Great Clips, Inc.
Franchise research report · reviewed 2026 disclosure data
Researching Great Clips, Inc. franchise opportunities? Every figure below is cited to the FDD.
- Franchising since
- 1983 Source: franchise.org
- Headquarters
- Minneapolis, MN United States Source: franchise.org
Great Clips operates hair salons providing haircuts for adults, children and seniors. Customers can use online check-in or the brand's app to join a salon's waiting list and view estimated wait times.
Headline figures
Great Clips, Inc. quick facts
- Is Great Clips, Inc. a franchise?
- Yes. Great Clips, Inc. offers franchises through a Franchise Disclosure Document. At the end of 2024, it reported 4,439 franchised and 0 company-owned outlets (2025 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 69).
- How much does it cost to open a Great Clips, Inc. franchise?
- The Great Clips, Inc. Franchise Disclosure Document reports separate estimated initial investments by format: $187,800 for $ 60 ,000 (1 0 ) as incurred as incurred employees, suppliers, utilities total (11) — 187800 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 23); $14,000–$46,000 for fee $6,000 lump sum upon signing of your first franchise agreement great clips total — 14000 (2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 26). These formats are not combined. Each is the franchisor's disclosed estimate, not a quote. Details
- What is the Great Clips, Inc. initial franchise fee?
- The disclosed initial franchise fee for a standard single unit is $20,000 (2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 17). Other fee options (for example multi-unit or conversion) are listed separately in the report. Details
- What ongoing fees does Great Clips, Inc. charge?
- The disclosed ongoing royalty is 6% (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 20). The brand or advertising fund contribution is $40,000 (2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 18). Other recurring fees are listed in Item 6. Details
- Does Great Clips, Inc. disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Yes. The Great Clips, Inc. FDD includes an Item 19 financial performance representation (2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 61). Figures apply only to the locations and period each one covers. Details
- How many Great Clips, Inc. locations are there?
- The FDD reports 4,439 outlets at the end of 2024 (2025 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 69). Existing locations do not indicate territory availability. Details
- Is Great Clips, Inc. a good franchise to buy?
- Franopolis does not rate or recommend franchises. From the reviewed FDD: Item 19 includes financial performance figures; check which locations and period they cover; 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
- 1The 2026 FDD (Item 7) estimates opening costs separately by format: $187,800 ($ 60 ,000 (1 0 ) As incurred As incurred Employees, suppliers, utilities Total (11) — 187800); $14,000 – $46,000 (Fee $6,000 Lump Sum Upon signing of your First Franchise Agreement Great Clips Total — 14000); several initial fee options apply.
- 2Item 19 covers 11 separate groups: revenue for 4,158 Franchised locations; revenue for 368 Franchised locations; revenue for 250 Franchised locations; adjusted operating results for 2,376 Franchised locations; revenue for 268 Franchised locations; revenue for 333 Franchised locations; revenue for 188 Franchised locations; revenue for 354 Franchised locations; revenue for 341 Franchised locations; revenue for 274 Franchised locations; revenue for 2,376 Franchised locations. They are not combined.
- 3Outlets grew by 12 in 2024, to 4,439 (United States and Canada, as labeled in the FDD, Item 20).
From reviewed FDD figures only. Not a recommendation or projection.
Great Clips, Inc. 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
Range across 2 single-unit formats
2026 FDD · Item 7
Formats disclosed in Item 7 (2)
Each format has its own total. The total depends on the format you choose.
- Fee $6,000 Lump Sum Upon signing of your First Franchise Agreement Great Clips Total — 14000PDF p. 26$14,000 – $46,000
- $ 60 ,000 (1 0 ) As incurred As incurred Employees, suppliers, utilities Total (11) — 187800PDF p. 23$187,800
Standard single-unit franchise fee
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17
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.
- OTHER FEES Type of Fee 1 Amount Due Date Remarks Continuing Franchise Fee 2 — 6%Main ongoing fee
60 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?
11 separate populations, shown apart. Revenue is not owner income.
4,158 locations
Revenue · 4,158 locations
- Who is counted
- All2025eligible-to-open salons
- Period
- Median
- Excluded
- 283of4441notfullperiodeligibleorownershipchange;108permanentclosuresnone<12monthsexcluded.
- Method
- POSdataunaudited;Canadianconvertedbyfranchisorat0.71;eligibleentireyearnotnecessarilyopenentireyear;lowesttotal28,036salonopen6nonconsecutivemonths,closed36weeks.
These groups are never combined. Adjusted company-owned operating results cannot be divided by franchised revenue to calculate a franchisee profit margin.
Outlet Changes — Item 20
How has the outlet count changed?
