Franchises Under $250K

74 brands with a minimum initial investment below $250K, ranked by startup cost.

#	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

The sub-$250K range covers the majority of franchise opportunities and is where most single-unit owner-operators land. This bracket includes everything from mobile service brands (lawn care, cleaning) through brick-and-mortar retail, fitness studios, and quick-service restaurants.

The key decision at this investment level is owner-operator vs. semi-absentee. Most franchisors in this range expect you to work in the business full-time for at least the first 1-2 years. If semi-absentee ownership matters to you, filter for brands that explicitly allow it in their FDD Item 15 — and budget an extra $50-80K for a general manager hire.