How Much Does It Cost to Start a Franchise in 2026? Top 10 Under $100K

In an uncertain economy, franchises look attractive. You're buying a proven system, an established brand, and operational playbooks that took someone else years and many expensive mistakes to develop. The tradeoff: you pay for all of that upfront in franchise fees and ongoing royalties, and you operate under someone else's rules indefinitely.

The average franchise investment across all categories runs $150,000-$500,000 (FTC, 2025). But the affordable tier, franchises you can launch for under $100,000, is larger than most people realize and spans industries from cleaning services to travel planning to fitness. Here are the 10 most accessible franchises in 2026, with the real cost numbers from their Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) and an honest comparison to starting independently.

How Franchise Costs Work

Every US franchise must file a Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) with the FTC. Item 5 covers initial fees. Item 7 covers the estimated total initial investment. These are the numbers to use. Marketing materials and franchise sales reps will always present the most optimistic interpretation of costs. The FDD is the legal document.

Total investment includes: initial franchise fee + equipment + training + working capital + real estate or vehicle if applicable. Ongoing costs include royalties (typically 5-8% of gross revenue) and brand marketing funds (typically 1-4%). On a $600,000/year business, a 7% royalty is $42,000/year leaving through the top line before you pay yourself.

1. Cruise Planners - $2,300-$22,000

A home-based travel agency franchise. You sell cruise and travel packages as an independent agent under the Cruise Planners brand, which has negotiated preferred rates with cruise lines. Training is provided. You work from home with no employees required.

Initial franchise fee: $695-$10,995 (varies by promotion)
Total investment: $2,295-$21,000
Royalty: 1-3% of commissions
What you're buying: Brand recognition with cruise lines, booking systems, training, and marketing support

vs. independent travel agency: Starting independently costs $1,500-$5,000 but you won't have preferred supplier relationships or the brand credibility that gets first-time clients. The franchise fee buys accelerated supplier access. Breakeven for most Cruise Planners franchisees: 12-24 months.

2. Dream Vacations - $3,500-$21,500

Similar model to Cruise Planners, also home-based, also selling cruise and vacation packages. Dream Vacations is owned by World Travel Holdings, one of the largest leisure travel companies. The slightly higher entry cost reflects a broader supplier network and stronger brand recognition in the cruise market.

Initial franchise fee: $495-$9,800
Total investment: $3,500-$21,500
Royalty: 1.5-3%
What you're buying: Supplier relationships, booking platform, training, and marketing tools

Travel franchises as a category have low capital requirements but income that varies enormously with your sales effort. The top 25% of franchisees in this category earn $50,000-$150,000+/year. The median is significantly lower.

3. Jazzercise - $3,500-$32,500

A fitness franchise model where you become a certified Jazzercise instructor and run classes at rented spaces (community centers, gyms, churches) with no permanent location required. The brand has been around since 1969 and has 8,000+ franchises globally.

Initial franchise fee: $1,250
Total investment: $3,500-$32,500
Royalty: 20% of collected class fees
What you're buying: Choreography licensing, music licensing, brand, instructor certification, and marketing materials

The 20% royalty is high relative to most franchises. On $60,000/year in class revenue, that's $12,000 to Jazzercise. The value proposition is the music and choreography licensing (which would be expensive and complex to handle independently) plus the brand recognition that fills classes.

Related: Personal Training Studio startup costs ($10,000-$75,000 independently).

4. Jan-Pro Cleaning & Disinfecting - $3,985-$51,605

Commercial cleaning franchise. You purchase a territory and provide janitorial services to businesses. Jan-Pro is one of the largest commercial cleaning franchises in the world. The model is straightforward: Jan-Pro sells you client accounts (guaranteed minimum revenue) as part of your franchise package.

Initial franchise fee: $2,520-$44,380 (based on territory size and guaranteed monthly billings)
Total investment: $3,985-$51,605
Royalty: 10% of gross revenue
What you're buying: A set of client accounts, training, equipment list, and brand. You're effectively buying a book of business.

vs. independent cleaning business: Starting a commercial cleaning business independently costs $5,000-$30,000 but you have to find your own clients. Jan-Pro's key advantage is the guaranteed initial accounts. The 10% royalty and brand restrictions are ongoing costs. Read the FDD carefully: some Jan-Pro franchisees report that the guaranteed revenue is lower than expected and client retention varies by market.

5. Stratus Building Solutions - $4,500-$75,000

Another commercial cleaning franchise. Stratus positions itself as a tech-forward cleaning company with proprietary systems and eco-friendly products. Like Jan-Pro, you purchase a territory with guaranteed accounts.

Initial franchise fee: $3,600-$66,000
Total investment: $4,500-$75,000
Royalty: 5% of gross revenue
What you're buying: Client accounts, cleaning systems, training, and eco-friendly product line

The lower royalty rate (5% vs Jan-Pro's 10%) is a meaningful difference at scale. On $100,000/year in revenue, that's $5,000 vs $10,000. Both models work in markets where commercial real estate is active. Both struggle in markets with declining office occupancy.

6. Coverall Cleaning - $15,000-$49,510

A third major commercial cleaning franchise. Coverall has been operating since 1985 and has 9,000+ franchise units. The model is similar to Jan-Pro and Stratus: buy a territory with guaranteed accounts, service those accounts, add more over time.

