2026 Guide•1706 franchises analyzed
Only about 60% of franchises disclose financial performance in their FDD. Here are the ones that do, and what they report.
Most Profitable Franchises to Own in 2026
Only about 60% of franchises disclose financial performance in their FDD. Here are the ones that do, and what they report.
"Most profitable franchise" lists usually rank by brand size or franchise fee. That's useless for buyers. What matters is Item 19 of the FDD. The Financial Performance Representation. That's where franchisors can (but aren't required to) disclose actual revenue, costs, or profit data.
We queried our database for franchises with Item 19 disclosures and ranked them by reported revenue. Fair warning: high revenue doesn't mean high profit. A McDonald's doing $3M in sales has very different margins than a consulting franchise doing $500K. We show you both the revenue and what you need to invest to get it.
Data source: 2025 FDD filings · 1706 franchises analyzed · Updated January 2026
Key Findings from FDD Analysis
1706
profitable franchises analyzed
$584K - $1.3M
avg. investment
$61K
avg. franchise fee
$1.1M
avg. revenue (Item 19)
How We Ranked These Profitable franchises
This page ranks franchises by reported profit and revenue from Item 19 of their FDD. Only ~60% of franchises disclose this data, so this list skews toward more transparent franchisors. High revenue doesn't equal high profit—we show both metrics plus the investment required.
Top Profitable franchises at a Glance
Ranked by Number of Locations
| Franchise | Investment | Fee | Locations | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subway | N/A | $15K | 20,133 | - |
| Burger King | $2.1M - $4.7M | $50K | 19,732 | $1.6M |
| MCDONALD'S | $1.5M - $2.6M | $45K | 12,772 | $4.0M |
| DUNKIN' | N/A | N/A | 8,465 | $1.3M |
| DOMINO'S PIZZA | N/A | $10K | 6,751 | $26K |
| Bimbo Foods Bakeries Distribution, LLC | $14K - $607K | N/A | 6,454 | - |
| JAZZERCISE | $2K - $3K | $1K | 5,251 | - |
| POPEYES LOUISIANA KITCHEN | N/A | $50K | 4,979 | $1.9M |
| ACE HARDWARE | $604K - $2.0M | $5K | 4,885 | $4.0M |
| THE UPS STORE (TRADITIONAL) | $216K - $609K | $30K | 4,500 | $720K |
10 Best Profitable franchises Ranked
Litigation
Investment
N/A
Franchise Fee
$15K
Locations
20,133
Royalty
8.0%
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Litigation
Investment
$2.1M - $4.7M
Franchise Fee
$50K
Locations
19,732
Avg. Revenue
$1.6M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
$1.5M - $2.6M
Franchise Fee
$45K
Locations
12,772
Avg. Revenue
$4.0M
Source: 2024 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
N/A
Franchise Fee
N/A
Locations
8,465
Avg. Revenue
$1.3M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
N/A
Franchise Fee
$10K
Locations
6,751
Avg. Revenue
$26K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Litigation
Investment
$14K - $607K
Franchise Fee
N/A
Locations
6,454
Royalty
N/A
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$2K - $3K
Franchise Fee
$1K
Locations
5,251
Royalty
20.0%
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Litigation
Investment
N/A
Franchise Fee
$50K
Locations
4,979
Avg. Revenue
$1.9M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
$604K - $2.0M
Franchise Fee
$5K
Locations
4,885
Avg. Revenue
$4.0M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
$216K - $609K
Franchise Fee
$30K
Locations
4,500
Avg. Revenue
$720K
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Highest Profit Profitable franchises
Ranked by net income, EBITDA, or owner earnings from Item 19 FDD disclosures. Not all franchises disclose profit data.
Litigation
Investment
$165K - $473K
Franchise Fee
$100K
Locations
48
Est. Profit
$4.8M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$535K - $2.2M
Franchise Fee
$65K
Locations
42
Est. Profit
$2.7M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$474K - $606K
Franchise Fee
$60K
Locations
9
Net Profit
$2.1M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Growing
Investment
$1.9M - $4.9M
Franchise Fee
$75K
Locations
0
EBITDA
$2.0M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$300K - $470K
Franchise Fee
$55K
Locations
109
Est. Profit
$1.5M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Highest Revenue Profitable franchises
Ranked by average gross revenue per location from Item 19 FDD disclosures.
Growing
Investment
$556K - $1.0M
Franchise Fee
$60K
Locations
108
Avg. Revenue
$16.5M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$535K - $2.2M
Franchise Fee
$65K
Locations
42
Avg. Revenue
$14.7M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$67K - $140K
Franchise Fee
$75K
Locations
78
Avg. Revenue
$9.5M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$139K - $248K
Franchise Fee
$70K
Locations
1
Avg. Revenue
$8.9M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Investment
$474K - $606K
Franchise Fee
$60K
Locations
9
Avg. Revenue
$7.4M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Fastest Growing Profitable 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
$225K - $410K
Franchise Fee
$50K
Locations
257
Royalty
6.0%
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
N/A
Franchise Fee
N/A
Locations
8,465
Avg. Revenue
$1.3M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
GrowingLitigation
Investment
$298K - $1.0M
Franchise Fee
$25K
Locations
2,154
Avg. Revenue
$2.1M
Source: 2025 FDD filingView details
Most Affordable Profitable 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 Profitable franchises?
Profit-focused franchise buyers typically have $500K+ to invest and prioritize unit economics over brand recognition. The highest-revenue franchises (QSR, hotels) require $1M+ but generate volume. Service businesses often show better ROI at lower investment levels but require more operational involvement.
Frequently Asked Questions About Profitable franchises
How much does it cost to open a profitable franchise?
The average initial investment for profitable franchises ranges from $584K to $1.3M, based on our analysis of 1706 FDD filings. The average franchise fee is $61K. The most affordable option is CRUISE PLANNERS, starting at just $2K.
What is the most profitable profitable franchise?
According to Item 19 financial performance disclosures, Vital Care reports the highest average unit revenue at $16.5M. Other high-performing profitable franchises include AR HOMES ($14.7M), LINC SERVICE ($9.5M), First Day Homecare ($8.9M). Note: Not all franchises disclose Item 19 data.
What is the largest profitable franchise by number of locations?
Subway is the largest with 20,133 locations nationwide. Other major profitable franchises include Burger King (19,732 locations), MCDONALD'S (12,772 locations), DUNKIN' (8,465 locations), DOMINO'S PIZZA (6,751 locations). Combined, the top 5 profitable franchises operate over 67,853 locations.
What is the cheapest profitable franchise to open?
The most affordable profitable 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 profitable 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 profitable franchises objectively.
Want to explore more profitable franchises?
Browse all profitable franchises in our database with advanced filters for investment range, location count, and more.
View All Profitable franchises