Aqua-Tots Swim Schools

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Education
Arts / Sports

Aqua-Tots Swim Schools

Education
Arts / Sports

Aqua-Tots Swim Schools Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

Aqua-Tots Swim Schools is a swimming instruction franchise that teaches water safety and swimming skills to children and adults through professional lessons.

Aqua-Tots Swim Schools, founded in 1991 in Tempe, Arizona, has grown to become the largest international swim school franchise. The company, which started franchising in 2005, is headquartered in Mesa, Arizona. Aqua-Tots Swim Schools offers a variety of swim programs designed to teach children essential water safety and swimming skills. 

Their programs cater to different skill levels, from parent-tot classes for infants to advanced swim levels for older children. Aqua-Tots distinguishes itself from competitors through its commitment to providing high-quality swim instruction and a comprehensive franchise support system. 

They ensure each franchisee has the resources and training needed to succeed, including an intensive program at Aqua-Tots University in Mesa. Their focus on water safety education and a strong community impact sets them apart in the swim school industry.

Initial investment

Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Type of Expenditure Amount (Low) Amount (High)
Initial Franchise Fee $50,000 $50,000
Initial Travel Expenses during Training at Aqua-Tots University (ATU) in Arizona $2,000 $18,000
Rent or Real Estate $12,000 $85,000
Pool Design, Build and Aquatic Supplies and Equipment $250,000 $400,000
Tenant Improvements $1,200,000 $1,800,000
Miscellaneous Opening Costs $6,000 $19,500
Computers, Color Printer and Copier $5,000 $15,000
Signage $15,000 $60,000
Opening Inventory $9,000 $18,800
Advertising (3 mos) $26,000 $45,000
Aqua-Tots Swim Schools Proprietary Software $1,595 $2,514
Insurance $2,500 $10,500
Additional Funds for Initial three (3) Months $40,000 $115,000
TOTALS $1,619,095 $2,639,314
Type of Expenditure Amount (Low) Amount (High)
Initial Franchise Fee $50,000 $50,000
Initial Travel Expenses during Training at Aqua-Tots University (ATU) in Arizona $2,000 $18,000
Rent or Real Estate $12,000 $85,000
Pool Design, Build and Aquatic Supplies and Equipment $250,000 $400,000
Tenant Improvements $1,200,000 $1,800,000
Miscellaneous Opening Costs $6,000 $19,500
Computers, Color Printer and Copier $5,000 $15,000
Signage $15,000 $60,000
Opening Inventory $9,000 $18,800
Advertising (3 mos) $26,000 $45,000
Aqua-Tots Swim Schools Proprietary Software $1,595 $2,514
Insurance $2,500 $10,500
Additional Funds for Initial three (3) Months $40,000 $115,000
TOTALS $1,619,095 $2,639,314

Franchise Disclosure Document

KEY FRANCHISE STATS

All you need to know about this franchise

Started franchising
2007
Franchisees

?

118
+
16%
16%
Franchise fee

?

$50,000
Investment

?

$1,619,000 - $2,639,000
Revenue (AUV)

?

Undisclosed
Upgrade

$0

+
n.a.
n.a.
Operating Profit

?

Upgrade

n.a.

Home based

?

No
Upgrade
No
Passive investment

?

No
Upgrade
No
FDD
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Competitors

Below are some of

Aqua-Tots Swim Schools

key competitors in the

Arts / Sports

sector.

Franchise
Franchisees
Initial fee
Total investment
Revenue
Upgrade
Gross Profit
Upgrade
EBITDA
Upgrade

118

New
+
16%
16%

$50,000

$1,619,000

$2,639,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

24

New
+
9%
9%

$50,000

$267,000

$400,000

n.a.

$287,000

$xxx,xxx

84.0%

xx%

n.a.

24.0%

xx%

n.a.

40

New
+
-17%
-17%

$45,000

$56,000

$389,000

n.a.

$221,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

7

New
+
0%
0%

$55,000

$322,000

$475,000

n.a.

$431,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

22.0%

xx%

n.a.

128

New
+
28%
28%

$45,000

$536,000

$1,031,000

n.a.

$751,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

8

New
+
n.a.
n.a.

$39,000

$83,000

$330,000

n.a.

$75,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

8

New
+
60%
60%

$49,950

$100,000

$210,000

n.a.

$137,000

$xxx,xxx

92.6%

xx%

n.a.

44.4%

xx%

n.a.

4

New
+
n.a.
n.a.

$59,500

$98,000

$131,000

n.a.

$264,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

52

New
+
63%
63%

$49,000

$325,000

$1,040,000

n.a.

$836,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

30

New
+
67%
67%

$36,000

$54,000

$142,000

n.a.

$183,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

75

New
+
25%
25%

$42,500

$58,000

$89,000

n.a.

$217,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

41

New
+
78%
78%

$35,000

$83,000

$332,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

10

New
+
25%
25%

$15,000 - $25,000

$231,000

$476,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

1

New
+
n.a.
n.a.

$25,000

$179,000

$330,000

n.a.

$1,139,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

68

New
+
55%
55%

$45,000

$97,000

$178,000

n.a.

$254,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

2

New
+
n.a.
n.a.

$45,000

$210,000

$408,000

n.a.

$171,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

189

New
+
69%
69%

$55,000

$109,000

$145,000

n.a.

$404,000

$xxx,xxx

44.0%

xx%

n.a.

