2026 Guide•36 franchises analyzed
You don't need $500K to own a franchise. We found 36 franchise opportunities under $50K, but cheap doesn't always mean good.
Cheapest Franchises to Own in 2026
You don't need $500K to own a franchise. We found 36 franchise opportunities under $50K, but cheap doesn't always mean good.
Sub-$50K franchises exist across cleaning, home services, mobile businesses, and consulting. The catch: many are essentially "business in a box" models where you're buying a system and territory, not a recognized brand. Some work well. Others leave franchisees with little support after the check clears.
We filtered FDDs to find franchises with total investment (not just franchise fee) under $50,000. Then we checked which ones actually have operating franchisees, transparent Item 19 data, and reasonable franchisee retention rates.
Data source: 2025 FDD filings · 36 franchises analyzed · Updated January 2026
Key Findings from FDD Analysis
36
cheap franchises analyzed
$19K - $30K
avg. investment
$13K
avg. franchise fee
$195K
avg. revenue (Item 19)
How We Ranked These Cheap franchises
This page shows franchises with total investment under $50K per Item 7 of their FDD, ranked by number of locations, reported revenue, and franchisee retention. At this price point, most opportunities are in cleaning, home services, mobile businesses, or consulting. Franchises with more operating units and longer track records appear higher.
Top Cheap franchises at a Glance
Ranked by Number of Locations
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Locations | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JAZZERCISE | $2K - $3K | $1K | 5,251 | - |
| CRUISE PLANNERS | $2K - $21K | $11K | 2,655 | - |
| CruiseOne | $13K - $21K | $11K | 2,175 | $446K |
| PACKAGEHUB BUSINESS CENTERS | $6K - $13K | N/A | 1,156 | - |
| SIGN GYPSIES | $4K - $5K | $1K | 587 | - |
| REAL PRODUCERS | $2K - $13K | $735 | 540 | - |
| Frontier Adjusters | $22K - $30K | $15K | 527 | $56K |
| CARD MY YARD | $10K - $19K | $9K | 505 | $20K |
| AMERICAN POOLPLAYER'S ASSOCIATION INC | $22K - $31K | $10K | 334 | - |
| AMERICAN POOLPLAYER'S ASSOCIATION INC | $22K - $31K | $10K | 325 | - |
10 Best Cheap franchises Ranked
Growing
Investment
$2K - $3K
Franchise Fee
$1K
Locations
5,251
Royalty
20.0%
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Litigation
Investment
$2K - $21K
Franchise Fee
$11K
Locations
2,655
Royalty
3.0%
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$13K - $21K
Franchise Fee
$11K
Locations
2,175
Avg. Revenue
$446K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$6K - $13K
Franchise Fee
N/A
Locations
1,156
Royalty
N/A
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$4K - $5K
Franchise Fee
$1K
Locations
587
Royalty
N/A
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$2K - $13K
Franchise Fee
$735
Locations
540
Royalty
15.0%
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$22K - $30K
Franchise Fee
$15K
Locations
527
Avg. Revenue
$56K
Source: 2024 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$10K - $19K
Franchise Fee
$9K
Locations
505
Avg. Revenue
$20K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$22K - $31K
Franchise Fee
$10K
Locations
334
Royalty
20.0%
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$22K - $31K
Franchise Fee
$10K
Locations
325
Royalty
20.0%
Source: 2024 FDD filingView details
Highest Profit Cheap franchises
Ranked by net income, EBITDA, or owner earnings from Item 19 FDD disclosures. Not all franchises disclose profit data.
Growing
Investment
$38K - $46K
Franchise Fee
$30K
Locations
212
Net Profit
$154K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Highest Revenue Cheap franchises
Ranked by average gross revenue per location from Item 19 FDD disclosures.
Growing
Investment
$13K - $21K
Franchise Fee
$11K
Locations
2,175
Avg. Revenue
$446K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$38K - $46K
Franchise Fee
$30K
Locations
212
Avg. Revenue
$444K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$24K - $37K
Franchise Fee
$20K
Locations
13
Avg. Revenue
$292K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Litigation
Investment
$38K - $46K
Franchise Fee
$15K
Locations
271
Avg. Revenue
$175K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$36K - $42K
Franchise Fee
$30K
Locations
94
Avg. Revenue
$163K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Fastest Growing Cheap franchises
Ranked by projected new locations from Item 20 of their FDD filings.
Growing
Investment
$13K - $21K
Franchise Fee
$11K
Locations
2,175
Avg. Revenue
$446K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$2K - $13K
Franchise Fee
$735
Locations
540
Royalty
15.0%
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$2K - $3K
Franchise Fee
$1K
Locations
5,251
Royalty
20.0%
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$6K - $13K
Franchise Fee
N/A
Locations
1,156
Royalty
N/A
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$4K - $5K
Franchise Fee
$1K
Locations
587
Royalty
N/A
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Most Affordable Cheap franchises
Ranked by minimum initial investment from Item 7 of their FDD filings.
Sorted by Minimum Investment
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Locations | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRUISE PLANNERS | $2K - $21K | $11K | 2,655 | - |
| JAZZERCISE | $2K - $3K | $1K | 5,251 | - |
| REAL PRODUCERS | $2K - $13K | $735 | 540 | - |
| TRAVEL LEADERS | $2K - $18K | $3K | 188 | - |
| FIT4MOM | $3K - $29K | $7K | 211 | - |
Who Should Consider Cheap franchises?
Sub-$50K franchises suit first-time entrepreneurs testing business ownership with limited risk, or those building income alongside other work. Many can start part-time. Be realistic about support levels—at this investment, you're often buying systems and training rather than strong brand recognition.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cheap franchises
How much does it cost to open a low-cost franchise?
The average initial investment for cheap franchises ranges from $19K to $30K, based on our analysis of 36 FDD filings. The average franchise fee is $13K. The most affordable option is CRUISE PLANNERS, starting at just $2K.
What is the most profitable low-cost franchise?
According to Item 19 financial performance disclosures, CruiseOne reports the highest average unit revenue at $446K. Other high-performing cheap franchises include Lifestyle Publications ($444K), KIDZART , CLUB SCIENTIFIC CO-BRANDED KIDZART/CLUB SCIENTIFIC ($292K), WIN HOME INSPECTION BUSINESS ($175K). Note: Not all franchises disclose Item 19 data.
What is the largest low-cost franchise by number of locations?
JAZZERCISE is the largest with 5,251 locations nationwide. Other major cheap franchises include CRUISE PLANNERS (2,655 locations), CruiseOne (2,175 locations), PACKAGEHUB BUSINESS CENTERS (1,156 locations), SIGN GYPSIES (587 locations). Combined, the top 5 cheap franchises operate over 11,824 locations.
What is the cheapest low-cost franchise to open?
The most affordable cheap franchises by initial investment are: CRUISE PLANNERS ($2K - $21K), JAZZERCISE ($2K - $3K), REAL PRODUCERS ($2K - $13K), TRAVEL LEADERS ($2K - $18K), FIT4MOM ($3K - $29K). Lower investment often means smaller format, mobile/home-based, or service-based models.
How do I evaluate a low-cost franchise opportunity?
Review the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) carefully. Key sections include: Item 5 (fees), Item 7 (initial investment), Item 19 (financial performance, if disclosed), and Item 20 (outlet information including terminations and closures). Our database extracts this data from official FDDs to help you compare cheap franchises objectively.
Want to explore more cheap franchises?
Browse all cheap franchises in our database with advanced filters for investment range, location count, and more.
View All Cheap franchises