Franopolis
    vs

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Charles Schwab vs H R Block Tax Services

    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.

    Charles Schwab2026 FDDH R Block Tax Services2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Charles Schwab

    $103,605

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 43

    H R Block Tax Services

    $35,780 – $161,050

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Charles Schwab

    Not available

    H R Block Tax Services

    $2,500

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

    Royalty · Item 6

    Charles Schwab

    Not available

    H R Block Tax Services

    50%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Only Charles Schwab has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Charles Schwab

    $103,605
    (See Notes 3 & 13) $1,200 to $2,400 Paid by you directly As incurred Third party vendors TOTAL* — 103605
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 43

    H R Block Tax Services

    $35,780 – $161,050
    Total initial investment: 35,780 to 161,050
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Charles Schwab

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    H R Block Tax Services

    $2,500
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Charles Schwab

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record

    H R Block Tax Services

    50%
    Royalty on the first $5,000 of annual Authorized Services revenue is 50% if paid within 4 days after the end of the relevant Reporting Period and no other amounts payable are overdue; otherwise the stated rate is 60%.
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Charles Schwab

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    H R Block Tax Services

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Charles Schwab

    382
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 96

    H R Block Tax Services

    Not available
    No reviewed outlet counts
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Charles Schwab

    +2
    Calculated: 380 at end of 2023 → 382 at end of 2025

    H R Block Tax Services

    Not available
    Only one year reported
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Charles Schwab

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    H R Block Tax Services

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

    Charles Schwab

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    H R Block Tax Services

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Charles Schwab

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    H R Block Tax Services

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Charles Schwab
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table6c franchised branches; all eligible branches
    91 branches
    other Table6c 2024
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 95
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table4a franchised branches; all eligible branches
    $44
    other Table4a 12months
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 90
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Table4c franchised branches; all eligible branches
    $188
    other Table4c 2021
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 91
    +45 more groups in the full report
    H R Block Tax Services

    Not 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.

    Charles Schwab vs H R Block Tax Services: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Charles Schwab or H R Block Tax Services?
    Charles Schwab: $103,605 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 43); H R Block Tax Services: $35,780 – $161,050 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 18). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for H R Block Tax Services. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Do Charles Schwab and H R Block Tax Services disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Charles Schwab has reviewed Item 19 figures for 48 location groups; H R Block Tax Services 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.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching

    Full Charles Schwab report

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

    Full H R Block Tax Services report

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

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    FDD glossary

    Plain-language meaning of each Item