United States and Canada, as labeled in the FDD · counts as of December 31, 2024 of each year.
2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 69
Net +12 outlets, 2022–2024
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 2024 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 ($14,000 – $187,800) vary most by market, and why?
Which initial fee option would apply to my situation, and what conditions or discounts affect it?
Which locations are included in the Item 19 figures, and which were excluded?
Reported units went from 4,427 to 4,439 in 2024. How many new units opened, closed or changed hands?
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?
How do your results compare with the Item 19 figures, and what explains the difference?
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]Standard initial franchise fee — Item 5 · PDF p. 17
- [2]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All2025eligible-to-open salons · PDF p. 61
- [3]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — $350 - $400thousand annualsales · PDF p. 63
- [4]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — $450 - $500thousand annualsales · PDF p. 63
- [5]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Reporting2025salons · PDF p. 62
- [6]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — $250 - $300thousand annualsales · PDF p. 63
- [7]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — $400 - $450thousand annualsales · PDF p. 63
- [8]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — <$250thousand annualsales · PDF p. 63
- [9]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — $300 - $350thousand annualsales · PDF p. 63
- [10]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — $500 - $600thousand annualsales · PDF p. 63
- [11]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — >$600thousand annualsales · PDF p. 63
- [12]Item 19 — Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — All Salons in Samplethousand annualsales · PDF p. 63
- [13]Outlet counts — Item 20, Table 1 · PDF p. 69
"PDF p." is the page in the PDF file; "printed p." is the number printed on the FDD page. Source document: FDD
Territory & operations
291 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
Franchisor financial statements
| Fiscal year | Measure | Reported value |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | general and administrative expenses | $52,234,259 |
| 2025 | accrued advertising expenses of north american advertising fundMore than one value recorded for this year — open the FDD source before comparing | -$1,514,731 |
| 2025 | restricted cash and current assets of north american advertising fund | $31,551,131 |
| 2025 | total current liabilities | $50,967,562 |
| 2025 | initial franchise fees | $3,677,747 |
| 2025 | computer equipment and software | $19,444,680 |
| 2025 | unearned initial franchise fees, net of current portion | $17,713,123 |
| 2025 | total long-term obligations | $31,177,873 |
| 2025 | net cash provided by operating activities | $19,998,781 |
| 2025 | change in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash | $4,391,483 |
| 2025 | income taxes receivableMore than one value recorded for this year — open the FDD source before comparing | $27,311 |
| 2025 | operating lease right-of-use assets | $3,012,820 |
These figures describe the franchisor company, not individual franchise locations.
What changed from 2025 to 2026
- Estimated initial investment: $14,000 – $187,800 → $14,000 – $187,800
- Franchise fee: $5,000 → $6,000
- System size: 4,427 → 4,439 units
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.
Fantastic Sams Hair Salons
Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids
Pigtails & Crewcuts
Drybar
Sharkeys Cuts For Kids
Shubh BeautyHead-to-head comparisons
At a glance
Business history
Not reviewed
Owner participation
Not reviewed
Territory language
Litigation disclosure
Not reviewed
Bankruptcy disclosure
Not reviewed
Agreement term
Not reviewed
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 12 · PDF p. 49 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Densely populated area Protected Area radius
“If the Salon is in a densely populated area, the Protected Area is a radius of one-tenth of a mile, as determined by Great Clips in advance of your Salon opening.”
Note: Supplied quote could not be confirmed on the cited PDF page excerpt.
Item 12 · PDF p. 49 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Protected Area: radius of three-quarters of a mile; one-tenth of a mile in densely populated areas; excludes Non-Traditional Locations.
“We will grant to you a protected territory defined by a radius of three-quarters of a mile from the primary customer entrance of the Salon (the “Protected Area”). ... If the Salon is in a densely populated area, the Protected Area is a radius of one-tenth of a mile, as determined by Great Clips in advance of your Salon opening.”
Note: Supplied quote could not be confirmed on the cited PDF page excerpt.
Item 12 · PDF p. 49 · 2025 FDD
Our summary: Protected Area radius
“We will grant to you a protected territory defined by a radius of three-quarters of a mile from the primary customer entrance of the Salon (the “Protected Area”).”
Note: Supplied quote could not be confirmed on the cited PDF page excerpt.
Item 19 · PDF p. 62 · 2026 FDD
Our summary: Table2 Total Sales — Average
“Total Sales Median Annual Sales”
Note: The attached quote omitted the average, and the available p.62 text extraction prints it as “$4 22,283,” so the exact figure 422,283 is not verifiable by verbatim quote validation. I did not use a separate group’s table to support it.
Independent analysis of franchisor-provided data. Not investment advice. Franopolis does not distribute FDDs.
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