Franchise opportunities compared

    Pearle Vision vs Unit Franchise

    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

    Pearle Vision

    $73,523 – $1,228,956

    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Unit Franchise

    $99,501 – $632,193

    2025 FDD · Item 7

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Pearle Vision

    $30,000

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17

    Unit Franchise

    $49,000

    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14

    Royalty · Item 6

    Pearle Vision

    7%

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    Unit Franchise

    $7.00

    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    Before you compare

    • Pearle Vision figures come from its 2026 FDD and Unit Franchise figures from its 2025 FDD, so the years differ.
    • Pearle Vision and Unit Franchise disclose 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 (Pearle Vision: 3, Unit Franchise: 2). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Pearle Vision

    $73,523 – $1,228,956
    2026 FDD · Item 7

    Unit Franchise

    $99,501 – $632,193
    2025 FDD · Item 7
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Pearle Vision

    $30,000
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 17

    Unit Franchise

    $49,000
    2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 14
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Pearle Vision

    7%
    Royalty fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    Unit Franchise

    $7.00
    Royalty fee
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Pearle Vision

    8%
    Advertising contribution — 8%
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18

    Unit Franchise

    $1.00
    Company branding fund contribution — current
    2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Pearle Vision

    484
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 82

    Unit Franchise

    154
    Outlets at end of 2024
    2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Pearle Vision

    −22
    Calculated: 506 at end of 2023 → 484 at end of 2025

    Unit Franchise

    +106
    Calculated: 48 at end of 2022 → 154 at end of 2024
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Pearle Vision

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year

    Unit Franchise

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

    Pearle Vision

    1981
    From a verified franchisor listing

    Unit Franchise

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

    Pearle Vision

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Unit Franchise

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Pearle Vision
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — EyeCare Centers owned by an optometrist or ophthalmologist
    $1,437
    other OD owner EyeCare Centers
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 75
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — EyeCare Centers owned by an optician or investor who subleases to an optometris…
    $1,020
    other Sublease EyeCare Centers
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 77
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — EyeCare Centers owned by an optometrist, ophthalmologist, optician or investor…
    $219
    other Employed EyeCare Centers
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 79
    Unit Franchise
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — One affiliate Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado
    $832,190
    other Affiliate center gross sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 49
    Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Prime IV unit franchisees open at least 12 full months during the year
    $507,815
    median Franchisee annual gross sales
    2025 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 52

    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.

    Pearle Vision vs Unit Franchise: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Pearle Vision or Unit Franchise?
    Pearle Vision: $73,523 – $1,228,956 (2026 FDD · Item 7); Unit Franchise: $99,501 – $632,193 (2025 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Pearle Vision. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    How do Pearle Vision and Unit Franchise royalties compare?
    Pearle Vision: 7% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18); Unit Franchise: $7.00 (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 15). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
    Which has more locations, Pearle Vision or Unit Franchise?
    Pearle Vision: 484 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 82); Unit Franchise: 154 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 54). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Pearle Vision and Unit Franchise disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Pearle Vision has reviewed Item 19 figures for 3 location groups; Unit Franchise has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 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

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