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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Jackson Hewitt vs Liberty Tax Service

    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.

    Jackson Hewitt2026 FDDLiberty Tax Service2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Jackson Hewitt

    $18,900 – $71,050

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Liberty Tax Service

    $49,700

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Jackson Hewitt

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

    Liberty Tax Service

    $25,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 26

    Royalty · Item 6

    Jackson Hewitt

    6%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20

    Liberty Tax Service

    14%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 27

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Jackson Hewitt discloses more than one business format, so the investment range spans formats; the full report breaks them out.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Jackson Hewitt: 2, Liberty Tax Service: 1). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Jackson Hewitt

    $18,900 – $71,050
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Liberty Tax Service

    $49,700
    Charge As incurred Suppliers, Utilities, etc. TOTAL FOR A SINGLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT — 49700
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Jackson Hewitt

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

    Liberty Tax Service

    $25,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 26
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Jackson Hewitt

    6%
    Royalty on revenue you receive from your offering of a tax course will be reduced by — 6%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20

    Liberty Tax Service

    14%
    OTHER FEES* Fee Amount Due Date Remarks Royalties — 14%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 27
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Jackson Hewitt

    $5,000
    vertising and marketing fee of 6.5% of your Gross Volume of Business. You must spend — 5000
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20

    Liberty Tax Service

    2%
    id paying royalties and advertising fees on said returns. Holdover Fee An additional — 2% — 2%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 29

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Jackson Hewitt

    5,124
    Outlets at end of 2026
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 51

    Liberty Tax Service

    1,663
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Jackson Hewitt

    +2,884
    Calculated: 2,240 at end of 2024 → 5,124 at end of 2026

    Liberty Tax Service

    −442
    Calculated: 2,105 at end of 2022 → 1,663 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Jackson Hewitt

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Liberty Tax Service

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

    Jackson Hewitt

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Liberty Tax Service

    1997
    From a verified franchisor listing
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Jackson Hewitt

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Liberty Tax Service

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Jackson Hewitt
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Kiosk franchised CoveredOffices
    $2,121
    other Kiosk
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Standard franchised CoveredOffices
    $167,954
    other Standard
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 50
    Liberty Tax Service
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record
    $164,860
    other Netprepfees
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 60

    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.

    Jackson Hewitt vs Liberty Tax Service: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Jackson Hewitt or Liberty Tax Service?
    Jackson Hewitt: $18,900 – $71,050 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Liberty Tax Service: $49,700 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 31). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Jackson Hewitt. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Jackson Hewitt and Liberty Tax Service royalties compare?
    Jackson Hewitt: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20); Liberty Tax Service: 14% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 27). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Jackson Hewitt or Liberty Tax Service?
    Jackson Hewitt: 5,124 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 51); Liberty Tax Service: 1,663 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 65). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Jackson Hewitt and Liberty Tax Service disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Jackson Hewitt has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups; Liberty Tax Service has reviewed Item 19 figures for 1 location group. 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

    Full Jackson Hewitt report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full Liberty Tax Service report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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