Franchise opportunities compared
Apply vs Carvel Corporation
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
Apply
$306,500 – $685,000
2025 FDD · Item 7Carvel Corporation
$38,850 – $1,051,200
2026 FDD · Item 7Initial franchise fee · Item 5
Apply
Not available
Carvel Corporation
$3,000
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 30Royalty · Item 6
Apply
5%
2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21Carvel Corporation
6%
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31Before you compare
- Apply figures come from its 2025 FDD and Carvel Corporation figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
- Apply and Carvel Corporation disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Apply: 10, Carvel Corporation: 5). Different groups are not directly comparable.
Financial commitment
Apply
Carvel Corporation
Apply
Carvel Corporation
Apply
Carvel Corporation
Apply
Carvel Corporation
System scale & health
Apply
Carvel Corporation
Apply
Carvel Corporation
Apply
Carvel Corporation
Apply
Carvel Corporation
Apply
Carvel Corporation
Financial performance (Item 19), by location group
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.
Apply vs Carvel Corporation: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Apply or Carvel Corporation?
- Apply: $306,500 – $685,000 (2025 FDD · Item 7); Carvel Corporation: $38,850 – $1,051,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Carvel Corporation. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Apply and Carvel Corporation royalties compare?
- Apply: 5% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21); Carvel Corporation: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 31). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, Apply or Carvel Corporation?
- Apply: 49 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 81); Carvel Corporation: 720 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 93). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Apply and Carvel Corporation disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Apply has reviewed Item 19 figures for 10 location groups; Carvel Corporation has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 location groups. 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 Apply report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
Full Carvel Corporation report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure




