Franchises from $250,000 to $500,000: franchise opportunities by investment
Short answer: Across 767 brands in the SelectFranchiseList database (compiled October 2026), the median minimum initial investment is $336,000 and the median starting franchise fee is $39,950. The lowest starting investment in this group is ConDecor Superstore at $250,100.
This list includes franchises whose total initial investment starts between $250,000 and $500,000, based on the low end of each brand's Item 7 range. The high end of the range is usually the better planning figure.
What do franchises in this group cost?
Franchises in this group have a median minimum investment of $336,000, a median starting franchise fee of $39,950 and a median liquid cash requirement of $85,000, calculated from 767 brands in the SelectFranchiseList database. Medians use the low end of each brand's reported range.
Which franchises are on the list?
The table sorts 767 franchises from the lowest to the highest starting investment, 100 per page. This page shows brands 301 to 400.
| Franchise | Franchise fee | Total investment | Min. cash | US units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pink's Window Services | $59,000 | $314,500 to $584,000 | $75,000 | 47 |
| The Carving Board | $35,000 | $314,500 to $621,500 | $80,000 | 4 |
| Community Loan Center | $10,000 | $314,650 to $469,925 | $70,000 | 18 |
| Pokéworks | $40,000 | $314,699 to $608,955 | $80,000 | 67 |
| Earl Of Sandwich | $15,000 | $315,000 to $663,500 | $80,000 | 31 |
| TMG Professional Recruiting | $20,000 | $315,250 to $618,000 | $80,000 | 1 |
| Smiling Moose Rocky Mountain Deli | $25,000 to $35,000 | $315,300 to $685,000 | $80,000 | 15 |
| Petland | $50,000 | $315,500 to $1,080,500 | $100,000 | 91 |
| iCode | $40,000 | $316,000 to $460,500 | $70,000 | 51 |
| Inchins Bamboo Garden | $25,000 | $316,000 to $761,500 | $85,000 | 24 |
| SMOKE's POUTINERIE | $30,000 | $316,350 to $536,950 | $75,000 | 5 |
| The Lash Loft | $52,500 | $316,646 to $560,895 | $75,000 | 1 |
| District Taco | $25,000 | $316,800 to $3,129,500 | $205,000 | 17 |
| Quality Inn | $45,000 | $316,945 to $2,045,895 | $150,000 | 1,621 |
| Hamburger Mary's | $50,000 | $317,150 to $955,500 | $95,000 | N/R |
| Pizza Karma | $24,000 to $30,000 | $317,250 to $582,000 | $75,000 | 3 |
| Sparkle Squad | $50,000 | $317,504 to $513,874 | $75,000 | 37 |
| The Waffle Experience | $37,500 | $317,750 to $600,000 | $80,000 | 3 |
| Tifa Chocolate & Gelato | $47,500 | $318,200 to $509,400 | $75,000 | 6 |
| Zoom Room | $49,500 | $318,500 to $497,050 | $75,000 | 68 |
| The Simple Greek | $25,000 | $318,700 to $632,500 | $80,000 | 33 |
| Cheesetella | $30,000 | $319,000 to $441,000 | $70,000 | N/R |
| Scout & Molly's | $60,000 | $319,000 to $388,000 | $65,000 | 20 |
| Pizza Man | $25,000 | $319,137 to $468,225 | $70,000 | 10 |
| Gordo's Bubble Waffles | $35,000 | $319,145 to $608,545 | $80,000 | N/R |
| Ground Round | $20,000 to $35,000 | $320,000 to $2,205,000 | $160,000 | 22 |
| Success On The Spectrum | $45,000 | $320,500 to $848,200 | $90,000 | 52 |
| Fuchsia Spa | $35,000 to $45,000 | $320,699 to $815,799 | $90,000 | N/R |
| Verlo Mattress | $50,000 | $320,975 to $695,593 | $85,000 | 42 |
| SOUTH PHILLY STEAKS & FRIES | $25,000 to $35,000 | $321,000 to $607,000 | $80,000 | 14 |
