18 of the Hottest Franchises You Can Actually Afford to Start

Whether you’re looking to build a side thing or jump full force into running your own company, a franchise business can give you a massive head start.

However, there’s a lot of noise out there when it comes to choosing the right franchise business opportunity.

$5,000,000 net worth? $400,000 in liquid capital? At least three business partners with a total of 125 years experience in the field?

Uh, that’s not going to happen.

From companies that require ridiculously large upfront investments—often in excess of several hundreds of thousands of dollars or more—to organizations that provide little actual support in exchange for their hefty fees, it can be impossible to know where to begin.

But you can do it. And it doesn’t have to cost millions.

We’ve compiled this list of the best franchise business opportunities for entrepreneurs who are serious about opening a low-cost franchise. Each franchise on our list has the following characteristics:

• An affordable upfront investment,
• The backing of a strong reputation, and
• High-growth potential

Now before we dig into all the franchises in this roundup, let’s quickly define the key terms you’ll need to familiarize yourself with. Then, we’ll answer a few of the most common questions that come up when evaluating franchise opportunities.

Ready? Let’s rock ‘n roll.

What is a franchise business?

In a franchise business, the owners (franchisors) grant rights to independent business owners (franchisees) to do business under their name. In exchange for compensation and specified obligations in the Franchise agreement, the franchisor assists the franchisee in training staff, merchandising, marketing, and more in order to sell their products or services.

For example, most McDonald’s restaurants in the US are franchises that are owned operated by independent business owners, with the permission of the franchisor, McDonald’s, to use their patented processes, sell their products, and advertise under their brand name.

McDonald’s franchise owners pay handsomely for this privilege (often in excess of $1-2.2 million), but they’re buying into a fast food chain with proven demand and a powerful global brand—providing them with a very secure business compared to the greater risk of going out and launching their own local burger restaurant.

Here are the key terms we’ll be using throughout this guide:

• Franchisor: The company that wants to expand its business through franchising. Thereby, it grants permission to third-parties to use its intellectual property to conduct business.
  
• Franchisee: A third-party (hey, that could be you!) that pays certain fees to a business owner in exchange for leveraging their brand name to conduct its business.
  
• Franchise Agreement: The legal, binding contract that outlines the conditions of the franchisee to conduct business under its name for the franchisor. It also contains the specific responsibilities of both parties involved.
  
• Initial Investment Cost: The total amount of capital, or money, you need to invest upfront to actually start the franchise business. This is projected to cover the costs of training, equipment, operations, and other resources you’ll need to launch. In the franchise business opportunities listed here, this figure might also include a one-time franchise fee (if it’s not listed separately by the franchisor).
  
• Franchise Fee: The one-time, upfront fee that the third-party franchisee (again, that could be you!) pays to the franchisor in order to open the new franchise business.
  
• Royalty Fees: These are the ongoing fees that franchisees pay to the franchisor for use of its trademarks, resources, and other benefits. Generally, the royalty fee is expressed as a percentage of your monthly/quarterly sales, however, it could also be a fixed periodic payment amount.
  
• Turnkey: A turnkey franchise business is a “done for you” package where the franchisor takes care of everything you need to build the business. This can include finding a profitable location, training employees, marketing, and the like. With the business model already established, you can simply “turn the key,” open your doors to customers, and start selling.
  

What are the pros of going with a franchise business instead of starting your own company?

Starting a franchise business offers you the independence of running a small business with seriously reduced risks. It’s less risky than going out on your own because you can leverage the audience of an established brand and use its proven business model.

Equally as important, you often don’t need prior business experience—the franchisor company will likely be able to guide you through the process of optimizing your franchise business and walk you through dealing with new business challenges as they appear.

Furthermore, a franchise business is typically more stable than launching a brand new startup. It has known startup costs with established business processes. You can also much more easily secure loans for setting up a franchise business since they’re often known entities at the top lending organizations.

What are the cons of going with a franchise business?

As a franchisee, you have limited rights and are bound by the franchise agreement. With most, that means there’s less room for creativity in your business operations. You also need to pay membership costs and often additional fees, possibly even a share of your profits with the franchisor.

The biggest con is that you don’t actually own the brand you’re doing business under. Hence, your sweat equity won’t translate into intangible long-term benefits of doing business.

