The Top 15 Franchises You Can Buy for $25,000 or Less From cleaning to real estate, these franchises have low-budget buy-in costs.
By Madeline Garfinkle Edited by Jessica Thomas
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Although buying a franchise can come with a hefty price tag, it doesn't always have to break the bank. Foodservice naturally comes to mind when thinking about starting a franchise, but there's a multitude of opportunities across various industries, many of which are mobile-based and therefore don't require as high of a buy-in.
Commercial cleaning, travel services and real estate — among others — are viable opportunities to engage in franchise ownership without draining your savings. For those looking to explore business ownership through franchising who want to keep their initial investment low, these 15 franchises are a great place to start, based on our 44th Annual Franchise 500 List.
Related: Considering franchise ownership? Get started now and take this quiz to find your personalized list of franchises that match your lifestyle, interests and budget.
Jan-Pro Cleaning and Disinfecting
Commercial cleaning
Initial franchise fee: $2,520-$44,000
Initial investment: $4,830-$58,070
Number of U.S. units: 10,418
Stratus Building Solutions
Environmentally friendly commercial cleaning and disinfecting
Initial franchise fee: $3,600-$69,000
Initial investment: $4,450-$79,750
Number of U.S. units: 2,472
Anago Cleaning Systems
Commercial cleaning
Initial franchise fee: $5,015-$31,000
Initial investment: $11,265-$68,250
Number of U.S. units: 1,708
Related: Considering franchise ownership? Get started now and take this quiz to find your personalized list of franchises that match your lifestyle, interests and budget.
Dream Vacations
Travel agencies
Initial franchise fee: $495-$10,500
Initial investment: $1,795-$21,000
Number of U.S. units: 1,616
Cruise Planners
Travel agencies
Initial franchise fee: $695-$10,995
Initial investment: $2,295-$23,465
Number of U.S. units: 2,584
Corvus Janitorial Systems
Commercial cleaning
Initial franchise fee: $8,500-$18,500
Initial investment: $9,575-$34,500
Number of U.S. units: 1,475
Leadership Management International
Leadership and organizational training and development
Initial franchise fee: $15,000
Initial investment: $20,000-$27,500
Number of U.S. units: 114
Related: Franchising Could Be the Secret to Reaping the Rewards of a Down Economy. Here Are 5 Reasons Why.
NextHome
Real Estate
Initial franchise fee: $4,500-$8,750
Initial investment: $16,250-$220,345
Number of U.S. units: 578
Brightway Insurance
Property and casualty insurance
Initial franchise fee: $10,000-$60,000
Initial investment: $23,100-$173,500
Number of U.S. units: 306
American Poolplayers Association
Recreational billiard leagues
Initial franchise fee: $10,000-$12,000
Initial investment: $22,936-$29,411
Number of U.S. units: 313
Estrella Insurance
Auto, home, and business insurance
Initial franchise fee: $10,000-$25,000
Initial investment: $12,250-$84,000
Number of U.S. units: 180
Related: The Top 5 Hot Franchise Categories for 2023, According to One Industry Expert
Jantize America
Facility services and commercial cleaning
Initial franchise fee: $5,900-$29,600
Initial investment: $8,200-$49,000
Number of U.S. units: 155
Sign Gypsies
Special-occasion yard sign rentals
Initial franchise fee: $1,000
Initial investment: $4,150-$9,900
Number of U.S. units: 759
Buildingstars
Commercial cleaning
Initial franchise fee: $995-$46,995
Initial investment: $2,245-$53,200
Number of U.S. units: 956
Card My Yard
Special-occasion yard sign rentals
Initial franchise fee: $8,000
Initial investment: $9,800-$18,000
Number of U.S. units: 501
For more information on the best franchise opportunities of 2023, check out our 44th Annual Franchise 500 List — a comprehensive list of franchise leaders across various industries. If you're interested in a big-name brand with decades of history or hopping on the next emerging trend, there's something for every prospective franchisee.
Related: Here's How You Can Tell Which Franchise Opportunity Is Best for You
