Franchise opportunities compared

    CULLIGAN vs Gorilla Franchising USA

    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

    CULLIGAN

    $130,000 – $815,601

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 21

    Gorilla Franchising USA

    $128,950 – $214,500

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 13

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    CULLIGAN

    $40,601

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Gorilla Franchising USA

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    CULLIGAN

    0.5% · Percentage of prior month’s Gross Revenues

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Gorilla Franchising USA

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Only Gorilla Franchising USA has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    CULLIGAN

    $130,000 – $815,601
    Totals
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 21

    Gorilla Franchising USA

    $128,950 – $214,500
    Total estimated initial investment
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 13
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    CULLIGAN

    $40,601
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 15

    Gorilla Franchising USA

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified
    Royalty (Item 6)

    CULLIGAN

    0.5% · Percentage of prior month’s Gross Revenues
    Non-Culligan Small Pack Continuing Royalty
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17

    Gorilla Franchising USA

    6%
    Royalty — sales up to $500,000
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    CULLIGAN

    1% of percentage of prior month’s gross revenues
    Culligan System Advertising Contributions
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    Gorilla Franchising USA

    $429
    National advertising fund fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    CULLIGAN

    550
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 64

    Gorilla Franchising USA

    1
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 38
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    CULLIGAN

    −8
    Calculated: 558 at end of 2022 → 550 at end of 2025

    Gorilla Franchising USA

    +0
    Calculated: 1 at end of 2023 → 1 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    CULLIGAN

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Gorilla Franchising USA

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

    CULLIGAN

    Exact year not stated; dealer program began over 90 years ago
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 10

    Gorilla Franchising USA

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

    CULLIGAN

    1936
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 10

    Gorilla Franchising USA

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    CULLIGAN

    Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

    Gorilla Franchising USA
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Bottom 25% of the 32 Canadian-based franchisees represented in the 2024 Item 19…
    129,270.21 CAD
    other gross revenue of bottom 25%
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 35
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Canadian system revenue by calendar year
    52 percent
    other Revenue increase
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 37
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Canadian franchisees who returned complete profit and expense information
    300,650 CAD
    other Low
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 35
    +4 more groups in the full report

    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.

    CULLIGAN vs Gorilla Franchising USA: common questions

    Which costs less to open, CULLIGAN or Gorilla Franchising USA?
    CULLIGAN: $130,000 – $815,601 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 21); Gorilla Franchising USA: $128,950 – $214,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 13). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Gorilla Franchising USA. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do CULLIGAN and Gorilla Franchising USA royalties compare?
    CULLIGAN: 0.5% · Percentage of prior month’s Gross Revenues (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 17); Gorilla Franchising USA: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, CULLIGAN or Gorilla Franchising USA?
    CULLIGAN: 550 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 64); Gorilla Franchising USA: 1 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 38). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do CULLIGAN and Gorilla Franchising USA disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    CULLIGAN makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; Gorilla Franchising USA has reviewed Item 19 figures for 7 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.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

    Keep researching