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    Franchise opportunities compared

    BrightStar Care vs Miracle-Ear, Inc.

    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.

    BrightStar Care2026 FDDMiracle-Ear, Inc.2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    BrightStar Care

    $96,454 – $220,186

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Miracle-Ear, Inc.

    $88,000 – $402,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    BrightStar Care

    $50,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

    Miracle-Ear, Inc.

    $30,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Royalty · Item 6

    BrightStar Care

    5.25%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Miracle-Ear, Inc.

    $49 Per Miracle-Ear hearing aid

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • BrightStar Care and Miracle-Ear, Inc. 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 (BrightStar Care: 5, Miracle-Ear, Inc.: 4). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    BrightStar Care

    $96,454 – $220,186
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Miracle-Ear, Inc.

    $88,000 – $402,500
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    BrightStar Care

    $50,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

    Miracle-Ear, Inc.

    $30,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15
    Royalty (Item 6)

    BrightStar Care

    5.25%
    Royalty rate — non-National Accounts
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Miracle-Ear, Inc.

    $49 Per Miracle-Ear hearing aid
    Royalty - Miracle-Ear hearing aid
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    BrightStar Care

    2.5%
    General marketing fee rate — 2.5%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Miracle-Ear, Inc.

    $76
    National Marketing Fund Contribution - wholesale unit — Per wholesale hearing aid unit
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    BrightStar Care

    427
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 104

    Miracle-Ear, Inc.

    1,595
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 58
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    BrightStar Care

    +49
    Calculated: 378 at end of 2023 → 427 at end of 2025

    Miracle-Ear, Inc.

    +31
    Calculated: 1,564 at end of 2023 → 1,595 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    BrightStar Care

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Miracle-Ear, Inc.

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

    BrightStar Care

    2005
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Miracle-Ear, Inc.

    1984
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    BrightStar Care

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Miracle-Ear, Inc.

    1972
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    BrightStar Care
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — BrightStar franchised and affiliate-owned first agencies, 12 months or longer a…
    $1,943,606
    other revenue, 2025, agencies open ≥12 months
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 86
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised first agencies, 12 months or longer as of December 31, 2025
    $2,427,980
    other revenue, 2025, franchised agencies open ≥12 months
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 86
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised first agencies open at least 24 months
    $2,513,604
    other revenue, 2025, franchised agencies open ≥24 months
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 86
    +2 more groups in the full report
    Miracle-Ear, Inc.
    Franchised (1,008 locations) — other measures and memberships
    185 appointments
    mean HAE Appointments
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 57
    Franchised (356 locations) — revenue
    $241,334
    other Net Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 54
    Franchised (652 locations) — revenue
    $529,890
    other Net Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 54
    +1 more groups in the full report

    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.

    BrightStar Care vs Miracle-Ear, Inc.: common questions

    Which costs less to open, BrightStar Care or Miracle-Ear, Inc.?
    BrightStar Care: $96,454 – $220,186 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Miracle-Ear, Inc.: $88,000 – $402,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Miracle-Ear, Inc.. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do BrightStar Care and Miracle-Ear, Inc. royalties compare?
    BrightStar Care: 5.25% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16); Miracle-Ear, Inc.: $49 Per Miracle-Ear hearing aid (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, BrightStar Care or Miracle-Ear, Inc.?
    BrightStar Care: 427 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 104); Miracle-Ear, Inc.: 1,595 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 58). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do BrightStar Care and Miracle-Ear, Inc. disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    BrightStar Care has reviewed Item 19 figures for 5 location groups; Miracle-Ear, Inc. has reviewed Item 19 figures for 4 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.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full BrightStar Care report

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

    Full Miracle-Ear, Inc. report

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

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