Franchise Facts Report → rankings → Retail
Cheapest Retail franchises to open
The 15 lowest-cost retail franchises by total initial investment (FDD Item 7) — the low-cost end of the category, ranked from the disclosure documents themselves rather than from anyone's marketing. Every figure is read from the brand's most recent FDD — not marketing copy.
| # | Franchise | Total investment | Investment | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BoxDrop | $34,750 | $25,000 – $44,500 | High |
| 2 | Rhea Lana's Franchise Systems · Item 19 ✓ | $37,288 | $28,675 – $45,900 | Low |
| 3 | Floors To Go | $42,475 | $23,050 – $61,900 | Medium |
| 4 | Animal World | $66,700 | $57,600 – $75,800 | Medium |
| 5 | Learning Express · Item 19 ✓ | $72,446 | $25,375 – $119,516 | Medium |
| 6 | Pod Plug · Item 19 ✓ | $79,050 | $52,350 – $105,750 | Medium |
| 7 | The Great Frame Up | $80,239 | $46,795 – $113,682 | High |
| 8 | Just Between Friends · Item 19 ✓ | $83,490 | $67,365 – $99,615 | Medium |
| 9 | Instant Imprints - Area Rep Program | $89,650 | $82,800 – $96,500 | Medium |
| 10 | Cartridge World | $90,975 | $75,150 – $106,800 | Medium |
| 11 | Pearce Bespoke | $102,005 | $75,004 – $129,005 | Medium |
| 12 | OTA Healthmate | $107,500 | $59,000 – $156,000 | High |
| 13 | Tile Liquidators | $123,450 | $79,700 – $167,200 | Medium |
| 14 | Spice & Tea Merchants · Item 19 ✓ | $140,750 | $90,000 – $191,500 | Medium |
| 15 | Goldmember, LLC (Crown Gold Exchange) · Item 19 ✓ | $147,029 | $100,158 – $193,900 | Low |
Ranked from FDDs filed with state franchise registries. Figures are as disclosed by each franchisor; “best” reflects the single metric above, not an overall recommendation. Tap any brand for the full cost, earnings, litigation and benchmark breakdown.
This page ranks one number. The report on a single brand gives you the actual Item 19 earnings, every fee line, the litigation detail, outlet churn, and where each figure lands against retail peers — plus the questions to put to the franchisor before you sign.