Equipment Density Calculator
Machines per square metre vs facility benchmarks — spot overcrowding or dead floor space.
Model v1.0.0 · Data generated 2026-10-01 · 0 benchmark metrics
Select a scenario to pre-fill realistic defaults for that facility type.
Anonymous, bucketed. We only store your decision profile (size, tier, scenario, result band) — never your inputs or identity.
Recommended Units
14 units
60% confidence · model v1.0.0
Benchmark fleet: 14 units
A 400 sqm mixed-focused floor supports ~14 stations (0.035 units/sqm). Equipment footprint ≈ 79 sqm (5.6 sqm/unit incl. clearance).
| Cost Item | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Treadmill ×4 | $26 | 33% |
| Elliptical ×1 | $5 | 6% |
| Exercise Bike ×1 | $3 | 4% |
| Rower ×1 | $4 | 5% |
| Smith Machine ×3 | $17 | 22% |
| Cable Crossover ×2 | $16 | 20% |
| Functional Rack ×1 | $6 | 8% |
| Dumbbell Set ×1 | $3 | 4% |
Density leaves breathing room
Footprint plus a 15% circulation buffer fits inside 400 sqm — commercial gyms typically run 0.03-0.04 units/sqm.
Price the recommended fleet
Convert counts into CAPEX with tier pricing.
Open Startup Cost Calculator →Assumptions
- • Base density: 0.035 units/sqm (industry mid-point)
- • Focus mix: mixed distribution applied
- • Footprints: Manufacturer installation areas
Limitations
- • Equipment only — Excludes reception, locker rooms, studios and back-of-house.
- • Small-floor rounding — Under 200 sqm the max(1,type) floor inflates diversity beyond strict proportion.
Data sources & method
This tool uses FitnessNav benchmark data: equipment useful life, maintenance %, energy consumption, pricing and scenario presets. Every assumption shown in the result references its benchmark metric. Benchmarks are verified over time through industry research — draft values are clearly flagged.
Equipment Density Calculator — frequently asked questions
What is the standard machine density for gyms?
0.035 units per square metre — roughly one machine per 29 m² including support and circulation space. It is the anchor benchmark for capacity planning.
My 400 m² floor has 14 machines — is that crowded?
That matches benchmark density exactly. Crowding complaints usually trace to circulation below the 15% ratio rather than raw unit count.
How do I convert density to square metres per unit?
Invert it: 0.035 units/m² equals about 28.6 m² per machine including shared space.
Why do small studios show odd unit counts?
Below roughly 100 m², rounding each category up to at least one unit inflates effective density — treat small-floor outputs as directional.