Home Instead franchise
Home Instead provides non-medical home care for older adults, such as companionship, meal preparation, personal care and help with errands, so they can stay at home. Franchisees employ and train the caregivers, which the brand calls Care Pros. At the end of 2025 there were 634 Home Instead locations in the US, 626 franchised and 8 company-owned.
- Cost to open
- $93K–$351K
- Franchise fee
- $54,000
- Royalty
- 5%
- Locations, 2025
- 634+12 in 3 yrs
Compare with similar brands Estimate your costs
Company snapshot
- Franchising since
- 1995
- Franchisor based in
- Omaha, Nebraska
- Time to open
- Must open within 30 days of signing
- Agreement length
- 5 years
- Territory
- Protected territory, at least 10,000 people aged 65 and over
- Financing
- None offered
From Home Instead, Inc’s 2026 filing.
How much a Home Instead franchise costs
Opening one Home Instead franchise costs an estimated $92,640 to $350,550. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: Home Instead, Inc, 2026 filing, page 27
Home Instead franchise fee
The franchise fee is $54,000, per franchise (20% off for qualifying veterans). You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: Home Instead, Inc, 2026 filing, page 19
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 5% of gross sales, paid twice a month. |
|---|---|
| Brand or marketing fund | 2% of gross sales |
Source: Home Instead, Inc, 2026 filing, page 21
Sales and earnings
Shares figures Home Instead publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: it reports historical gross sales for franchised businesses. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: Home Instead, Inc, 2026 filing, page 63
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 616 (+2) | 3 | 6 |
| 2024 | 619 (+3) | 6 | 14 |
| 2025 | 626 (+7) | 8 | 10 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
Source: Home Instead, Inc, 2026 filing, page 66
How Home Instead compares
Of the 8 home care franchises on this site, Home Instead is the 2nd cheapest to open and the largest by number of locations.
| Measure | Home Instead | Typical home care |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $93K | $107K |
| Royalty | 5% | 5% |
| Closed or left per year | 1.6% | 2.9% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | +2% | +20.6% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 8 of 8 |
Typical is the median across the 8 brands in home care franchises.
Other home care franchises
Home Instead franchise questions
How long does it take to open a Home Instead?
Must open within 30 days of signing, according to Home Instead's 2026 filing. Finding a site, permits and build-out are what usually stretch it.
Does Home Instead help with financing?
No. Home Instead does not offer financing or guarantee loans or leases, so buyers arrange their own, usually a bank or SBA loan.
Do Home Instead franchisees get a protected territory?
Yes. Home Instead assigns a protected territory (at least 10,000 people aged 65 and over) where it won't open or license another location while you meet the agreement's terms.
How long is a Home Instead franchise agreement?
The initial term is 5 years. Renewal is usually possible if you're in good standing, often for a fee and a remodel.
Is Home Instead growing or shrinking?
Over the last 3 years 42 franchised locations opened and 30 closed or left, a net change of +2%. About 1.6% of locations closed or left each year. That is below the 2.9% typical for home care franchises.
How does Home Instead compare with other home care franchises?
Of the 8 home care franchises here, Home Instead is the 2nd cheapest to open (low end $93K against a $107K median) and the largest by number of locations. Its 5% royalty is in line with the 5% median.
Does Home Instead say how much franchisees make?
Yes: it reports historical gross sales for franchised businesses. Your results can differ; the filing explains which locations are counted.
Where is Home Instead based?
Home Instead, Inc is based in Omaha, Nebraska and the brand has sold franchises since 1995.