CULLIGAN
Culligan International Company · reviewed 2026 disclosure data
Researching CULLIGAN franchise opportunities? Every figure below is cited to the FDD.
- Franchising since
- 1938 Source: culligan.com
- Headquarters
- Rosemont, Illinois 60018, United States Source: culligan.com
Culligan franchise specializes in water treatment solutions, offering residential and commercial customers everything from water softeners and filtration system
Headline figures
CULLIGAN quick facts
- Is CULLIGAN a franchise?
- Yes. CULLIGAN offers franchises through a Franchise Disclosure Document. At the end of 2025, it reported 438 franchised and 112 company-owned outlets (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 64).
- How much does it cost to open a CULLIGAN franchise?
- The CULLIGAN Franchise Disclosure Document reports an estimated initial investment of $130,000–$815,601 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 21). This is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
- What is the CULLIGAN initial franchise fee?
- The disclosed initial franchise fee for a standard single unit is $40,601 (2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 15). Other fee options (for example multi-unit or conversion) are listed separately in the report. Details
- What ongoing fees does CULLIGAN charge?
- The disclosed ongoing royalty is 0.5% · Percentage of prior month’s Gross Revenues (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 17). The brand or advertising fund contribution is 1% · Percentage of prior month’s Gross Revenues (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 16). Other recurring fees are listed in Item 6. Details
- Does CULLIGAN disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- No. The reviewed CULLIGAN FDD states that it does not make a financial performance representation in Item 19. Details
- How many CULLIGAN locations are there?
- The FDD reports 550 outlets at the end of 2025 (2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 64). Existing locations do not indicate territory availability. Details
- Is CULLIGAN a good franchise to buy?
- Franopolis does not rate or recommend franchises. From the reviewed FDD: Item 19 makes no financial performance representation, so ask current owners about results; Item 20 lists outlet openings, closures and transfers; Item 6 includes a brand or advertising fund contribution on top of royalty; Item 20 also lists current and former franchisees you can contact. Review the full FDD with a franchise attorney and accountant before deciding.
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
What the disclosures show
- 1Opening costs are estimated at $130,000 – $815,601 in the 2026 FDD (Item 7); several initial fee options apply.
- 2The franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19.
- 3Outlets declined by 1 in 2025, to 550 (Systemwide, as labeled in the FDD, Item 20).
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
CULLIGAN head-to-head
Closest peers in the same subcategory, side by side from reviewed FDD figures. Not a ranking or recommendation.
Costs · Items 5–7
What does it cost to open?
Estimated opening costs and the fees payable to the franchisor.
Startup Investment — Item 7
Total estimated initial investment
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 21
Standard single-unit franchise fee
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15
Discounted and multi-unit options are separate; see all fees.
Ongoing Fees — Item 6
Selected recurring charges; payment bases and conditions remain attached to each fee.
- Non-Culligan Small Pack Continuing RoyaltyMain ongoing fee
16 reported fees, each with its payment basis, are listed below; they haven't been sorted into recurring, initial and occasional groups yet.
Financial Performance — Item 19
What results are disclosed—and for which locations?
No financial performance representation in Item 19
The reviewed 2026 FDD for CULLIGAN has no Item 19 figures on record. Franopolis does not estimate revenue or earnings in their place; ask the franchisor and current owners what unit-level information they can share.
Outlet Changes — Item 20
How has the outlet count changed?
Systemwide, as labeled in the FDD · counts as of year end of each year.
2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 64
Net −4 outlets, 2023–2025
Year-end counts reported in Item 20. The scale starts at zero, so the line looks nearly flat; the labels between the dots show each year's change. Openings and closures for 2025 haven't been pulled from the Item 20 tables yet, so no turnover or churn is shown.
Questions to investigate
Prompts based on what this brand's reviewed disclosures do and don't show — not conclusions. Join free as a member to save questions to your research.
For the franchisor
Which line items in the 2026 Item 7 estimate ($130,000 – $815,601) vary most by market, and why?
Which initial fee option would apply to my situation, and what conditions or discounts affect it?
CULLIGAN reports no financial performance figures in Item 19. What information can you share about unit-level results?
Reported units decreased from 551 to 550 in 2025. What drove the change?
Is a territory available in my area, and how is it defined in my agreement?
For current and former owners
How did your actual startup costs and timeline compare with the Item 7 estimate?
How many hours a week do you work in the business, and in what role?
What support from the franchisor has been most and least useful?
For your advisors
Ask a franchise attorney to review the territory, renewal, transfer and termination terms.
Ask an accountant to build a cash-flow plan using your own assumptions, not the franchisor's.
Sources & vintage history
Every displayed fact is retained with its disclosure vintage, item, page, and reviewed status. Prior vintages remain on file rather than being overwritten.
Citations (2026 FDD)
- [1]Estimated initial investment — Item 7 · PDF p. 21
- [2]Standard initial franchise fee — Item 5 · PDF p. 15
- [3]Outlet counts — Item 20, Table 1 · PDF p. 64
"PDF p." is the page in the PDF file; "printed p." is the number printed on the FDD page. Source document: FDD
Territory & operations
425 addresses in Franopolis's imported location list. Coverage may differ from Item 20 outlet counts.
These are contract disclosures, not confirmation that any territory is currently available.
Legal & agreement
Bankruptcy disclosed
Initial term
Franchisor financial statements
No verified franchisor financial statement figures have been reviewed yet.
SBA-backed loans to franchisees
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Source: U.S. Small Business Administration 7(a) & 504 FOIA data. Loan volume is not a measure of franchisee success.
Related research
Brands in the same subcategory first, then the wider industry, ordered by shared business format, overlapping investment range, Item 20 outlet count and search interest. This is not a ranking or recommendation.
Head-to-head comparisons
At a glance
Business history
Owner participation
Territory language
Litigation disclosure
Not reviewed
Bankruptcy disclosure
Agreement term
Reader notes on wording
Our automated check found that these summaries may not match the FDD's exact wording. Read the FDD excerpt itself; it is the authoritative text. Core cost, fee, Item 19 and outlet figures are not affected.
Item · PDF p. 52 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Net worth requirement: $1,000,000
“you provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to us that you have and continue to maintain a net worth of at least $1,000,000”
Note: "net worth of at least $1,000,000" concerns a conditional guarantee exemption, not general eligibility; page null.
Item · PDF p. 126 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Net worth requirement: $1,000,000
“you provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to us that you have and continue to maintain a net worth of not less than $1,000,000”
Note: Page 40: "net worth of not less than $1,000,000" concerns a conditional guarantee exemption, not general eligibility.
Item · PDF p. 52 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Net worth requirement: $5,000,000
“you provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to us that you have and continue to maintain a net worth of not less than $5,000,000”
Note: "net worth of not less than $5,000,000" concerns a conditional guarantee exemption, not general eligibility; page null.
Item · PDF p. 126 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Net worth requirement: $5,000,000
“you provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to us that you have and continue to maintain a net worth of not less than $5,000,000”
Note: Source's 'net worth of not less than $5,000,000' (p. 40) is a conditional guarantee exemption, not general requirement.
Independent analysis of franchisor-provided data. Not investment advice. Franopolis does not distribute FDDs.