The 25 Best Franchises You Can Buy for $25,000 or Less Start hunting for your bargain business opportunity.
By Jeff Cheatham •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
There are literally thousands of franchise concepts across dozens of industries in the market today, which means there's a specific business ownership opportunity out there for everyone. Your perfect match, just waiting to be discovered.
There's a common misconception that all franchises are expensive. But that couldn't be further from the truth. Franchise fees can vary quite a bit. Yes, there are concepts that require more than $1 million, but the majority cost much less. Even though the price points vary, one thing remains constant with franchise ownership: You'll have a proven business model to follow on your path to becoming your own boss.
When it comes to the best franchise concepts by category, Entrepreneur has you covered. We have business opportunities to share from over a dozen industries. Everything from automotive, home services, and childcare to food, health and beauty, and everything in between. To see what's in our franchisor database, be sure to check out Entrepreneur's Best of the Best Rankings.
To demonstrate that some franchises are quite affordable, here are 25 top-ranked franchises for $25,000 or less that can be found on the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list:
Jan-Pro Cleaning and Disinfecting1. Jan-Pro Cleaning and Disinfecting
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 30th
Initial Investment: $4K to $56K
Units as of 2021: 10,476 (+19.2% in the last 3 years)
Jacques Lapointe founded Jan-Pro in Providence, Rhode Island in 1991. Jan-Pro began franchising the following year, offering both master and single-unit franchising opportunities, and has since grown to over 10,000 units throughout the United States and Canada. Jan-Pro franchisees offer commercial cleaning services to businesses such as car dealerships, gyms, banks, churches, schools and offices. The company's "Cleaning Greener" initiative emphasizes the use of cleaning products that require fewer chemicals to clean more.
Related: Considering franchise ownership? Get started now and take this quiz to find your personalized list of franchises that match your lifestyle, interests and budget.
Related: 6 Low-Cost Franchise Areas to Explore If You're New to Franchising
Stratus Building Solutions2. Stratus Building Solutions
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 32nd
Initial Investment: $4K to $80K
Units as of 2021: 2,418 (+56.1% in the last 3 years)
Franchising since 2006, Stratus Building Solutions has unit franchises and regional master offices nationwide. Franchisees provide "Stratus Green Clean" services, using proprietary chemicals and equipment to clean office buildings, shopping centers, restaurants, retail businesses, dealerships, medical offices, religious centers and more.
Anago Cleaning Systems3. Anago Cleaning Systems
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 34th
Initial Investment: $11K to $68K
Units as of 2021: 1,719 (+13.5% in the last 3 years)
David Povlitz founded Anago in 1989. The company began franchising in 1991, and now has master and unit franchisees throughout the U.S. and internationally. Unit franchisees provide regularly scheduled office cleanings as well as periodic commercial cleaning services.
Dream Vacations4. Dream Vacations
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 82nd
Initial Investment: $2K to $21K
Units as of 2021: 1,489 (+11.9% in the last 3 years)
Dream Vacations franchisees sell travel packages, including travel protection, shore excursions, hotels and tours to individuals, couples, families, businesses and groups.
Related: 10 Low-Cost Franchises You Can Start From a Vehicle Right Now
NextHome5. NextHome
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 108th
Initial Investment: $15K to $214K
Units as of 2021: 500 (+66.1% in the last 3 years)
NextHome is a real-estate brokerage that offers high commission splits for agents. It employs real-estate agents as independent contractors and offers software and support to these agents. NextHome is a franchise brokerage, meaning that it offers centralized services to franchise operators who manage separate locations across the country.
Chester’s6. Chester’s
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 115th
Initial Investment: $12K to $278K
Units as of 2021: 1,272 (+6.7% in the last 3 years)
W.O. Giles started Chester's in 1952, and though he started out frying doughnuts with his patented fryers, it was fried chicken that became the focus of his business. The company began franchising in 2004, after previously following a licensing business model. Chester's has locations on college campuses, airports, convenience stores, truck stops and supermarkets.
Cruise Planners7. Cruise Planners
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 135th
Initial Investment: $2K to $24K
Units as of 2021: 2,659 (-3.7% in the last 3 years)
Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Services Representative, is a home-based travel agent network. Cruise Planners travel agents work from home selling full-service travel packages, including cruises, land-based vacations, travel insurance, car rentals and more.
