Franchise Guides

Free educational guides on franchise research, FDD analysis, and investment evaluation.

How Much Does a Franchise Cost? FDD Item 7 Data

How to read the full startup-cost range in FDD Item 7, with filing-backed investment tiers and essential caveats.

How to Evaluate a Franchise Before Buying

A comprehensive step-by-step guide to evaluating any franchise opportunity, from reading the FDD to speaking with existing franchisees.

Understanding Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs)

What's inside a Franchise Disclosure Document, what each of the 23 items means, and what red flags to watch for before signing anything.

Franchises Under $100K: Lowest-Investment Options

20 lower-investment franchise opportunities, sorted by minimum initial investment (FDD Item 7). Investment size alone doesn't indicate quality or profitability.

Franchise Failure Rates: What the Data Shows

What do FDD Item 20 disclosures reveal about franchise termination and non-renewal rates? What the data shows, and what it doesn't.

Franchise vs Independent Business: Pros and Cons

A side-by-side comparison of buying a franchise versus starting an independent business, costs, risk, control, income potential, and when each makes sense.

Methodology

Our franchise data and guides are based on publicly available Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) and FTC filings. We do not accept payment for listings or recommendations. Full methodology →

About These Franchise Guides

Plain Franchise's guides are written by editors who have read FDDs in production for years, validated against FTC Franchise Rule guidance, and updated when material disclosure regulation changes. We do not accept payment from franchisors for guide placement, and we do not earn commissions on franchise sales. Every guide cites primary FDD items rather than secondary sources where the disclosure data is the authoritative answer. Guides are intended for prospective franchisees during the cooling-off period, journalists covering franchise topics, and small-business advisors evaluating opportunities for clients. Nothing on this site is investment, legal, or tax advice, every franchise commitment requires independent counsel from a qualified franchise attorney and a CPA familiar with the specific franchise structure and the operator's financial position.

Related

Data sourced from FDDs filed with the FTC under 16 CFR Part 436. Compiled by PlainFranchise Editorial.

Compiled from official source data by Plainfranchise Editorial