Buff City Soap franchise
A Buff City Soap franchisee operates a shop selling plant-based soaps, bath products, laundry products and related goods. At the end of 2025 there were 230 Buff City Soap locations in the US, 222 franchised and 8 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $383K–$956K
- Franchise fee
- $50,000
- Royalty
- 6%
- Locations, 2025
- 230−30 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- SBA loans
- Not on the SBA Franchise Directory
From BUFF CITY SOAP FRANCHISING, LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
How much a Buff City Soap franchise costs
Opening one shop costs an estimated $383,292 to $956,024. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: BUFF CITY SOAP FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 26
Buff City Soap franchise fee
The franchise fee is $50,000. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: BUFF CITY SOAP FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 15
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 6% of net sales, currently paid monthly. |
|---|
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: BUFF CITY SOAP FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 16
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Buff City Soap publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: historical results for mature shops operating at least 18 months, with franchise and company cohorts distinguished. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: BUFF CITY SOAP FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 60
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 262 (+10) | 9 | 2 |
| 2024 | 251 (−11) | 9 | 15 |
| 2025 | 222 (−29) | 8 | 32 |
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.
Source: BUFF CITY SOAP FRANCHISING, LLC, 2026 filing, page 64
How Buff City Soap compares
Of the 36 retail franchises on this site, Buff City Soap is the 28th cheapest to open and the 17th largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Buff City Soap | Typical retail |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $383K | $242K |
| Royalty | 6% | 5% |
| Closed or left per year | 6.4% | 4.6% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | −11.9% | +5.2% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 33 of 36 |
Typical is the median across the 36 brands in retail franchises.
