The Australian Franchise Fee Index
What a franchise costs to open, by category, across the 945 Australian systems that publish an all-in establishment cost. Built from the fees franchisors publish on their own sites and the establishment costs they lodge on the ACCC Franchise Disclosure Register, captured July to August 2026. Q3 2026 edition, published 1 October 2026.
Key findings, Q3 2026
- Across the 945 Australian franchise systems that publish an all-in establishment cost, category medians run from Lawn & Garden (from $18,000) to Childcare & Early Learning (up to $4,900,000).
- The lowest-cost category to enter is Lawn & Garden, with a median all-in cost from $18,000.
- The most capital-intensive is Childcare & Early Learning, at up to $4,900,000 all-in.
- 25 of 25 categories have enough systems publishing a cost to show a reliable median (at least 3 systems).
- Fee transparency stays low: only 7 categories have a reliable initial-fee median, 3 a royalty median and 3 a marketing-levy median, most franchisors still don’t publish their ongoing fees.
Median all-in establishment cost (from) by category, Q3 2026. Source: FranchiseScope analysis.
| Category | All-in cost (median) | Systems | Initial fee | Royalty | Marketing levy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quick-Service Food | $337,000–$675,000 | 173 | $45,000 (9) | 6.0% (9) | 4.3% (9) |
| Fitness & Wellbeing | $250,000–$500,000 | 103 | $49,000 (7) | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Home & Trade Services | $51,000–$128,000 | 95 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Retail | $200,000–$511,000 | 93 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| B2B Services | $63,000–$109,000 | 60 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Cleaning | $27,000–$80,000 | 56 | $12,000 (5) | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Education & Tutoring | $48,000–$100,000 | 46 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Automotive | $156,000–$500,000 | 42 | $40,000 (5) | 6.5% (6) | 3.0% (6) |
| Bakery & Dessert | $350,000–$625,000 | 41 | $50,000 (5) | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Real Estate | $80,000–$350,000 | 35 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Coffee & Café | $300,000–$700,000 | 29 | $35,000 (6) | 6.0% (5) | 3.0% (5) |
| Health & Medical | $396,000–$775,000 | 26 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Beauty & Health | $150,000–$494,000 | 21 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Food & Beverage | $650,000–$1,475,000 | 17 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Mortgage & Finance | $60,000–$124,000 | 15 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Pet Services | $27,000–$54,000 | 15 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Aged & Disability Support | $89,000–$163,000 | 14 | $75,000 (7) | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Hair & Barber | $243,000–$482,000 | 13 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Lawn & Garden | $18,000–$49,000 | 12 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Courier & Logistics | $75,000–$135,000 | 10 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Massage & Wellness | $467,000–$850,000 | 9 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Pool & Spa Services | $130,000–$250,000 | 7 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Print & Signage | $180,000–$365,000 | 5 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Travel & Cruise | $50,000–$180,000 | 5 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Childcare & Early Learning | $762,000–$4,900,000 | 3 | Not enough data | Not enough data | Not enough data |
Systems = how many systems publish an all-in cost; numbers in brackets are the systems behind each fee median. Source: FranchiseScope analysis of franchisor-published fees and ACCC Franchise Disclosure Register establishment costs. Figures are medians; individual systems vary, so always confirm against the disclosure document. Recomputed whenever our brand data is updated · methodology.
FranchiseScope, “The Australian Franchise Fee Index, Q3 2026”, published 1 October 2026. Median all-in franchise establishment costs by category, compiled from franchisor-published fees and ACCC Franchise Disclosure Register establishment costs across 945 systems. Available at https://www.franchisescope.com.au/fee-index. Free to republish with attribution (CC BY 4.0).
Disclaimer: This information is based on material published by the relevant franchisor on the Franchise Disclosure Register. This information does not negate the need to undertake necessary due diligence including seeking independent professional advice if considering entering into a franchise agreement.