Which is the better franchise, Best Western or BW Premier Collection and BW Signature Collection?

FranchiseVerdict grades Best Western B and BW Premier Collection and BW Signature Collection B, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Best Western vs BW Premier Collection and BW Signature Collection

Q: Is Best Western or BW Premier Collection and BW Signature Collection cheaper to open?

Best Western costs $581,925–$2,557,075 and BW Premier Collection and BW Signature Collection costs $442,540–$2,765,125 to open (FDD Item 7). BW Premier Collection and BW Signature Collection has the lower entry cost.

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Best Western and BW Premier Collection and BW Signature Collection are lodging franchises. Best Western requires an investment of $582K – $2.6M while BW Premier Collection and BW Signature Collection requires $443K – $2.8M. Neither Best Western nor BW Premier Collection and BW Signature Collection 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. Best Western has SBA lending data on file with a 8.8% charge-off rate. FranchiseVerdict rates Best Western B (Above average) and BW Premier Collection and BW Signature Collection B (Above average).

Metric	Best Western	BW Premier Collection and BW Signature Collection
Verdict Grade	BAbove average	BAbove average
Investment Range	$582K – $2.6M	$443K – $2.8M
Franchise Fee	N/AFee not disclosed	$25K
Royalty Rate	5.0%	5.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/ANo Item 19 representation	N/ANo Item 19 representation
SBA Charge-Off Rate	8.8% (418 loans)	N/A
Total Units	1,750	67
Unit Growth (YoY)	-20 units	+3 units
Year Began Franchising	2020	2020
FDD Year	2026	2026