Free tools that answer the questions every franchisee asks before signing: what you can afford, what it really costs, what the return looks like, how you survive the first two years, when it replaces your salary, and whether you are actually ready. Your results come together in one printable plan.
89%
of UK franchise units report being profitable
£19.1bn
contributed to the UK economy each year
1,009
franchise brands operating across the UK
£400k
average annual turnover per franchise unit
Work out your true buying power from savings, bank funding and living costs.
Add up every fee over the life of the agreement, from launch costs to royalties, not just the upfront price.
Turn revenue, margins and fees into a projected monthly and annual net profit.
Map your 24-month runway and find the lowest cash point before it finds you.
See when the business could match your current salary, and how much savings you need to cover the months in between.
Put up to three franchises side by side on investment, finance, break-even time and track record.
Answer a short diagnostic and get a checklist matched to your background.
Your results from every tool above, together on one page, with the gaps and risks to check flagged for you. Print it or save it as a PDF to take to a franchisor, an accountant or your bank.
Total investment varies hugely by sector — some home-based franchises start around £5,000, while premises-heavy businesses like gyms can run past £450,000. Most UK lenders expect you to personally fund 30% to 50% of that figure; for established, recognised brands, banks will typically lend up to 50% to 70% of the rest, though newer or unproven concepts often see that fall to 30% to 50%.
Open the affordability calculator · Franchise funding options in the UK
The franchise fee is often only a small part of what you pay. Over a typical five-year agreement, royalties, marketing levies and fixed monthly charges can add up to several times the upfront fee, and a renewal fee may be due at the end. Two franchises with similar upfront costs can work out very differently once every fee is counted.
As a rough benchmark, most franchises target an annual ROI somewhere in the 5% to 25% range, with a break-even point commonly landing between one and five years — though this varies a great deal by sector and format. Treat a franchisor's own projections as a starting point, not a guarantee, and check them against real figures from a handful of existing franchisees before relying on them.
Open the ROI estimator · Key franchise profitability factors
Almost every new franchise dips into negative cash flow before it turns a profit — royalties, rent and staff costs keep running whether or not customers show up on day one. Modelling a realistic 24-month cash flow, rather than a single optimistic year-one forecast, is usually what separates franchisees who run out of working capital from those who don't.
Open the cash flow visualiser · How to price your franchise and model cash flow
Most new owners earn less than their old salary at first while sales build. Knowing roughly when the business could match your income, and how much personal savings you need to cover your bills until then, takes a lot of the risk out of handing in your notice.
Looking at two or three franchises side by side makes it much easier to judge whether the investment, support and terms on offer are fair. Compare the track record and network size too, then speak to franchisees in each before deciding.
Done properly, due diligence takes 60 to 90 days: reviewing the Franchise Disclosure Document, speaking with current and former franchisees about what actually happened to their numbers, checking territory demographics, and having a solicitor go through the agreement. A franchisor pushing you to decide faster than that is worth treating with caution.
Open the due diligence scorecard · Six steps to a complete due diligence checklist
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