Best low-cost franchises

A low cost to open is the easiest part of a franchise to compare and the least useful on its own. What matters is whether owners who paid that price are still in business. This ranking takes every brand that can open for $100K or less and applies the same five tests as our best franchises to own ranking, using each brand’s locations, openings and closures from 2023 to 2025.

Brands that pass all five come first, then the brands that miss just one, each with the test it missed. Within each group, the brand whose owners leave least often ranks higher. Brands too new to have three years of figures aren’t ranked, and brands that miss only because they had fewer than 100 locations are listed separately below.

The best low-cost franchises

Soccer Shots leads, losing 0.7% of its franchised locations a year while growing 23% to 336 locations, from $43K to open. Growth is the change in US locations, franchised and company-run together, over the three years. Exits are franchised locations that closed, were terminated or weren’t renewed, as a share of the average count each year.

The five tests

Each test is a yes-or-no question about the brand’s record. How the 227 low-cost brands with three comparable years did on each:

Size and owner exits rule out the most brands. Only 72 of the 227 had 100 or more US locations three years ago, since cheap franchises are often young, and only 82 kept exits at or below the typical rate for all brands. Of the 21 brands that miss one test, 16 miss on exits: they are growing and well established, but more owners leave than in most systems. The tests use the typical exit rate across every brand scored, not just cheap ones, so a low-cost brand has to keep its owners as well as a typical franchise of any price to pass.

Best low-cost franchises by budget

The ranking split by the low end of the cost to open, in ranking order. Under $50K, the business is usually a territory you work yourself; closer to $100K, it usually pays for an office, a vehicle or the first staff.

For the cheapest end of the market, see the franchises under $50K, under $30K and under $10K lists, which include every brand at that price whether or not it passes.

By industry

The ranked brands cluster in a few kinds of business that need an office, a van or a borrowed gym rather than a storefront. These are the industries with three or more:

Home care and senior care has the most ranked brands, 7, led by Right at Home. Agencies and programs that work from an office, a van or a rented gym cost little to open because most of the money goes on the territory, training and the first months of payroll rather than a building. A kitchen alone usually costs more than $100K, which is why so few restaurants make this list; the cheap restaurant franchises guide covers the smallest food formats.

Younger brands under $100K

These brands pass every test except size: they grew, kept their owners, share earnings figures and are on the SBA directory, but had fewer than 100 US locations in 2023. They have a shorter record, so lean harder on calls with current owners. Only brands with at least 20 locations then are shown.

If you want a business you can run from home, see the home-based franchises guide; if this is your first business, the best franchises for first-time owners adds a training test.