Franchise opportunities compared
Ace Hardware vs Standard Program
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.
Initial investment · Item 7
Ace Hardware
$134,600 – $2,001,550
2025 FDD · Item 7Standard Program
$30,500 – $417,890
2025 FDD · Item 7Initial franchise fee · Item 5
Ace Hardware
Not available
Standard Program
$3,000
2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 18Royalty · Item 6
Ace Hardware
Not available
Standard Program
8%
2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 22Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2025 FDDs.
- Ace Hardware and Standard Program disclose 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
Ace Hardware
Standard ProgramAce Hardware
Standard Program
Ace Hardware
Standard Program
Ace Hardware
Standard Program
Ace Hardware
Standard Program
System scale & health
Ace HardwareStandard ProgramAce Hardware
Standard Program
Ace Hardware
Standard Program
Ace Hardware
Standard Program
Ace Hardware
Standard Program
Ace Hardware
Standard Program
Financial performance (Item 19), by location group
Ace HardwareStandard ProgramNot 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 Standard Program: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Ace Hardware or Standard Program?
- Ace Hardware: $134,600 – $2,001,550 (2025 FDD · Item 7); Standard Program: $30,500 – $417,890 (2025 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Standard Program. 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 Standard Program?
- Ace Hardware: 5,144 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 74); Standard Program: 332 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 61). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Ace Hardware and Standard Program disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Ace Hardware has reviewed Item 19 figures for 8 location groups; Standard Program 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.
Keep researching
Full Ace Hardware report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
Full Standard Program report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