Since you don’t control the perception of how people view your business, a bad performance by other franchises or the organization at large will affect your business as well (think: a controversial Super Bowl ad that tarnishes the franchise’s brand).  

So is a franchise business opportunity right for me?

If you’re a first-time entrepreneur, then you can benefit a lot from the support and reputation of an experienced organization. Sure you forego quality control, but you will learn how to be a business owner along with all the nitty gritties of operating a business day in and day out.

Take these key considerations into mind when deciding whether a franchise business opportunity is the right fit for you:

• 
  What’s your motivation to start this business? If you go with a franchise business in an area of your own interest, then you’ll stand a much higher chance of running that same business several years down the road—remember this is a long game. When you’re passionate about the product or service you’re selling, you’re more likely to come up with creative solutions, since you’re already obsessed with the trends in your space. Be sure your choice is based on more than just the financial opportunity.
  
• Do you need the hands-on guidance a franchise provides? If you’re an experienced business owner and prefer control over your own operations, then you may not like adopting a formulaic franchise system to conduct your business.
• Are other franchisees happy with their business? I recommend talking to a few franchise owners and understanding the working style of the specific franchisor you’re targeting before signing any agreements. Be sure to confirm that the existing franchisees are actually happy and profitable before diving in yourself. You can usually connect with other franchise owners by cold-calling other locations in your areas and asking your franchisor for names of franchisees that have tackled similar business challenges.
• 
  Do you understand your agreements and legal responsibilities? Lastly, before taking the leap, read the franchise agreement carefully yourself and always consult a franchise attorney to make sure you’re not misunderstanding anything crucial in your specific agreement.
  

Alright, now that we’ve covered the basics of what a franchise business really is, talked through some of the pros and cons, and defined all of the key phrases you’ll need to be familiar with, let’s dive into our picks for the best franchise businesses.

Here we go!

18 Best Franchise Business Opportunities You Can (Actually Afford to) Open

If you’re searching for the best franchises to own, then start here.

1. Pool Players

(Image source: Pool Players)

Terry Bell and Larry Hubbart went from traveling the country playing pool tournaments to building a business empire. They saw a lack of uniformity in the rules of pool although many people were interested in the game. After leading the unglamorous lifestyle of extensive travel, the idea of the American Poolplayers Association (APA) emerged. In 1979, they started the organization, and in 1981, the first APA National Championship was conducted.

To build the amateur leagues, the founders realized the need for Hence, they started franchising in 1981.

If you’re into sports and recreation, then APA is a great opportunity to become a league operator for its 250,000 members.

APA kicks-off with a training seminar. Then, they offer you ongoing support and help with marketing in the form of templates to launch your local advertising and PR campaigns. You’re also connected with the other franchisee owners for networking opportunities and opportunities to hear about what’s working well elsewhere.

2. Jani-King

(Image source: Jani-King)

Do you have an insane attention to detail? Then, you might be the perfect candidate to apply for a Jani-King franchise business and offer commercial cleaning services. The company was started in 1969 and pioneered the franchising business model for commercial janitorial services.  

Think about it: Every business needs cleaning services, which is probably why Jani-King has been so successful over the years.

Jani-King has a solid reputation in the cleaning industry and a proven business model. Furthermore, it offers excellent support for franchisees across its 120 regional offices spread across 14 countries.

Once you sign the franchise agreement, you’re briefed with initial training on how to clean commercial areas properly, including restrooms, offices, carpeted areas, and the like. You also receive a fixed dollar amount of monthly business as an initial jump-start, which can be a huge help when you’re just getting started. On top of that, you also get ongoing operational support, additional account training, and administrative assistance (like sourcing new equipment and customer billing).

If you’re anything like me, cleaning probably isn’t amongst your core competencies, but for some (special shoutout to the Marie Kondo fans of the world!), this franchise business is the perfect opportunity to get the regular satisfaction of seeing a space transformed overnight.

Regardless your level of personal interest, the commercial cleaning industry offers consistent growth, and the nature of business will give you the freedom to set your own schedule while managing employees or friends who want to pick up a little extra side income by being on your crew.

