Franopolis
    vs

    Franchise opportunities compared

    Charles Schwab vs Liberty Tax Service

    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 FDDLiberty Tax Service2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Charles Schwab

    $103,605

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 43

    Liberty Tax Service

    $49,700

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Charles Schwab

    Not available

    Liberty Tax Service

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 26

    Royalty · Item 6

    Charles Schwab

    Not available

    Liberty Tax Service

    14%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 27

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Charles Schwab: 48, Liberty Tax Service: 1). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    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

    Liberty Tax Service

    $49,700
    Charge As incurred Suppliers, Utilities, etc. TOTAL FOR A SINGLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT — 49700
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Charles Schwab

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    Liberty Tax Service

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 26
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Charles Schwab

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record

    Liberty Tax Service

    14%
    OTHER FEES* Fee Amount Due Date Remarks Royalties — 14%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 27
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Charles Schwab

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    Liberty Tax Service

    2%
    id paying royalties and advertising fees on said returns. Holdover Fee An additional — 2% — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 29

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Charles Schwab

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

    Liberty Tax Service

    1,663
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Charles Schwab

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

    Liberty Tax Service

    −442
    Calculated: 2,105 at end of 2022 → 1,663 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Charles Schwab

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Liberty Tax Service

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

    Charles Schwab

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Liberty Tax Service

    1997
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Charles Schwab

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Liberty Tax Service

    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
    Liberty Tax Service
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record
    $164,860
    other Netprepfees
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 60

    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 Liberty Tax Service: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Charles Schwab or Liberty Tax Service?
    Charles Schwab: $103,605 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 43); Liberty Tax Service: $49,700 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Liberty Tax Service. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Charles Schwab or Liberty Tax Service?
    Charles Schwab: 382 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 96); Liberty Tax Service: 1,663 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Charles Schwab and Liberty Tax Service disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Charles Schwab has reviewed Item 19 figures for 48 location groups; Liberty Tax Service has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group. 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 Liberty Tax Service report

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

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    FDD glossary

    Plain-language meaning of each Item