Franchise opportunities compared
Auto Lab vs Valvoline Instant Oil Change
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
Auto Lab
$111,000 – $746,000
2026 FDD · Item 7Valvoline Instant Oil Change
$192,375 – $3,483,550
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 1Initial franchise fee · Item 5
Auto Lab
$27,500
2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Not available
Royalty · Item 6
Auto Lab
$6.00
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13Valvoline Instant Oil Change
2%
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- Auto Lab discloses 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 (Auto Lab: 2, Valvoline Instant Oil Change: 31). Different groups are not directly comparable.
Financial commitment
Auto Lab
Valvoline Instant Oil ChangeAuto Lab
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Auto Lab
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Auto Lab
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Auto Lab
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
System scale & health
Auto LabValvoline Instant Oil ChangeAuto Lab
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Auto Lab
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Auto Lab
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Auto Lab
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Auto Lab
Valvoline Instant Oil Change
Financial performance (Item 19), by location group
Auto LabValvoline Instant Oil ChangeItem 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.
Auto Lab vs Valvoline Instant Oil Change: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Auto Lab or Valvoline Instant Oil Change?
- Auto Lab: $111,000 – $746,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Valvoline Instant Oil Change: $192,375 – $3,483,550 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 1). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Auto Lab. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Auto Lab and Valvoline Instant Oil Change royalties compare?
- Auto Lab: $6.00 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13); Valvoline Instant Oil Change: 2% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, Auto Lab or Valvoline Instant Oil Change?
- Auto Lab: 19 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 39); Valvoline Instant Oil Change: 2,039 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 68). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Auto Lab and Valvoline Instant Oil Change disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Auto Lab has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups; Valvoline Instant Oil Change has reviewed Item 19 figures for 31 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 Auto Lab report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
Full Valvoline Instant Oil Change report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