| Bodenvy | $59,500 | $321,167 to $569,289 | $75,000 | 3 |
| RimTyme Rental Store | $5,000 to $25,000 | $321,208 to $684,250 | $80,000 | 36 |
| Tulip Kids | $30,000 | $322,024 to $857,426 | $90,000 | 9 |
| Nail Garden | $30,000 | $322,492 to $571,533 | $75,000 | 11 |
| Style Encore | $25,000 | $322,700 to $449,000 | $70,000 | 53 |
| Smoker's Destiny Smoke Shop | $40,000 | $322,750 to $583,750 | $80,000 | 2 |
| Pizza Factory | $20,000 to $25,000 | $323,000 to $740,000 | $85,000 | 111 |
| Red Mango | $15,000 to $30,000 | $323,000 to $556,500 | $75,000 | 45 |
| Kids Haven | $50,000 | $323,500 to $6,415,000 | $370,000 | 1 |
| Spray Foam Genie | $65,000 to $190,000 | $323,540 to $545,240 | $75,000 | 38 |
| Niky's Mini Donuts | $30,000 | $324,000 to $578,500 | $80,000 | 1 |
| Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resorts | $75,000 | $324,000 to $14,370,000 | $765,000 | 73 |
| Hardee's Non-Traditional | $25,000 | $324,331 to $629,111 | $80,000 | 1,571 |
| Orange Julius | $25,000 | $324,550 to $571,100 | $75,000 | N/R |
| Philly Pretzel Factory | $40,000 | $325,024 to $495,724 | $75,000 | 162 |
| AltoCFO | $50,000 | $325,100 to $467,500 | $70,000 | 1 |
| Bowie Barker | $40,000 | $325,250 to $578,000 | $0 | 1 |
| Vegas Discount Nutrition | $45,000 | $326,000 to $596,000 | $80,000 | N/R |
| Kid to Kid | $25,000 | $326,502 to $587,302 | $80,000 | 97 |
| ChopValue | $31,250 to $62,500 | $326,950 to $456,400 | $70,000 | 4 |
| Once Upon a Child | $25,000 | $327,200 to $462,000 | $70,000 | 369 |
| Plato's Closet | $25,000 | $327,200 to $449,000 | $70,000 | 470 |
| European Wax Center | $45,000 | $327,600 to $836,950 | $90,000 | 1,067 |
| Ra Yoga | $45,000 | $327,850 to $813,500 | $90,000 | 5 |
| Crave Cookies | $39,500 | $327,985 to $704,800 | $85,000 | 37 |
| Pizza Fusion | $30,000 | $328,000 to $571,000 | $80,000 | N/R |
| Uptown Cheapskate | $25,000 | $328,002 to $596,502 | $80,000 | 143 |
| Scenthound | $49,900 | $328,099 to $549,869 | $75,000 | 122 |
| Series by Marriott | $75,000 | $328,300 to $712,600 | $85,000 | N/R |
| DMK Burger Bar | $40,000 | $328,500 to $779,500 | $90,000 | 5 |
| Carbone's Pizzeria | $25,000 | $328,600 to $908,350 | $95,000 | 34 |
| Goodcents | $15,000 to $30,000 | $328,700 to $464,991 | $75,000 | 66 |
| Prose | $35,000 to $45,000 | $328,750 to $570,109 | $80,000 | 24 |
| Village Juice | $39,500 | $328,950 to $970,600 | $100,000 | 6 |
| Gyroville | $19,995 | $329,825 to $453,175 | $70,000 | 8 |
| Uni K Wax | $45,000 | $329,985 to $583,925 | $80,000 | 34 |
| Zambrero | $35,000 | $330,000 to $1,400,000 | $120,000 | 3 |
| Car-X Auto Service | $35,000 | $330,200 to $527,000 | $75,000 | 118 |
| Breadsmith | $49,000 | $330,210 to $506,250 | $75,000 | 21 |
| Mobility Plus | $60,000 to $80,000 | $330,595 to $522,595 | $75,000 | 48 |
| Huckleberry's | $35,000 | $332,000 to $1,477,000 | $125,000 | 18 |
| Laser Fast Hair Removal | $49,900 | $332,100 to $1,108,000 | $105,000 | 1 |
| PURALIMA Cantina | $64,500 | $332,100 to $511,950 | $75,000 | 1 |
| Dream Dinners | $15,000 to $35,000 | $332,350 to $610,000 | $80,000 | 70 |
| RNR Rock 'N Roll Sushi | $36,000 | $332,682 to $797,808 | $90,000 | 72 |
| Kidville | $50,000 | $332,800 to $739,755 | $85,000 | N/R |
