We grouped 285 franchise brands we've profiled into 15 categories to compare typical startup cost — from home-based referral models under $10K to full hotel builds over $8M.
How much a franchise costs to open depends far more on its category than its name recognition. Across the 285 franchise brands ClearValue Lending has profiled — each sourced from the brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) Item 7 estimated initial investment table, per the FTC Franchise Rule (16 CFR Part 436) — total startup cost ranges from $3.7K for a home-based travel-agency franchise to $17M for a full-service hotel build. The table below groups all 285 brands into 15 categories so you can see where a given business type typically lands before you dig into a specific brand's cost-to-start page.
| Category | Median Investment | Full Range | Brands Profiled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real Estate & Travel Brokerages | $30K–$330K | $9K–$1M | 6 |
| Business, Tax & Financial Services | $58K–$152K | $32K–$329K | 11 |
| Cleaning & Restoration | $103K–$211K | $4K–$566K | 17 |
| Moving & Hauling | $105K–$265K | $86K–$610K | 4 |
| Home Repair & Trade Services (plumbing, electric, HVAC, painting) | $118K–$202K | $40K–$575K | 23 |
| Senior Care, Child Care & Tutoring | $128K–$242K | $68K–$5.5M | 19 |
| Fitness Studios & Gyms | $190K–$523K | $53K–$4.3M | 16 |
| Retail, Shipping, Printing & Device Repair | $200K–$444K | $10K–$2M | 20 |
| Automotive (oil change, tires, tools, repair) | $238K–$444K | $92K–$2.5M | 15 |
| Beauty, Salon & Personal Care | $290K–$560K | $76K–$1.9M | 21 |
| Food & Restaurant (QSR, fast-casual, bakery, coffee, ice cream) | $367K–$1M | $36K–$8.7M | 117 |
| Pet Care | $590K–$1.5M | $94K–$1.6M | 8 |
| Family Entertainment (trampoline parks, paint/wine studios) | $1.1M–$2.7M | $73K–$11M | 4 |
| Health & Wellness Clinics | $1.2M–$2.5M | $210K–$2.5M | 2 |
| Hotel Franchises | $8M–$17M | $8M–$17M | 2 |
"Median investment" is the midpoint of the low end and midpoint of the high end across every brand we've profiled in that category — use it as a typical starting point, not a quote. Every brand's own cost-to-start page breaks down the franchise fee, build-out, equipment, and working-capital components behind its specific range. Browse all 285 franchise guides.
Category doesn't change which financing products exist — it changes which one fits best. Franchise fee, build-out, and working capital across nearly every category in this comparison can run through a single SBA 7(a) loan, up to the program's per-borrower guarantee cap (the SBA's cumulative 7(a)/504 exposure limit doubled to $10 million effective July 4, 2026). Categories with a heavy real-estate component — hotels, large-format fitness clubs, salon-suite concepts — more often pair 7(a) (build-out, equipment, working capital) with SBA 504 (the real property piece) or a conventional commercial real estate loan. See the full walkthrough of how to match financing structure to your specific cost breakdown in how to finance a franchise.
Real estate & travel brokerages, which run on referral commissions rather than a physical build-out — Dream Vacations and Cruise Planners both start around $9K–$24K. Among brands that require a physical location, home repair and trade-service franchises (plumbing, electrical, handyman) have the lowest median entry point in this comparison at roughly $118K–$202K.
Hotel franchises, by a wide margin — Holiday Inn Express and Hampton Inn both require $8M+ in total investment because the franchisee is financing land, construction, and a full hotel build, not just a franchise fee and interior build-out.
Not necessarily. Franchise fee is typically the smallest line item in the total investment — usually $25K–$60K regardless of category. Total investment is driven by build-out cost, equipment, and real estate, which is why two brands with similar franchise fees can have total investment ranges that differ by $1M or more. Check the full cost breakdown on the specific brand's cost-to-start page rather than comparing franchise fees alone.
SBA 7(a) can structure financing for the franchise fee, build-out, equipment, and working capital in nearly every category here, subject to the brand passing SBA affiliation review (most major brands are pre-cleared via the SBA Franchise Directory). Real-estate-heavy categories — hotels, large fitness clubs, salon-suite concepts — more often need 7(a) paired with SBA 504 or a conventional commercial real estate loan for the property component.
ClearValue Lending routes franchise financing applications — SBA 7(a), SBA 504, equipment financing, and working capital — to lender partners matched to your category and investment range. Apply for franchise financing at Find my match. Your file routes to the funding partners best matched to your file.