Franchises under $50,000: low-cost franchise opportunities
Short answer: Across 437 brands in the SelectFranchiseList database (compiled October 2026), the median minimum initial investment is $31,300 and the median starting franchise fee is $15,000. The lowest starting investment in this group is Mood Media at $0.
This list includes franchises whose total initial investment starts below $50,000, 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 $31,300, a median starting franchise fee of $15,000 and a median liquid cash requirement of $10,000, calculated from 437 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 437 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erbert & Gerbert | $5,000 to $30,000 | $39,500 to $460,270 | $30,000 | 64 |
| Buildingstars | $33,000 to $39,000 | $39,600 to $53,200 | $10,000 | 1,193 |
| Compuchild | $19,900 to $29,900 | $39,900 to $64,900 | $10,000 | 14 |
| Engenius Learning Centers | $5,000 to $20,000 | $40,000 to $350,000 | $25,000 | 5 |
| Falbo Bros Pizzeria | $10,000 to $15,000 | $40,000 to $160,000 | $15,000 | N/R |
| Lil' Kickers | $25,000 | $40,050 to $64,435 | $10,000 | 91 |
| Deck Rescue | $25,000 to $45,000 | $40,100 to $114,900 | $10,000 | 8 |
| Hyatt Studios | $50,000 to $100,000 | $40,200 to $134,000 | $15,000 | N/R |
| Signal Health Group | $29,500 to $69,500 | $40,200 to $84,800 | $10,000 | 20 |
| Germinator | $25,000 | $40,250 to $64,000 | $10,000 | 18 |
| Tide Cleaners | $10,000 to $50,000 | $40,320 to $2,517,300 | $130,000 | 232 |
| Out-U-Go! | $20,000 | $40,400 to $49,850 | $10,000 | N/R |
| Pest Authority | $12,500 to $25,000 | $40,500 to $105,700 | $10,000 | 347 |
| Stroller Spa | $25,000 | $40,500 to $113,900 | $10,000 | 1 |
| Coit Services | $27,000 to $60,000 | $40,596 to $191,988 | $15,000 | 49 |
| Retain Loyalty | $35,000 | $40,650 to $49,250 | $10,000 | 11 |
| Club Z! | $27,250 to $39,750 | $40,975 to $57,425 | $10,000 | 312 |
| National Property Inspections | $34,900 | $41,000 to $54,950 | $10,000 | 194 |
| Owens Corning | $5,000 | $41,100 to $166,500 | $15,000 | 23 |
| TownePost Network | $35,000 | $41,175 to $59,043 | $10,000 | 18 |
| Cocktail Claw | $29,900 to $69,900 | $41,295 to $98,245 | $10,000 | 8 |
| Azira Mental Health | $20,000 to $40,000 | $41,300 to $205,500 | $15,000 | 3 |
| Dr Vinyl | $24,500 | $41,320 to $71,500 | $10,000 | N/R |
| Perma Treat, Inc. | $20,000 | $41,400 to $73,150 | $10,000 | 6 |
| Bee Organized | $28,500 | $41,416 to $66,056 | $10,000 | 35 |
| Lighthouse | $29,350 to $69,150 | $41,450 to $51,450 | $10,000 | 24 |
| Rhea Lana's | $19,500 | $41,675 to $68,650 | $10,000 | 117 |
| Tradebank | $30,000 | $41,765 to $54,380 | $10,000 | N/R |
| House of Bread | $5,000 to $35,000 | $42,000 to $456,000 | $30,000 | 5 |
| New Horizons | $0 to $150,000 | $42,000 to $532,000 | $35,000 | 32 |
| The File Depot | $12,500 to $45,000 | $42,150 to $116,550 | $10,000 | 24 |
| Mai Sushi | $3,500 to $4,500 | $42,170 to $133,500 | $15,000 | 123 |
| Tio Juan's Margaritas Mexican Restaurant | $40,000 | $42,170 to $133,500 | $15,000 | 25 |
| MyTaxFiler | $25,000 to $35,000 | $42,250 to $78,000 | $10,000 | 19 |
| Groutsmith | $34,900 | $42,500 to $49,400 | $10,000 | 49 |
| Pure Health Chiropractic | $40,000 | $42,650 to $66,550 | $10,000 | 2 |
| Jdog Carpet Cleaning | $15,000 to $35,000 | $42,909 to $206,447 | $15,000 | 22 |
| Insulation Commandos | $65,000 | $42,919 to $128,320 | $15,000 | 33 |
| Soccer Shots | $36,500 | $42,950 to $54,300 | $10,000 | 329 |
| 360 Clean | $25,000 | $43,000 to $58,800 | $10,000 | 69 |
| Villa La Paws | $10,000 to $15,000 | $43,000 to $502,500 | $30,000 | N/R |
| The Dapper Doughnut | $13,300 to $35,000 | $43,100 to $353,000 | $25,000 | 24 |
| Premier Pool Service | $25,000 to $60,000 | $43,150 to $118,250 | $10,000 | 37 |
| Surface Specialists | $36,000 | $43,200 to $56,000 | $10,000 | 46 |
| Home Cleaning Centers of America | $12,500 | $43,300 to $45,300 | $10,000 | 24 |
| A Buyer's Choice Home Inspections | $39,900 | $43,343 to $55,192 | $10,000 | 38 |
| Inspections Over Coffee | $25,000 to $30,000 | $43,370 to $78,926 | $10,000 | 4 |
| TWISTED INK | $47,000 | $43,450 to $108,200 | $10,000 | 1 |
| Get A Grip Resurfacing | $40,000 to $70,000 | $43,600 to $92,700 | $10,000 | 27 |
| Siempretax | $25,000 to $40,000 | $43,700 to $71,900 | $10,000 | 45 |
