Success Tutoring vs Primagama: Comparing Two Tutoring Franchise Models

If you are researching a Primagama franchise, you are looking at one of the most familiar names in Indonesian bimbel (bimbingan belajar, after-school tutoring). Primagama has taught Indonesian students since 1982 and grew into a national network of branches, many of them run by franchise owners. Success Tutoring is a tutoring franchise founded in Sydney in 2017 that runs a different model: retail-style learning centres where families join as members and trained tutors teach English and Mathematics on site.

This guide is for prospective owners deciding which tutoring franchise to buy, not for parents choosing a class. It sets the two models side by side, attributes every fact about Primagama to a public source and leaves the final judgement to you. One point up front: at the time of writing (October 2026), Success Tutoring has not announced a launch or any centre in Indonesia.

Primagama franchise at a glance

• Origins. Primagama began on 10 March 1982 in an office in Yogyakarta, founded by Purdi E. Chandra (Wikipedia). Quipper's profile of Indonesian bimbel founders says he started with Rp300,000 in capital and two students who were his neighbours.
• Footprint. Branch counts differ by source and year. Wikipedia cites figures from around 2011 ranging from 300 to 766 branches; Indonesian press reported "more than 300" branches when Zenius acquired the brand in 2022; and in June 2023 Indotelko reported that Zenius audited 264 Primagama branches ahead of the 2023/24 school year. Ask for the current number in writing.
• Ownership. Zenius, the Indonesian education technology company, signed a memorandum of understanding to acquire Primagama in February 2022. The brand became "New Primagama Powered by Zenius", announced at Primagama's 40th anniversary alongside a hybrid learning programme (Indotelko, Selular, 2022). Press reports at the time quoted Zenius's founder saying the franchise model kept operating costs lighter.
• Recent changes. CNBC Indonesia reported that Zenius stopped operating from 22 January 2024. Gizmologi reported that New Primagama would continue as a fully face-to-face (offline) tutoring service. In June 2023 Zenius had appointed Elisabeth Maria Siburian as Head of New Primagama (Indotelko).
• Programmes. Primagama serves primary (SD), junior secondary (SMP) and senior secondary (SMA, with an SMK track) students, with a focus on school results and entry to state universities, according to directory and press listings.
• Owner role. Branch owners operate a local bimbel under the brand's system. A Gadjah Mada University thesis on Primagama's franchise agreements found that partner agreements and standard operating procedures were broadly similar across branches, with adjustments for location.

We could not reach Primagama's official website (primagama.co.id) while writing this article, and we found no current published franchise fees. Treat everything above as a snapshot and verify it directly with the franchisor.

Success Tutoring franchise at a glance

• Origins. Founded in Sydney in 2017 by Michael Black, who started the business at 17 from a spare bedroom in his parents' home in Western Sydney (Forbes Australia, Inside Small Business). Franchising since around 2020.
• Model. Physical, retail-style learning centres for K–12 students, with a core focus on English and Mathematics. Families join as members rather than booking casual lessons.
• Footprint. Reported milestones include 35 centres across Australia with a launch schedule for 80 more (Franchise Executives, 2023) and territories sold in more than 100 Australian locations (Inside Small Business). Announced international markets include New Zealand, the United States, Singapore, Canada, the United Kingdom and India.
• Indonesia. No launch has been announced. Success Tutoring is looking for franchise partners and a master franchise partner in Indonesia.
• Recognition. Member of the Franchise Council of Australia and the International Franchise Association.

Side-by-side comparison

Running the business day to day

A Primagama branch follows the rhythm of the Indonesian school year. Classes are typically grouped by grade, and demand peaks around school assessments and state university entrance preparation. The owner's job is to recruit and keep good teachers, timetable classes, manage enrolments by programme or semester, and keep a strong local reputation with parents and schools. A long-established brand name helps with the first conversation, because many parents already know it.

