The number of physical gym locations is a primary indicator of a brand’s reach and recognition among major U.S. national chains. Examining the total club count reveals which companies have successfully saturated the market. The volume of brick-and-mortar locations correlates directly with a fitness brand’s strategy for widespread consumer convenience. This physical footprint measures how often a gym is available to the average person.
Identifying the Market Leader in Location Count
The gym chain with the most locations is Planet Fitness, which significantly outpaces its closest domestic competitors. As of the end of 2024, the company reported a system-wide total of approximately 2,722 clubs across its operating markets. This total includes locations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Australia. The scale of this footprint means the brand is often the most geographically accessible fitness center in a given region.
This number places the company ahead of Anytime Fitness, the world’s largest fitness franchise by global locations, which operates over 5,200 clubs internationally. Focusing on the United States market, Planet Fitness holds a clear advantage, with its domestic count hovering around 2,463 locations. This disparity highlights a successful strategy of rapid, high-volume expansion compared to other full-service gyms.
The Business Model Fueling Massive Expansion
The growth of the market leader is tied to a highly optimized business model prioritizing volume and a low barrier to entry for both members and franchisees. This strategy is centered on its “High Value, Low Price” (HVLP) approach, keeping basic monthly membership fees low, often around $10. This pricing attracts a massive audience of casual exercisers and first-time gym users.
The brand actively courts this demographic with its “Judgement Free Zone” philosophy, designed to create a non-intimidating environment. This focus translates directly to the equipment selection, which de-emphasizes heavy free weights and specialized training areas. The company’s growth is further accelerated by its successful franchise model, with over 90% of all locations being franchisee-owned.
Franchisees benefit from a “New Growth Model” designed to lower the initial capital investment and operational complexity. This streamlined approach allows for faster market penetration and saturation compared to competitors who rely on large, corporate-owned, and full-amenity facilities. By focusing on smaller, standardized footprints, the chain has built an engine for continuous, rapid expansion across diverse markets.
Ranking the Other Major National Chains
While Planet Fitness leads the domestic location count, other major national chains use different strategies to maintain a substantial presence. Anytime Fitness is the closest challenger in the U.S. with approximately 2,328 locations. Its core appeal is the 24/7 access model and a smaller club size, allowing locations to fit into suburban and rural markets.
LA Fitness, part of the Fitness International LLC group, operates large “big box” clubs that often include pools, basketball courts, and extensive group fitness studios. The total LA Fitness location count is significantly smaller, with approximately 639 clubs in the United States. This lower number reflects the higher capital investment and larger real estate required for their full-service model.
Gold’s Gym, a long-established brand, has a global footprint of over 600 locations but concentrates its domestic presence with over 180 clubs in the United States. Its model targets a traditional, weight-training-focused demographic. This inherently limits its expansion to markets that can support a facility designed for serious lifters.