Is H&R Block or PAYROLL VAULT cheaper to open?

H&R Block costs $34,080–$158,750 and PAYROLL VAULT costs $77,375–$111,885 to open (FDD Item 7). H&R Block has the lower entry cost.

Which is the better franchise, H&R Block or PAYROLL VAULT?

FranchiseVerdict grades H&R Block B and PAYROLL VAULT B, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

H&R Block vs PAYROLL VAULT

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both H&R Block and PAYROLL VAULT are financial services franchises. H&R Block requires an investment of $34K – $159K while PAYROLL VAULT requires $77K – $112K. PAYROLL VAULT discloses average revenue of $282K; H&R Block makes no financial performance representation in its Item 19, which is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule. H&R Block has SBA lending data on file with a 5.6% charge-off rate. FranchiseVerdict rates H&R Block B (Above average) and PAYROLL VAULT B (Above average).

Metric	H&R Block	PAYROLL VAULT
Verdict Grade	BAbove average	BAbove average
Investment Range	$34K – $159K	$77K – $112K
Franchise Fee	$3K	$69K
Royalty Rate	40.0%	6.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	N/ANo Item 19 representation	$282K
SBA Charge-Off Rate	5.6% (54 loans)	Limited data
Total Units	8,688	61
Unit Growth (YoY)	-148 units	+6 units
Year Began Franchising	2008	2012
FDD Year	2025	2025