How do you get a business loan for a fitness studio?

Fitness studios qualify for equipment financing for cardio machines, racks, and flooring (typically $30K–$300K), SBA 7(a) for buildout and acquisition, and working-capital lines to cover the January–February membership surge and the summer slump. Your file routes to ONE matched lender — — based on NAICS 713940 classification.

How fitness studio cash flow works

Fitness studios (NAICS 713940) earn revenue through three streams: recurring monthly memberships, class-pack and drop-in sales, and personal training packages. Memberships paid via EFT (electronic funds transfer) create relatively predictable monthly cash flow, but the mix varies widely — a boutique cycling studio with 200 members billing $150/month looks very different to a lender than a 3,000-member big-box gym on $29/month plans. The industry has strong seasonal patterns: January and February see 20–40% membership spikes from New Year resolution buyers; July and August typically drop 10–20% as members travel. Studios with annual prepaid membership options can create cash-flow acceleration early in the year but face renewal-conversion risk in month 12.

Best-fit financing products for fitness studios

Equipment financing is the workhorse for fitness studios — treadmills, ellipticals, cable machines, free weights, specialty rigs (for CrossFit or functional training), and commercial flooring all qualify. Equipment loans are secured against the assets themselves, typically at 80–100% LTV with 36–72 month terms. IRS Publication 946 Section 179 permits first-year expensing of qualifying fitness equipment placed in service during the tax year. SBA 7(a) loans (up to $5 million) cover full studio buildouts, franchise fees, and acquisitions of existing studios. A revolving line of credit ($25K–$150K) handles seasonal swings — draw in the summer slump to cover lease and payroll; repay when January memberships surge.

Qualification benchmarks

For equipment financing: 620+ personal FICO, 6+ months in business, vendor invoice or quote. For SBA 7(a): 680+ FICO, 2 years in business, profitable tax returns, personal guarantee from all 20%+ owners, lease assignment or commercial real estate documentation. For working-capital lines: 600+ FICO, $15K+ monthly revenue, 12 months of bank statements showing recurring EFT membership deposits. Lenders weight membership retention rate heavily — showing 12 months of stable or growing recurring revenue materially strengthens the file relative to studios with high churn.

Apply at ClearValue Lending

Start your application. Your file routes to ONE matched lender — not broadcast to a marketplace — matched to your NAICS 713940 classification, revenue profile, and financing purpose. ClearValue Lending is a funding platform, not a lender or financial advisor.

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