Top 12 Most Profitable Franchises Under £20K

Becky Martin, writer

Published at 16/03/2019, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 11 min

Top 12 Most Profitable Franchises Under £20K — Photo © profitable-franchises(1).jpg

If you’ve always dreamed of starting your own business but didn’t think you could afford to, this is the article for you. Today, we look at the top 12 most profitable franchises under £20,000 in the UK right now.

Franchising isn’t as expensive as you may think. Yes, some are cheaper than others and you can’t expect to start a big-name franchise like McDonald’s without having access to a significant amount of capital. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t make healthy profits from a franchise with a lower initial investment.

Affordable franchises do exist if you’re prepared to think outside the box a little. Rather than going for franchises that require a substantial initial investment and plenty of working capital, such as food outlets, some of the most profitable franchises are those that require lower start-up and running costs. If you’re ready for a career change, franchising is a great way to be your own boss and hit the ground running operating under an established brand. Here is our list of the most profitable franchises for under £20,000, some of which may surprise you.

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Top 12 most profitable franchises under £20k

1. Aspray

Aspray is recognised as one of the UK’s franchise leaders in the property claims handling industry. It specialises in building repairs and insurance claims management, bridging the gap between the claimant and insurer during negotiations.

Becoming an Aspray franchisee: If you join this franchise, you’ll support clients when they need it most. You’ll specialise in project managing property damage insurance claims from inception to completion of repairs. To learn more and sign up, visit its profile page.
How much you need to invest: A minimum investment of £15,000 is required.
What you get for your investment: You’ll get high-quality training, admin support and marketing help. You’ll also be able to attend regional meetings and national conferences to upgrade your skills and expertise.

2. Kumon

Kumon is a great investment opportunity if you want to shape the lives of children. With over 50 years of experience under its belt, Kumon is the largest supplementary education provider in the UK.

Becoming a Kumon franchisee: If you’re passionate about using the Kumon Method to further the development and education of children, it encourages you to apply. To learn more and sign up, visit its profile page.
How much you need to invest: To be accepted as a franchisee, you need to have access to a minimum investment of £3,000.
What you get for your investment: You’ll be supported by a franchise team bursting with industry-specific expertise and benefit from promotional campaigns and material. This is on top of the initial training and ongoing support network.

3. Metro Plumb

For many customers across with the UK with a plumbing problem, Metro Plumb is their first port of call. There are over thirty local centres that operate 24/7, tackling plumbing emergencies quickly and efficiently.

Becoming a Metro Plumb franchisee: If you’re a hard-working and organised individual with practical plumbing experience or have had NVQ Level 2 training, Metro Rod encourages you to apply. To learn more and sign up, visit its profile page.
How much you need to invest: Metro Plumb asks for a minimum investment of £17,000.
What you get for your investment: You’ll receive full training so you know everything you need to operate your own successful franchise unit.

4. Lash Perfect Beauty Bar

This is an eyelash, eyebrow and nail bar based in South East England. The beauty franchise offers newcomers or experienced beauty therapists and lash technicians the opportunity to open an outlet and be associated with an established and reputable beauty brand.

Becoming a Lash Perfect Beauty Bar franchisee: To learn more and sign up, visit its profile page.
How much you need to invest: Lash Perfect Beauty Bar will only need you to provide a minimum upfront investment of £5,000 and a total of £9,999.
What you get for your investment: Not only can franchisees benefit from big discounts on the latest professional and retail products, you’ll also be leased a Lash-Perfect-branded Fiat 500, so you can always advertise your business. Your beauty franchise will also be equipped with branded professional treatment kits and quality tools to give your clients the highest-quality results and keep them coming back.

5. Bodystreet

Bodystreet offers the opportunity for those with little or no time to get fit and stay fit. Its proven once-a-week, 20-minute workout programme helps burn fat, build muscle, tone and shape. Bodystreet operates boutique fitness studios where members receive personal instruction from its highly trained team.

Becoming a Bodystreet franchisee: If you’ve got a positive attitude, are ambitious and have a hands-on approach, you could have what it takes to run your own franchise location. To learn more and sign up, visit its profile page.
How much you need to invest: In order to invest in a Bodystreet franchise, you’ll need a minimum investment of £10,000.
What you get for your investment: In partnership with one of the UK’s leading providers, the innovative franchise has developed a training programme. This means that franchisees and their team can undergo industry recognised training at a fraction of the cost.

6. FiltaFry

Commercial fryers produce a lot of waste and can be very difficult to keep clean and hygienic. FiltaFry has opted to deliver a specialised kitchen extract cleaning service that provides on-site deep cleaning for commercial fryers, and a micro-filtration service for cooking oil to remove particulates.

Becoming a FiltaFry franchisee: Having previous experience in the catering industry is looked on fondly but it isn’t a necessity. To find out more and apply, visit its profile page.
How much you need to invest: This is a great option if you’re on a limited budget, with an initial minimum investment of just £5,000 it’s one of the lowest buy-ins on offer in the cleaning and catering sector. With funding support available, you’re looking at a total investment of around £15,000, which means you’ll see a quick return on your investment.
What you get for your investment: In return, you’ll take part in a two-week training programme, an on-going eight-week development plan and have access to technical, sales and business support hotlines. This is to make sure you’re confident in your role and feel supported throughout your franchising journey.

7. Healthy Feet

Healthy Feet provides a mobile foot clinic service for customers up and down the UK. It’s popular among customers with diabetes, arthritis and mobility issues, as well as those who just enjoy pampering treatments.

