Franchise opportunities compared
Choice Hotels International vs The James
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.
- Choice Hotels International and The James disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
- Only Choice Hotels International has reviewed Item 19 figures here.
| Disclosure |  Choice Hotels International |  The James |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $52,725 – $55,271,100 2026 FDD · Item 7 | $3,165,107 – $158,220,099 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | Not available No single standard fee identified | Not available No single standard fee identified |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 6% Royalty Fee: percent of preceding month's Gross Room Revenues, payable monthly 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 33 | 5% General Royalty — 5% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 24 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 10% Maximum Choice Accelerate fee for consumed stays resulting from international paid and meta advertising — 10% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 35 | Not available No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 46 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 81 | Not available No reviewed outlet counts |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | −6 Calculated: 52 at end of 2023 → 46 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) | 1941 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 — All qualifying franchised Radisson hotels 47.7 percent other All qualifying franchised Radisson hotels · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 78 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Qualifying franchised Radisson hotels with above-brand-average likelihood to re… 52.6 percent other Qualifying franchised Radisson hotels with above-brand-average likelihood to recommend · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 79 | 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.
Choice Hotels International vs The James: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Choice Hotels International or The James?
- Choice Hotels International: $52,725 – $55,271,100 (2026 FDD · Item 7); The James: $3,165,107 – $158,220,099 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Choice Hotels International. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Choice Hotels International and The James royalties compare?
- Choice Hotels International: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 33); The James: 5% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 24). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do Choice Hotels International and The James disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Choice Hotels International has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups; The James 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.