Is Learning Express or Children’s Orchard cheaper to open?

Learning Express costs $201,491–$387,514 and Children’s Orchard costs $226,700–$335,500 to open (FDD Item 7). Learning Express has the lower entry cost.

Which earns more, Learning Express or Children’s Orchard?

Learning Express reports $836,884 average annual unit revenue vs $418,805 for Children’s Orchard (FDD Item 19). Learning Express is higher.

Which is the better franchise, Learning Express or Children’s Orchard?

FranchiseVerdict grades Learning Express B and Children’s Orchard C, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

Learning Express vs Children’s Orchard

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both Learning Express and Children’s Orchard are retail franchises. Learning Express requires an investment of $201K – $388K while Children’s Orchard requires $227K – $336K. In terms of revenue, Learning Express reports higher average unit revenue at $837K. Learning Express has SBA lending data on file with a 22.9% charge-off rate. FranchiseVerdict rates Learning Express B (Above average) and Children’s Orchard C (Average).

Metric	Learning Express	Children’s Orchard
Verdict Grade	BAbove averageAbove average	CAverageAverage
Investment Range	$201K – $388K	$227K – $336K
Franchise Fee	$40K	$25K
Royalty Rate	Greater of 5% of Gross Receipts or $1,500 per month per location	4.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	$837K	$419K
SBA Charge-Off Rate	22.9% (76 loans)	Limited data
Total Units	86	13
Unit Growth (YoY)	N/A	N/A
Year Began Franchising	1990	2015
FDD Year	2025	2026