What SelfIt Academias does

Selfit Academias is a Brazilian low-cost gym chain founded in 2012 and headquartered in Recife, Pernambuco. The company operates a franchise-based model that has scaled to 168–248 units across 16 states and 75 cities, serving individual consumers, corporate clients, and franchisees. The core offering is a tiered membership portfolio — Plano Light (R$109.90/month), Plano Plus, Plano Mega Plus, Plano Infinity (R$119.90/month), Day Use (R$39.90), and Plano Corporativo (R$119.90/employee) — differentiated by unit-access scope, group-class inclusions, and companion privileges, with no adhesion, fidelity, or cancellation fees across any tier.

The technology stack includes the Selfit mobile application (iOS and Android) for class scheduling, payment management, and guest invitations; the Weburn digital fitness platform (3,000+ workout videos, 20+ modalities, integrated at no extra cost into Plus and Mega Plus plans); and dedicated in-gym "Self Digital" spaces that stream guided workout content. Sub-brands Self Force, Self Velo, Self Intense, Self Speed, Self Move, Self Digital, Self Connect, and Self Pass organize the physical gym experience into branded training zones. The Clube de Benefícios program extends the value proposition with up to 50% discounts at retail, education, and travel partners including Centauro, Fila, Olympikus, ESPM, Hoteis.com, Netshoes, Movida, and Tok&Stok.

The business model is a hybrid franchisor with a long tail of consumer subscribers. Revenue mechanics include individual and corporate monthly subscriptions, day-use passes, franchise entry fees (R$900K+ per unit), and the corporate wellness channel. The company is privately held by Self It Academias Holding S.A. (a Brazilian sociedade anônima) and has financed expansion primarily through at least five debenture issuances rather than equity rounds. Recognitions include ABF Excelência em Franchising 2025, Great Place to Work 2024, Reclame Aqui 2024, and Pequenas Empresas Grandes Negócios Melhores Franquias 2024. Leadership comprises CEO Fernando Duarte Menezes and co-founders Leonardo Pereira and Nelson Lins.

Name

SelfIt Academias

Legal name

SELF IT ACADEMIAS HOLDING S.A.

Website

https://selfitacademias.com.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Selfit Academias is a Brazilian low-cost gym chain operating 168–248 franchise units across 16 states, serving individual members, corporate clients, and franchisees with tiered subscriptions and integrated digital fitness content.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fitness Centers & Gyms

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

General Personal Training (In-Person & Virtual) (HSADAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Group Fitness, Personal Training & Wellness Coaching (EDALAIAE), Strength & Conditioning Personal Training (HSADAAAB)

Keywords

• Fitness center memberships
• Low-cost gyms
• Franchise fitness
• Digital fitness platform
• Corporate wellness programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Recife

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Membership Subscriptions: Monthly recurring subscriptions under multiple tiers (Infinity, Light, Plus, Mega Plus) ranging from R$109.90 to R$119.90/month. No annual contracts or cancellation fees. Revenue is predictable and recurring from over 160 units nationwide.
2. Day-Use Passes: One-time daily access passes at R$39.90 for experimental gym visits, generating non-recurring revenue from walk-in customers
3. Franchise Fees: Initial investment of R$900K+ from franchisees seeking to open Selfit units. Additional royalties or support fees likely apply. This is the primary growth mechanism for market expansion.
4. Corporate/Enterprise Plans: B2B subscription model at R$119.90/month per employee for corporate wellness programs. Recurring revenue from company partnerships with HR-managed enrollment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SelfIt Academias operates a low-cost fitness center chain in Brazil with 168+ franchised units across 16 states, offering tiered monthly subscription plans (Light at R$34.90, Plus at R$44.90, Mega Plus at R$64.90, Infinity at R$84.90, Day Use at R$25, and Corporativo at R$119.90/employee) with no adhesion fees, fidelity requirements, or cancellation penalties. The offering is anchored by proprietary branded training modalities (Self Force, Self Velo, Self Intense, Self Speed, Self Move, Self Digital) inside each unit and complemented by the Selfit App, in-unit Self Connect WiFi, and a digital workout platform powered by Weburn (3,000+ video classes).

Product overview

Selfit Academias operates as a Brazilian fitness gym chain offering a tiered membership model with multiple plan levels and exclusive branded workout zones. The core product portfolio centers on five membership plans—Plano Light, Plano Plus, Plano Mega Plus, Plano Infinity, Plano Day Use, and Plano Corporativo—each differentiated by unit access scope, class inclusions, and companion privileges. The platform is augmented by two complementary digital services: the Selfit App for student portal management (scheduling, payments, guest invitations) and the Weburn App for Plano Plus/Mega Plus members providing over 3,000 streaming workout classes. The physical gym experience is organized into six branded training zones—Self Force (strength), Self Velo (cardio), Self Intense (Cross Training), Self Speed (indoor cycling), Self Move (group classes), and Self Digital (in-gym streaming zone)—plus an optional Clube de Benefícios discount program with external retail partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Weburn: Digital fitness platform offering 3,000+ workout videos across 20+ modalities, integrated as a benefit for Plus and Mega Plus plan subscribers.

