Franchises are a fantastic investment opportunity with plenty of variety to meet various needs. The best part? There are many franchise options for investors working with a smaller budget or those perhaps looking to make a more conservative first investment.

How would investing in a franchise benefit you?

Unlike investing in a new independent business, franchises are considered to be much safer alternatives. This is because you’re investing in a proven concept, with a support network that will guide you through business challenges. As a result, franchises are great options for first-time investors or those looking for a lower-risk investment.

In this overview, we take a look at some of the best franchises to invest in on a low budget.

Cleaning franchises

You can invest in a cleaning franchise for as little as £5,000. The benefits are that there is always good demand for cleaning services, such as residential, office or commercial cleaning, your franchise will benefit from a network of return customers, and it’s easy to establish a team, with simple training and low entry requirements.

Cleaning franchises also provide a great work-life balance, with flexible hours that can be scheduled around other commitments. They are perfect for beginner investors, with low risk and great earning potential.

Browse cleaning franchises

Pet franchises

If you’re an animal lover, pet franchises are a perfect opportunity to invest in your passion. There’s a wide variety of options in this particular segment, including pet grooming, pet daycare, and pet training. If you have an interest in a particular area there’s usually plenty of opportunities to invest in a franchise that offers services to that specific animal, such as horse grooming or dog training.

You can invest in a pet franchise for as little as £4,000, with training and support provided.

Discover pet franchises

Education franchises

The opportunity to directly impact the learning of customers is rewarding. If you’re passionate about teaching, or if you’re looking to try something new, you’ll find that an education franchise offers a rewarding entry point into the business world.

There are plenty of opportunities to suit different needs and requirements, with franchise options such as nursery, preschool, after school clubs, and tutoring. Almost all options cover different subjects, so you can invest in a franchise that you are passionate about, be it history, maths, PE, or English. The minimum investment starts from as little as £10,000.

Learn more about education franchises

Gardening franchises

A gardening franchise is a perfect match if you’re looking to work outdoors with nature. There are a ton of opportunities in lawn maintenance, tree felling, stump removing and landscaping. This type of franchise also benefits from returning customers, which results in a consistent and steady income stream.

You can invest in a gardening franchise for as little as £5,000.

Unlock the beauty of gardening franchises

Fitness franchises

By investing in a fitness franchise, you can directly improve the lives of people whilst earning at the same time. There’s an array of fitness franchise opportunities available, including football for young children, yoga classes, gym, swimming, and dance.

On the higher end, fitness franchises demand high initial investment, but on the lower end, you can invest with as little as £10,000.

Unleash the power of fitness franchises in your area

Coffee franchises

Investing in an independent coffee shop can be daunting. There’s a huge risk involved since marketing, brand awareness and operations fall directly on you. If you’re inexperienced or a first-time investor, you could be risking your money.

Instead, you should consider investing in a coffee franchise, where your money is going into a proven concept, with an already established brand and operational model. You can invest in this type of franchise from as little as £20,000, which is considerably lower than the cost of starting an independent business.

Get your caffeine fix with coffee franchises

Courier franchises

Instead of driving for a boss and benefiting another company, you should consider investing in a courier franchise where you’ll be investing in yourself. You can invest in a courier franchise for as little as £5,000 and as much as £25,000 for some of the bigger name franchises.

If you’re not experienced in providing courier services, a franchise will provide you with all the tools necessary to succeed, including a support programme, marketing materials, and professional social media pages.

Drive your career further with van based franchises

Property and estate agent franchises

You could benefit from the highly profitable property market without having to work for an independent estate agent. There’s a variety of options in this segment, with most of the traditional estate agent franchises requiring a minimum investment of around £20,000. There are cheaper alternatives, such as some virtual property touring franchises, which can be invested in with as little as £500.

Regardless of your interests, there are plenty of franchise opportunities if you’re on a low budget. These business opportunities allow you to build on the experience you already have in a particular area or allow you to try something new.