BNI franchise
A BNI franchisee operates a territory of business networking chapters that help members exchange referrals. At the end of 2025 there were 191 BNI locations in the US, 101 franchised and 90 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $53K–$270K
- Franchise fee
- $35,000
- Royalty
- 20%
- Locations, 2025
- 191−5 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- SBA loans
- On the SBA Franchise Directory
From BNI FRANCHISING, LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
How much a BNI franchise costs
Opening one territory costs an estimated $53,410 to $270,070. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: BNI FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 27
BNI franchise fee
The franchise fee is $35,000, for a territory with up to 250,000 people; add $150 per additional 1,000 people. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: BNI FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 19
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 20% of the previous month's gross revenues, paid monthly, subject to the franchise agreement's conditions. |
|---|
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: BNI FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 20
Sales and earnings
Shares figures BNI publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: BNI FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 47
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 102 (−4) | 85 | 4 |
| 2024 | 99 (−3) | 88 | 3 |
| 2025 | 101 (+2) | 90 | 4 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
BNI passes all five tests on our list of the best franchises to own and ranks number 36.
Source: BNI FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 52
