Which costs less to open, Freedom Boat Club or The Hot Spot?

Freedom Boat Club: $263,500 – $622,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22); The Hot Spot: $82,600 – $156,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 14). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for The Hot Spot. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.

Which has more locations, Freedom Boat Club or The Hot Spot?

Freedom Boat Club: 437 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 48); The Hot Spot: 26 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 37). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.

Do Freedom Boat Club and The Hot Spot disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

Freedom Boat Club makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; The Hot Spot has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

Franchise opportunities compared

Freedom Boat Club vs The Hot Spot

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.

Freedom Boat Club2026 FDD

The Hot Spot2026 FDD

Initial investment · Item 7

Freedom Boat Club

$263,500 – $622,500

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22

The Hot Spot

$82,600 – $156,200

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 14

Initial franchise fee · Item 5

Freedom Boat Club

Not available

The Hot Spot

$39,500

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 8

Royalty · Item 6

Freedom Boat Club

6% · percentage of Gross Revenues; subject to Minimum Royalty

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

The Hot Spot

$100

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8

Before you compare

Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
Only The Hot Spot has reviewed Item 19 figures here.

Financial commitment

Disclosure

Freedom Boat Club

The Hot Spot

Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

Freedom Boat Club

$263,500 – $622,500

TOTAL ESTIMATED INITIAL INVESTMENT

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22

The Hot Spot

$82,600 – $156,200

Total initial investment lower endpoint

2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 14

Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

Freedom Boat Club

Not available

No single standard fee identified

The Hot Spot

$39,500

2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 8

Royalty (Item 6)

Freedom Boat Club

6% · percentage of Gross Revenues; subject to Minimum Royalty

Royalty

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

The Hot Spot

$100

Continuing royalty monthly minimum in second operating year

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8

Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

Freedom Boat Club

$100

Sales and Marketing Support Fee — depending on services requested

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

The Hot Spot

Brand Fund Contribution maximum 2% of Gross Revenue; current 1% — 2%

2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 9

System scale & health

Disclosure

Freedom Boat Club

The Hot Spot

Total outlets (Item 20)

Freedom Boat Club

437

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 48

The Hot Spot

Outlets at end of 2025

2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 37

Net outlet change (Item 20)

Freedom Boat Club

+42

Calculated: 395 at end of 2023 → 437 at end of 2025

The Hot Spot

+23

Calculated: 3 at end of 2023 → 26 at end of 2025

Outlet exits (Item 20)

Freedom Boat Club

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

The Hot Spot

Not available

No complete exit records for a year

Franchising since (Item 1)

Freedom Boat Club

2011

2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

The Hot Spot

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Franchisor founded (Item 1)

Freedom Boat Club

2011

2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 8

The Hot Spot

Not available

Not in reviewed records

Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

Freedom Boat Club

Not disclosed — no Item 19 financial performance representation

The Hot Spot

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — TahoeCalifornia opened2010

$89,019

other TahoeCalifornia opened2010

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 34

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — LibertyCalifornia opened2012

$1,222,713

other LibertyCalifornia opened2012

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 35

Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — SparksNevada opened2019

$488,060

other SparksNevada opened2019

2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 36

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.

Freedom Boat Club vs The Hot Spot: common questions

Which costs less to open, Freedom Boat Club or The Hot Spot?: Freedom Boat Club: $263,500 – $622,500 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 22); The Hot Spot: $82,600 – $156,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 14). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for The Hot Spot. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
How do Freedom Boat Club and The Hot Spot royalties compare?: Freedom Boat Club: 6% · percentage of Gross Revenues; subject to Minimum Royalty (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15); The Hot Spot: $100 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 8). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
Which has more locations, Freedom Boat Club or The Hot Spot?: Freedom Boat Club: 437 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 48); The Hot Spot: 26 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 37). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
Do Freedom Boat Club and The Hot Spot disclose financial performance (Item 19)?: Freedom Boat Club makes no Item 19 financial performance representation; The Hot Spot has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 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