Franchise opportunities compared
Challenge Island vs SPEC
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.
Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- SPEC 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 (Challenge Island: 2, SPEC: 3). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  Challenge Island |  SPEC |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $58,465 – $74,050 Total initial investment 58465–74050 USD 2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16 | $1,052,420 – $2,073,674 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $49,900 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10 | $49,000 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11 |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 7% Royalty Fee 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10 | 6% Royalty rate 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 2% Marketing Contribution — 2% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10 | Not available No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 177 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 44 | Not available No reviewed outlet counts |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | +27 Calculated: 150 at end of 2023 → 177 at end of 2025 | Not available Only one year reported |
| Outlet exits (Item 20) | Not available No complete exit records for a year | Not available No complete exit records for a year |
| Franchising since (Item 1) | 2013 From a verified franchisor listing | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Franchisor founded (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Performance (Item 19) | ||
| Financial performance (Item 19), by location group | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Full-time franchisees reporting 2025 results 74 territories other Full-time territories · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 43 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Full-time and part-time franchisees reporting 2025 results $256,315 other High gross revenue per franchisee · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 43 | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 26 franchised B&W school locations with audited financial statements operating… $3,178,002 other Total revenue average · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 26 franchised B&W school locations with audited financial statements operating… $2,137,860 other Total revenue average · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 26 franchised B&W school locations with audited financial statements operating… $2,018,699 other Overall average total revenue · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48 |
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.
Challenge Island vs SPEC: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Challenge Island or SPEC?
- Challenge Island: $58,465 – $74,050 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 16); SPEC: $1,052,420 – $2,073,674 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Challenge Island. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Challenge Island and SPEC royalties compare?
- Challenge Island: 7% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10); SPEC: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do Challenge Island and SPEC disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Challenge Island has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups; SPEC has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 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.