Fitness industry research
Research into Australia's gym and boutique fitness sector.
Fitness Research Institute collects direct insights from gym owners, studio operators, and franchisees to understand the growth, marketing, and operating trends shaping Australian fitness businesses.
Published by 20percent.ai. Research supported by TrialSession.com, FindingPilates.com and FranchiseDigital.com.
Section 01 · Scope
What we research
Research topics covering the operational and commercial reality of running a gym or boutique studio in Australia.
- 01Growth and demand
- 02Lead generation
- 03Trial bookings
- 04Trial conversion
- 05Member retention
- 06Marketing channels
- 07Staffing and operations
- 08Software and systems
- 09Business costs
- 10Owner confidence
- 11Local reputation
- 12Google Business Profile performance
Section 02 · Method
Why operator feedback matters
Industry numbers reported elsewhere often rely on supplier estimates or surveys of consumers. We take a different approach: we ask the people running the businesses.
By combining direct operator feedback with public business data, we aim to produce benchmarks that reflect what is actually happening across gyms, franchise locations, and boutique fitness studios - not what the sector wishes were true.
Findings are reported in aggregate. Individual responses are kept confidential unless an operator has explicitly granted permission to be quoted.
Section 03 · Disclosure
Published by 20percent.ai. Research supported by TrialSession.com, FindingPilates.com and FranchiseDigital.com.
Support does not influence findings.
The participation gift is offered for genuine research participation regardless of whether feedback is positive, negative, or mixed. Participation does not require purchasing any service.
Participation gift
$250 TrialSession.com promotional article
A bespoke promotional article written about your business on TrialSession.com, as a thank-you for taking part.
Pilates studios receive a free promotional article on FindingPilates.com.
Read the participation terms →Section 04 · Research
Current research projects
| Project | Status |
|---|---|
| Australian Gym and Boutique Studio Benchmarks, 2026 H1 | in field |
Section 05 · Process
How participation works
01
Register your interest
Tell us about your business and how you'd prefer to take part - short form, email, or a brief phone conversation.
02
Share your experience
Answer questions on growth, marketing, trial conversion, retention, costs, software, and owner confidence. Skip anything that doesn't apply.
03
Receive the participation gift
Eligible participants receive a $250 TrialSession.com promotional article as a thank-you for taking part.
Section 06 · Privacy
Confidential by default
Responses are reported in aggregate. Operators choose how their feedback is attributed: anonymous, first name only, business name, or full attribution. Suppression and opt-out requests are honoured immediately.
Take part
Add your perspective to the next benchmark report.
Gym owners, studio operators, franchisees and multi-site operators across Australia can contribute their perspective.
Participate in the research