Starz Program vs 9Round

9Round is the stronger software-sales opportunity right now, and it’s not close. The dimension that wins is TAM—total addressable market. With 141 franchised units, you’re selling into a base that’s 23x larger than Starz Program’s six. Even with brutal -29% unit contraction, the absolute number of doors you can pitch today dwarfs the alternative. A shrinking system isn’t a dealbreaker for a vendor selling efficiency tools; struggling franchisees need POS, scheduling, and back-office automation to cut costs and claw back margin. The investment range tops out near $390K, signaling operators who can afford a real tech stack, not just a Square reader and a spreadsheet.

The tradeoff is timing versus terrain. Starz Program’s 50% growth rate is a timing play—catch a tiny brand early, land-and-expand as it scales. But at seven total units, you’re betting on a future that may never materialize, and the $42K–$130K investment band suggests lean, owner-operator shops with minimal software budget. 9Round gives you terrain: a large, established, distressed fleet where your software’s ROI story—labor savings, member management, automated billing—lands with immediate urgency. The approved-supplier procurement model on both sides is a wash, but 9Round’s higher per-unit economics make compliance with an approved vendor far more likely to convert to paid seats.

Verdict: 9Round’s large, budget-capable, pain-rich franchise base makes it the superior near-term software target despite negative unit growth.