Cheapest Franchises to Open

Ranked by minimum initial investment from official FDD filings.

#	Brand	Min. Investment	Max. Investment	Royalty	Health
1	Express Employment Professionals Staffing	$31K	$391K	40%	72
2	Century 21 Real Estate Real Estate	$35K	$466K	6%	55
3	Coldwell Banker Commercial Real Estate	$36K	$734K	6%	52
4	Club Z! Education	$41K	$57K	8%	54
5	Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate	$43K	$88K	6%	59
6	RE/MAX Real Estate	$45K	$246K	—	34
7	Mosquito Authority Home Services	$54K	$128K	10%	74
8	ActionCOACH Business Services	$64K	$139K	—	54
9	CarePatrol Senior Care	$65K	$136K	10%	72
10	Kumon Education	$73K	$165K	—	49
11	Five Star Painting Home Services	$77K	$185K	6%	84
12	Sandler Business Services	$78K	$102K	8%	60
13	Bark Busters Pet	$78K	$117K	0.1%	60
14	Weed Man Home Services	$81K	$109K	—	44
15	Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Home Services	$85K	$205K	6%	89
16	Ace Hardware Painting Services Retail	$89K	$153K	6%	64
17	Always Best Care Senior Services Home Services	$90K	$146K	—	69
18	Home Instead Home Services	$91K	$270K	0.05%	79
19	Right at Home Home Services	$92K	$165K	0.05%	89
20	Pet Butler Pet	$95K	$118K	12%	69
21	Assisting Hands Home Care Home Services	$97K	$180K	5%	89
22	Griswold Home Care Senior Care	$100K	$181K	4%	73
23	PuroClean Home Services	$101K	$137K	—	84
24	HomeVestors of America Real Estate	$108K	$477K	3%	52
25	Sylvan Learning Education	$108K	$239K	11%	59
26	Matco Tools Automotive	$108K	$383K	—	62
27	Mathnasium Education	$113K	$150K	10%	83
28	The Maids Home Services	$118K	$141K	—	74
29	Nurse Next Door Home Services	$119K	$217K	5%	54
30	Comfort Keepers Home Services	$120K	$329K	0.05%	79
31	Homewatch CareGivers Home Services	$122K	$178K	5%	84
32	British Swim School Education	$122K	$168K	10%	79
33	Mr. Rooter Plumbing Home Services	$122K	$264K	6%	49
34	FirstLight Home Care Senior Care	$127K	$219K	5%	78
35	Merry Maids Home Services	$127K	$170K	—	64
36	Jan-Pro Home Services	$130K	$422K	4%	74
37	Ace Handyman Services Home Services	$132K	$224K	6%	84
38	BrightStar Care Home Services	$132K	$235K	5.25%	88
39	Stretch Zone Health and Wellness	$139K	$320K	7%	72
40	Molly Maid Home Services	$140K	$197K	—	59
41	Mr. Handyman Home Services	$143K	$180K	7%	84
42	Senior Helpers Home Services	$149K	$221K	0.05%	89
43	9Round Fitness	$149K	$416K	—	24
44	Lawn Doctor Home Services	$150K	$177K	10%	74
45	Mosquito Joe Home Services	$151K	$193K	10%	57
46	Interim HealthCare Home Services	$156K	$239K	5.5%	59
47	Auntie Anne's Food	$156K	$638K	7%	89
48	Domino's Pizza QSR	$156K	$744K	5.5%	89
49	Stanley Steemer Home Services	$158K	$522K	7%	57
50	Rainbow International Restoration Home Services	$159K	$331K	—	89
51	Huntington Learning Centers Education	$159K	$298K	9.5%	49
52	Fantastic Sams Personal Services	$172K	$462K	6%	64
53	GNC Retail	$172K	$449K	6%	64
