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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Ace Hardware vs Dealer Specialties

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Ace Hardware2025 FDDDealer Specialties2025 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Ace Hardware

    $134,600 – $2,001,550

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Dealer Specialties

    $17,400 – $44,900

    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 12

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Ace Hardware

    Not available

    Dealer Specialties

    $10,000

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 9

    Royalty · Item 6

    Ace Hardware

    Not available

    Dealer Specialties

    $100

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 9

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2025 FDDs.
    • Ace Hardware discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only Ace Hardware has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Ace Hardware

    $134,600 – $2,001,550
    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Dealer Specialties

    $17,400 – $44,900
    Total initial investment (range 17400–44900)
    2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 12
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Ace Hardware

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Dealer Specialties

    $10,000
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 9
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Ace Hardware

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record

    Dealer Specialties

    $100
    Royalty and continuing service minimum per dealer lot
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 9
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Ace Hardware

    $65
    Digital Circular: $65/month; advertising placement $425/month per store
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22

    Dealer Specialties

    $0.03
    Advertising fee per unique VIN
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 9

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Ace Hardware

    5,144
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74

    Dealer Specialties

    21
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 31
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Ace Hardware

    +277
    Calculated: 4,867 at end of 2022 → 5,144 at end of 2024

    Dealer Specialties

    −63
    Calculated: 84 at end of 2022 → 21 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Ace Hardware

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Dealer Specialties

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Ace Hardware

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Dealer Specialties

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Ace Hardware

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Dealer Specialties

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Ace Hardware
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2023 RFR participating Ace branded single-store Reporting Stores in the Super H…
    $5,308,506
    other Super Hardware Format average annual sales volume
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 73
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Participating Ace branded single-store Reporting Stores in the 2023 RFR
    689 stores
    other Number of participating Ace branded Reporting Stores in 2023 RFR
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 72
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 2023 RFR Reporting Stores in the Super Hardware Format
    $1,301,349
    other Super Hardware Format low annual sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 73
    +5 more groups in the full report
    Dealer Specialties

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Ace Hardware vs Dealer Specialties: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Ace Hardware or Dealer Specialties?
    Ace Hardware: $134,600 – $2,001,550 (2025 FDD · Item 7); Dealer Specialties: $17,400 – $44,900 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 12). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Dealer Specialties. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Ace Hardware or Dealer Specialties?
    Ace Hardware: 5,144 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74); Dealer Specialties: 21 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 31). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Ace Hardware and Dealer Specialties disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Ace Hardware has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; Dealer Specialties makes no Item 19 financial performance representation. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Ace Hardware report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Dealer Specialties report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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    Plain-language meaning of each Item