Franchise research.
    For the people.

    Independent research on 1,528 franchise opportunities, startup costs and FDD disclosures.

    Startup costs, fees, Item 19 and outlet trends from each brand's FDD, cited to the page.

    Members unlock unlimited comparison tools, local demographic maps, and saved research—100% free.

    Explore by industry

    Franchise opportunities by industry

    Browse 15 industries and 70 business categories. Each page lists its published brands with reviewed Item 7 startup costs, Item 19 status and outlet counts.

    Franchise opportunities by investment level

    Grouped by the low end of each brand's disclosed Item 7 estimated initial investment. Your actual costs can be higher.

    Most-searched franchise costs & FDD reports

    The brands people search for most when researching franchise costs. Listed by search interest only—not a ranking or recommendation.

    See all 1,528 franchise reports

    Compare franchises head-to-head

    Side-by-side FDD figures for the two largest brands in a category.

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    Inside Franopolis

    Everything you need to research a franchise, in one workspace

    Free franchise reports built from the FDD

    Explore startup costs, ongoing fees, Item 19 financial performance disclosures, and outlet history—with source references and clear notes about what the figures cover.

    • Every figure cites its FDD year and page
    • Reviewed facts kept apart from marketing
    • Reports stay public and free
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    My Research workspace with a research profile and local market snapshot
    Example member workspace. The market shown is an example.
    Ask Franopolis panel over the research workspace, explaining what an Item 19 disclosure covers

    AI Copilot · members

    Questions as you research? Keep the conversation going.

    Ask about reviewed franchise disclosures without losing your place. Your conversation follows you across pages, with saved history you can revisit.

    Research assistance—not investment recommendations or territory promises.

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    How Franopolis reviews the numbers

    • FDDs come from state franchise registries and franchisors, and each figure cites its FDD year and PDF page.
    • Reviewed figures are kept separate from your own calculations, marketing claims and editorial notes.
    • Brands cannot pay to change their reports or their order in lists.

    Franchise research FAQ

    What is Franopolis?

    Franopolis is an independent franchise research site. Each published brand report lays out reviewed figures from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), with the FDD year and PDF page cited.

    Where do the startup costs and fees come from?

    Startup costs come from Item 7 (estimated initial investment), the initial franchise fee from Item 5, and ongoing fees such as royalties from Item 6 of each brand's FDD. Each figure shows the FDD year it came from.

    What is an Item 19 financial performance representation?

    Item 19 is the section where a franchisor may disclose sales, revenue or other financial results for some of its locations. It is optional, covers only the locations it names, and is not a projection of what a new location will earn.

    Can franchisors pay to change their reports or rank higher?

    No. Brands cannot pay to change our research or their order in lists. Any paid placement or referral relationship will be clearly labeled.

    What can I read without an account?

    All published brand reports, industry and category pages, state guides, head-to-head comparisons and Research Desk articles are public.

    What do free members get?

    A research profile, a local market workspace with maps, comparison and planning tools, saved franchises, private notes and the AI research assistant.

    Does creating an account contact franchisors?

    No. Any introduction to a franchisor requires a separate request from you.

    Does Franopolis recommend franchises?

    No. Franopolis shows what each FDD discloses and does not rank brands, give investment advice or promise territory availability. Review any FDD with a franchise attorney and an accountant.

    Read how we source and review the numbers. Brands cannot pay to change our research; any paid placements or referral relationships will be clearly disclosed.

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