Franchise Facts Report → compare → House of Color vs Buff City Soap
House of Color vs Buff City Soap
Two beauty & personal care 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.
| House of Color | Buff City Soap | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $27,845 – $57,700 | $383,292 – $956,024 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $24,500 | — |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | 4% | 6% |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Not disclosed | Yes |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | — | $422,306 |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 266 | 222 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | +59 | -29 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | 6.3% | — |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | 0 | — |
| Risk level our read | Medium | Medium |
| FDD year registration | 2025 | 2026 |
Are House of Color and Buff City Soap the same company?
No — House of Color and Buff City Soap are franchised by separate companies. House of Color's franchisor is House of Colour USA, Inc.; Buff City Soap's is BUFF CITY SOAP FRANCHISING, LLC. 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
House of Color is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $27,845 – $57,700, against $383,292 – $956,024 for Buff City Soap.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Only Buff City Soap disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation (headline average unit revenue $422,306), while House of Color'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
House of Color reports 266 franchised outlets, net change +59 in the latest reported year, a 6.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Buff City Soap reports 222 franchised outlets, net change -29 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate.
Litigation
House of Color discloses no franchisee-initiated proceedings in FDD Item 3. Buff City Soap's Item 3 could not be read from its filing, so we make no claim either way.
Deciding between House of Color and Buff City Soap?
See what else fits before you choose. Tell us your budget and state and we'll send you the 5–10 beauty & personal care franchises (or any industries you pick) with the strongest FDD record for it.
House of Color vs Buff City Soap — frequently asked
Are House of Color and Buff City Soap the same company?
No — House of Color and Buff City Soap are franchised by separate companies. House of Color's franchisor is House of Colour USA, Inc.; Buff City Soap's is BUFF CITY SOAP FRANCHISING, LLC. 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 House of Color and Buff City Soap?
House of Color and Buff City Soap are beauty & personal care franchises from different franchisors (House of Colour USA, Inc. and BUFF CITY SOAP FRANCHISING, LLC). House of Color is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $27,845 – $57,700, against $383,292 – $956,024 for Buff City Soap. Only Buff City Soap disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation (headline average unit revenue $422,306), while House of Color'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 House of Color more profitable than Buff City Soap?
Only Buff City Soap disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation (headline average unit revenue $422,306), while House of Color'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 — House of Color or Buff City Soap?
House of Color is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $27,845 – $57,700, against $383,292 – $956,024 for Buff City Soap.
Is House of Color or Buff City Soap growing faster?
House of Color reports 266 franchised outlets, net change +59 in the latest reported year, a 6.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Buff City Soap reports 222 franchised outlets, net change -29 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20).
Go deeper on each brand
Beauty & personal care rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (House of Color 2025, Buff City Soap 2026). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.