2026 FDD Issued Apr 1, 2026 Minnesota Commerce (CARDS) Checked Oct 23, 2026
Budget Blinds Franchise Cost (2026)
A Budget Blinds franchise costs an estimated $100,500 – $211,250 to open, according to Item 7 of the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). That total includes the $19,950 initial franchise fee (Item 5) and covers this format: Single Territory. Item 6 lists royalty: 3.5% of Gross Revenue, subject to the conditions below.
- Total investment
- $101K – $211KItem 7 source and qualifications
- Franchise fee
- $19.9KItem 5 source and terms
- Royalty
- 3.5% of Gross RevenueItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Brand fund
- VariesItem 6 conditions and fee bases apply
- Liquid capital
- $85KFranchisor website, checked October 29, 2026 · See conditions
- Units (2025)
- 1,355Item 20 source and scope
- Franchise exit rate
- 1.8% / yrCalculated 3-year average; definition and source
What stands out about Budget Blinds
Territory tiers affect more than the opening charge. Item 6 assigns different monthly royalty minimums and national advertising payments to each tier. Gray Area sales have their own treatment, while the technology charge increases with additional territories. An annual sales total alone does not identify the contractual payments for a multi-territory operator.
The national advertising contribution changes when the system reaches the stated territory threshold. The schedule also permits inflation-linked adjustments to minimum royalty and advertising payments. Item 5 separately identifies the initial franchise fee and territory fee, so combining both under a single franchise-fee label obscures what an owner is paying for.
What are the initial franchise fees and financial requirements for Budget Blinds?
Item 5 lists an initial franchise fee of $19,950 for Budget Blinds. Check the cited Item 5 for payment timing, discounts and format-specific terms.
Budget Blinds lists required liquid capital for U.S. franchises. These minimums come from the franchisor’s website, not from the FDD, and can change: Budget Blinds franchise page (checked October 29, 2026). No net-worth minimum is recorded.
Item 5 (PDF pages 14-15) separates the $19,950 Initial Franchise Fee from the Initial Territory Fee: $70,000 for Tier 1, $45,000 for Tier 2 and $30,000 for Tier 3. No Initial Franchise Fee is payable under a subsequent agreement. Eligible military members, veterans and spouses receive the stated 15% first-franchise and first-territory discounts. A simultaneously purchased second Tier 1 territory costs $60,000; other subsequent territories use the then-current territory fee. The fees are non-refundable.
Source: Budget Blinds 2026 FDD, Item 5, PDF p. 14.
How much does it cost to open a Budget Blinds franchise? (Item 7)
Source: Budget Blinds 2026 FDD, Item 7, PDF p. 21.
Item 7 of Budget Blinds’s 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document estimates the total cost to open one single territory at $100,500 – $211,250. This total includes the initial franchise fee.
| Expense Category | Low ($) | High ($) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $19,950 | $19,950 |
| Initial Territory Fee | $30,000 | $70,000 |
| Travel and Living Expenses While Training | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| In-Person Training for Additional Personnel (per person) | $0 | $1,500 |
| Office/Work Space | Varies | Varies |
| Business Address | Varies | Varies |
| Vehicle | $10,000 | $48,000 |
| Computer Equipment and Software | $1,500 | $2,500 |
| Credit Card Processing Technology | $50 | $500 |
| Auto Insurance | $750 | $2,400 |
| Commercial General Liability Insurance | $750 | $2,400 |
| Contractor's License and Bond | $0 | $1,500 |
| Professional Fees | $750 | $3,500 |
| Initial Marketing | $10,000 | $15,000 |
| Additional Tools and Supplies | $250 | $1,500 |
| Additional Funds – Before Opening and First 3 Months | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| Total | $100,500 | $211,250 |
For comparison, the median high-end investment among 12 home services records without a source-review hold is $283,275.
Item 7 (PDF pages 21-23) prints a single-territory total of $100,500-$211,250 that does not include office or workspace costs; its Office/Work Space and Business Address rows are priced as "Varies". It separates the $19,950 Initial Franchise Fee from the tier-specific Initial Territory Fee of $30,000-$70,000. Vehicle costs are $10,000-$48,000 and additional funds before opening and for the first three months are $25,000-$40,000.
What ongoing royalties and fees does Budget Blinds charge? (Item 6)
Source: Budget Blinds 2026 FDD, Item 6, PDF p. 16.
Item 6 of Budget Blinds’s 2026 FDD lists the charges below. Recurring charges and charges triggered by a transfer, renewal or other event have different conditions. Read each fee’s basis and notes before comparing rates.