3. Tutu School

(Image source: Tutu School)

Ever wish there were more activities to do with the kids in your life?  If so, Tutu School offers you a chance to spend ample time teaching ballet to children between the ages of 18 months to eight years. Founder Genevieve Weeks trained extensively in ballet and worked as a freelance artist before she started Tutu School to celebrate the things she loved the most about ballet—and bring it to an age group that’s typically left out in the dance school circuit.

The mission of Tutu School is to expose children to creative pursuits and movement, and use classical music to nurture their imaginations. As a franchise business owner, you’ll get ongoing, meaningful support, customized software to run the backend of the business, and plenty of advertising tools.

Tutu School doesn’t expect franchise business owners to have extensive dance experience, but to at least have a “deep appreciation” for dance. However, if you don’t like being a part of the twirling community, then Tutu School probably won’t be the right franchise business for you.

4. Complete Weddings + Events

(Image source: Complete Weddings + Events)

Do you love throwing parties? Then, Complete Weddings + Events gives you the opportunity to start your events franchise business at an affordable price. The company has been organizing parties and providing music, photography/videography, lighting, and photo booth services since 1973.

In 1983, Complete started its first franchise business, so they’ve been around the block with this business model. Once your new franchise is accepted, you’ll receive an owner training session.

You’ll also get access to tools, branding, collateral, a custom software solution provided by Complete, and other ongoing support to help grow your local footprint. Your ongoing training will include monthly webinars with industry experts that speak about the wedding business.

If you like bringing people together and working ON your business, focusing on selling and management, then you’ll like owning a Complete Weddings + Events franchise. In fact, you can hire contractors to help with a lot of the services you’re offering.

5. Pillar To Post Home Inspectors

(Image source: Pillar to Post Home Inspectors)

As the largest North-American home inspection company, Pillar To Post is a reliable, low-risk franchise business that helps home buyers and real estate professional alike, with the long list of inspections that need to be conducted before a real estate transaction can take place. With low overhead costs, you can start this franchise quickly and help facilitate informed homeownership decisions in your local community.

The company was founded in 1993 by Mike Brewer after he found a home inspection badly deficient in serving his needs while buying a house. So Brewer decided to change how things were done.

The company relies on its franchise partners to deliver a great Pillar To Post brand experience. Hence, it has a team of 30+ people that help franchise business owners to grow their practice.

As a franchisee, you’ll receive their proprietary technology that makes inspections easier. You also get marketing help to find local clients, and access to experienced regional business coaches for additional training.

If you want to build a home-based business that’s profitable and offers a flexible schedule, then starting a Pillar To Post franchise business may be a great move.

6. Soccer Shots

If you love staying active and want to make a positive impact on the lives of children in your local community, then a Soccer Shots franchise could be right up your alley. Soccer Shots is currently the top-ranked children’s soccer franchise on the Entrepreneur 500 list.

The company was founded in 1998 because the owners saw a lack of soccer programs specifically designed for young children. Currently, their curriculum focuses on character development and skill building through soccer programs for kids, which are customized for three different age groups. Beyond that, the company ensures coaches receive comprehensive training that goes beyond soccer and teaches them how to engage and inspire children.

As a Soccer Shots franchise business owner, you’ll bring the brand’s product into preschools, childcare facilities, elementary schools, and parks. That means there’s no need to go through the hassle of buying or renting a field.

The process starts with recruiting local coaches through their proprietary CareerPlug tool, using marketing collateral to build awareness about Soccer Shots, enrolling children after hosting a free soccer day, and finally delivering the 30-40 minute experience through soccer lessons.

Franchise business owners receive branded equipment along with support in operations, sales, and marketing. Franchisees also get trained on how to set up partnerships with schools and other community organizations.

7. CarePatrol

(Image source: CarePatrol)

Founded in 1994 by a social worker, CarePatrol helps families find independent living, assisted living, memory care, nursing homes, and in-home care facilitators for their loved ones. Even more, its services are free to end-customers, while franchise business owners get paid by over 20,000 pre-vetted insurance providers across the nation.

If you want to help families navigate through the challenging emotional experience of home placement, then CarePatrol could be a worthwhile franchise business opportunity for you. Aside from the tangible business benefits, this franchise comes with personal rewards as you help satisfy a growing need for families in your community. As a franchise business owner, you’ll receive training on how to become a trusted senior care advisor.