54	Dog Training Elite Pet	$174K	$203K	8%	84
55	Code Ninjas Education	$175K	$298K	8%	48
56	Minuteman Press Business Services	$180K	$226K	6%	84
57	Precision Tune Auto Care Automotive	$182K	$478K	7.5%	65
58	1-800-GOT-JUNK? Home Services	$184K	$294K	8%	43
59	Woof Gang Bakery Pet	$184K	$507K	7%	84
60	Jersey Mike's QSR	$186K	$1.4M	6.5%	89
61	Supercuts Personal Services	$186K	$323K	6%	57
62	Great Clips Personal Services	$188K	$420K	6%	74
63	Sport Clips Personal Services	$189K	$355K	6%	89
64	Valvoline Instant Oil Change Automotive	$192K	$640K	0.06%	99
65	Motel 6 Hospitality	$195K	$8.2M	5%	58
66	Maaco Automotive	$196K	$4.0M	0.08%	58
67	College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving Home Services	$203K	$356K	7%	54
68	Charleys Cheesesteaks Food	$204K	$694K	6%	89
69	The UPS Store Business Services	$216K	$609K	5%	78
70	Meineke Car Care Centers Automotive	$225K	$1.2M	0.05%	79
71	Wild Birds Unlimited Retail	$227K	$379K	4%	74
72	PostNet Retail	$230K	$297K	5%	67
73	Jiffy Lube Automotive	$236K	$453K	4%	84
74	Tint World Automotive	$240K	$450K	0.06%	32
75	Sir Speedy Business Services	$252K	$299K	6%	57
76	Servpro Home Services	$259K	$380K	—	34
77	Papa John's QSR	$261K	$853K	5%	84
78	Batteries Plus Retail	$263K	$497K	5%	89
79	Subway QSR	$263K	$630K	8%	44
80	Splash and Dash Groomerie & Boutique Pet	$264K	$471K	8%	42
81	ServiceMaster Restore Home Services	$267K	$443K	—	29
82	Row House Fitness	$277K	$500K	7%	76
83	Marco's Pizza Food	$287K	$807K	5.5%	84
84	Taco Bell Food	$287K	$856K	5.5%	74
85	Grease Monkey Automotive	$291K	$917K	6%	84
86	SpeeDee Oil Change & Auto Service Automotive	$291K	$2.0M	6%	60
87	AlphaGraphics Business Services	$296K	$379K	7%	54
88	Paul Davis Restoration Home Services	$299K	$805K	4%	89
89	KFC QSR	$303K	$1.4M	5%	64
90	Baskin-Robbins Food	$307K	$623K	5.9%	62
91	Waxing the City Personal Services	$311K	$646K	—	84
92	Pure Barre Fitness	$314K	$629K	7%	30
93	Comfort Inn Hospitality	$319K	$2.3M	6%	79
94	European Wax Center Personal Services	$328K	$837K	6%	73
95	Scenthound Pet	$328K	$550K	6%	89
96	Cold Stone Creamery Food	$336K	$655K	6%	84
97	Tropical Smoothie Cafe QSR	$341K	$815K	6%	59
98	Midas Automotive	$342K	$925K	10%	74
99	F45 Training Fitness	$349K	$786K	—	44
100	Jimmy John's QSR	$366K	$728K	6%	74
101	Firehouse Subs QSR	$380K	$796K	6%	84
102	Club Pilates Fitness	$385K	$839K	8%	94
103	Kiddie Academy Education	$405K	$915K	7%	84
104	Drybar Personal Services	$410K	$1.0M	7%	78
105	CycleBar Fitness	$411K	$1.1M	7%	54
106	School of Rock Education	$425K	$705K	8%	55
107	Chick-fil-A QSR	$427K	$2.3M	—	74
108	Snap Fitness Fitness	$431K	$1.1M	—	39
109	IHOP Casual Dining	$435K	$4.0M	4.5%	65
110	Little Caesars QSR	$447K	$1.8M	—	69
111	KidStrong Education	$448K	$600K	8.5%	79
112	Ziebart Automotive	$450K	$924K	8%	64
113	Anytime Fitness Fitness	$459K	$908K	—	57
114	Amazing Lash Studio Personal Services	$464K	$720K	6%	59
