The International Franchise Association projects 845,000 franchise establishments across the United States in 2026, employing 8.9 million people and producing $921.4 billion in output. That footprint sustains a steady market of franchises for sale, from brand-new territories offered by franchisors to operating locations listed by franchisees on their way out. This guide maps the main sectors, the costs, and the differences between these two franchise brand routes.
What Does “Franchise for Sale” Mean?
The phrase covers two different transactions. In one, a franchisor sells the rights to open a new outlet in an unclaimed territory. In the other, an existing franchisee sells a location that is already trading. Listings on brokerage and marketplace sites mix both, which is why two ads for the same brand can carry very different numbers.
New franchise opportunity
Here the buyer signs directly with the franchisor and builds the unit from scratch. The franchisor supplies the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), a set of 23 items required under the FTC Franchise Rule, covering fees, obligations, litigation history and the outlet roster. Site selection, permits, build-out and hiring all fall to the new franchisee.
Existing franchise for sale
A resale transfers an operating business: the lease, the equipment, the staff and the customer base. Price is negotiated between seller and buyer rather than set by the franchisor, though the franchisor almost always holds approval rights over the incoming owner and charges a transfer fee disclosed in Item 6 of its FDD. Firms such as National Franchise Sales have specialized in these transfers since 1978, handling everything from single units to portfolios of more than 100 units.
Why the distinction changes the numbers
The two routes carry different risk and cash profiles. A new unit means no revenue during construction, which can run several months, and a full initial investment. A resale usually comes with immediate cash flow and a documented trading history, and it often carries a higher purchase price because the buyer is paying for the business as well as the rights.
- Investment : new units are priced from Item 7 of the FDD; resales are priced on the business itself, commonly against cash flow.
- Financing : lenders generally review the operating history of a resale, while a new build is assessed on projections and collateral.
- Location : a resale comes with a fixed site and lease terms; a new franchise means an open territory and a site still to be chosen.
- Revenue : resales report actual sales; new units rely on the Item 19 financial performance representation, which franchisors are not obliged to publish.
Best Franchise Opportunities by Industry
Franchise businesses for sale cluster in a handful of sectors. The figures below come from 2026 FDD data compiled in the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 directory and reflect the total initial investment for a new unit, not resale asking prices.
Restaurant franchises
Food remains the most visible category of restaurant franchises for sale, and also the most capital-intensive. The IFA notes that in 2026, for the first time since the pandemic, full-service restaurants are expected to outpace quick service in output growth. Anyone scanning listings for a fast food franchise for sale will find both new territories and resales of established stores. The brands below offer franchise opportunities across a range of restaurant sectors.
Dish’d
Virtual Brands Never Tasted So Good!
- Restaurant
- 70 Locations
- Liquid capital: $15000
EatSalad
Your customized salad, main course and desserts
- Restaurant
- 85 locations
- Liquid capital: $70000
Hardee’s
Feed Your Happy
- Restaurant
- Liquid capital: $300000
Cousins Maine Lobster
Get Your Lobster On!
- Restaurant
- Liquid capital: $250000
Cleaning franchises
Commercial and residential services rank among the fastest-growing franchised categories in 2026, at 3.2% year over year according to the IFA. A cleaning franchise for sale typically requires no retail lease, and master franchisors often finance part of the fee in house, which puts entry costs well below the restaurant sector.
- Jan-Pro Cleaning & Disinfecting : $4,830 to $58,070, 12,756 units, royalty 10%.
- Stratus Building Solutions : $4,725 to $79,750, 5,176 units, royalty 5%.
- Anago Cleaning Systems : $12,150 to $68,250, 1,823 units, royalty 10%.
Home care and senior care franchises
Healthcare now ranks as the third-largest franchised industry in the United States. A home care franchise or a senior care franchise for sale is usually an office-based, non-medical service operation, so the investment goes into licensing, recruitment and working capital rather than build-out. State licensing rules for home care agencies vary widely.
Tutoring franchises
Child services share the top growth spot with commercial services at 3.2% in the IFA outlook. A tutoring franchise for sale comes in two formats: the learning center, which needs a leased classroom space, and the home-based model, where tutors travel to students.
- Kumon : $101,630 to $233,780, royalty billed per student per month, 23,571 units worldwide.
- Tutor Doctor : $94,295 to $138,995, franchise fee $54,700 to $69,700, royalty 8%.
Physical therapy franchises
A physical therapy franchise for sale sits in a regulated corner of the market. Several states restrict clinic ownership to licensed practitioners or impose corporate practice rules, and revenue depends heavily on payer contracts and reimbursement rates. Clinical space and equipment push the investment above most service categories.
- Fyzical Therapy & Balance Centers : $167,850 to $518,600, franchise fee $49,000, royalty 6%, 615 units.
Travel agency franchises
A travel agency franchise for sale is almost always home-based, with the franchisor supplying booking technology, supplier commissions and marketing systems. It is the cheapest entry point of the six sectors covered here, and royalties are calculated on commission income rather than gross sales.
Cruise Planners Franchise
Own your travel business. Work from anywhere.
- Hotels – Campsites
- 2500
- Liquid capital: $
Expedia Cruises
Local experts. Global travel power
- Hotels – Campsites
- Liquid capital: $
Dream Vacations
Turn your passion for travel into a business from home.
