How much does it cost to open a retail franchise?

Across 77 published retail brands with a reviewed Item 7 total, the median low end of the estimated initial investment is $193,250, and low ends run from $3,250 to $1,460,800 (FDDs from 2025 to 2026). The low end is each franchisor's cheapest disclosed scenario, not a typical cost; the median is a Franopolis calculation.

Which retail franchises have the lowest disclosed startup cost?

By the low end of the reviewed Item 7 estimate: Omari Asian Style Kiosks ($3,250–$109,055, 2026 FDD); Amerisourcebergen Drug ($5,000–$12,000, 2026 FDD); Mac Tools ($9,750–$418,385, 2026 FDD). This orders disclosed estimates only; it is not a ranking or recommendation.

How many retail franchisors disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

62 of 89 published retail brands (70%) have reviewed Item 19 financial performance figures on file. A brand without them on Franopolis may still disclose them in an FDD we have not reviewed.

Which retail franchises have the most locations?

By total outlets in reviewed Item 20 tables: Circle K Standard (6,071); The UPS Store® (5,503); Snap-on Tools Company LLC (3,328). Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.

Retail Franchise Opportunities: Costs & FDD Figures

Median uses the low end of each brand's reviewed Item 7 total in its latest FDD — the cheapest disclosed scenario, not a typical cost. Not a ranking or recommendation.

Business models

Item 19 figures only

All brands (89)

Browse Retail by category

Specialty retail franchises 70 Convenience stores franchises 11 Product retail franchises 8

Retail matchups

Retail franchise benchmarks

How much does it cost to open a retail franchise?: Across 77 published retail brands with a reviewed Item 7 total, the median low end of the estimated initial investment is $193,250, and low ends run from $3,250 to $1,460,800 (FDDs from 2025 to 2026). The low end is each franchisor's cheapest disclosed scenario, not a typical cost; the median is a Franopolis calculation.
Which retail franchises have the lowest disclosed startup cost?: By the low end of the reviewed Item 7 estimate: Omari Asian Style Kiosks ($3,250–$109,055, 2026 FDD); Amerisourcebergen Drug ($5,000–$12,000, 2026 FDD); Mac Tools ($9,750–$418,385, 2026 FDD). This orders disclosed estimates only; it is not a ranking or recommendation.
How many retail franchisors disclose financial performance (Item 19)?: 62 of 89 published retail brands (70%) have reviewed Item 19 financial performance figures on file. A brand without them on Franopolis may still disclose them in an FDD we have not reviewed.
Which retail franchises have the most locations?: By total outlets in reviewed Item 20 tables: Circle K Standard (6,071); The UPS Store® (5,503); Snap-on Tools Company LLC (3,328). Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.

Calculated by Franopolis from published brands' reviewed figures. Not a ranking or recommendation.

How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

Questions to research for any retail franchise

Which Item 7 format matches the business you would actually open, and what does the high end include?
What are the recurring Item 6 charges beyond royalty: brand fund, technology, minimums?
If Item 19 is disclosed, which locations does it cover, and which were excluded?
How many outlets opened, closed or transferred in Item 20, and can you call former owners?

How we read FDDs · Glossary · Under $50k · Under $100k · Under $150k