CarePatrol is a low-investment business opportunity that you can start from your home without worrying about renting an office, staffing, and other common business challenges.

8. Healthy You Vending

(Image source: Healthy You Vending)

If you’re looking to start a flexible business and take pride in eating clean, then Healthy You Vending might be a good match. The health and wellness industry is growing rapidly and increasingly become more of a status symbol—and Healthy You offers over 2,500 healthy, tasty products to quench that need.

Healthy You has been around for over 19 years and has more than 1,700 healthy product vending operators. That’s why it’s a meaningful opportunity for healthy food lovers that want to build a business around choosing nutritious snack options.

What’s more, as a vending operator, you have complete operational freedom that’s unlike most franchise business operations. You don’t need employees, and you can earn an income 24 hours a day from transactions on your machines. After the initial investment, there are no royalties or other fees, and to mitigate the business risk, you can even expand to multiple locations over time.

If you’re looking for a no-frills side business that doesn’t take a ton of regular work and could generate a considerable amount of passive income, then try your hand at becoming a Healthy You vendor.

9. Weed Man

(Image source: Weed Man)

If you love to literally get in the weeds, then you’ll love this franchise business opportunity by Weed Man, a premier lawn care service provider.

Des Rice started Weed Man over 45 years ago with an unwavering commitment to helping customers turn their dying, overgrown yards into lawns they can enjoy. It’s since grown to serve over 400,000 lawn care customers in North America.

As a Weed Man franchise business owner, you’re initially enrolled in a 10-day training to learn all the aspects of the business, including administration, technical components, marketing, planning, and budgeting. This training is followed by ongoing support and regular seminars to help you stay fresh on lawn-care industry happenings.

You also get access to the exclusive Weed Man computer system that tracks your work and helps you set realistic benchmarks for growing your customer base. Furthermore, their marketing systems and collateral help you build strong relationships with customers and measure the results of your hard work.

To decide if it’s the right franchise opportunity for you, take a look at a typical day in the life of a Weed Man franchisee.

10. TSS Photography

(Image source: TSS Photography)

Are you secretly a shutterbug? If so, TSS offers a great franchise business framework for building a sustainable, profitable photography business. TSS photographs over 2 million customers in more than 40 U.S. states each year, and has grown to become a trusted brand in shooting sporting events, at schools and for other special events.

As a franchise business owner, you get access to their advanced photography tools including their proprietary Photo Match system (for quickly matching and transmitting images onsite) and advanced green screen solutions.

You also get support for your photography business including tools for booking appointments, training materials, marketing direction, and business advice. On top of all this, you get to choose your own jobs, work hours, and control your overhead costs. In fact, you even get to choose the niche you find the most satisfying—sports and school photography, photography for corporations, religious groups, or other community organizations.

Whether you’re a novice photographer or an expert, if you want stability and a reliable franchise business model that’s centered around your photography skills, then TSS is a solid opportunity for you to explore.

11. Nhance

(Image source: Nhance)

As every real estate agent knows, refinishing cabinets can make any room feel totally new. An exclusive partner to Home Depot, Nhance professionals refinish and repair wood cabinets and floors, helping homeowners, property managers, and real estate professionals renovate their properties for a decent price.

After entering the market in 2001, Nhance has turned into an affordable and fast solution for people looking to restore the luster of wooden surfaces. They’ve also created the Lightspeed® U.V. curing technology, which produces less dust than other materials and quickens the refinishing process.

New franchise business owners receive a nine-day training and ongoing education from Nhance. Hence, you don’t need wood refinishing industry experience in order to dive into this business. You also work directly with the franchisor on building your first-year plan in their quick start program.

Besides teaching you in-person how to use their technology and products, the quick start program will teach you how to properly interact with customers, and what it takes to complete a job on time. Nhance also has  a well-developed online training platform for ongoing education and refinishing industry updates.

If you’re interested in home renovations, furniture, and keeping wood cabinets looking fresh, then consider starting an Nhance franchise.

12. Great Clips

(Image source: Great Clips)

Great Clips can help stylish entrepreneurs open a salon using its reputation that’s been built over 35 years of operation. David Rubenzer and Steve Lemmon started the company in 1982, realizing that consumers need haircut appointments that are easy to squeeze into their busy lifestyles. (Hey, not everyone can leave work to get a haircut at 11am on a weekday.) They revolutionized the industry by offering walk-in hair care services that are open on both weekends and evenings.