115	Jamba Food	$469K	$806K	7%	67
116	Rumble Boxing Fitness	$510K	$1.1M	7%	79
117	Big O Tires Automotive	$512K	$1.9M	4.25%	67
118	Panda Express QSR	$515K	$3.3M	8%	57
119	Dunkin' QSR	$527K	$1.8M	5.9%	84
120	Pet Supplies Plus Pet	$537K	$2.0M	2%	89
121	Christian Brothers Automotive Automotive	$550K	$680K	—	89
122	Buffalo Wild Wings GO Food	$564K	$1.1M	6%	84
123	Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa Personal Services	$579K	$872K	6%	92
124	Schlotzsky's Food	$600K	$1.5M	6%	32
125	Checkers/Rally's QSR	$640K	$2.3M	4%	58
126	Nothing Bundt Cakes Food	$667K	$907K	6%	84
127	Nothing Bundt Cakes Food	$667K	$907K	6%	82
128	Massage Envy Fitness	$719K	$1.1M	6%	69
129	Phenix Salon Suites Personal Services	$721K	$2.4M	—	74
130	Primrose Schools Education	$743K	$8.6M	7%	84
131	McAlister's Deli Food	$750K	$1.8M	5%	88
132	Crumbl Food	$816K	$1.4M	8%	94
133	Orangetheory Fitness Fitness	$822K	$1.4M	8%	59
134	Arby's QSR	$862K	$2.5M	4%	72
135	Best Western (SureStay Collection) Hospitality	$881K	$2.9M	5%	49
136	Captain D's QSR	$899K	$1.4M	4.5%	55
137	Take 5 Oil Change Automotive	$912K	$2.1M	7%	89
138	Crunch Fitness Fitness	$928K	$3.7M	5%	89
139	Taco Bell (Traditional) QSR	$935K	$4.3M	5.5%	70
140	Camp Bow Wow Pet	$944K	$1.2M	7%	84
141	The Goddard School Education	$953K	$1.4M	7%	89
142	Scooter's Coffee Food	$955K	$1.5M	6%	94
143	Five Guys QSR	$978K	$1.4M	6%	79
144	Tim Hortons QSR	$988K	$3.3M	6%	84
145	KFC (Traditional) QSR	$1.1M	$3.8M	5%	58
146	Sola Salon Studios Personal Services	$1.2M	$1.9M	—	89
147	Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen QSR	$1.2M	$3.9M	5%	89
148	Panera Bread Food	$1.3M	$4.7M	5%	74
149	Steak 'n Shake QSR	$1.3M	$2.3M	5%	58
150	Hardee's QSR	$1.4M	$2.6M	4%	72
151	Zaxby's QSR	$1.4M	$3.8M	6%	84
152	Circle K Retail	$1.5M	$2.7M	5.5%	62
153	McDonald's QSR	$1.5M	$2.7M	5%	79
154	The Woodhouse Day Spa Personal Services	$1.5M	$2.7M	6%	79
155	Del Taco QSR	$1.5M	$3.3M	5%	74
156	Wendy's QSR	$1.5M	$3.0M	—	77
157	Wendy's QSR	$1.5M	$3.0M	4%	70
158	Planet Fitness Fitness	$1.5M	$5.2M	7%	89
159	Denny's Food	$1.6M	$3.1M	4.5%	69
160	Dairy Queen QSR	$1.7M	$2.8M	4%	69
161	Sonic Drive-In QSR	$1.7M	$3.1M	5%	72
162	Gold's Gym Fitness	$1.8M	$4.5M	5%	74
163	Jack in the Box QSR	$1.9M	$4.0M	5%	24
164	Burger King QSR	$2.0M	$4.7M	4.5%	72
165	Culver's QSR	$2.6M	$8.6M	4%	94
166	Bojangles QSR	$2.8M	$3.7M	4%	79
167	Applebee's Food	$2.9M	$4.7M	4%	64
168	Red Roof Inn Hospitality	$6.0M	$8.9M	5%	65
169	Outdoor Collection by Marriott Bonvoy Hospitality	$7.8M	$10.6M	5%	69
170	Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Hospitality	$51.9M	$94.6M	5%	62

Investment ranges are from official FDD Item 7 filings. Actual costs vary by location, build-out, and market conditions. Lower investment does not always mean lower risk — review the full FDD guide before making any decisions.