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Goldfish Swim School

Home
Education
Arts / Sports

Goldfish Swim School

Goldfish Swim School Franchise FDD, Costs & Fees (2025)

Goldfish Swim School is a swimming instruction franchise offering swim lessons in a safe and engaging environment for children of all ages and abilities.

Goldfish Swim School is a leading franchise in the learn-to-swim industry, dedicated to teaching life-saving and life-changing skills to children. The franchise was founded in 2006 by Jenny and Chris McCuiston in Birmingham, Michigan, where they opened the first Goldfish Swim School. 

The concept quickly gained popularity due to its unique, child-friendly approach and the McCuistons' background in swimming and early childhood development. Today, the company is headquartered in Troy, Michigan.

Goldfish Swim School stands out in the industry with its proprietary curriculum called the "Science of SwimPlay®," which combines guided play with expert instruction to boost children’s cognitive and physical development while they learn to swim. 

The swim schools feature tropical-themed facilities, including 90-degree pools designed to keep children comfortable as they learn. Since it began franchising in 2009, Goldfish Swim School has consistently expanded its reach, helping over 185,000 students learn to swim each week.

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
Franchise Fee $40,000 - $50,000
Real Estate Fee $0 - $2,500
Real Estate/Rent $0 – $82,000
Architectural Fees $34,500 – $85,000
Leasehold Improvements $1,334,230 – $2,685,033
Insurance $4,283 - $5,700
Training $17,250 - $37,000
Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment, Computers, and Decor $100,000 - $126,500
Initial Advertising Expense $30,000 - $70,000
Licenses, Permits, & Deposits $4,500 - $80,000
Legal & Accounting $8,500 - $35,000
Project Manager/Owner’s Representative $15,000 – $45,000
Water Tap Fees $0 – $93,000
Additional Funds (3 months) $75,000 - $350,000
Total $1,663,263 – $3,746,733
Type of Expenditure Amount
Franchise Fee $40,000 - $50,000
Real Estate Fee $0 - $2,500
Real Estate/Rent $0 – $82,000
Architectural Fees $34,500 – $85,000
Leasehold Improvements $1,334,230 – $2,685,033
Insurance $4,283 - $5,700
Training $17,250 - $37,000
Furniture, Fixtures, Equipment, Computers, and Decor $100,000 - $126,500
Initial Advertising Expense $30,000 - $70,000
Licenses, Permits, & Deposits $4,500 - $80,000
Legal & Accounting $8,500 - $35,000
Project Manager/Owner’s Representative $15,000 – $45,000
Water Tap Fees $0 – $93,000
Additional Funds (3 months) $75,000 - $350,000
Total $1,663,263 – $3,746,733

Goldfish Swim School

2025

Franchise Disclosure Document

Number of units

Training 

Goldfish Swim School provides comprehensive training to ensure that franchisees and their teams are well-prepared to operate their swim schools successfully. 

  1. On-Boarding Training: This initial phase takes place at the Goldfish Swim School headquarters. During this period, new franchisees receive instruction from various departments, covering essential topics such as business management, customer service, and marketing strategies specific to the swim school industry.
  2. Goldfish University: After On-Boarding, franchisees and their general managers participate in this extensive training program. It includes both classroom instruction and hands-on experience. The focus is on implementing Goldfish Swim School’s proprietary curriculum, "The Science of SwimPlay®," ensuring that all franchisees maintain the brand's high standards of swim instruction.
  3. Ongoing Support and Training: Beyond the initial training, Goldfish Swim School provides continuous support and additional training opportunities. This helps franchisees stay current with the latest operational practices, marketing techniques, and customer engagement strategies to ensure long-term success​

Territory Protection

Goldfish Swim School franchisees are typically granted territory protection, which ensures that they have exclusive rights to operate within a specific geographic area.

This protection prevents other Goldfish Swim School franchises from opening within the designated territory, allowing franchisees to fully capitalize on the market potential in their region.

The details of the territory protection, including the size and specific boundaries, are outlined in the franchise agreement, providing clarity and security for franchise owners.

Competitors

Below are some of

Goldfish Swim School

key competitors in the

Arts / Sports

sector.

Franchise
Franchisees
Initial fee
Total investment
Revenue
Sign up
Gross Profit
Sign up
EBITDA
Sign up

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.

Competitors

Funtastik Labs

Funtastik Labs is a children’s enrichment franchise offering STEM, art, and slime labs through camps, parties, and classes, serving families seeking educational play experiences, and known for hands-on experiments, birthday events, and repeatable programs that turn curiosity into recurring revenue.

Franchisees

?

0
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$257,000 - $352,000

Musicologie

Musicologie is a music-education franchise offering group and private lessons across instruments and voice, serving children, teens, and adult learners, and known for neighborhood studios, playful curricula, and community-focused recitals that make music education approachable, fun, and accessible for families.

Franchisees

?

2
+
n.a.
n.a.
Investment

?

$193,000 - $364,000

Rockstars of Tomorrow

Rockstars of Tomorrow is a music-education franchise offering instrument lessons, band programs, and performance coaching, serving kids, teens, and adults, and known for immersive studio environments, stage-focused training, live shows, and a modern curriculum emphasizing collaboration and real-world performance.

Franchisees

?

7
+
75%
75%
Investment

?

$196,000 - $472,000

Singers Company

Singers Company is a children’s enrichment franchise offering singing and performance groups for young girls, serving families seeking positive extracurricular activities, and known for age-appropriate songs, modest costumes, uplifting choreography, and confidence-building recitals in a supportive, fun, and non-competitive environment.

Franchisees

?

58
+
-2%
-2%
Investment

?

$5,000 - $32,000

Global Art

Global Art is a children’s education franchise offering structured art classes and creative programs, serving kids seeking enrichment beyond school, and known for a proprietary curriculum, international presence, and focus on building creativity, confidence, and problem-solving through drawing and design.

Franchisees

?

5
+
25%
25%
Investment

?

$102,000 - $154,000

Gracie Barra

Gracie Barra is a martial-arts franchise offering Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes and self-defense training for kids and adults, serving all-age students, and known for uniform curriculum, global network, and values-based training environment.

Franchisees

?

353
+
23%
23%
Investment

?

$76,000 - $234,000

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