Is APLUS or Ben & Jerry’s cheaper to open?

APLUS costs $239,850–$726,700 and Ben & Jerry’s costs $280,300–$631,300 to open (FDD Item 7). APLUS has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, APLUS or Ben & Jerry’s?

FranchiseVerdict grades APLUS B and Ben & Jerry’s B, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

APLUS vs Ben & Jerry’s

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both APLUS and Ben & Jerry’s are retail franchises. APLUS requires an investment of $240K – $727K while Ben & Jerry’s requires $280K – $631K. Ben & Jerry’s discloses average revenue of $665K; APLUS makes no financial performance representation in its Item 19, which is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule. Ben & Jerry’s has SBA lending data on file with a 0.0% charge-off rate. FranchiseVerdict rates APLUS B (Above average) and Ben & Jerry’s B (Above average).

Metric	APLUS	Ben & Jerry’s
Verdict Grade	BAbove average	BAbove average
Investment Range	$240K – $727K	$280K – $631K
Franchise Fee	$15K	$40K
Royalty Rate	6.0%	3.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/ANo Item 19 representation	$665K
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	0.0% (20 loans)
Total Units	265	157
Unit Growth (YoY)	-2 units	+3 units
Year Began Franchising	1993	1981
FDD Year	2025	2026