How to read an Item 6 fee table.
| Fee Type | Amount / Rate | Payment Frequency | Notes & Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 3.5% of Gross Revenue | Every period | For contracted-territory sales, the greater of 3.5% or $2,500/$1,875/$1,250 monthly for Tier 1/2/3. Gray Area sales use 3.5%. The minimum royalty may rise each April 1 by up to the CPI increase (PDF page 16); Item 6 note 2 defines Gross Revenue (PDF page 21). (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| National Advertising Fund Payment | Varies | Every period | Monthly Tier 1/2/3 payments are $1,000/$750/$500 until 1,500 U.S. territories, then $1,500/$1,125/$750. CPI increases may apply. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Technology Fee | Varies | Every period | Currently $600 per month for the first territory and $300 per additional territory; may increase up to 3% annually. (Item 6, PDF p. 16) |
| Training for Additional Personnel | Varies | When it applies | First two attendees free; $1,500 per approved additional attendee, plus travel, accommodation and some meals. Second free seat must be used within 12 months. (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Additional Territory Fee | Varies | When it applies | Then-current Initial Territory Fee if an additional territory is purchased later. (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Encroachment Payment | Varies | When it applies | 100% of gross sales in another franchisee’s territory when imposed as an alternative to termination. (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Fees on Transfer | Varies | When it applies | New franchisee buyer: greater of $5,000 per territory or 6% of sale price, capped at $50,000 per transaction. Existing franchisee buyer: $5,000 per territory, capped at $50,000. Controlled-entity exception applies. (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Transfer Lead Referral Fee | Varies | When it applies | Currently $15,000 if the buyer is found through the franchisor’s organic marketing; third-party leads use the third party’s fee; no fee for a self-found buyer. (Item 6, PDF p. 17) |
| Renewal Fee | $5,000 | When it applies | Per territory when signing a renewal agreement. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Insufficient Funds or Late Payment Fee | Varies | When it applies | Currently $300, subject to change but never more than $500 per occurrence. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Late Reporting Administrative Fee | Varies | When it applies | Currently $300, subject to change but never more than $500 per occurrence; applies to late Gross Revenue reports. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Convention Fee | Varies | Every period | Varies with venue and location, not more than $2,000 annually. Attendance is mandatory; travel, accommodation and meals are additional. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Optional Meetings and Trainings | Varies | When it applies | Generally $100-$1,500 plus travel, accommodation and some meals, never more than $1,500 per person per day. (Item 6, PDF p. 18) |
| Additional Training Requested by You | Varies | When it applies | Currently $500 per day plus travel and expenses, never more than $1,500 per person per day. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Audit | Varies | When it applies | Inspection or audit cost not exceeding $10,000 under the stated reporting/record conditions. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Insurance | Varies | When it applies | Reimbursement if the franchisor obtains insurance after a failure to maintain coverage. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Costs and Attorneys’ Fees | Varies | When it applies | Reasonable costs and legal fees if the franchisor prevails in a franchise-agreement proceeding. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Indemnification | Varies | When it applies | Costs and expenses of the covered claims. (Item 6, PDF p. 19) |
| Liquidated Damages | Varies | When it applies | Average monthly royalty and advertising contributions over the preceding 12 full months (or shorter operating period), multiplied by months remaining in the term, for abandonment without consent. (Item 6, PDF p. 20) |
Explore annual fees and payback assumptions
This fee schedule cannot be reduced to the calculator’s simple sales-based formula. Enter your own assumptions and check them against the Item 6 terms.
Budget Blinds startup investment and modeled fees over 10 years
Item 6 calculates royalty as the greater of a sales percentage or a tier-specific monthly minimum. Advertising payments depend on territory tier and a system territory-count threshold; technology fees depend on territory count. One annual sales figure cannot establish these charges. See the fee amounts and definitions in Item 6 above. Open the calculator with your own assumptions.
Item 20: Budget Blinds franchised outlet history
Source: Budget Blinds 2026 FDD, Item 20, PDF p. 61.
Item 20 Table 3 reports 1,355 franchised outlets at the end of 2025. The company-owned table reports a further 0 outlets. Our calculated average annual franchised exit rate is 1.8% across the 3 reported years, using the definition below.
| Year | Franchised at Start | Opened | Reported Exits | At End | Franchise Exit Rate (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,298 | 78 | 14 | 1,362 | 1.1% |
| 2024 | 1,362 | 35 | 31 | 1,366 | 2.3% |
| 2025 | 1,366 | 16 | 27 | 1,355 | 2% |
Franchised units went from 1,298 to 1,355 over 3 years (+57).
Reported exits include terminations, non-renewals, franchisor reacquisitions and other cessations. A reacquired outlet may continue operating. How we calculate the exit rate. How to read the Item 20 outlet tables. Compare Budget Blinds’s exit rate with other brands.
97 units changed owners in 2025.
Item 20 Table 3 (PDF pages 56-61) prints national totals on PDF page 61; its footnote says one territory was relocated from Colorado to Florida. Table 1 (PDF page 51) reports no company-owned outlets. Transfers come from Table 2 (PDF pages 51-56).
How much do Budget Blinds franchise owners make? (Item 19)
Source: Budget Blinds 2026 FDD, Item 19, PDF p. 49.
Item 19 of the 2026 FDD reports average gross sales for single-territory franchisees of $774,915 (2025, 282 single-territory franchisees open full calendar year 2025). Budget Blinds’s Item 19 reports sales but no profit, costs or owner pay. Rent, payroll, supplies, loan payments and Item 6 fees such as the royalty (3.5% of Gross Revenue) come out of sales before an owner is paid, so these figures cannot show what an owner earns.
See every Budget Blinds Item 19 figure, with its period and sample.
Payback calculator (enter your own assumptions) Check any inputs against this record’s Item 7 startup costs and Item 6 fee rules.
How to interpret Budget Blinds’s Item 19 figures and sample limits.
How long is the Budget Blinds franchise agreement term?
Source: Budget Blinds 2026 FDD, Item 17, PDF p. 44.
The standard Budget Blinds franchise agreement runs 10 years, with renewal terms of 5 years.
Initial term of 10 years with two consecutive 5-year renewal terms.
How long does it take to open a Budget Blinds franchise? (Item 11)
Source: Budget Blinds 2026 FDD, Item 11, PDF p. 31.
Item 11 of the 2026 FDD states the time from signing the franchise agreement to opening: 30 to 60 days.
Franchises with a similar investment range
These published records are selected by proximity to Budget Blinds’s $100,500 low-end Item 7 investment, starting with Home Services. Formats, fees and source qualifications differ; the figures are not interchangeable budgets:
- Pillar To Post $103K – $134K Source review pending Provisional publication Home Services
- The Junkluggers $96K – $359K Home Services
- ShelfGenie $95.3K – $148K Source review pending Provisional publication Home Services
- Ace Hardware Painting Services $89.3K – $153K Source review pending Provisional publication Home Services
- The Maids $118K – $141K Source review pending Provisional publication Home Services
- Weed Man $81.2K – $109K Source review pending Provisional publication Home Services
Compare other home services franchises
Frequently Asked Questions about Budget Blinds
- Can the ongoing fees for Budget Blinds be modeled as one flat percentage?
- Item 6 calculates royalty as the greater of a sales percentage or a tier-specific monthly minimum. Advertising payments depend on territory tier and a system territory-count threshold; technology fees depend on territory count. One annual sales figure cannot establish these charges.
Sources
BUDGET BLINDS, LLC Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 1, 2026, as filed with the Minnesota Commerce (CARDS). Read the source FDD PDF. How to get this FDD yourself.
- Item 5: cited PDF p. 14
- Item 6: cited PDF p. 16
- Item 7: cited PDF p. 21
- Item 19: cited PDF p. 47
- Item 20: cited PDF p. 61
- Agreement term (Item 17): cited PDF p. 44
Page references for Budget Blinds use the PDF viewer's digital page count, not printed page headers. Some viewers download the document instead of opening the referenced page.
If the state document viewer does not open, use Minnesota Commerce's public filing instructions to look up the filing by franchisor name and document date.
Document & verification changelog
- October 29, 2026: Record updated.
- October 23, 2026: Source check completed against the recorded FDD.
- October 23, 2026: Complete source recheck against the April 1, 2026 FDD (PDF pages 1-61): cover, Item 1, all Item 5 terms, all 19 Item 6 rows, every Item 7 row and total, Item 17 term, Item 19 figures and samples, and Item 20 Tables 1-3. Added the two unpriced Item 7 rows, Item 19 page citations and sample qualifications, and the Table 3 page. The source hold is cleared.
- October 19, 2026: Source review hold recorded: The October 19 audit found and corrected material Item 6 transcription errors against PDF pages 16-21. This targeted fee review does not clear the earlier whole-record verification: the other FDD sections and their narrative still require a complete source recheck. The simplified fee model is withheld for the contractual reasons stated above. The prior source-check date is historical.
- October 16, 2026: Initial cost profile published from the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (issued April 1, 2026).