Franchise opportunities compared

    HomeLife vs HomeSmart

    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

    HomeLife

    $18,600 – $195,000

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    HomeSmart

    $65,500 – $205,000

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    HomeLife

    Not available

    HomeSmart

    Not available

    Royalty · Item 6

    HomeLife

    4%

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    HomeSmart

    $12

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    Before you compare

    • HomeLife figures come from its 2025 FDD and HomeSmart figures from its 2026 FDD, so the years differ.
    • HomeLife and HomeSmart 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)

    HomeLife

    $18,600 – $195,000
    2025 FDD · Item 7

    HomeSmart

    $65,500 – $205,000
    2026 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    HomeLife

    Not available
    No single standard fee identified

    HomeSmart

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

    HomeLife

    4%
    Royalty fee — Percentage Fee Option: 4% through the first $1,000,000 gross revenue; 1% above that
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    HomeSmart

    $12
    Royalty fee per agent per month
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    HomeLife

    1%
    National Advertising and Promotional Fund — Percentage Fee Option: 1% through the first $1,000,000 gross revenue — 1%
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16

    HomeSmart

    4%
    Franchise Marketing Accrual Fund contribution rate — 4%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    HomeLife

    5
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52

    HomeSmart

    258
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 42
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    HomeLife

    +1
    Calculated: 4 at end of 2022 → 5 at end of 2024

    HomeSmart

    +13
    Calculated: 245 at end of 2023 → 258 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    HomeLife

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    HomeSmart

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

    HomeLife

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    HomeSmart

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

    HomeLife

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    HomeSmart

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    HHomeLife

    No reviewed Item 19 figures

    HHomeSmart

    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.

    HomeLife vs HomeSmart: common questions

    Which costs less to open, HomeLife or HomeSmart?
    HomeLife: $18,600 – $195,000 (2025 FDD · Item 7); HomeSmart: $65,500 – $205,000 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for HomeLife. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do HomeLife and HomeSmart royalties compare?
    HomeLife: 4% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 16); HomeSmart: $12 (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 10). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, HomeLife or HomeSmart?
    HomeLife: 5 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 52); HomeSmart: 258 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 42). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do HomeLife and HomeSmart disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    HomeLife has no reviewed Item 19 figures on file; HomeSmart 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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