- Hotels – Campsites
- Liquid capital: $
UNIGLOBE Travel
Global reach. Local ownership.
- Hotels – Campsites
- Liquid capital: $
Good to know
Investment ranges published in Item 7 of an FDD are estimates prepared by the franchisor. They exclude the purchase price of a resale, and the working capital figure they include usually covers only the first three months of operation.
Affordable and Beginner-Friendly Franchises to Own
Not every franchise business for sale carries a six-figure ticket. Franchise Business Review defines its low-cost list as brands under $100,000 in total investment, drawn from a survey of 35,000 franchisees across 350 brands.
For aspiring franchisees searching for the best franchises to own for beginners, cheap franchises to start, or a small business franchise for sale, several sectors stand out. These include commercial cleaning, home-based travel, education, and mobile or in-home services.
These franchise models can be particularly accessible to first-time owners because they often require relatively little equipment or real estate. Some can be operated from home or from a vehicle, eliminating the need for a traditional retail lease. Franchisors also typically provide structured onboarding and training for owners without previous industry experience. Some brands additionally offer financing options or incentives to help reduce the upfront cost.
Examples include:
- 360clean : $21,800 to $35,600, health-focused office cleaning.
- Corvus Janitorial Systems : $7,575 to $32,500, commercial cleaning.
- Young Rembrandts : $46,325 to $54,275, children’s art education.
- Cruise Planners : from $1,945, home-based travel.
How Much Does It Cost to Buy a Franchise?
Total cost is the sum of a franchise fee paid to the brand and the cost of physically opening the business. The table below breaks down the components disclosed in Item 7 across the franchise companies for sale cited in this article.
| Cost component | Typical range, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $695 to $90,000 |
| Real estate deposit, build-out, leasehold improvements | $0 to $700,000 |
| Equipment, signage, furnishings | $2,000 to $400,000 |
| Opening inventory and supplies | $500 to $50,000 |
| Licenses, permits, insurance | $1,000 to $25,000 |
| Training and travel | $500 to $15,000 |
| Grand opening marketing | $2,500 to $50,000 |
| Working capital, first three months | $5,000 to $150,000 |
| Total initial investment | $1,945 to $1,832,500 |
Ranges compiled from Item 7 disclosures of the brands cited above, Entrepreneur Franchise 500 directory, 2026 data.
Resales sit outside that table. The purchase price is negotiated with the seller, and the buyer also pays the franchisor a transfer fee plus any required remodel to current brand standards. On the financing side, the SBA 7(a) program caps a single loan at $5 million, and since July 4, 2026 borrowers can combine 7(a) and 504 balances for up to $10 million in SBA-backed financing.
How to Evaluate a Franchise Opportunity
Buyers comparing franchises for sale generally work through five dimensions, most of which are documented in the FDD. Under the FTC Franchise Rule, the franchisor must hand over that document at least 14 days before any agreement is signed or any payment is made.
- Investment requirements : Item 7 sets the range, Item 5 and Item 6 list the fees, and lenders separately apply their own net worth and liquidity thresholds.
- Franchisor support : Item 11 describes training, technology and marketing systems, and franchisee satisfaction surveys measure how that support is experienced in practice.
- Brand strength : unit counts, growth rates and closure figures appear in Item 20, alongside contact details for current and former franchisees.
- Territory availability : Item 12 defines whether a territory is exclusive. Searches for a franchise for sale near me often return listings in territories that are already granted, so availability is confirmed brand by brand.
- Personal fit : sectors differ in daily demands, from overnight staffing in home care to weekend service in food, and some brands set prior-experience or licensing conditions.
Two further checks recur in the process. Item 19 shows whether the franchisor publishes financial performance data at all, which roughly half of US franchisors choose to do. Item 3 lists litigation history, and Item 20 shows how many outlets were transferred, terminated or ceased operations over the previous three years.
Frequently asked questions about franchises for sale
Listings cover two distinct transactions. Some advertise the right to open a new outlet in an unclaimed territory, sold by the franchisor. Others advertise an operating unit sold by its current franchisee, with the lease, equipment, staff and customer base included. Marketplaces mix both formats.
Across the brands cited in this article, total initial investment for a new unit runs from $1,945 for a home-based travel agency to $1,832,500 for a large restaurant build. The figure combines the franchise fee with build-out, equipment, licensing, marketing and opening working capital. Resale prices sit outside that range and are negotiated with the seller.
The lowest entry points cluster in commercial cleaning and home-based travel. Cruise Planners starts at $1,945, Stratus Building Solutions at $4,725 and Jan-Pro at $4,830. Franchise Business Review classifies any brand under $100,000 in total investment as low-cost.
Three channels carry most listings: franchisor development pages for new territories, business-for-sale marketplaces and specialist resale brokers for operating units. Availability is territory-specific, since Item 12 of the FDD defines whether a brand grants exclusive areas, so a brand advertised nationally may have no open territory in a given metro.
Under the FTC Franchise Rule, the franchisor delivers a Franchise Disclosure Document covering 23 items, at least 14 days before any agreement is signed or any payment is made. It sets out fees, investment ranges, territory terms, litigation history, outlet counts and contact details for current and former franchisees.
This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, financial, or professional advice. Laws and regulations vary by state and individual circumstances and may change over time. Readers should consult a qualified attorney, tax professional, or other licensed professional regarding their specific situation. Nothing herein creates an attorney-client relationship.
