Franchise opportunities compared
School of Rock vs SPEC
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.
Before you compare
- Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
- School of Rock and SPEC 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 (School of Rock: 2, SPEC: 3). Different groups are not directly comparable.
| Disclosure |  School of Rock |  SPEC |
|---|---|---|
| Financial commitment | ||
| Estimated initial investment (Item 7) | $378,050 – $756,100 2026 FDD · Item 7 | $1,052,420 – $2,073,674 2026 FDD · Item 7 |
| Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5) | $59,900 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 20 | $49,000 2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 11 |
| Royalty (Item 6) | 8% Royalty rate 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21 | 6% Royalty rate 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11 |
| Brand / advertising fund (Item 6) | 3% Brand Fund fee rate — 3% 2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21 | Not available No reviewed brand or advertising fund fee |
| System scale & health | ||
| Total outlets (Item 20) | 323 Outlets at end of 2025 2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 63 | Not available No reviewed outlet counts |
| Net outlet change (Item 20) | +42 Calculated: 281 at end of 2023 → 323 at end of 2025 | Not available Only one year reported |
| Outlet exits (Item 20) | Not available No complete exit records for a year | Not available No complete exit records for a year |
| Franchising since (Item 1) | 2005 From a verified franchisor listing | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Franchisor founded (Item 1) | Not available Not in reviewed records | Not available Not in reviewed records |
| Performance (Item 19) | ||
| Financial performance (Item 19), by location group | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Company-Owned Designated Schools open and operating at least five days per week… $920,319 other annual total sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 61 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — Franchised Designated Schools open and operating at least five days per week th… $683,344 other annual total sales · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 61 | Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 26 franchised B&W school locations with audited financial statements operating… $3,178,002 other Total revenue average · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 26 franchised B&W school locations with audited financial statements operating… $2,137,860 other Total revenue average · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48 Locations counted not stated in the reviewed record — 26 franchised B&W school locations with audited financial statements operating… $2,018,699 other Overall average total revenue · 2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 48 |
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.
School of Rock vs SPEC: common questions
- Which costs less to open, School of Rock or SPEC?
- School of Rock: $378,050 – $756,100 (2026 FDD · Item 7); SPEC: $1,052,420 – $2,073,674 (2026 FDD · Item 7). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for School of Rock. At least one range spans several business formats. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do School of Rock and SPEC royalties compare?
- School of Rock: 8% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 21); SPEC: 6% (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 11). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Do School of Rock and SPEC disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- School of Rock has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups; SPEC 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.