Related: Is Starting a Franchise From Home a Good (and Sustainable) Idea?
Brightway Insurance8. Brightway Insurance
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 153rd
Initial Investment: $18K to $174K
Units as of 2021: 289 (+74.1% in the last 3 years)
In 2003, David Miller purchased the Jennings Insurance Agency with one office and three employees. He formed Miller Insurance Group, which would later become Brightway Insurance and begin franchising in 2008. Brightway franchises offer home, auto, life and business insurance services with the help of the company's centralized service center and accounting office.
Leadership Management International9. Leadership Management International
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 164th
Initial Investment: $20K to $28K
Units as of 2021: 477 (+3.2% in the last 3 years)
Paul J. Meyer founded Leadership Management (LMI) in 1966 to help companies develop leadership skills in their workers. The company provides a line of programs and courses designed to help people achieve their professional and personal goals. LMI's programs are produced in 28 languages and have been marketed in more than 70 countries.
American Poolplayers Association10. American Poolplayers Association
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 234th
Initial Investment: $23K to 29K
Units as of 2021: 336 (+3.7% in the last 3 years)
In 1979, professional billiard players Terry Bell and Larry Hubbart pursued a novel idea: Why not create an organized league system for amateur pool players? Dubbed the American Poolplayers Association (APA), their brainchild now operates franchise leagues across the United States and Canada (where the organization is known as the Canadian Poolplayers Association). Members participate in annual 8- and 9-ball championships, pay a yearly membership fee to the APA and pay a weekly fee to the league operator (franchisee) each time they play. League operators host team games each week; winners go on to compete in division and national tournaments.
Related: Is the Price Right?
Coverall11. Coverall
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 255th
Initial Investment: $19K to $51K
Units as of 2021: 8,526 (+4.4% in the last 3 years)
Founded in 1985, Coverall has cleaned work environments for more than 40,000 customers worldwide. Coverall franchisees use a program designed to help reduce the spread of illness-causing germs in the workplace.
Related: 24 Top-Ranked, Affordable Franchises You Can Buy for $25,000 or Less
Buildingstars12. Buildingstars
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 278th
Initial Investment: $2K to $53K
Units as of 2021: 964 (+11.8% in the last 3 years)
Buildingstars, a commercial cleaning company founded in 1994, is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. The company began franchising in 2000 and now has regional offices in Charlotte, Chicago, Houston, Austin, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and New York. Services include nightly cleaning, green cleaning and consulting, and carpet and floor care.
Card My Yard13. Card My Yard
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 299th
Initial Investment: $8K to $17K
Units as of 2021: 451 (+430.6% in the last 3 years)
Card My Yard is the original yard greeting service based in Austin, Texas, which specializes in celebrating life's big moments with a customized yard greeting service. Amy Arnold and Jessica Stanley, both moms of three, met at a women's Bible Study and quickly became friends. In October 2014, the two moms founded Card My Yard with a simple goal to serve families and make a positive impact in the community as small business owners. Amy and Jessica committed to saying "yes" to everything they could. By 2017, the company had grown so much in volume and interest, they knew that to continue reaching new markets, they would need to take the company to the next level and franchise.
Sign Gypsies14. Sign Gypsies
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 304th
Initial Investment: $4K to $10K
Units as of 2021: 735
With over 800 locations nationwide, Sign Gypsies is the largest and fastest-growing yard greeting company in the U.S. The team prides itself on delivering customizable experiences through high-quality products and unbeatable customer service.
Related: Top 10 Franchises That Can Be Run Part-Time From Home or Through a Mobile Unit
Estrella Insurance15. Estrella Insurance
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 324th
Initial Investment: $12K to $84K
Units as of 2021: 175 (+45.8% in the last 3 years)
Miami-based Estrella Insurance was founded in 1980 and began franchising in 2008. Franchisees offer insurance services including auto, home, commercial, business, boat, motorcycle and recreational vehicle insurance.
