Rankings · Lowest investment · FDD 2024

Cheapest Franchises to Open

The 50 franchises with the lowest total initial investment (FDD Item 7) - the franchise fee, equipment, inventory and startup costs combined, lowest first.

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.
$0
Lowest (Century 21)
27
Under $50K
50
Brands ranked
Not investment advice: This ranks franchises strictly by minimum initial investment (FDD Item 7) - the cheapest to open, not the best return or the safest bet. Pair it with each brand's Item 19 revenue disclosure and Item 20 termination history, and consult a franchise attorney or accountant before investing.

The list in one line

The lowest-cost franchises start at $0 - 27 of the 50 cheapest open for under $50,000, almost all home-based, mobile or service models with no storefront build-out.

$0
Cheapest: Century 21
27
Brands under $50K to open
$76K
Highest entry in this top 50

The 12 lowest-investment franchises

Minimum total initial investment (FDD Item 7), lowest first

K min.

What this shows Century 21 is the lowest-cost entry at $0.

Source Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDD Item 7) As of 2024
# Franchise Min. investmentMaxFranchise feeRoyalty
1 Century 21 Real Estate $0 $25K - 6%
2 Coldwell Banker Real Estate $0 $300K - 6%
3 Sotheby's International Realty Real Estate $0 $300K - 6%
4 ERA Real Estate Real Estate $0 $100K - 6%
5 Cruise Planners travel-hospitality $2K $23K $11K 3%
6 Music Together Education $3K $20K $3K 10%
7 Jan-Pro Home Services $4K $52K $3K -
8 Anago Cleaning Systems Home Services $10K $90K $5K 10%
9 NextHome Real Estate $10K $20K $5K 3%
10 Jani-King Home Services $11K $440K $9K 10%
11 Coverall Home Services $14K $60K - -
12 Bricks 4 Kidz Education $25K $75K $25K 7%
13 Sit Means Sit Dog Training Pet Services $26K $110K $30K 8%
14 OpenWorks Home Services $30K $200K $10K -
15 ACFN Franchised Inc Financial Services $30K $50K $10K -
16 H&R Block Business Services $32K $139K $3K 30.5%
17 Soccer Shots Education $35K $66K $28K 8%
18 Dale Carnegie Training Business Services $36K $148K - -
19 Curves Health & Fitness $37K $77K - 5%
20 RE/MAX Real Estate $37K $224K $18K -
21 7-Eleven Retail $37K $1.64M $0 -
22 i9 Sports Education $39K $67K $30K 7.5%
23 Hallmark Retail $40K $200K - -
24 Succentrix Business Advisors Business Services $41K $104K $45K 11%
25 Jackson Hewitt Business Services $47K $96K $15K -
26 HomeVestors Real Estate $47K $452K $70K -
27 Cold Stone Creamery Food & Beverage $50K $467K $42K 6%
28 U.S. Lawns Home Services $50K $100K $35K 4%
29 Eye Level Learning Centers Education $50K $100K $15K 6%
30 Money Mailer Business Services $50K $100K - -
31 Fetch! Pet Care Pet Services $50K $126K $20K 7%
32 GNC Retail $55K $300K $40K 6%
33 Chem-Dry Home Services $56K $158K $24K -
34 ActionCOACH Business Services $56K $139K $45K -
35 Liberty Tax Service Business Services $58K $92K $40K 14%
36 Griswold Home Care Senior Care $59K $160K $40K 3%
37 Nerds On Call tech-it $60K $120K $30K 6%
38 Tutor Doctor Education $65K $120K $51K 8%
39 Senior Helpers Senior Care $67K $145K $50K 5%
40 Weed Man Home Services $68K $245K $20K 8%
41 Assisting Hands Senior Care $68K $150K $50K 5%
42 Sylvan Learning Education $71K $176K $47K 8.33%
43 Sparkle Wash Home Services $72K $198K $25K 3%
44 The Grounds Guys Home Services $73K $220K $40K 6%
45 911 Restoration Home Services $74K $219K $50K 5.5%
46 Minuteman Press Retail $74K $231K $48K 6%
47 Kumon Education $74K $154K $1K 5.14%
48 Rainbow International Home Services $75K $210K $38K 7%
49 Bark Busters Pet Services $75K $120K $30K 10%
50 Office Pride Home Services $76K $148K $38K 9%

According to Franchise Disclosure Documents published under the FTC's Franchise Rule (FDD year 2024), the 50 lowest-investment franchises range from $2,095 to over $1,000,000 in total initial investment (FDD Item 7). See our methodology for how these figures are compiled.

Important: Investment figures represent the low end of the total initial investment range disclosed in FDD Item 7. Actual costs vary by location, market conditions, and individual circumstances. Always consult the full FDD and an independent advisor before investing.

Source: Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs), published under the FTC's Franchise Rule Data reflects most recent available FDD year for each franchise

What the Lowest-Investment Rankings Reveal

The lowest-investment franchises ranked here sit at the bottom of the FDD Item 7 disclosure spectrum, typically home-based, mobile, or kiosk-format brands where the franchisor minimizes required real estate, build-out, and equipment. Many systems on this list start under $50,000 in total initial investment, but that figure should be read against franchisee earnings (Item 19) and unit closures (Item 20) before drawing any conclusion about ROI. Low capital requirements do not equate to low risk, always pair the investment range with sustained-unit growth, the royalty rate, and the franchisor's own disclosed financial performance representations. Note that the Item 7 range generally excludes ongoing working-capital needs beyond the first three months of operation.

Related rankings & guides

PlainFranchise currently publishes an editorial comparison registry. This release does not yet link every displayed figure to its underlying FDD and retrieval date, so do not treat a registry value as a verified source record. Verify a material figure in the brand's current FDD before relying on it. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.