Franchise Facts Report → compare → Sola Salon vs Cost Cutters
Sola Salon vs Cost Cutters
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.
| Sola Salon | Cost Cutters | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $950,214 – $1,748,296 | $180,990 – $342,340 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $60,000 | $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 | 677 | 329 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | +17 | -134 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | — | 8.9% |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | 0 | disclosed |
| Risk level our read | Low | Medium |
| FDD year registration | 2026 | 2025 |
Are Sola Salon and Cost Cutters the same company?
No — Sola Salon and Cost Cutters are franchised by separate companies. Sola Salon's franchisor is Sola Franchise, LLC; 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
Cost Cutters is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $180,990 – $342,340, against $950,214 – $1,748,296 for Sola Salon.
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
Sola Salon reports 677 franchised outlets, net change +17 in the latest reported year (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
Sola Salon discloses no franchisee-initiated proceedings in FDD Item 3. Cost Cutters discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (each case is described there).
Deciding between Sola Salon and Cost Cutters?
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.
Sola Salon vs Cost Cutters — frequently asked
Are Sola Salon and Cost Cutters the same company?
No — Sola Salon and Cost Cutters are franchised by separate companies. Sola Salon's franchisor is Sola Franchise, LLC; 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 Sola Salon and Cost Cutters?
Sola Salon and Cost Cutters are beauty & personal care franchises from different franchisors (Sola Franchise, LLC and THE BARBERS, HAIRSTYLING FOR MEN & WOMEN, INC.). Cost Cutters is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $180,990 – $342,340, against $950,214 – $1,748,296 for Sola Salon. Both franchisors make an Item 19 financial performance representation — the detailed figures are in each brand's FDD (Item 19).
Is Sola Salon 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 — Sola Salon or Cost Cutters?
Cost Cutters is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $180,990 – $342,340, against $950,214 – $1,748,296 for Sola Salon.
Is Sola Salon or Cost Cutters growing faster?
Sola Salon reports 677 franchised outlets, net change +17 in the latest reported year (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).
Go deeper on each brand
Beauty & personal care rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (Sola Salon 2026, Cost Cutters 2025). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.