Products and services

• Plano Light Entry-level monthly gym membership targeting price-sensitive individual consumers, granting access to one SelfIt unit for workouts using the chain's branded modalities.
• Plano Plus Mid-tier monthly gym membership for individual consumers, providing access to a chosen SelfIt unit and inclusion of the Weburn digital training platform.
• Plano Mega Plus Upper-mid tier monthly membership for individual consumers providing access to all SelfIt units within a single Brazilian state plus the Weburn digital training platform.
• Plano Infinity Premium tier monthly membership for individual consumers granting nationwide access to every SelfIt unit across Brazil plus the Weburn digital training platform.
• Plano Day Use Single-day gym pass sold to non-members and visitors for one-time drop-in access to a chosen SelfIt unit.
• Plano Corporativo Corporate wellness subscription billed to employers at R$119.90 per employee per month, providing their employees with SelfIt unit access and the Weburn digital training platform as an HR benefit.
• Selfit App SelfIt's proprietary member-facing mobile app (iOS and Android) that lets members manage their subscriptions, locate units, and access digital training content integrated with the Weburn platform.
• Weburn Digital workout platform offered to SelfIt members (Plus, Mega Plus, Infinity, and Corporativo plans) that delivers 3,000+ on-demand video classes for at-home and in-gym training.
• Clube de Benefícios Selfit Member discount and perks program bundled with SelfIt memberships, providing exclusive offers across partner brands as an added-value benefit for members.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35% average annual growth rate in Brazilian fitness market
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WeburncoreTechnology or IntegrationStrategic partnership integrating Weburn's digital fitness platform (3,000+ video workouts, 20+ modalities, nutrition plans, psychological support) with Selfit Plus and Mega Plus memberships. Weburn app included free with higher-tier plans, enhancing the value proposition with remote workout capabilities. Over 100 specialist professionals contribute content including personal trainers, doctors, nutritionists, and psychologists.
• NewValue (Clube de Benefícios)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with NewValue to provide the Clube de Benefícios Selfit program offering up to 50% discounts at partner brands including Centauro, Fila, Olympikus, ESPM, Hoteis.com, Netshoes, Movida, Tok&Stok and many others. Members access exclusive deals across fashion, education, beauty, gastronomy, and health categories.
• CentaurominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports retail partner offering discounts to Selfit members through the Clube de Benefícios program
• FilaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSportswear brand partner offering discounts to Selfit members through the Clube de Benefícios program
• OlympikusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAthletic footwear partner offering discounts to Selfit members through the Clube de Benefícios program
• ESPMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducation partner offering discounts on courses to Selfit members through the Clube de Benefícios program
• Hoteis.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHotel booking partner offering discounts to Selfit members through the Clube de Benefícios program
• NetshoesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports e-commerce partner offering discounts to Selfit members through the Clube de Benefícios program
• MovidaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCar rental partner offering discounts to Selfit members through the Clube de Benefícios program
• Tok&StokminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHome goods retail partner offering discounts to Selfit members through the Clube de Benefícios program

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Just Fit Academias: Just Fit operates a value-priced gym network in Brazil with a comparable monthly subscription model and modern equipment focus. It competes with Selfit for the same value-oriented consumer segment.
• Bluefit Academias: Bluefit is a Brazilian low-cost gym chain operating a similar membership-based, multi-unit model. Its pricing and geographic footprint in Brazil make it a direct competitor and operational comparable to Selfit.
• Bio Ritmo Academias: Bio Ritmo is a long-established Brazilian fitness chain offering multi-state memberships and group class programming. It overlaps with Selfit on the multi-unit subscription and group fitness proposition, though at a higher price tier.
• Companhia Athletica: Companhia Athletica is a Brazilian fitness club operator with a multi-unit subscription model and group class offerings. It is a relevant comparable for Selfit's tiered plan and class-driven member engagement.
• Smart Fit: Smart Fit is Brazil's largest low-cost gym chain and the dominant competitor in Selfit's core price segment. It shares the same low-cost, high-volume subscription model with national multi-state coverage and is the most direct comparable for Selfit's franchise-led expansion strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Planet Fitness: Planet Fitness pioneered the global low-cost, high-volume gym franchise model. While Brazil-focused and much larger internationally, it is a benchmark for the unit economics, franchise playbook, and value proposition Selfit is replicating in Brazil.
• Basic-Fit: Basic-Fit is Europe's largest low-cost fitness chain with a franchise-like multi-country rollout and tiered subscription model. It provides a relevant international benchmark for Selfit's unit economics and digital integration strategy.

Emerging players

• Gympass / Wellhub: Wellhub (formerly Gympass) is a Brazil-born corporate wellness aggregator connecting employees to gyms including Selfit-adjacent networks. It is an emerging channel for Selfit's Plano Corporativo and a comparable in the Brazilian fitness ecosystem.
• TotalPass: TotalPass is a Brazilian corporate wellness platform offering multi-gym access to employees, directly relevant to Selfit's Plano Corporativo B2B distribution channel and competitive dynamics in corporate wellness.

Regional players

• Greenbrier (holding) / Movement: Movement (formerly Greenbrier) is a Brazilian premium-to-mid-market fitness chain. While positioned at a higher price tier than Selfit, it competes for the same Brazilian consumer fitness wallet and is a useful operational comparable in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/selfit-academias

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SelfIt Academias