RANKED · 775 BRANDS QUALIFY · FDD FILINGS 2024–2026 · NONE OLDER THAN TWO YEARS
What are the cheapest franchises to open?
Ranked by the low end of the total initial investment range in Item 7 of each brand's latest FDD — the smallest all-in figure the franchisor itself will put on paper.
| # | Brand | Sector | Min. investment · Item 7 | Franchised units | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PACKAGEHUB BUSINESS CENTERS | Business Services | $2K–$109K | 1,244 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 2 | BELOCAL | Business Services | $2K–$11K | 133 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 3 | REAL PRODUCERS | Business Services | $2K–$12K | 137 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 4 | CRUISE PLANNERS | Recreation & Entertainment | $2K–$21K | 3,124 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 5 | Stroll, Greet | Business Services | $2K–$13K | 546 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 6 | JAZZERCISE | Fitness | $2K–$64K | 5,092 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 7 | TRAVEL LEADERS | Recreation & Entertainment | $2K–$18K | 187 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 8 | HEALTH MART | Health & Wellness | $2K–$834K | 3,907 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 9 | POOP 911 | Pet Services | $4K–$26K | 196 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 10 | Winzer | Business Services | $6K–$16K | 267 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 11 | PROFORMA | Business Services | $7K–$28K | 483 | 2025 FDD ↗ |
| 12 | CANTEEN | Food & Dining | $9K–$44K | 100 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 13 | UNITED COUNTRY REAL ESTATE | Real Estate | $11K–$46K | 376 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 14 | Ameriprise Financial Services | Business Services | $12K–$133K | 4,003 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 15 | ANAGO OF MINNEAPOLIS | Cleaning & Restoration | $13K–$68K | 1,868 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 16 | Moms on the Run | Fitness | $14K–$21K | 25 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 17 | NEXTHOME | Real Estate | $17K–$242K | 587 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 18 | Dealer Specialties | Automotive | $17K–$45K | 25 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 19 | HI-5 ABA | Health & Wellness | $18K–$110K | 26 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 20 | Ace Sushi (Non-Traditional) | Food & Dining | $18K–$228K | 117 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 21 | Ace Sushi (Traditional) | Food & Dining | $18K–$120K | 541 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 22 | Aplus Area Representative | Automotive | $20K–$39K | 247 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 23 | Bento Sushi | Food & Dining | $20K–$146K | 63 | 2025 FDD ↗ |
| 24 | Kitchen Refresh | Home Services | $21K–$134K | 4 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 25 | American Poolplayers Association | Recreation & Entertainment | $22K–$31K | 356 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 26 | Casago (unit) | Real Estate | $23K–$1.3M | 125 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 27 | Carstar | Automotive | $24K–$165K | 471 | 2025 FDD ↗ |
| 28 | The Grout Doctor | Home Services | $24K–$38K | 78 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 29 | PEST AUTHORITY | Home Services | $26K–$106K | 341 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 30 | MAI SUSHI BARS | Food & Dining | $26K–$77K | 168 | 2025 FDD ↗ |
| 31 | Freshly Go | Food & Dining | $27K–$125K | — | 2025 FDD ↗ |
| 32 | FUJISAN ASIAN BAR KIOSKS | Food & Dining | $28K–$104K | 773 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 33 | JDOG JUNK REMOVAL & HAULING | Home Services | $30K–$157K | 123 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 34 | Yummi Sushi | Food & Dining | $31K–$322K | 554 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 35 | Vacation Planners | Recreation & Entertainment | $32K–$56K | — | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 36 | Lighting Partners | Home Services | $34K–$119K | 0 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 37 | FREEWAY INSURANCE | Business Services | $35K–$84K | 47 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 38 | TitleEase | Real Estate | $36K–$215K | 12 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 39 | SVN | Real Estate | $36K–$129K | 136 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 40 | RE/MAX | Real Estate | $37K–$337K | 2,994 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 41 | Trustegrity | Business Services | $38K–$74K | 14 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 42 | Superglass Windshield Repair | Automotive | $38K–$113K | 180 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 43 | C12 | Business Services | $38K–$68K | 74 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 44 | ProColor Collision | Automotive | $38K–$200K | 19 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
| 45 | MOSQUITO AUTHORITY | Home Services | $39K–$129K | 521 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 46 | Abrakadoodle | Education & Children | $39K–$83K | 34 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 47 | KOA | Hotels & Hospitality | $40K–$16.7M | 432 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 48 | Bee Organized | Home Services | $40K–$69K | 43 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 49 | Sit Means Sit | Pet Services | $40K–$137K | 148 | 2026 FDD ↗ |
| 50 | Signal Health Group | Health & Wellness | $40K–$82K | 13 | 2024 FDD · 1+ year old ↗ |
Brands are ranked by the low end of the Item 7 total initial investment estimate in their latest FDD filing (no more than two years old), ascending. Item 7 is the franchisor's own estimate and famously optimistic on working capital; treat the low end as a floor, not a budget. Brands without an extracted Item 7 low figure are excluded.
Universe: every brand tracked here whose latest filing is a machine extraction from a public FDD (state regulator portals, chiefly Minnesota CARDS), filed 2024–2026. Filings more than two years old and sample/seed data never enter a ranking. Each row's “FDD” link is the official document the figure came from; each brand link leads to the full sourced profile. See the site methodology for extraction and confidence rules.
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.