Great Clips^®

Personal Care • Year: 2026

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What Is Great Clips?

Great Clips is a franchise in the Personal Care category that licenses the operation of Great Clips salons offering haircare and personal grooming services and designated retail products. The operational model is brick-and-mortar, with each franchisee operating a single authorized salon location (commonly in or near shopping centers, free-standing units, or other approved non-traditional locations). It serves individual consumers (B2C) and its core service bundle is affordable, limited haircare services together with a limited selection of products designated by Great Clips.

Great Clips Franchise: Pros and Cons

With 4,439 locations (top 5%), the brand offers major scale, strong recognition and proven systems you can plug into, but a large backlog of 965 signed-but-not-open units (top 5%) raises risks that the franchisor is selling faster than it can support openings or that site approvals and buildouts will delay and strain franchisees.

Pros

4,439 locations (top 5%): A very large system — this scale brings brand recognition, supply-chain leverage, and proven playbooks you can plug into from day one.

Training and Support score of 100 (top 10%): Exceptional onboarding and ongoing support reduces your learning curve and the operational risk of opening and running a location.

$20,000 initial fee (bottom 10%) — refundable, plus max total investment $187,800 (bottom 5%): Low, refundable up-front costs and a modest upper-end startup budget keep your initial cash outlay and exposure comparatively small.

Cons

0 company-owned units (bottom 5%): The franchisor runs no corporate locations, which limits their ability to test changes, iterate systems, and stay connected to day-to-day operational realities.

98 reacquired outlets (top 5%), with 4 terminations and 1 non-renewal: Above-typical levels of franchisee exits point to operator turnover and suggest some past franchisees struggled to sustain operations.

965 signed-but-not-open units (top 5%): A large pipeline of agreements that haven’t converted to operating locations may indicate the franchisor is selling faster than it can support openings or that there are delays in site approvals and buildouts.

Lawsuits & Legal Risk

100

Excellent

The franchise reported no material legal proceedings.

Territory Protection

60/100

Excellent

Grants a protected operating area where the franchisor will not place other physical units. The franchisor retains rights to develop additional units in the surrounding market and to sell via e-commerce, retail and alternative venues under different trademarks, while site-specific rights allow franchisee relocation.

Training & Support

100

Excellent

The brand provides a focused 63-hour training curriculum designed to prepare staff for launch; the initial fee does not include any trainees. The program includes on-site launch support for operational readiness, with travel and lodging expenses borne by the franchisee and on-site services subject to additional fees.

Unit Growth Analysis

The trajectory is essentially flat: unit count fell from 4,447 in 2022 to 4,427 in 2023 (−20 units, −0.45%), then edged up to 4,439 by 2026 (+12 units from 2023, ≈+0.27%), leaving the system just 8 units below 2022 (−0.18%). For investors this signals a mature, stable franchise with low expansion upside—latest YoY growth of 0.3% reflects a modest rebound after the 2022→2023 dip rather than accelerating growth, implying steadier cash flows but limited unit-growth-driven returns.

How Much Does It Cost to Open a Great Clips Franchise?

Opening a Great Clips franchise requires a total initial investment of $187,800 to $187,800, according to the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. This range covers the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and initial working capital needed to launch and operate through the early months.

Minimum Investment

$187,800

Franchise Fee

Real Estate

Equipment & Assets

Reserves

Training

Other

Maximum Investment

$187,800

Minimum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$20,000

Real Estate$71,100

Equipment & Assets$44,700

Reserves$20,000

Training$1,500

Other$30,500

Maximum Investment Breakdown

Franchise Fee$35,000

Real Estate$87,800

Equipment & Assets$64,600

Reserves$60,000

Training$2,500

Other$-62,100

Investment Analysis

This investment analysis is coming soon. Have ideas for other analyses you'd like us to add? Get in touch.

The initial investment amounts shown are estimates only. Actual costs may vary based on location size, business model, and multi-unit ownership arrangements. We recommend reviewing the full Franchise Disclosure Document for complete details.

How Much Do Great Clips Franchise Owners Make?

Great Clips franchise locations reported average gross sales of $399,179 and median gross sales of $382,316 in 2026, based on financial performance data disclosed in Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document.

Average Gross Sales:

$399,179

Median Gross Sales:

$382,316

High Gross Sales:

$1,099,873

Low Gross Sales:

$37,920

Sample Size:

4147

Percent Attaining Average:

44.78%

Franchise vs Corporate Performance: Only franchised salon data is provided; franchised salons show average total sales of 399179 and an average operating cash flow of 82637 for 2024, with no company-owned outlet comparison available in Item 19.

Performance Variability Analysis: Sales are highly skewed with a low of 37920, a high of 1099873 and a mean (399179) above the median (382316), and only 44.78% of salons exceeded the average, indicating notable variability and a tail of high performers.

Data Scope and Limitations: Expense and cash flow figures come from a smaller reporting subset of 2175 salons and the underlying sales and expense submissions were not independently audited or verified by Great Clips or its accountants.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to open a Great Clips franchise?

The total initial investment for a Great Clips franchise ranges from $187,800 to $187,800, according to the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document. This includes the franchise fee, real estate, equipment, training, and working capital.

What is the Great Clips initial franchise fee?

The initial franchise fee for Great Clips is $20,000, as stated in the 2026 FDD. This fee is paid upon signing the Franchise Agreement.

How much do Great Clips franchise owners make?

Great Clips franchise locations reported average gross sales of $399,179 and median gross sales of $382,316 in 2026, based on Item 19 of the Franchise Disclosure Document. Actual earnings vary by location, market, and operator experience.

Does Great Clips have any franchise lawsuits or legal issues?

Great Clips received a legal risk score of 100 out of 100 in the 2026 FDD analysis. The franchise reported no material legal proceedings.

Does Great Clips offer exclusive franchise territories?

Great Clips received a territory protection score of 60 out of 100. Grants a protected operating area where the franchisor will not place other physical units.

What training does Great Clips provide to new franchisees?

Great Clips received a training and support score of 100 out of 100. The brand provides a focused 63-hour training curriculum designed to prepare staff for launch; the initial fee does not include any trainees.

How many Great Clips franchise locations are there?

Great Clips had 4439 total locations as of the 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document.

What type of business is Great Clips?

Great Clips is a franchise in the Personal Care category that licenses the operation of Great Clips salons offering haircare and personal grooming services and designated retail products.

Interested in Great Clips?

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