How FedEx is run
FedEx Office operated about 2,000 customer-facing stores in May 2026, nearly all of them leased, in strip malls, office buildings, Walmart stores, hotels, universities and hospitals. Its annual report describes no franchised stores. (FedEx annual report, fiscal 2026)
Running delivery routes under contract
FedEx contracts with about 5,300 independent small businesses that run some of its linehaul and pickup-and-delivery work with their own vehicles and drivers. (FedEx annual report, fiscal 2026)
Franchises like FedEx
If you want to own a shipping business, these franchise brands sell the closest thing to FedEx, largest first.
| Brand | Cost to open | Fee | Royalty | Locations | Sales a location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The UPS StoreFee $40K · Royalty 5% · Sales $724K a location | $222K–$606K | $40K | 5% | 5,503+363 in 3 yrs | $724K |
| PostalAnnexFee $35K · Royalty 5% · Sales $401K a location | $266K–$370K | $35K | 5% | 327+22 in 3 yrs | $401K |
| PostNetFee $40K · Royalty 5% · Sales $360K a location | $240K–$307K | $40K | 5% | 204+4 in 3 yrs | $360K |
| UnishippersFee $2K–$30K · Royalty 15%–18.5% of gross margin + minimum | $17K–$233K | $2K–$30K | 15%–18.5% of gross margin + minimum | 192−93 in 3 yrs | – |
| Craters & FreightersFee $35K–$45K · Royalty 5%; minimum and volume terms | $207K–$390K | $35K–$45K | 5%; minimum and volume terms | 65+1 in 3 yrs | – |
| InXpressFee $50K · Royalty 30% of margin | $87K–$169K | $50K | 30% of margin | 54−29 in 3 yrs | – |
| Navis Pack & ShipFee $35K · Royalty 6% · Sales $659K a location | $132K–$201K | $35K | 6% | 48+3 in 3 yrs | $659K |
| Postal ConnectionsFee $36K · Royalty 4% · Sales $373K a location | $134K–$239K | $36K | 4% | 38−2 in 3 yrs | $373K |
Locations are US locations, franchised and company-owned, at the end of the latest year filed. Sales are yearly, before costs, where the brand publishes them.
The UPS Store is the largest, with 5,503 US locations, and Unishippers costs least to open, from $17,365. The UPS Store added the most locations, +363 over 3 years. Of the brands that publish sales, The UPS Store reports the most per location, $724K a year. The typical shipping franchise starts at $128K to open; see where the money goes.
Sources
Questions
Which of these shipping franchises loses the fewest owners?
Craters & Freighters. None of its franchised locations closed, were terminated or weren't renewed over the years its latest filing covers, against 27.5% a year at InXpress. Buy-backs by the franchisor and sales to new owners don't count as exits. Failure rates by brand