Analysis · Networks
The fastest-growing franchise categories in Australia, 2026
Net unit growth is the clearest signal of a healthy franchise category. Here is where the growth is — and where the churn hides.
Home & Trade Services and Cleaning led net franchise-unit growth in Australia over the past year, driven by low-entry, van-based models that scale quickly. Food & Beverage added the most gross units but also carried the highest closure rate, so its net growth was more modest.
Counting gross openings alone flatters a category. The honest measure is net units — openings minus closures and transfers — and on that basis the low-cost services categories are outpacing food and retail.
- Home & Trade Services — strong net growth on low entry cost and recurring revenue.
- Cleaning — consistent net additions; high royalty, low capital.
- Coffee & Café — steady, with premium and kiosk models diverging.
- Food & Beverage — highest gross openings, highest churn.
For a prospective buyer, a category's closure rate matters as much as its opening rate. A network opening 20 sites a year while closing 12 is a very different proposition from one opening 10 and closing 2.
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