22.0%

xx%

n.a.

21

New
+
n.a.
n.a.

$65,000

$182,000

$340,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

45

New
+
15%
15%

$45,000

$256,000

$550,000

n.a.

$501,000

$xxx,xxx

71.7%

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

7

New
+
-22%
-22%

$15,900

$28,000

$560,000

n.a.

$213,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

46

New
+
10%
10%

$44,500

$46,000

$59,000

n.a.

$129,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

20

New
+
-13%
-13%

$49,000

$128,000

$288,000

n.a.

$83,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

3

New
+
n.a.
n.a.

$15,000

$102,000

$200,000

n.a.

$214,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

7

New
+
n.a.
n.a.

$49,500

$97,000

$128,000

n.a.

$131,000

$xxx,xxx

71.6%

xx%

n.a.

27.6%

xx%

n.a.

41

New
+
64%
64%

$35,000

$46,000

$59,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

80

New
+
10%
10%

$25,000

$40,000

$64,000

n.a.

$235,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

226

New
+
-10%
-10%

$25,000

$65,000

$90,000

n.a.

$117,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

234

New
+
18%
18%

$49,900

$387,000

$664,000

n.a.

$648,000

$xxx,xxx

66.5%

xx%

n.a.

21.0%

xx%

n.a.

91

New
+
-9%
-9%

$4,000

$3,000

$71,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

22

New
+
57%
57%

$35,000

$41,000

$99,000

n.a.

$93,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

112

New
+
11%
11%

$30,000

$180,000

$438,000

n.a.

$438,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

98

New
+
-1%
-1%

$39,000

$277,000

$376,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

103

New
+
21%
21%

$55,000

$785,000

$1,908,000

n.a.

$1,303,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

22.2%

xx%

n.a.

51

New
+
-11%
-11%

$25,000

$70,000

$272,000

n.a.

$0

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

21

New
+
50%
50%

$45,000

$61,000

$331,000

n.a.

$236,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

62

New
+
-35%
-35%

$49,500

$63,000

$101,000

n.a.

$105,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

306

New
+
20%
20%

$36,500

$43,000

$54,000

n.a.

$243,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

17.8%

xx%

n.a.

41

New
+
-21%
-21%

$42,500

$48,000

$57,000

n.a.

$162,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

35

New
+
6%
6%

$25,400

$39,000

$83,000

n.a.

$114,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

147

New
+
4800%
4800%

$49,500

$70,000

$102,000

n.a.

$133,000

$xxx,xxx

57.4%

xx%

n.a.

20.2%

xx%

n.a.

72

New
+
-23%
-23%

$30,000

$101,000

$271,000

n.a.

$380,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

1

New
+
0%
0%

$22,500

$57,000

$83,000

n.a.

$201,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

36.0%

xx%

n.a.

123

New
+
-11%
-11%

$30,000

$94,000

$174,000

n.a.

$141,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

172

New
+
26%
26%

$50,000

$1,663,000

$3,747,000

n.a.

$1,980,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

31.2%

xx%

n.a.

13

New
+
-7%
-7%

$20,100

$23,000

$68,000

n.a.

$108,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

219

New
+
-5%
-5%

$25,000

$119,000

$256,000

n.a.

$488,000

$xxx,xxx

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

n.a.

xx%

n.a.

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Training 

Aqua-Tots Swim Schools places a strong emphasis on providing comprehensive training to its franchisees to ensure the success and consistency of its programs. The training offered is designed to equip new franchise owners with the necessary skills and knowledge to operate their swim schools effectively and uphold the brand’s high standards of safety and instruction.

Aqua-Tots University (ATU) Training

  • Initial Training: Franchisees and their management teams undergo an initial training program at Aqua-Tots University in Mesa, Arizona. This intensive training lasts for two weeks and covers all aspects of running a swim school, including operational procedures, swim instruction methodologies, customer service, and business management.
  • Hands-On Experience: During this period, participants gain hands-on experience in an actual Aqua-Tots Swim School environment. This practical training ensures they are well-prepared to manage the day-to-day operations of their own locations.

Ongoing Support and Training

  • Pre-Opening Support: Several months before the school’s opening, franchisees receive ongoing support to prepare for their launch. This includes assistance with marketing, site selection, and facility setup to ensure a smooth start.
  • On-Site Training: As the opening date approaches, an additional week of on-site training is provided at the franchisee’s location. This training focuses on the specific operational nuances of their facility, ensuring that the staff is well-prepared and the operations run smoothly from day one.
  • Continuous Education: Aqua-Tots Swim Schools offers continuous education and training opportunities to keep franchisees and their staff updated on the latest best practices and industry standards. This includes periodic training sessions, webinars, and access to a wealth of resources through their franchise support network.

Territory Protection

Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise offers territory protection to its franchisees, ensuring that each owner has a defined area in which no other Aqua-Tots franchise can be established. This territorial guarantee helps franchisees to grow their business without the concern of overlapping with another franchise in close proximity, fostering a more stable and predictable market environment. 

The Franchise Agreement includes specific details about the protected area and the development schedule for opening additional locations within that territory​.

This protection is part of Aqua-Tots' commitment to supporting its franchisees and helping them succeed. By providing a clear and exclusive territory, Aqua-Tots helps franchise owners maximize their market potential and maintain a strong local presence.

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Investment

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$3,000 - $71,000
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Hudson Valley Swim

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