Jantize America16. Jantize America
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 340th
Initial Investment: $8K to $49K
Units as of 2021: 140 (+15.7% in the last 3 years)
Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jantize has been franchising since 1988. Franchisees offer commercial cleaning services. The company offers both master and unit franchise opportunities.
https://corvusjanitorial.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Home-Banner-Final.jpg17. Corvus Janitorial Systems
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 364th
Initial Investment: $10K to $35K
Units as of 2021: 1,164 (+21.1% in the last 3 years)
Since 2004, Corvus Janitorial Systems has worked to create a cleaner, healthier, safer environment for medical centers, businesses, schools, apartment buildings, recreational facilities and more. The brand's extensive community of cleaning business owners understand that no facility is the same, and neither are their cleaning needs.
Related: With the Help of These Franchises, You Earn the Yard of the Year Award
TSS Photography18. TSS Photography
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 365th
Initial Investment: $20K to $75K
Units as of 2021: 176 (-0.6% in the last 3 years)
TSS Photography was founded as The Sports Section in 1983. TSS now operates out of Oklahoma City, offering opportunities for people interested in a career in sports, school or event photography. TSS offers franchisees software tools and a work-from-home model with low overhead.
OpenWorks19. OpenWorks
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 368th
Initial Investment: $4K to $124K
Units as of 2021: 717 (+1.8% in the last 3 years)
Founded in 1983, OpenWorks is a national facility management and commercial cleaning service provider with franchisees located in 20-plus regions across the U.S. The company specializes in delivering its TotalWorks commercial cleaning and disinfection services, and integrated facilities services to help organizations in industries like healthcare, education, industrial/manufacturing, and property management keep their facilities cleaner, safer and healthier.
Christmas Decor20. Christmas Decor
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 429th
Initial Investment: $20K to $62K
Units as of 2021: 268 (+4.3% in the last 3 years)
Christmas Decor franchisees offer holiday decorating services, including design, installation, maintenance and post-season removal for both commercial and residential customers.
Related: Franchise Fees: The Money Question That Can Make or Break Your Franchise
Mint Condition21. Mint Condition
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 446th
Initial Investment: $5K to $32K
Units as of 2021: 410 (+19.2% in the last 3 years)
After gaining experience in the cleaning business as a partner in a Houston, Texas, building maintenance company, Jack Saumby moved to Charlotte, South Carolina, in 1987 and, along with his wife Marcy, started his own commercial cleaning company, Maintenance World. In 1996, he launched Mint Condition Franchising. The first franchisees were some of his own Maintenance World employees, and Maintenance World was converted into a Mint Condition franchise as well.
Colors on Parade22. Colors on Parade
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 451st
Initial Investment: $16K to $84K
Units as of 2021: 224 (+2.3% in the last 3 years)
Inspired by his passion for restoring classic cars, Robert Lowery started Colors On Parade to offer body shop-quality automotive repairs from a mobile unit. In 1991, he began franchising the concept. Colors On Parade franchisees offer mobile on-site automotive appearance services throughout the U.S. to car dealerships, fleet owners, rental car agencies, body shops, individual vehicle owners and retail customers.
Related: Low-Cost Business Ideas
Network in Action23. Network in Action
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 456th
Initial Investment: $20K to $48K
Units as of 2021: 79 (+203.8% in the last 3 years)
Network In Action is a franchise focused on revolutionizing business networking. As a Network In Action group leader, your role is to provide leadership as you form relationships with local business owners who are looking for ways to improve outcomes for their businesses in a cost-effective way.
Rhea Lana’s24. Rhea Lana’s
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 488th
Initial Investment: $21K to $40K
Units as of 2021: 105 (+23.5% in the last 3 years)
In 1997, Rhea Lana Riner held her first children's consignment sale in her living room, with just 11 consignors and hand-written price tags. Her husband suggested they computerize future events, so they built a barcoding and data entry system. By 2006, Riner was holding events in Conway, Little Rock, and Northwest Arkansas, each with close to 1,000 consignors. Franchising of the Rhea Lana's system began in 2008, and the company now has events in more than 25 states.
Parker-Anderson Enrichment25. Parker-Anderson Enrichment
Entrepreneur Franchise 500 Rank: 497th
Initial Investment: $16K to $117K
Units as of 2021: 22 (+46.7% in the last 3 years)
Parker-Anderson Enrichment offers after-school enrichment programs in science, chess, Lego engineering, art and more.
Related: Here Are 6 Things You Could Buy for the Price of One Subway Franchise
