Franchise opportunities compared

    City Publications vs Sign Gypsies

    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.

    Initial investment · Item 7

    City Publications

    $35,300 – $68,900

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Sign Gypsies

    $4,150 – $9,900

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    City Publications

    $89,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    Sign Gypsies

    $1,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    Royalty · Item 6

    City Publications

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    Sign Gypsies

    Not available

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • City Publications and Sign Gypsies disclose more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Only neither brand has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    City Publications

    $35,300 – $68,900
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Sign Gypsies

    $4,150 – $9,900
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    City Publications

    $89,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10

    Sign Gypsies

    $1,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 10
    Royalty (Item 6)

    City Publications

    6%
    Royalty — standard card deck and booklet mailings
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    Sign Gypsies

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    City Publications

    3%
    Royalty — single-card mailings and digital advertising — 3%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    Sign Gypsies

    Not available
    No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    City Publications

    35
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 34

    Sign Gypsies

    565
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 23
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    City Publications

    Not available
    Only one year reported

    Sign Gypsies

    −102
    Calculated: 667 at end of 2023 → 565 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    City Publications

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Sign Gypsies

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

    City Publications

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sign Gypsies

    early 2020
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    City Publications

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Sign Gypsies

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    City Publications

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Sign Gypsies

    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.

    City Publications vs Sign Gypsies: common questions

    Which costs less to open, City Publications or Sign Gypsies?
    City Publications: $35,300 – $68,900 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Sign Gypsies: $4,150 – $9,900 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Sign Gypsies. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, City Publications or Sign Gypsies?
    City Publications: 35 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 34); Sign Gypsies: 565 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 23). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do City Publications and Sign Gypsies disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    City Publications makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Sign Gypsies 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

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