The first Great Clips salon was opened in 1983, and has since expanded to over 4,300 locations, with their franchises employing more 40,000 stylists.

As Great Clips is a 100% franchised company, they are now picky about entering only into markets where they aren’t currently operating. You can explore their territory availability here and see if your area is up for grabs.

As a franchise business owner, you get access to support, resources, and technology to grow your salon business. You can use their online university to learn the basics of real estate, salon operations, and other key topics. On top of that, they also offer hands-on experience through in-person training in your local market. They also provide ongoing help in operations, marketing, and even the purchasing of equipment.

If you’re interested in hair styling and satisfy the financial requirements for joining this franchise business, then consider looking into starting a Great Clips location. You don’t even need to know how to cut hair, as 95% of their franchise business owners still don’t. What’s even better is that Great Clips is fine with you keeping your day job as long as it gives you the flexibility to run a franchise business alongside it.

13. Rhea Lana

(Image source: Rhea Lana)

In 1997, Rhea Lana launched a small business with the goal of making fashionable kids’ clothing affordable. She validated her idea of selling gently used children’s clothing by hosting a small event in her living room. After receiving positive feedback from fellow mom friends who also had growing stacks of clothes their kids grew out of, she knew she was onto something.

Since then, Rhea has expanded to operating 80 franchise business locations. They currently conduct children consignment pop-up events in 22 U.S. states.

Owning a Rhea franchise business can be a great opportunity for both stay-at-home and working parents that have enough time to work this unique model into their schedule. A Rhea Lana franchise can help supplement your family income while giving you a flexible lifestyle.

Rhea Lana also offers a plethora of useful resources including an owner’s manual and corporate mentor. After training at an event, you get continuous support in the form of weekly event season webinars. Franchise business owners also look forward to the Rhea Lana’s Annual Owners Conference where you can meet with the entire Rhea Lana family and brainstorm innovative ideas.

What’s more, their franchise business model is unique, as there’s a decrease in the royalty percentages as your sales grow, incentivizing you to do more business (and keep a larger share of your income).

14. Frontier Adjusters

If you have experience (or just an interest) in the property and casualty insurance world, then Frontier Adjusters has a potentially lucrative franchise business opportunity for you.

Their network of adjusters is highly experienced (which typically means working with a thousand different insurance companies and having an average of 15 years of claim experience under their belt). Hence, you’re being welcomed into a great company of franchise business owners that have served as claim managers for major insurance carriers.

Note that there’s no startup training for new franchise business owners for handling claims, as you’ll need at least five years of multi-line P&C claims experience. What you do get access to is IT, marketing, financial, and administrative support for your business.

To become a Frontier franchise business owner, you need to undergo a thorough background check on your criminal, credit, and driving records. Because it’s the insurance world, you’ll also need to perform regular checks on your employees and independent contractors, and ensure strong communication skills are in place for those directly serving your customers.

Frontier is a niche franchise business opportunity that’s solely suitable for subject-matter experts that already have extensive insurance claiming experience.

15. Hissho Sushi

(Image source: Hissho Sushi)

Philip Maung arrived in the U.S. in 1989 with $13 and a dream of starting a new life. Soon, he got a peek into the sushi business and learned the ropes of a thriving new niche industry—fast casual sushi restaurants inside of supermarkets. Finally, in 1998 he started Hissho Sushi in his family dining room.

Currently, Hissho operates more than 875 sushi bars across the US in universities, cafes, hospitals and upscale supermarkets. Their food is grab-and-go, and packed with the goodness of omega-3s with a high protein content. For busy people, Hissho offers a quick bite in the form of its healthy rolls—making it a great franchise business opportunity in more urban markets.

To start a franchise with this sushi brand, you need to be 21 years of age and pass a drug, background, and credit check. In return, you’ll get training in all aspects of running a food business, including engaging customers, marketing, sales, food safety, and hands-on sushi training. Furthermore, you’ll receive ongoing support from the field team as well as participation in conferences and webinars.

If you’re a sushi fan who wants to become an independent franchise business owner, then Hissho offers a tried-and-true business model with a large support network.

