ContrasTheory franchise
2026 filing · March 9, 2026
ContrasTheory at a glance
A performance recovery studio offering private infrared heat, cold immersion and guided time, temperature and breathing protocols.
The business
- Franchisor
- ContrasTheory LLC
- The company that sells the franchises
- Typical size
- 1,700–3,000 sq ft
What you pay
- Cost to open
- $646K–$1.51M
- Fee, build-out and opening working capital
- Franchise fee
- $55,000
- Paid once, when you sign
- Royalty
- 8%
- 8% of gross revenue or $2,500 a month, whichever is greater, paid weekly, plus 2% to the national brand fund and the greater of $1,500 or 2% to the local advertising fund
- Brand fund
- 2%
- 2% of gross revenue, paid weekly
- Agreement length
- 10 years
Where it is
- US locations, 2025
- 0
- Franchised and company-owned
- Franchised
- 0
- Company-owned
- 0
- Change in 3 years
- 0
- Franchised locations, 2023–2025
From ContrasTheory LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
Where it ranks
ContrasTheory among all franchises with the same figure.
| Figure | ContrasTheory | Among all franchises |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, midpointHalfway between the low and high estimate | $1,075,644 | Costs more than 84% of franchises |
| Franchise feePaid once, when you sign | $55,000 | Higher than 82% of franchises |
| RoyaltyShare of sales paid to the franchisor | 8% | Higher than 85% of brands with a set rate |
| US locationsFranchised and company-owned | 0 | Fewer than 97% of franchises |
How much a ContrasTheory franchise costs
Opening one ContrasTheory costs an estimated $645,600 to $1,505,687. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
The biggest costs are leasehold improvements ($250,000 to $919,687) and contrast therapy equipment; saunas, cold plunge and other studio equipment ($150,000 to $200,000). Here is every line of the estimate as filed:
| What it pays for | Range | Low | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $55,000 | ||
| Site Development Fee | $10,000 | ||
| Initial Training Program | $3,000 | ||
| Pre-Opening Training Travel and Lodging | $0 | $3,000 | |
| Expenses Go Team Training | $5,000 | ||
| Athletic and Program Training | $3,000 | ||
| Real Property – Purchased or Leased | $21,000 | $60,000 | |
| Leasehold Improvements | $250,000 | $919,687 | |
| Design Architect | $10,000 | $20,000 | |
| Office Equipment, POS Systems | $1,500 | $3,000 | |
| Contrast Therapy Equipment; Saunas, Cold Plunge and other Studio Equipment | $150,000 | $200,000 | |
| Other Required Equipment and Furniture | $26,200 | $51,000 | |
| Fixtures | $8,500 | $15,000 | |
| Security System | $1,500 | $4,000 | |
| Utilities Deposits | $500 | $1,000 | |
| Opening Inventory for Resale | $15,000 | ||
| Business Permits and Other Licenses | $500 | $10,000 | |
| Signage | $7,000 | $25,000 | |
| Legal and Accounting Fees | $15,000 | $20,000 | |
| Grand Opening Fee Digital Advertising and Printed Materials | $20,000 | ||
| Grand Opening Local Area Activation/Grand Open Event | $7,000 | $10,000 | |
| Grand Opening Support | $5,000 | ||
| Insurance | $5,200 | $6,800 | |
| Misc. Supplies | $700 | $1,200 | |
| Additional Funds (initial 3 months) | $25,000 | $40,000 | |
| Total | $645,600 | $1,505,687 | |
Source: ContrasTheory LLC, 2026 filing, page 14
ContrasTheory franchise fee
The franchise fee is $55,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: ContrasTheory LLC, 2026 filing, page 10
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 8% of gross revenue or $2,500 a month, whichever is greater, paid weekly, plus 2% to the national brand fund and the greater of $1,500 or 2% to the local advertising fund. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 2% of gross revenue, paid weekly. |
| Technology Fee | $950 |
| Development Transfer Fee | $5,000 for each unopened ContrasTheory Franchise |
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: ContrasTheory LLC, 2026 filing, page 11
Other fees as filed, from page 13. The filing lists every fee, including late fees and audit costs.
Sales and earnings
No figures ContrasTheory does not share sales or profit figures for its locations. Talking to current and former franchise owners is the usual way to learn what a location earns.
Source: ContrasTheory LLC, 2026 filing, page 45
How ContrasTheory compares
Of the 121 spa franchises on this site, ContrasTheory is the 99th cheapest to open and the smallest by number of locations.
| Figure | ContrasTheory | Typical spa brand | Typical franchise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $646K | $334K | $222K |
| Cost to open, high end | $1.51M | $670K | $477K |
| Franchise fee | $55K | $50K | $40K |
| Royalty | 8% | 6% | 6% |
| Brand fund | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| US locations | 0 | 9 | 21 |
| Shares earnings figures | No | 85 of 121 | 2,147 of 3,352 |
Typical is the median across the 121 brands in spa franchises; typical franchise, across every brand here.
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 (0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
More in the guides: franchise failure rates.
Source: ContrasTheory LLC, 2026 filing, page 45
Who owns ContrasTheory?
ContrasTheory franchises are sold by ContrasTheory LLC.
From ContrasTheory LLC’s 2026 filing.
Lawsuits and bankruptcy
| Lawsuits and regulatory actions | None. The filing says no litigation has to be disclosed. |
|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | None. The filing says no bankruptcy has to be disclosed. |
Franchisors must disclose lawsuits and bankruptcies involving the company, its parents and affiliates, and its executives. Many cases are routine disputes with franchisees over fees or contracts; read the descriptions in the filing and ask current owners about anything that worries you.
Source: ContrasTheory LLC, 2026 filing, litigation on page 10, bankruptcy on page 10
ContrasTheory filings
The figures on this page come from ContrasTheory LLC’s 2026 filing, issued March 9, 2026, on record with the NASAA Electronic Filing Depository.
| Filing | Issued | Registry | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 filing | March 9, 2026 | NASAA depository | Costs, fees and locations, 2023–2025 |
Each link opens the filing as a PDF. See the newest filings across all brands.
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