Initial franchise fee: $13,500-$35,000
Total investment: $15,000-$49,510
Royalty: 5% of gross revenue plus a management fee
What you're buying: Client accounts, training, and the Coverall system

The commercial cleaning franchise space is crowded at the entry level. Jan-Pro, Stratus, and Coverall all compete in the same markets. The differentiation between them is thin. Compare FDDs carefully, talk to existing franchisees (Item 20 of the FDD lists them), and ask about client retention and account renewal rates in your specific territory.

7. Bin There Dump That - $35,000-$80,000

A residential dumpster rental franchise. You own and operate mini dumpsters (smaller than commercial roll-offs) for residential cleanouts, renovations, and moves. The differentiator: driveway-friendly containers that don't damage pavement, targeted at homeowners rather than contractors.

Initial franchise fee: $30,000-$40,000
Total investment: $35,000-$80,000 (includes vehicle and dumpster inventory)
Royalty: 8% of gross revenue
What you're buying: Exclusive territory, proprietary dumpster design, brand, and operational systems

vs. independent dumpster business: Starting a dumpster rental business independently costs $20,000-$80,000 for similar equipment. The franchise adds brand recognition and the proprietary dumpster design (which is the actual differentiator in this market). The 8% royalty is the ongoing cost of that differentiation.

8. Chem-Dry Carpet Cleaning - $56,000-$170,000

The largest carpet cleaning franchise in the world with 3,000+ units. Uses a proprietary hot carbonation process that's positioned as faster-drying and more eco-friendly than traditional steam cleaning. The system is the differentiator and the reason the franchise commands a premium over independent carpet cleaners.

Initial franchise fee: $23,500
Total investment: $56,495-$170,295
Royalty: Fixed monthly fee ($491/month) rather than percentage-based
What you're buying: Proprietary cleaning system and chemistry, brand, lead generation, and a fixed-cost royalty structure

The fixed royalty is notable. Most franchises charge a percentage of revenue. Chem-Dry's fixed fee means your effective royalty rate drops as revenue grows. At $100,000/year, the royalty is 5.9%. At $200,000/year, it's 2.9%. The model rewards volume.

Related: Carpet Cleaning Business startup costs ($5,000-$30,000 independently).

9. Lawn Doctor - $90,000-$130,000

A lawn care franchise focused on lawn treatment, fertilization, weed control, and pest management rather than mowing. The lawn treatment model has higher recurring revenue and better margins than mowing because customers buy seasonal programs rather than one-time services.

Initial franchise fee: $30,000
Total investment: $90,000-$130,000
Royalty: 10% of gross revenue
What you're buying: Proprietary lawn treatment equipment, chemical programs, brand, and territory

The 10% royalty is on the higher side but the recurring revenue model partially offsets it. Lawn Doctor franchisees who build a strong customer renewal base (60-70% annual renewal is typical) can run very predictable businesses. The higher total investment puts it at the edge of our $100K threshold but the entry-level territory packages can start under $100K.

10. MaidPro - $65,000-$116,000

A residential cleaning franchise. MaidPro has 300+ locations and differentiates on customer experience (custom cleaning plans, consistent cleaner assignments) rather than competing purely on price. The residential cleaning market is large and fragmented, which is why franchise brands can carve out premium positioning.

Initial franchise fee: $8,500-$22,500
Total investment: $65,000-$116,000
Royalty: 3.5-6.5% of gross revenue (scales down as revenue grows)
What you're buying: Brand, operations system, proprietary software, marketing support, and customer acquisition tools

vs. independent cleaning: Starting a residential cleaning business costs $1,500-$15,000 independently. MaidPro costs $65,000+. That gap is the value of the system, brand, and faster customer acquisition. Whether it's worth it depends entirely on your ability to sell. If you're a strong operator who struggles with sales and marketing, the franchise brand pays for itself. If you're a strong salesperson, go independent.

Franchise vs. Independent: The Real Financial Comparison

Model	Franchise Cost	Independent Cost	Ongoing Royalty Cost
Commercial Cleaning	$4,000-$75,000	$5,000-$30,000	5-10% of revenue forever
Carpet Cleaning	$56,000-$170,000	$5,000-$30,000	$491/month (fixed)
Lawn Treatment	$90,000-$130,000	$5,000-$50,000	10% of revenue forever
Residential Cleaning	$65,000-$116,000	$1,500-$15,000	3.5-6.5% of revenue forever
Travel Agency	$2,300-$22,000	$1,500-$5,000	1.5-3% of commissions

The math always comes down to this: can the brand, system, and support you're buying generate enough additional revenue to justify both the premium upfront cost and the perpetual royalty? In some categories the answer is clearly yes. In others, an experienced operator often does better going independent.

What to Check Before Signing Any Franchise Agreement

Item 19 of the FDD (Financial Performance Representations). Not all franchises are required to provide revenue or income data. If a franchisor doesn't include Item 19 data, ask why. The franchises that do provide it give you the most important data point: what do franchisees in this system actually earn?

Item 20 (Outlets and Franchisee Information). This lists all current and former franchisees with contact information. Call 10-15 of them. Ask what they'd do differently. Ask what the franchisor does and doesn't deliver. This conversation is worth more than any sales presentation.

Renewal and termination terms. A franchise agreement is typically 10 years. What happens at renewal? What can terminate your agreement? What restrictions exist if you want to sell? These terms vary significantly across franchisors and are often non-negotiable.

Total cost of royalties over 10 years. Run this math before signing. A 7% royalty on $400,000/year in revenue is $28,000/year, or $280,000 over 10 years. That's real money that goes to the franchisor regardless of your profitability. Factor it into your ROI calculation.

For the full independent startup cost for any of these categories, see our guides: