Tool № 1

How much franchise can you afford?

Franchisors screen candidates on two numbers before anything else: liquid capital and net worth. This calculator applies the same math — plus a sensible cash reserve — to give you a realistic budget, then shows brands from the Index that fit inside it.

Liquid capital

Cash, savings, and investments you could access without selling your home. Retirement funds count only if you'd genuinely use a rollover (ROBS).

Total net worth

Everything you own minus everything you owe. Franchisors typically want net worth ≥ 1.5–2× the total investment.

Financing appetite

SBA loans commonly cover 60–80% of a franchise investment for qualified borrowers.

Cash reserve to keep untouched

Working capital and living expenses while the business ramps. Most failures are cash-flow failures.

Your estimated budget

$—

Deployable cash

Financed portion

Net-worth ceiling

Brands inside your budget

Methodology: deployable cash = liquid capital minus your chosen reserve; budget = deployable cash ÷ (1 − financed share), capped at half your net worth. This is an educational estimate, not financial advice or a lending decision — lenders and franchisors apply their own criteria.

How much franchise can you afford?

Brands inside your budget

Royalty impact and break-even calculators are next.