ITEMS 5–7 · 2026 FDD
How much is a BNI franchise?
Per BNI's 2026 FDD, the initial franchise fee is $35,000 (Item 5) and the total initial investment runs $53K–$270K (Item 7); once open, you pay an ongoing royalty of 20.0% of gross sales (Item 6).
$35,000
one-time, to buy in
20.0%
of gross sales, ongoing
$53K–$270K
franchisor's own estimate
| Cost line | BNI | Sector median |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee ITEM 5 | $35,000 | $47,500 |
| Ongoing royalty ITEM 6 | 20.0% | 7.3% |
| Total initial investment ITEM 7 | $53K–$270K | $78K–$131K |
MEDIANS: LATEST FDD FILINGS (≤24 MONTHS OLD) OF 58 BUSINESS SERVICES SYSTEMS · FULL BUSINESS SERVICES BENCHMARK →
The buy-in is the smaller number. The larger one is the drag: 20.0% of every sale leaves before rent, labor, or your salary — so breakeven depends on volume you cannot know from the FDD; use the Item 19 figures as a starting point, not a promise.
To open (Item 7)
$53K–$270K
all-in investment range
Franchise fee (Item 5)
$35,000
upfront, one-time
Royalty (Item 6)
20%
of sales, ongoing
Starts at a placeholder of $500K — a round figure for the sector, not from BNI’s filings. Set your own figure and check it against this brand's Item 19 and what owners tell you.
Royalty you'd pay / yr
$100K
20% of sales, before profit
Over a 10-yr term
$1M
royalties alone, excl. ad fund
This estimate is computed by software from the brand's public filings and any inputs you enter. No CPA prepared it for you and no assurance is provided on it. Actual results will differ, and the differences may be material.
This is not profit. It covers what the FDD fixes: what you put in, and the royalty you owe on sales. Your take-home depends on labor, rent, supplies, and the months to breakeven, none of which the FDD fixes for your unit (some Item 19s include cost data — read it).
Build a real pro-forma for BNI with a buyer-paid CPABNI cost questions, answered from the filing
How much is a BNI franchise?
Per BNI's 2026 FDD, opening a franchise requires an initial franchise fee of $35,000 (Item 5) and a total initial investment of $53K–$270K (Item 7). Item 7 is the franchisor's own estimate — treat the low end as a floor, not a budget.
What royalty does BNI charge?
BNI charges an ongoing royalty of 20.0% of gross sales, per Item 6 of its 2026 FDD. The median across 58 business services systems tracked here is 7.3%.
Does BNI tell you what franchisees earn?
Partly — BNI makes a financial performance representation in Item 19 of its 2026 FDD, reporting a median unit volume of $293K. Unit revenue is not owner profit: subtract royalties, ad fund, rent, labor, and debt service.
The BNI validation checklist
questions built from this brand's own filings · read them all on the profile
Want this as a checklist you can take to the calls?
I'll email you the printable version, and tell you if BNI’s numbers move — a new filing, a rising exit rate, a distress signal. Unsubscribe in one click.
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 BNI’s numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.