16. Pokeworks

(Image source: Pokeworks)

If you want to take a stab at bringing healthy Hawaiian food to the masses, then Pokéworks has you covered. It’s a fast-casual restaurant concept that began on a rainy night in December of 2015. The founders wanted to bring their flavorful island poké to the mainland.

Pokeworks sells fresh seafood with natural ingredients that are sourced responsibly. That sustainable value also translates to their physical restaurants—many of their spaces use wood products that are Forest Stewardship Council certified. Hence, with a Pokeworks franchise, you can lead the charge in the healthy fast food revolution that’s dependent on sustainable resources.

As a franchise business owner, you get a comprehensive training over two to three weeks. The training program includes site selection, lease negotiation, and construction management support. Plus, you get business development assistance for marketing, social media, traditional advertising, local public relations, hosting community fundraisers, and more.

Pokeworks is an excellent franchise business opportunity for seasoned food and beverage industry professionals—from their ideal owner candidate, the brand expects three years of experience managing a successful restaurant.

17. Caring Transitions

(Image source: Caring Transitions)

Are you genuinely interested in serving other people? If so, Caring Transitions might be the franchise business for you. This brand specializes in helping families and seniors with trying life transitions. Services include senior relocation, right-sizing living facilities, estate sales, and online auctions.

As a Caring Transitions franchise business owner, your job is to ease people through big life changes, including providing guidance and emotional support to clients during stressful and anxiety-prone circumstances—like moving a family member to a senior living center or settling an estate after a death.

New Caring Transitions franchise business owners get a comprehensive training program and a 90-day in-depth onboarding to ensure a strong launch. Additionally, there are monthly webinars, a business growth playbook, technical assistance, and ongoing guidance.

Their marketing support includes pre-designed collateral like brochures, flyers, and business cards. Lastly, for digital marketing, franchisees are trained to set up social media campaigns, solicit testimonials from existing customers, and grow the company’s digital presence by running high-converting paid advertising campaigns on social networks like Facebook & Instagram as well as search engines like Google & Bing.

If you have high emotional intelligence and enjoy helping people during intense life moments, then Caring Transitions could be a meaningful franchise business for you to explore.

18. Bricks 4 Kidz

The last franchise on our list is a mobile business that lets you make a positive impact through education. Bricks 4 Kidz fosters S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills in children by using their proprietary model that involves playing with LEGO bricks. By throwing birthday parties, teaching workshops, and hosting camps, you’ll engage children in activities that are fun and spark their curiosity.

The Bricks 4 Kidz franchise business model is easy to set up, and you can launch a company with them in as little as one to two months. After you go through their Learn Build Play webinar, you can book an appointment with Natalie Frailey (their Director of Franchise Development) to get more information on what it means to be a Bricks 4 Kidz franchise owner.

Your franchising journey begins with a four-day training in St. Augustine, FL and it’s followed by a 90-day startup plan. They also offer a full-service marketing toolkit including everything from flyers and brochures to best practices on local online marketing strategies like starting a blog and growing a social media community, which will help you promote your business once it’s off the ground.  

Bricks 4 Kidz offers assistance on all aspects of running the business, although prior experience in education, marketing, and sales is helpful.

Also, while owners need to spend least 30 hours a week on building their business, you can hire employees and contractors to fill in some of the gaps while you’re still working on other part-time projects.

If you value a flexible schedule, want a franchise business with an ample amount of free time (and enjoy educating kids), then Bricks 4 Kidz is an ideal opportunity.

Over to you

As you can see, there are tons of franchise business opportunities out there today—and we’re only scratching the surface. Our picks for the most affordable, reputable, trustworthy, and well-established franchise businesses will hopefully give you a good place to start your research rabbithole.

So, are you best-suited to start a franchise or forge your own path and build a company from the ground up?

At the end of the day, only you can decide.

But if you’re short on time to get your company off the ground, and want to go with the backing of a proven national organization (in exchange for paying associated franchise fees that’ll likely marginally reduce your take-home income), then a franchise may be your best bet. It’ll allow you to leapfrog over a lot of the difficult lessons new business owners have to learn the hard way.

And remember, if you go the franchise route, be sure to choose one that aligns with your own personal interests—that way you’ll be more motivated to push through the inevitable challenges to come. And it’ll make the wins you start racking up that much sweeter.