Becoming a Healthy Feet franchisee: It’s important to be a people-person and comfortable communicating with customers from all walks of life. Having a full UK driving licence is a must too. To find out more and apply, visit its profile page.
How much you need to invest: For those who are unable to raise a large amount of funds, the total investment to become a Healthy Feet franchisee is £6,995. Therefore, it’s certainly a viable option for potential franchisees who don’t have lots of cash to invest.
What you get for your investment: The franchise provides its franchisees with a Foot Health Practitioner qualification to carry out their services. The majority of training is completed online, and the working hours are extremely flexible around your regular clientele, making it perfect for those busy with a home-life who are searching for a greater earning potential. You will also be supported with one-to-one mentoring

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8. JAN-PRO

JAN-PRO launched in the US in 1991 and has since developed into a market-leading commercial cleaning franchise. The established brand provides top-notch cleaning services to offices, medical centres and commercial premises in over 11 countries, and to over 40,000 customers a year. The company is hoping to further its coverage in the UK through the franchise model.

Becoming a JAN-PRO franchisee: There are two models available: the Regional Franchise Opportunity and the Single Unit Franchise Opportunity. In the former, franchisees will own a large, exclusive territory with unlimited potential for growth, where they will support Unit Franchise Partners who provide the cleaning service. The latter involves operating under the guidance of the Regional Franchise Partner.
How much you need to invest: A minimum investment of £3,000 a total investment of £21,000 is required.
What you get for your investment: There is plenty of support provided to franchisees, including a five-session training programme in London. One of the most exciting elements of the Regional Franchise Training opportunity is the chance to take a free, two-week trip to Atlanta for training.

9. Nicholas Humphreys Estate Agency

Nicholas Humphreys was established back in 1998 but didn’t become a franchised business until 2012, following several years of success. Breaking the mould of traditional letting agents, Nicholas Humphreys introduces a fresh style and innovative approach to the profitable student letting sector. For this reason, it’s one of the best franchises to buy if you want to invest in a dynamic and highly regarded company.

Becoming a Nicholas Humphreys Estate Agency franchisee: You don’t need any previous business ownership experience, nor are you required to have a background in the property letting sector. It is, however, important to be ambitious, enthusiastic and self-motivated.
How much you need to invest: Nicholas Humphreys asks for a minimum investment of around £9,000 and a total investment of £31,200.
What you get for your investment: The size of your business and the rate at which you grow is entirely down to you. You can choose to start a field-based franchise to keep costs to a minimum, or you can find a fixed location ideally placed to encourage customers to visit. You’ll also receive full training and be supported every step of the way in the launch of your new estate agent franchise.

According to Rob Butters, Stoke-on-Trent:

“I took a Nicholas Humphreys franchise to move away from the corporate sector into a steady industry to make a decent income to support a family. Having made an income of £309,696.67 net of VAT so far and I am 2 months from my 3-year trading point, my dream is becoming a reality.”

10. Barking Mad

When it was launched in Cumbria in 2000, Barking Mad offered an alternative to traditional kennels. Trusted dog carers are hired to look after owners’ pets while they’re away. The dogs stay in the carer’s home, rather than in a kennel, so the pet should feel more at ease in a relaxed atmosphere.

Alongside its bespoke dog care service, this dog sitting business offers quality dog transportation, photo updates and a ‘mini sleepover’ for one night before your dog moves into your host’s house for a longer stay. Barking Mad has grown into the industry’s most trusted dog-sitting service, boasting a score of 9.9 on Trustpilot.

Becoming a Barking Mad franchisee: It goes without saying that you’ll need to have a love of dogs. You should also have a can-do attitude and the drive to support an expanding business. To learn more and sign up, visit its profile page.
How much you need to invest: If you want to join the franchise’s 80-strong network of dog-sitting carers across the UK, a minimum investment of just under £15,000 is required.
What you get for your investment: As well as a comprehensive training programme, Barking Mad offers franchisees operational equipment, FIDO business software, corporate apparel and marketing materials as part of its franchise package.

11. Driving Miss Daisy

Driving Miss Daisy has a distinctive franchise model that offers transportation and companion services for anyone who is unable to drive.

Becoming a Driving Miss Daisy franchisee: If you’re genuinely interested in improving people’s lives and helping them feel safe and secure, you need to be trustworthy, honest and compassionate. You’ll get all the training you need to teach you the rest. If you're ambitious and have the required drive and capital, you can even choose to oversee multiple franchises across a larger region.
How much you need to invest: The cost of purchasing a Driving Miss Daisy franchise is £15,000 plus VAT. You’ll also be expected to buy a fully liveried vehicle, pay the relevant local authority fees to register as a licensed operator and arrange the necessary insurance.
What you get for your investment: On top of the training programme, you’ll be helped with marketing, handling enquires and more.

12. The Incredible Ice Cream Company

This franchise sets up mobile ice cream bars in high footfall areas and caters for private, public and corporate events across the UK. Its colourful stall is eye-catching, drawing customers in to craft their own delicious ice cream creations. That means you can be a food vendor without the hassle of renting business premises.

Becoming an Incredible Ice Cream Company franchisee: You'll benefit from the ice cream sector's high demand and the 83 percent of people who eat ice cream during autumn and winter as well as spring and summer. To learn more and sign up, click here.
How much you need to invest: When you join The Incredible Ice Cream Company, you can choose to start a mobile business for £9,500 or a static business for slightly more. Franchisees can make over £50,000 in the first year alone, so it's a fantastic opportunity to get involved in the ice cream sector.
What you get for your investment: Franchisees will enter into a renewable, two-year contract and can expect to benefit from a comprehensive training scheme and all the necessary consumables, from ice cream and sprinkles to sauces and flakes.

Start your own profitable franchise

This article has proved that it doesn’t always cost an arm and a leg to start a business, and there are in fact an abundance of franchises from a wide range of industries that you can start for a relatively low investment.

These are just 12 exciting franchise opportunities that you can kick-start for less than £20,000. There are loads more too – check out our franchise directory for more information.