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.
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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.
366 published brands
Food & Beverage franchisesLargest brands by outlet count
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.
- Under $50kHome-based & mobileMostly home-based, mobile and service franchise opportunities where the disclosed low end of Item 7 fits under $50,000.Franchises under $50k
- Under $100kLow-costLow-cost franchise opportunities whose disclosed Item 7 low end starts under $100,000.Franchises under $100k
- Under $150kSmall footprintFranchise opportunities with a disclosed Item 7 low end under $150,000, often small-footprint or service concepts.Franchises under $150k
- Under $250kStorefrontFranchise opportunities whose disclosed Item 7 low end starts under $250,000, including many storefront concepts.Franchises under $250k
- Under $500kLarger brick-and-mortarFranchise opportunities with a disclosed Item 7 low end under $500,000, including larger brick-and-mortar formats.Franchises under $500k
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.
Subway franchise cost & FDDFood & Beverage · 18,773 outlets (Item 20)
The UPS Store franchise cost & FDDRetail · 5,503 outlets (Item 20)
Wingstop franchise cost & FDDFood & Beverage · 5,172 outlets (Item 20)
Little Caesars franchise cost & FDDFood & Beverage · 4,374 outlets (Item 20)Smoothie King franchise cost & FDDFood & Beverage · 2,484 outlets (Item 20)
Taco Bell franchise cost & FDDFood & Beverage · 484 outlets (Item 20)
Dunkin' franchise cost & FDDFood & Beverage- PFPlanet Fitness franchise cost & FDDFitness & Recreation · 2,709 outlets (Item 20)
Anytime Fitness franchise cost & FDDFitness & Recreation · 2,282 outlets (Item 20)Servpro franchise cost & FDDCleaning & Restoration
Five Guys franchise cost & FDDFood & Beverage · 3,166 outlets (Item 20)
- SDSonic Drive-In franchise cost & FDDFood & Beverage · 6,824 outlets (Item 20)
Compare franchises head-to-head
Side-by-side FDD figures for the two largest brands in a category.
vsSubway vs Domino's PizzaQuick-service restaurants
vs
Jan-Pro Development of Milwaukee vs Coverall Commercial CleaningCommercial cleaning
vs
Amerisourcebergen Drug vs The UPS Store®Specialty retail
vs
Jackson Hewitt vs Liberty Tax ServiceTax preparationvsHMVision Source LLC vs HEALTH MARTHealth services
vs
Grease Monkey Franchising, LLC vs Valvoline Instant Oil ChangeRepair & maintenance- IIvs
IHOP International House of Pancakes vs Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + BarFull-service restaurants
vsPFJazzercise vs planet fitnessGyms
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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Choose where you want to operate. Explore demographics, income, jobs, commuting patterns, and mapped locations with sources and data years visible.
- Keep your market and interests together
- Explore available map layers by industry
- See known franchise locations and nearby businesses

Compare franchise costs, fees and Item 19 side by side
Compare two to four brands using reviewed disclosures. Examine investment ranges, fees, performance coverage, and outlet history—with sources and missing information visible.
- Two to four brands at once
- Source years shown for every figure
- No brand is ranked

Your shortlist. Your questions. One place to return to.
Save the brands you want to investigate, compare up to four, and keep private notes and diligence questions organized.
- Private notes on every brand
- Diligence questions in one list
- Track research status as you go

Free franchise research tools
Screen disclosed investment ranges, build a startup plan, and turn preparation into questions worth investigating.
Find My Match
Brands meeting your criteria
Explore brands whose reviewed figures meet your selected criteria.
OpenInvestment Planner
Your costs and funding gap
Organize costs and examine a funding gap using your own inputs and assumptions.
OpenReadiness Check
0–100 Reflection Index
Reflect on preparation topics and organize next steps. It is not an assessment of investment readiness or qualification.
OpenTerritory Disclosures
Item 12 wording, side by side
Read disclosed territory rights, conditions and limitations. Item 12 protection is not the same as territory availability.
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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.
Latest from the Research Desk
- 911 Restoration franchise cost 2026The 2026 911 Restoration FDD puts the estimated initial investment at 2 different totals depending on format (Item 7). It lists a $55,000 initial franchise fee.October 30, 2026
- 360clean franchise cost 2025: $43K–$59KThe 2025 360clean FDD puts the estimated initial investment at $43,000 to $58,800 (Item 7, p. 18). It lists a $25,000 initial franchise fee, a royalty of 7% and a marketing fund contribution of 1%.October 30, 2026
- 360 Painting, LCC franchise cost 2026: $112K–$196KThe 2026 360 Painting, LCC FDD puts the estimated initial investment at $112,350 to $196,000 (Item 7, p. 17). It lists a $40,500 initial franchise fee, a royalty of $150 per week minimum or 6% of Gross Sales and a marketing fund contribution of Up to greater of $10,000 or 2% of Gross Sales per year. Item 19 reports median gross sales per franchised business of $387,352 (period: 2025 fiscal year).October 29, 2026
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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