Is Beard Papa’s or Popbar cheaper to open?

Beard Papa’s costs $200,900–$477,000 and Popbar costs $217,000–$461,000 to open (FDD Item 7). Beard Papa’s has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, Beard Papa’s or Popbar?

FranchiseVerdict grades Beard Papa’s C and Popbar D, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Beard Papa’s vs Popbar

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Beard Papa’s and Popbar are quick-service restaurants franchises. Beard Papa’s requires an investment of $201K – $477K while Popbar requires $217K – $461K. Neither Beard Papa’s nor Popbar makes a financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD — a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule — so the two cannot be compared on disclosed unit revenue. FranchiseVerdict rates Beard Papa’s C (Average) and Popbar D (Below average).

Metric	Beard Papa’s	Popbar
Verdict Grade	CAverage	DBelow average
Investment Range	$201K – $477K	$217K – $461K
Franchise Fee	$45K	$35K
Royalty Rate	5.0%	6.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/ANo Item 19 representation	N/ANo Item 19 representation
SBA Charge-Off Rate	Limited data	Limited data
Total Units	36	16
Unit Growth (YoY)	-8 units	-5 units
Year Began Franchising	2004	2010
FDD Year	2026	2023