketing Management: Currently $1,036/month, paid to affiliate SIM
- Sales and Lead Management: None currently; $488/month when required
- Merchandise and supplements: Merchandise minimum of $1,000 every 3 months; supplements in quantities required to maintain inventory
- Conference fee: Up to $500 per person, per conference, annually
- Transfer fee: $10,000
- Renewal fee: 25% of the then-current initial fee
The base royalty is straightforward, but the overall fee load can rise if the marketing fund, local marketing requirement, and sales/lead management requirement are activated. That makes the recurring burden more variable than a simple royalty-only model.
Can you make money with The Camp?
Yes, the FDD includes Item 19 financial performance data for 2024.
Franchised centers: annual gross sales (73 centers open for all of 2024)
- Average: $469,554
- Median: $454,890
- Range: $64,535 to $1,353,943
By performance band
- Top 10% (7 centers): average $893,014; median $751,444; range $706,950 to $1,353,943
- Middle 80% (59 centers): average $448,809; median $454,890; range $263,063 to $693,856
- Bottom 10% (7 centers): average $220,946; median $247,148; range $64,535 to $253,564
Company-owned centers (3 centers)
- Average gross sales: $644,999
- Median gross sales: $535,709
Company-owned center expense table
For 3 company-owned centers, the disclosure reports:
- Average gross sales: $644,999
- Average cost of goods sold: $21,121
- Average gross profit: $623,878
- Average total expenses: $451,189
- Average net operating income: $172,689
- Average net operating income after adjustments: $123,407
The spread in franchised center revenue is wide. The highest reported franchised center gross sales were more than 20 times the lowest. The median and average for franchised centers are fairly close, but the range shows that location-level outcomes can differ substantially.
A few important limits apply. These figures are revenue, not profit, except for the separate company-owned center expense table. The company-owned operating income figures are not the same as franchisee profit, and the disclosure specifically applies adjustments to reflect differences between company-owned and franchised centers. Also, the franchised-center sales table includes 73 centers but excludes 5 centers opened during 2024, 4 that ceased operations, 19 that were terminated, and 2 whose licenses expired and were not renewed. The disclosure does not clearly establish whether the Item 19 figures are audited.
Business model
The Camp is primarily a B2C retail fitness and weight control center model operated from a physical location. Revenue appears to come from center-based services as well as products and tangible goods sold through the center, including merchandise and supplements.
Operationally, this looks like a staffed, manager-led business with meaningful technology and marketing systems. The disclosure indicates a required dedicated manager, ongoing inventory requirements, recurring digital marketing tools, and a physical center footprint rather than a simple home-based or mobile model.
Pros and considerations
Advantages
- Item 19 includes actual 2024 gross sales data for 73 franchised centers and an expense table for 3 company-owned centers.
- The franchised-center median gross sales of $454,890 provides a concrete reference point for mature units open all year.
- Revenue is not limited to services alone; the definition of Gross Sales also includes products and tangible property sold through the center.
- The base royalty is a single 6% of Gross Sales charge.
Considerations
- Startup cost is substantial at $349,350 to $472,350, plus additional funds of $50,000 to $75,000.
- Revenue variability is significant, with franchised-center gross sales ranging from $64,535 to $1,353,943.
- The Item 19 franchised-center sample excludes a sizable number of units, including 19 terminated centers in 2024.
- Recurring fees can expand beyond royalty through digital marketing, lead management, local marketing requirements, and inventory obligations.
- The model appears operationally intensive and likely depends on consistent local execution, staffing, and center-level management.
Who this franchise may fit
This franchise may fit an operator comfortable funding a higher-cost physical location and overseeing a manager-led fitness center with recurring marketing, staffing, and inventory demands.
It likely does not fit someone seeking a low-cost entry point, passive ownership, or a simple service model with limited fixed overhead.
FDD-based risk notes
- The disclosure indicates the franchisor may terminate without cause, which affects long-term control risk.
- Territory protection is not clearly established in the disclosure provided.
- Some recurring services are paid to affiliates, including digital marketing and lead management when required.
- The franchise agreement term is 10 years, so the investment must be evaluated over a long operating horizon.
- Certain defaults can become non-curable, including repeated defaults within stated time periods.
Final assessment
The Camp presents a center-based fitness and weight control model with meaningful disclosed revenue history, but it also requires a relatively high upfront investment and active operational oversight. The main tradeoff is straightforward: you get actual sales benchmarks and a developed fee structure, but you also take on wide unit-level variability, a physical-site operating model, and several layered recurring obligations.
FAQ
How much does The Camp franchise cost?
The estimated initial investment is **$349,350 to $472,350**, including a **$49,500** franchise fee.
What is the average revenue for The Camp franchise?
For **73 franchised centers** open all of 2024, average annual gross sales were **$469,554** and median gross sales were **$454,890**.
Is The Camp franchise profitable?
The FDD does not provide franchisee profit figures. It provides franchised-center revenue data and a separate company-owned center operating income table, which should not be treated as franchisee profit.
Is The Camp owner-operator or semi-absentee?
The disclosure points more toward a **manager-led business with active oversight** than passive ownership.
How many The Camp locations are there?
At the end of 2024, the disclosure states there were **76 franchised centers** and **4 company-owned centers** open. ---
Related links
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