RANKED · STRONG & STEADY ONLY · 26 BRANDS
Best business services franchises that can start under $1M
Only brands we rate Strong or Steady appear — from a current FDD (no more than two years old), with enough history to judge, and a loan record that doesn't cap the rating. Strong first. Verdicts are our opinion from the filed record, not investment advice.
Only the cheapest disclosed format is below this budget — the upper end of the range may be far above it. These are filing estimates, not a quote for your location.
- 1. C12Strong
$38K–$68K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +14% · 2026 FDD
$80K–$84K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +53% · 2026 FDD
- 3. SIGNAL 88 SECURITYStrong
$127K–$5.1M to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +24% · 2024 FDD · 1+ year old
- 4. SOCIAL INDOORStrong
$94K–$311K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +21% · 2026 FDD
$222K–$606K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +9% · 2026 FDD
$114K–$413K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +9% · 2026 FDD
- 7. TransworldStrong
$97K–$122K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +30% · 2024 FDD · 1+ year old
$2K–$109K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +174% · 2026 FDD
- 9. WSISteady
$76K–$107K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +3% · 2026 FDD
$114K–$134K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +41% · 2026 FDD
$66K–$128K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +13% · 2026 FDD
- 12. BNISteady
$53K–$270K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +2% · 2026 FDD
$66K–$88K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: 0% · 2026 FDD
- 14. THE SCOUT GUIDESteady
$132K–$317K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +27% · 2026 FDD
- 15. LABOR FINDERSSteady
$154K–$354K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: -5% · 2024 FDD · 1+ year old
- 16. POSTNETSteady
$240K–$307K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +1% · 2026 FDD
- 17. SnellingSteady
$45K–$148K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: 0% · 2025 FDD
- 18. Stroll, GreetSteady
$2K–$13K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +9% · 2024 FDD · 1+ year old
- 19. OFFICE EVOLUTIONSteady
$245K–$2.8M to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +6% · 2026 FDD
$77K–$140K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +15% · 2026 FDD
- 21. Schooley MitchellSteady
$71K–$81K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +19% · 2024 FDD · 1+ year old
- 22. SANDLERSteady
$84K–$108K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +7% · 2026 FDD
- 23. REAL PRODUCERSSteady
$2K–$12K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +15% · 2024 FDD · 1+ year old
$96K–$128K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: -5% · 2024 FDD · 1+ year old
- 25. BELOCALSteady
$2K–$11K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: +2% · 2024 FDD · 1+ year old
$12K–$133K to open · Filed FDD
Net units: -4% · 2024 FDD · 1+ year old
| # | Units · latest run | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | C12 $38K–$68K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDBusiness coaching & peer advisory2026 FDD | Strong | +14% | |
| 02 | Fundraising University $80K–$84K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDBusiness Services2026 FDD | Strong | +53% | |
| 03 | SIGNAL 88 SECURITY $127K–$5.1M to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDSecurity guard services2024 FDD · 1+ year old | Strong | +24% | |
| 04 | SOCIAL INDOOR $94K–$311K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDDirect mail & local publications2026 FDD | Strong | +21% | |
| 05 | THE UPS STORE (TRADITIONAL) $222K–$606K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDPack & ship / mailbox stores2026 FDD | Strong | +9% | |
| 06 | THE UPS STORE NON-TRADITIONAL $114K–$413K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDPack & ship / mailbox stores2026 FDD | Strong | +9% | |
| 07 | Transworld $97K–$122K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDBusiness brokerage2024 FDD · 1+ year old | Strong | +30% | |
| 08 | PACKAGEHUB BUSINESS CENTERS $2K–$109K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDPack & ship / mailbox stores2026 FDD | Steady | +174% | |
| 09 | WSI $76K–$107K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDBusiness Services2026 FDD | Steady | +3% | |
| 10 | The Entrepreneurs Source $114K–$134K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDBusiness coaching & peer advisory2026 FDD | Steady | +41% | |
| 11 | FITNESS MACHINE TECHNICIANS FMT $66K–$128K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDMobile equipment repair2026 FDD | Steady | +13% | |
| 12 | BNI $53K–$270K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDBusiness coaching & peer advisory2026 FDD | Steady | +2% | |
| 13 | MURPHY BUSINESS & FINANCIAL CORPORATION $66K–$88K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDBusiness brokerage2026 FDD | Steady | 0% | |
| 14 | THE SCOUT GUIDE $132K–$317K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDDirect mail & local publications2026 FDD | Steady | +27% | |
| 15 | LABOR FINDERS $154K–$354K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDStaffing & recruiting2024 FDD · 1+ year old | Steady | -5% | |
| 16 | POSTNET $240K–$307K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDPack & ship / mailbox stores2026 FDD | Steady | +1% | |
| 17 | Snelling $45K–$148K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDStaffing & recruiting2025 FDD | Steady | 0% | |
| 18 | Stroll, Greet $2K–$13K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDDirect mail & local publications2024 FDD · 1+ year old | Steady | +9% | |
| 19 | OFFICE EVOLUTION $245K–$2.8M to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDCoworking & flexible office2026 FDD | Steady | +6% | |
| 20 | Payroll Vault Franchising $77K–$140K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDBookkeeping & payroll2026 FDD | Steady | +15% | |
| 21 | Schooley Mitchell $71K–$81K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDExpense-reduction consulting2024 FDD · 1+ year old | Steady | +19% | |
| 22 | SANDLER $84K–$108K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDBusiness coaching & peer advisory2026 FDD | Steady | +7% | |
| 23 | REAL PRODUCERS $2K–$12K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDDirect mail & local publications2024 FDD · 1+ year old | Steady | +15% | |
| 24 | JACKSON HEWITT TAX SERVICE $96K–$128K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDTax preparation2024 FDD · 1+ year old | Steady | -5% | |
| 25 | BELOCAL $2K–$11K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDDirect mail & local publications2024 FDD · 1+ year old | Steady | +2% | |
| 26 | Ameriprise Financial Services $12K–$133K to open ✓ FROM FILED FDDFinancial advisory2024 FDD · 1+ year old | Steady | -4% |
A broker is usually paid by the franchisor to place you. I'm paid only by you, never by a franchisor you're considering — and the job is pressure-testing the numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.