A Success Tutoring centre runs on membership. Families pay for a set number of weekly sessions and stay through the year, so the owner's focus is retention and steady progress rather than one exam season. The franchise partner leases a retail-style site, recruits tutors and trains them through the brand's online platform, and leads a member community. Head office supplies the K–12 English and Maths curriculum and learning resources. Before opening, the launch support programme runs pre-marketing so that centres sign members early; Success Tutoring centres in Australia have reported opening with 45, 55, 60 and 70+ members on day one. Franchise partners deal directly with head office leadership in a "flat" structure, and many come from corporate, engineering, finance and small-business backgrounds rather than teaching.

Costs and fees: how to compare a tutoring franchise in Indonesia

We could not verify current Primagama franchise fees from the brand's own materials or a reputable directory, so we do not quote any. Indonesian law gives you a clear way to get them. Under Government Regulation (PP) 35 of 2024 on Franchising, the franchisor must give you a written offering prospectus before you sign, and both franchisor and franchisee need a franchise registration certificate (Surat Tanda Pendaftaran Waralaba, STPW). Our Indonesia tutoring franchise guide explains these rules in more detail.

Whichever brand you consider, ask for these in writing:

1. The initial franchise fee and what it includes (training, materials, opening support).
2. Ongoing royalties and marketing levies, and how they are calculated.
3. The full set-up budget: lease, fit-out, furniture, signage and working capital.
4. The franchise term, renewal conditions and territory rights.
5. The current number of outlets, recent openings and closures, and contact details for existing franchisees.
6. The franchisor's legal entity, ownership and STPW.

Point 6 matters for any brand that has changed hands. Given Primagama's ownership history since 2022, confirm which company is the franchisor today and who provides support.

For Success Tutoring, the current structure is on our investment schedule. We do not publish fees or set-up costs in articles because figures depend on the territory and change over time, and any Indonesian offer would follow PP 35/2024, including STPW registration.

Which suits which owner?

A Primagama franchise may suit you if you want a brand that many Indonesian parents already recognise, you are comfortable with classroom-based bimbel organised around the school calendar and university entrance, and you want to start within an existing national network. Four decades of history is a real asset in a market where trust matters.

Success Tutoring may suit you if you want to build a membership business with year-round recurring families, you prefer a focused K–12 English and Maths programme, you like the idea of a modern retail-style centre, and you are interested in helping launch a new international brand, possibly as a master franchise partner in Indonesia.

Both are legitimate routes into a tutoring franchise. The right choice depends on the business you want to run, your appetite for building a new brand and the terms each franchisor puts in writing. For the wider picture, read our complete tutoring franchise guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is Primagama a franchise?

Yes. Primagama has grown through branches run by franchise owners; press coverage of the 2022 Zenius acquisition described its franchise model, and a Gadjah Mada University thesis studied its franchise agreements. Confirm the current franchisor and terms in the offering prospectus.

How much does a Primagama franchise cost?

We could not verify current published figures. Ask the franchisor for its offering prospectus, which PP 35/2024 requires it to provide before you sign, and compare total investment, not just the entry fee.

Who owns Primagama?

Zenius signed an agreement to acquire Primagama in February 2022 and rebranded it New Primagama Powered by Zenius. Zenius stopped operating in January 2024, and press reports said New Primagama would continue offline. Ask the franchisor to confirm its current ownership.

Can I open a Success Tutoring centre in Indonesia?

Success Tutoring has not announced an Indonesian launch. It is looking for franchise partners and a master franchise partner there, and any offer would follow PP 35/2024 and STPW registration. Enquire directly to discuss it.

Do I need to be a teacher to own a tutoring franchise?

Not with Success Tutoring: many franchise partners come from business backgrounds, supported by tutor recruitment and training. For other brands, ask what experience the franchisor expects.

Primagama shows how far a bimbel brand can grow in Indonesia. A membership-based tutoring franchise offers a different business: a centre, a team and a community of families you build year round. See how Success Tutoring supports franchise partners in our why us overview, then read the process from first enquiry to opening day.

All third-party trademarks belong to their respective owners. Figures about other franchises are taken from their public websites, disclosure documents or reputable franchise directories at the time of writing and may have changed; verify them directly before making any decision. This article is general information, not financial or legal advice.