| Cristophe | $25,000 | $333,300 to $1,023,500 | $100,000 | 2 |
| Urban Wok | $40,000 | $334,500 to $682,000 | $85,000 | 8 |
| Well Infused | $50,000 | $334,650 to $1,056,200 | $105,000 | N/R |
| Trademark Pizza | $35,000 | $334,750 to $580,300 | $80,000 | 1 |
| Kwik Kar | $20,000 to $39,900 | $335,000 to $634,000 | $80,000 | N/R |
| Proshred | $35,000 to $175,000 | $335,500 to $640,000 | $80,000 | 29 |
| Cold Stone Creamery | $12,000 to $27,000 | $335,675 to $655,275 | $85,000 | 994 |
| WaBa Grill | $30,000 | $336,000 to $572,000 | $80,000 | 192 |
| Monkey Bizness | $30,000 | $336,500 to $737,000 | $85,000 | N/R |
| Music Go Round | $25,000 | $337,050 to $430,500 | $70,000 | 34 |
| Full Psycle | $100,000 to $600,000 | $337,660 to $1,124,000 | $105,000 | 5 |
| Zeek's Pizza | $24,500 to $35,000 | $337,850 to $1,346,917 | $120,000 | 15 |
| Off-Leash K9 | $48,500 | $338,000 to $521,000 | $75,000 | 4 |
| Tandoori Pizza | $30,000 | $338,000 to $982,000 | $100,000 | 11 |
| Dazzler Select by Wyndham | $35,000 | $338,300 to $734,200 | $85,000 | N/R |
| Ximivogue | $40,000 | $338,700 to $1,253,000 | $115,000 | 1 |
| The Roof Resource | $75,000 | $338,750 to $753,400 | $90,000 | 9 |
| U-Swirl-N-Go Store | $5,000 to $25,000 | $339,000 to $464,000 | $75,000 | 74 |
| Ponderosa Steakhouse | $30,000 to $40,000 | $339,200 to $1,552,600 | $130,000 | 70 |
| 100% Chiropractic | $7,500 to $51,000 | $339,742 to $782,080 | $90,000 | 117 |
| Wing Snob | $30,000 | $340,200 to $615,500 | $80,000 | 42 |
| Mango Mango Dessert | $30,000 | $340,450 to $596,200 | $80,000 | 36 |
| Great American Cookies | $25,000 | $340,500 to $462,650 | $75,000 | 395 |
| Tropical Smoothie Cafe | $17,500 to $35,000 | $340,750 to $814,500 | $90,000 | 1,515 |
N/R = not reported.
How do you compare franchises from this list?
Compare franchises from this list by putting each brand's Item 5 fee, Item 6 ongoing fees and the high end of the Item 7 investment side by side, then checking Item 20 for closures and transfers. The guide to franchise costs explains each line, and the 8-step selection process shows the order of due diligence.
Frequently asked questions
What franchises can you open for from $250,000 to $500,000?
Across 767 brands in the SelectFranchiseList database (compiled October 2026), the median minimum initial investment is $336,000 and the median starting franchise fee is $39,950. The lowest starting investment in this group is ConDecor Superstore at $250,100.
How much cash do I need to buy a franchise in this group?
The median minimum liquid cash requirement in this group is $85,000. Franchisors set their own capital requirements, and lenders usually finance part of the total investment.
Are these figures guaranteed?
No. The figures come from franchise disclosure data and public listings and change with every annual FDD. Confirm fees in Items 5 and 6 and the investment in Item 7 of each brand's current FDD.
Other investment levels
- Franchises Under $50,000
- Franchises Under $100,000
- Franchises from $100,000 to $250,000
- Franchises over $500,000
Figures are compiled from franchise disclosure data and public listings as of October 2026 and may have changed. Brand names belong to their owners; listing does not imply endorsement. Not an offer to sell a franchise.