9Round vs AKT

9Round is the stronger software-sales opportunity right now, and it’s not close. The decisive dimension here is timing. AKT’s FDD is overdue, which means its franchise disclosure document hasn’t been updated in over a year. That’s a hard stop for any franchisee doing due diligence—no current FDD, no new unit sales, no fresh royalty streams flowing into the brand. Meanwhile, 9Round’s 2026 FDD is current, so its franchisees are actively buying, opening, and operating under a compliant framework. You can’t sell software to a system that isn’t legally selling itself.

The tradeoff is terrain. 9Round’s procurement model is “approved supplier,” not open, which means any software you pitch has to get blessed by the franchisor before units can adopt it. That’s friction. But with 141 franchised units and a low initial franchise fee ($19,900) paired with a moderate investment range ($160K–$390K), the total addressable market is real and accessible if you can clear the corporate gate. AKT might have an open procurement model, but with an overdue FDD, there’s no active pipeline to sell into—so the terrain advantage is theoretical. 9Round’s unit contraction (-29% YoY) is a concern, but it also signals churn that new franchisees will backfill, each one a fresh software buyer. Budget-wise, 6% royalty + 2% ad fund leaves operators enough margin to invest in tech that streamlines POS, scheduling, or back-office—especially in a fitness concept where class booking and membership management are pain points.

Verdict: Target 9Round now because a current FDD means live deals and active units, while AKT’s overdue filing makes it a dead end until compliance is restored.