iCRYO is a cryotherapy-led wellness franchise with a service mix spanning cryotherapy, IV drip therapy, red light, and compression. It is the hardest brand in our comparison set to evaluate from public information — and being straightforward about why is more useful than filling the gap with estimates.
We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or compensated by iCRYO. See our disclosure policy.
What it costs
| Item | Figure (2023 FDD) |
|---|---|
| Total initial investment | $474,500–$1,205,000 |
| Initial franchise fee | $49,500 |
| Royalty | 6% of monthly sales |
| Marketing fee | 1% of monthly sales |
Total initial investment
$474,500–$1,205,000
Initial franchise fee
$49,500
Royalty
6% of monthly sales
Marketing fee
1% of monthly sales
The fee load is the standout number. At a combined 7%, iCRYO charges less than every other brand in our cost comparison — versus 9% at Restore and Perspire, and 10-12% at StretchLab and SWTHZ once local marketing requirements are counted.
On $600,000 of gross sales, that difference is roughly $18,000 a year against StretchLab's structure and about $12,000 against Restore's. Over a ten-year agreement, the gap is real money.
The tradeoff to investigate: brand funds pay for marketing, technology, and support infrastructure. A lower fee load can mean better franchisee economics, or it can mean less support. Ask existing franchisees directly what the 1% marketing contribution actually delivers.
What we could not verify
The most recent iCRYO FDD available for review here is from 2023, and it did not contain a financial performance representation comparable to what Restore, StretchLab, Perspire, and SWTHZ publish. That creates two distinct problems for a prospective buyer:
The data is old. Every other brand in our comparison has 2025 or 2026 figures. A 2023 investment range predates recent construction and equipment cost movement, so the real number today is plausibly higher than the disclosed range.
There is no disclosed unit performance to benchmark. You cannot calculate a revenue-to-investment ratio, compare quartile spreads, or sanity-check a pro forma against system data.
You will find third-party sites publishing iCRYO revenue estimates. Read those carefully — at least one derives its figure by applying a generic health-and-fitness industry average rather than reporting anything iCRYO disclosed. That is a modeled guess wearing the costume of a data point, and it is not a substitute for Item 19.
None of this means iCRYO underperforms. Franchisors may omit a financial performance representation for reasons that have nothing to do with weak results. But it does mean the public record cannot tell you, and you should not let a confident-looking third-party estimate persuade you otherwise.
What to do about the information gap
When a brand doesn't publish Item 19, the diligence burden moves to you:
- Request the current FDD directly and check whether a more recent filing includes an Item 19. Our figures reflect what was available for review; the franchisor's latest filing is authoritative.
- Ask the franchisor plainly why there is no financial performance representation. The answer, and how readily it comes, is informative.
- Expand your validation calls. With no system data, franchisee interviews are your only real evidence. Talk to more operators than you otherwise would, and ask directly about gross sales, ramp time, and whether results met expectations.
- Ask for a franchisee list including closed and transferred units. Item 20 of the FDD lists departures. In the absence of Item 19, turnover patterns become one of your better signals.
- Build your model bottom-up from local rent, wages, session pricing, and realistic utilization rather than top-down from any published average. The ROI and payback calculator is built for exactly this.
The IV and cryotherapy compliance factor
Like Restore, iCRYO's mix includes IV therapy, which carries state-specific rules on who may administer treatment, what medical direction is required, and how the business may be structured. This is a real cost and structural consideration, not a formality — engage a healthcare attorney licensed in your state early.
On the cryotherapy side, our commercial cryotherapy buyer's guide covers the electric-versus-nitrogen decision that drives both build cost and ongoing operating expense. If the franchisor specifies nitrogen systems, factor in the gas supply logistics, oxygen-depletion sensors, and ventilation that come with them.
Who this fits
iCRYO may suit a buyer who values the low ongoing fee load and is willing to do heavier independent diligence to compensate for thin public data. Operators who are comfortable underwriting from first principles rather than from disclosed benchmarks will be least disadvantaged by the information gap.
It fits poorly for a first-time buyer who needs disclosed system performance to get comfortable — or to get financed. Lenders increasingly want to see Item 19 data, and its absence can complicate an SBA application. See our financing guide for what lenders typically ask for.
Sources
- Vetted Biz — iCRYO franchise insights: FDD, costs and fees
- Sharpsheets — iCRYO franchise FDD, profits and costs
Frequently asked questions
- How much does an iCRYO franchise cost?
- The FDD available for review discloses a total initial investment of $474,500 to $1,205,000, including a $49,500 initial franchise fee. That filing is from 2023, so confirm current figures directly with the franchisor's latest FDD.
- What are iCRYO's ongoing fees?
- A 6% royalty on monthly sales plus a 1% marketing contribution — a combined 7%, the lowest total fee load among the major wellness franchise brands we compared.
- How much revenue does an iCRYO location generate?
- We could not verify a comparable Item 19 financial performance representation in the FDD available for review. Some third-party sites publish estimated revenue figures for iCRYO; those are industry-average extrapolations, not disclosed unit performance, and should not be treated as equivalent to an actual Item 19.
- Should I avoid a franchise that doesn't publish Item 19 data?
- Not automatically. Franchisors are not required to make a financial performance representation, and some decline for legitimate reasons including system changes or small comparable samples. But it does mean you cannot benchmark the opportunity from public filings, so your validation calls with existing franchisees have to do more work.
Related guides
Wellness Franchise Costs Compared: 5 Major Brands
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Commercial Cryotherapy Equipment: Buyer's Guide
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