Aqua-Tots Swim Schools Franchise
Cost, fees, owner earnings, closure rate and litigation for a Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise — pulled from the franchisor's own public FDD (2026), not its sales material.
Disclosure honesty
Aqua-Tots Swim Schools discloses earnings (Item 19) — but the grade is how honestly. We graded it C.
What their own earnings claim actually says
Gross revenue data for 15 mature outlets in CA, MA, NJ, NY, PA large metros only (2025). 40% exceeded $1.13M average; excludes most franchises.
What a Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise actually costs to run
| Fee | Disclosed | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $50,000 | Item 5 — paid up front, before you open |
| Royalty | 6% of gross sales | Item 6 — charged on revenue, not profit |
| Advertising fund | 2% of gross sales | Item 6 — brand marketing, spent at the franchisor's discretion |
| Total recurring fees | 8% of gross sales | Before rent, labor, food or debt service |
| Total initial investment | $1,619,820 – $2,939,590 | Item 7 — franchisor's own low/high estimate |
Royalty 6% + advertising 2% monthly. Software $295/mo, tech $170/mo. Multiple discretionary fees apply.
Royalty and ad-fund percentages are charged on gross sales — an owner pays them whether or not the location is profitable.
Aqua-Tots Swim Schools system size and owner turnover
| Total outlets | 139 |
| Ceased operations | 0 |
| Terminated by franchisor | 0 |
| Transferred to new owners | 4 |
| Closure rate | 0.0% of outlets |
Zero terminations 2024-2025; one 1-year non-renewal 2023. System healthy growth trajectory.
From Item 20 of the FDD 2026. Terminations and ceased operations are the franchisor's own count of owners who stopped — the number the sales pitch leaves out.
Is Aqua-Tots Swim Schools worth it? — how it compares to 436 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 8% of sales | lower than most (median 8%) |
| Startup cost | from $1,619,820 | pricier than 92% of peers |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade C | typical for the category |
| Closure rate | 0.0% of outlets | better than most (median 1.5%) |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 1 | about average |
Benchmarked against every other franchises franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a Aqua-Tots Swim Schools
The franchisor's framing: Gross revenue data for 15 mature outlets in CA, MA, NJ, NY, PA large metros only (2025). 4… We reconstruct what an owner actually keeps, from their own FDD.
- Reconstructed owner P&L — net take-home after royalty, ad fund, rent, labor & debt
- Break-even timeline + cash-on-cash ROI
- Full fee stack + required-purchase markups
- Decoded real failure / closure rate
- How it ranks vs comparable franchises
- Validation-call playbook — the exact questions to ask
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Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $1,619,820–$2,939,590, including a $50,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise owners make?
- Gross revenue data for 15 mature outlets in CA, MA, NJ, NY, PA large metros only (2025). 40% exceeded $1.13M average; excludes most franchises. We grade this disclosure C for honesty.
- What are the Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise fees?
- Aqua-Tots Swim Schools' FDD discloses a $50,000 initial franchise fee, a 6% royalty on gross sales, a 2% advertising-fund contribution, for roughly 8% of gross sales in recurring fees before rent, labor, or debt service. Royalty 6% + advertising 2% monthly. Software $295/mo, tech $170/mo. Multiple discretionary fees apply.
- What is the Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise profit margin?
- Aqua-Tots Swim Schools does not publish a franchisee net-profit margin — almost no franchisor does. What Item 19 actually shows: Gross revenue data for 15 mature outlets in CA, MA, NJ, NY, PA large metros only (2025). 40% exceeded $1.13M average; excludes most franchises. Recurring fees alone take about 8% of gross sales, before rent, labor, food or debt service. Margin has to be reconstructed from the disclosure, not read off it.
- What is the Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise failure rate?
- Zero terminations 2024-2025; one 1-year non-renewal 2023. System healthy growth trajectory.
- How many Aqua-Tots Swim Schools locations are there?
- Aqua-Tots Swim Schools' FDD reports 139 total outlets, with 0 that ceased operations in the most recent reporting year and 4 transferred to new owners. Item 20 is where system health shows up before the marketing does.
- Does Aqua-Tots Swim Schools have complaints or lawsuits?
- Aqua-Tots Swim Schools discloses 1 legal matter in Item 3 of its FDD. Item 3 covers the franchisor's litigation history, which is the closest thing to a public record of how it treats franchisees — read the case descriptions, not just the count.
- Is a Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. Aqua-Tots Swim Schools scores C on disclosure honesty, carries about 8% of sales in ongoing fees, and discloses 1 legal matters. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with Aqua-Tots Swim Schools or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.