Franchise Facts Report → compare → Great Clips vs Smartstyle
Great Clips vs Smartstyle
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 | Smartstyle | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $14,000 – $46,000 | $184,440 – $336,340 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $35,000 | $39,500 |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | — | — |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Yes | Not disclosed |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | disclosed (not machine-read) | — |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 4,439 | 911 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | +12 | -166 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | 2.3% | 4.3% |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | — | disclosed |
| Risk level our read | Medium | High |
| FDD year registration | 2025 | 2025 |
Are Great Clips and Smartstyle the same company?
No — Great Clips and Smartstyle are franchised by separate companies. Great Clips's franchisor is GREAT CLIPS INC; Smartstyle'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 $184,440 – $336,340 for Smartstyle.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Only Great Clips disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation, while Smartstyle's most recent FDD makes none. That asymmetry is itself a data point: one franchisor puts its unit economics on paper, the other doesn't.
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). Smartstyle reports 911 franchised outlets, net change -166 in the latest reported year, a 4.3% 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. Smartstyle discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (each case is described there).
Deciding between Great Clips and Smartstyle?
See what else fits before you choose. Tell us your budget and state and we'll send you the 5–10 other franchises (or any industries you pick) with the strongest FDD record for it.
Great Clips vs Smartstyle — frequently asked
Are Great Clips and Smartstyle the same company?
No — Great Clips and Smartstyle are franchised by separate companies. Great Clips's franchisor is GREAT CLIPS INC; Smartstyle'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 Smartstyle?
Great Clips and Smartstyle 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 $184,440 – $336,340 for Smartstyle. Only Great Clips disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation, while Smartstyle's most recent FDD makes none. That asymmetry is itself a data point: one franchisor puts its unit economics on paper, the other doesn't.
Is Great Clips more profitable than Smartstyle?
Only Great Clips disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation, while Smartstyle's most recent FDD makes none. That asymmetry is itself a data point: one franchisor puts its unit economics on paper, the other doesn't.
Which is cheaper to open — Great Clips or Smartstyle?
Great Clips is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $14,000 – $46,000, against $184,440 – $336,340 for Smartstyle.
Is Great Clips or Smartstyle 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). Smartstyle reports 911 franchised outlets, net change -166 in the latest reported year, a 4.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20).
Go deeper on each brand
Other rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (Great Clips 2025, Smartstyle 2025). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.