| Nestle Toll House Café | $18,750 to $37,500 | $44,000 to $585,800 | $35,000 | 90 |
| Management Recruiters International | $40,000 | $44,050 to $96,090 | $10,000 | 170 |
| AAAC Wildlife Removal | $17,000 to $30,000 | $44,100 to $111,550 | $10,000 | 25 |
| Made Sewing | $29,000 | $44,100 to $64,450 | $10,000 | N/R |
| Studio 30 The Kettlebell Fit Club | $15,000 | $44,285 to $84,490 | $10,000 | 1 |
| Foliage Design Systems | $20,000 | $44,400 to $64,400 | $10,000 | N/R |
| {Yel!} Youth Enrichment League | $22,500 | $44,800 to $71,500 | $10,000 | 5 |
| Howard Hanna Real Estate | $25,000 | $45,000 to $258,500 | $20,000 | 451 |
| REMAX | $17,500 to $37,500 | $45,000 to $245,500 | $20,000 | 3,140 |
| Sprinkler Repair Guy | $25,000 | $45,000 to $77,200 | $10,000 | N/R |
| Advanced Fresh Concepts | $6,250 | $45,004 to $151,404 | $15,000 | 4,427 |
| Rooter-Man | $4,975 | $45,075 to $82,475 | $10,000 | 535 |
| HireQuest | $2,500 to $25,000 | $45,150 to $145,750 | $15,000 | 84 |
| Tide Laundromat | $50,000 | $45,150 to $145,750 | $15,000 | 3 |
| TEKKEEZ Tech Repair | $0 to $15,000 | $45,250 to $107,500 | $10,000 | 2 |
| Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices | $25,000 | $45,300 to $90,375 | $10,000 | 276 |
| Brickleys Property Solutions | $7,500 | $45,300 to $85,100 | $10,000 | N/R |
| Special Touch Cleaning | $29,000 | $45,350 to $70,500 | $10,000 | 2 |
| Nutty Scientists | $35,000 | $45,500 to $159,800 | $15,000 | 6 |
| Sculpture Hospitality | $25,000 | $45,500 to $49,500 | $10,000 | 189 |
| Parker-Anderson Enrichment | $25,900 to $35,900 | $45,506 to $141,120 | $15,000 | 15 |
| Mosquito Marshals | $20,000 to $30,000 | $45,523 to $100,090 | $10,000 | 8 |
| Top Rail | $59,900 to $73,900 | $45,547 to $97,447 | $10,000 | 167 |
| Lendio | $34,500 to $46,000 | $45,650 to $117,100 | $15,000 | 121 |
| SirVent | $17,500 to $35,000 | $45,682 to $145,232 | $15,000 | 8 |
| In Home Personal Services | $7,500 to $32,500 | $45,750 to $101,500 | $10,000 | 11 |
| Plan Ahead Events | $34,500 | $45,855 to $65,245 | $10,000 | N/R |
| Fresh Aire | $34,900 | $45,900 to $134,900 | $15,000 | 36 |
| Aire-Master | $30,000 to $100,000 | $45,934 to $171,400 | $15,000 | 122 |
| Worldwide Express | $28,125 to $315,000 | $45,980 to $359,650 | $25,000 | 140 |
| Dryject | $29,500 | $46,100 to $301,950 | $20,000 | 28 |
| Sotheby's International Realty | $0 to $25,000 | $46,150 to $324,850 | $25,000 | 710 |
| Stay Express | $26,250 to $32,750 | $46,250 to $11,594,750 | $585,000 | 9 |
| City Publications | $40,000 to $250,000 | $46,300 to $269,900 | $20,000 | 40 |
| Overtime Athletics | $35,000 | $46,400 to $58,500 | $10,000 | 41 |
| Essential Speech and ABA Therapy | $49,500 | $46,500 to $67,900 | $10,000 | 8 |
| Hands-On Diagnostic Center | $30,000 | $46,500 to $59,800 | $10,000 | 46 |
| Mr. Tint of America | $15,000 to $25,000 | $46,500 to $94,000 | $10,000 | N/R |
| All Team | $42,500 | $46,630 to $141,540 | $15,000 | 14 |
| Elite Tutoring Place | $25,000 | $46,850 to $92,730 | $10,000 | 6 |
| Forze | $50,000 | $47,000 to $78,000 | $10,000 | 1 |
| Computer Explorers | $17,500 | $47,045 to $57,220 | $10,000 | 17 |
| InsPeak Insurance | $5,000 | $47,060 to $120,000 | $15,000 | 1 |
| The Rush Coffee | $20,000 | $47,100 to $202,300 | $15,000 | 2 |
| Intricate Coatings | $29,900 to $59,900 | $47,250 to $119,700 | $15,000 | 1 |
| Realty One Group | $19,000 to $25,000 | $47,250 to $227,500 | $20,000 | 422 |
| SwimLabs | $25,000 to $50,000 | $47,500 to $1,638,000 | $90,000 | 11 |
| Swimtastic | $25,000 to $50,000 | $47,500 to $1,638,000 | $90,000 | 11 |
| Natural Pilates | $45,000 | $47,515 to $208,790 | $20,000 | 5 |
| LeTip | $40,000 | $47,610 to $64,900 | $10,000 | 57 |
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 under $50,000?
Across 437 brands in the SelectFranchiseList database (compiled October 2026), the median minimum initial investment is $31,300 and the median starting franchise fee is $15,000. The lowest starting investment in this group is Mood Media at $0.
How much cash do I need to buy a franchise in this group?
The median minimum liquid cash requirement in this group is $10,000. 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 $100,000
- Franchises from $100,000 to $250,000
- Franchises from $250,000 to $500,000
- 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.