Franchise Facts Report → compare → Great Clips vs Cost Cutters
Great Clips vs Cost Cutters
Two other franchises, compared on the numbers their own Franchise Disclosure Documents put on record — investment, fees, Item 19 earnings, outlet churn, and litigation. Not marketing copy.
| Great Clips | Cost Cutters | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $14,000 – $46,000 | $180,990 – $342,340 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $35,000 | $39,500 |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | — | 6% |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Yes | Yes |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | disclosed (not machine-read) | $279,898 |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 4,439 | 329 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | +12 | -134 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | 2.3% | 8.9% |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | — | disclosed |
| Risk level our read | Medium | Medium |
| FDD year registration | 2025 | 2025 |
Are Great Clips and Cost Cutters the same company?
No — Great Clips and Cost Cutters are franchised by separate companies. Great Clips's franchisor is GREAT CLIPS INC; Cost Cutters's is THE BARBERS, HAIRSTYLING FOR MEN & WOMEN, INC.. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
Cost to open
Great Clips is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $14,000 – $46,000, against $180,990 – $342,340 for Cost Cutters.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Closures & failure rate
Great Clips reports 4,439 franchised outlets, net change +12 in the latest reported year, a 2.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Cost Cutters reports 329 franchised outlets, net change -134 in the latest reported year, a 8.9% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate.
Litigation
Great Clips's Item 3 could not be read from its filing, so we make no claim either way. Cost Cutters discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (each case is described there).
Deciding between Great Clips and Cost Cutters?
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Great Clips vs Cost Cutters — frequently asked
Are Great Clips and Cost Cutters the same company?
No — Great Clips and Cost Cutters are franchised by separate companies. Great Clips's franchisor is GREAT CLIPS INC; Cost Cutters's is THE BARBERS, HAIRSTYLING FOR MEN & WOMEN, INC.. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
What is the difference between Great Clips and Cost Cutters?
Great Clips and Cost Cutters are other franchises from different franchisors (GREAT CLIPS INC and THE BARBERS, HAIRSTYLING FOR MEN & WOMEN, INC.). Great Clips is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $14,000 – $46,000, against $180,990 – $342,340 for Cost Cutters. Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Is Great Clips more profitable than Cost Cutters?
Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Which is cheaper to open — Great Clips or Cost Cutters?
Great Clips is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $14,000 – $46,000, against $180,990 – $342,340 for Cost Cutters.
Is Great Clips or Cost Cutters growing faster?
Great Clips reports 4,439 franchised outlets, net change +12 in the latest reported year, a 2.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Cost Cutters reports 329 franchised outlets, net change -134 in the latest reported year, a 8.9% closure rate (FDD Item 20).
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Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (Great Clips 2025, Cost Cutters 2025). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.