Total Investment Estimator
This tool unlocks when we launch paid plans
We're putting the finishing touches on secure checkout. Meanwhile, every free tool on franbase.ai is open — try one and see the value first.
Want first access when it opens? Create a free account and we'll let you know.
What this tool does
Build up a franchise's full startup investment and see the cash you need up front vs financed.
Other tools for this stage
- FDD Analyzer AIParse any FDD into a comparable scorecard — Item 19, fees, litigation, red flags.
- Franchise Match AIAnswer a few questions; get matched to franchise categories that fit your budget and goals.
- Unit Profitability EstimatorEstimate a unit's EBITDA, margin, and break-even from AUV and cost assumptions.
- Royalty CalculatorCompare up to three franchise fee structures over ten years, side by side.
- Market-Entry Brief AIPick a sector, market, and model; get an AI brief on fees, law, and risks.
- Client Brief (white-label)For consultants: a client-ready advisory brief in your firm's voice, ready to copy.
What this calculates
Builds a franchise's total startup investment line by line — franchise fee, build-out and fit-out, equipment, signage, opening inventory, training and travel, professional fees, and the working capital needed before break-even — then splits the total into the cash you must put in yourself and the portion a lender might fund.
What you will need
Each cost line, at your quotes. Build-out is the line that varies most by location and by the condition of the site you take. A range from a disclosure document is a starting point, not a budget for your unit.
Working capital before break-even. The most commonly omitted line and the one that causes the most failures. Model the months the unit runs at a loss before it turns, and fund them explicitly.
Financing split. How much you expect to borrow. Lenders rarely fund the full investment and almost never fund working capital, so the equity requirement is usually larger than people plan for.
How to read the result
Two things deserve scrutiny. First, whether a contingency exists — build-out routinely overruns, and a budget without a contingency line is a forecast that has assumed nothing goes wrong. Second, whether the equity portion is genuinely available after you keep a personal reserve. Investing every liquid asset into opening leaves nothing for the ramp-up, and the ramp-up is where the money is actually needed.
Questions about this tool
Why is my estimate above the range in the disclosure document?
Those ranges reflect the network's experience, often across cheaper markets and simpler sites. Your rent, your labour rates, your local build costs and your site's condition can put you legitimately above the range.
How much contingency should I add?
Enough that a normal overrun does not force you to raise money mid-build. The precise share matters less than that the line exists and is not spent before opening.
Will a lender fund working capital?
Usually not, or not much. Lenders prefer to fund assets they can secure against, which means the ramp-up period tends to come out of your own equity.
For reference only; not legal, tax, or investment advice. Results depend entirely on the figures you enter — check them against your own quotes and your franchise agreement before acting on them.