Every franchise, ranked by what it costs to own.
Franchise fees, total investment, royalties — from real FDD data, verified figures, and who they're actually for. No pay-to-rank. Figures re-verified monthly.
Last verified: October 15, 2026 · 17 franchises tracked
Top picks
The franchises we'd shortlist first in each investment tier.
Jazzercise
Dance-fitness classes. One of the cheapest franchises in America.
Under $50K
Franchises you can start for less than $50,000 total investment.
Jazzercise
Dance-fitness classes. One of the cheapest franchises in America.
Head-to-head comparisons
The matchups buyers actually Google before signing.
Chick-fil-A vs Subway
Both have famously low fees — $10K vs $15K — but they're opposite deals. Chick-fil-A funds the entire restaurant and han…
McDonald's vs Subway
The classic QSR fork: McDonald's costs $1.47M–$2.73M and does $4M per unit with a 98% survival rate — the best system ev…
The UPS Store vs Great Clips
Two service franchises in the same price band, different jobs. The UPS Store ($222K–$606K) is a retail operation you run…
Guides
Best picks for your situation, not just your category.
Best franchises under $50K
You don't need six figures to own a franchise. These are the lowest-cost franchises we'd actually recommend — ranked by …
Best franchises for first-time owners
No business experience? These franchises are built for it — strong training, simple operations, and franchisor support t…
Best home-based franchises
No storefront, no lease, no commute. These franchises run from a home office — the lowest overhead in franchising.…