How Gyms, Spas, and Wellness Studios Can Make Money With a Sauna

For a gym, spa, or wellness studio, a sauna can be more than an amenity. It can become a new source of revenue.

The challenge is the initial investment. Purchasing a commercial-quality outdoor sauna can require thousands of dollars upfront, along with the uncertainty of whether enough customers will pay to use it.

Simply Sauna’s long-term sauna rental program gives approved businesses another option. Instead of purchasing a sauna at the beginning, a business can rent one for 12, 24, or 36 months with no down payment.

Turn a large purchase into a monthly expense

Long-term rental makes it easier to compare the cost of a sauna against the revenue it may generate.

At launch, available sauna rental packages start at:

• $512 per month for a 12-month term

• $329 per month for a 24-month term

• $268 per month for a 36-month term

Longer terms offer lower monthly pricing.

Instead of asking whether the business can justify a large purchase, the owner can ask a simpler question: how many customers or memberships would it take to cover the monthly rent?

Ways a business can generate revenue from a sauna

The right pricing model will depend on the business and its customers. Common options include:

Charge for individual sauna sessions

Customers pay each time they use the sauna. This can work well for spas, recovery centers, physical therapy practices, and businesses that already sell individual appointments or services.

Sell sauna session packages

A business can sell packages of four, eight, or twelve sessions. Packages provide upfront revenue and encourage repeat visits.

Create a premium membership

Gyms, yoga studios, Pilates studios, and athletic clubs can include sauna access in a higher-priced membership tier. The additional monthly membership revenue can help cover the sauna rent while giving customers a reason to upgrade.

Add sauna access to another service

Sauna sessions can be paired with massage, stretching, personal training, cold plunge, physical therapy, or recovery services. The sauna becomes part of a larger package rather than a standalone purchase.

Use it as a member benefit

A business may decide not to charge separately for each session. Including sauna access with certain memberships can still create value if it helps attract new members, retain existing ones, or distinguish the business from nearby competitors.

How many sales would cover the monthly rent?

Consider a sauna renting for $268 per month.

The business would need approximately:

• 14 sessions at $20 each

• 9 sessions at $30 each

• 7 sessions at $40 each

For a sauna renting for $373 per month, the business would need approximately:

• 19 sessions at $20 each

• 13 sessions at $30 each

• 10 sessions at $40 each

A membership model can work similarly. Ten customers paying an additional $40 per month would generate $400 in monthly revenue. Twenty customers paying an additional $25 would generate $500.

These are gross-revenue examples, not profit projections. The business should also account for electricity, cleaning, staffing, insurance, maintenance, payment processing, and any site preparation required.

Which businesses are the best fit?

A long-term sauna rental may be suitable for:

• Independent gyms

• Personal training studios

• Yoga and Pilates studios

• Spas and massage businesses

• Recovery and mobility centers

• Physical therapy practices

• Sports-performance facilities

• Martial arts schools

• Country clubs and private athletic clubs

• Wellness centers

• Cold plunge and contrast therapy businesses

• Retreat and hospitality properties

The strongest candidates are businesses that already serve customers interested in fitness, recovery, relaxation, wellness, or performance.

A sauna is also more likely to work when the business has an existing customer base it can market to immediately. A studio with 200 active members does not need every member to pay for sauna access. It needs a relatively small percentage to adopt the new service.

Consider the practical requirements

Before selecting a sauna, the business should consider:

• Available outdoor space

• Delivery access

• Electrical requirements

• Local permits or approvals

• Insurance requirements

• Customer scheduling

• Cleaning procedures

• Operating and safety rules

• The number of people expected to use the sauna at once

The best model is not necessarily the largest one. A smaller sauna with consistent use may produce a better return than a larger sauna that costs more each month and sits partially empty.

Simply Sauna offers compact saunas, barrel saunas, glass-front models, modern cube-style saunas, and larger outdoor sauna suites. Businesses can compare packages based on capacity, design, available space, and monthly cost.

What happens at the end of the rental?

Long-term rental is not financing or rent-to-own. Monthly payments cover the use of the sauna and do not create purchase credit.

At the end of the initial term, the business can choose to:

• Renew the rental for another 12 months

• Purchase the sauna at the stated end-of-term price

• Return the sauna

This allows the business to make its next decision based on how customers actually used the sauna during the rental period.

Explore long-term sauna rentals for your business

You can compare available long-term sauna rental packages and review the monthly rent, renewal rate, and purchase option for each model.

Once you have selected a package and term, submit an application for review. No payment is required when you apply. Simply Sauna will review the selected package and delivery location before moving forward.