How We Make Money
You should know who pays us before you trust our numbers. Here it is, plainly.
Last updated October 30, 2026
We earn money by selling startup kits and books. In the future, we may earn referral fees from lenders, insurers, or equipment suppliers we recommend; every such link will be clearly labeled. No franchisor pays us, and no one can pay to change our numbers or rankings.
What we sell
- Digital startup kits: a playbook, budget and forecast spreadsheets, and templates for one business. One-time price, no subscription, and a 30-day refund.
What's free
- Every business guide, including the startup budget and franchise comparison
- The startup budget and forecast tools
- The Core Academy lessons
- The Franchise vs. Independent Cost Worksheet
Referral links
If we ever earn money from a link, it carries a visible “Affiliate” label next to it. Today, none of our links earn us anything.
What we don't do
- We don't take money from franchisors or franchise brokers.
- We don't sell rankings, placements, or “featured” spots.
- We don't publish testimonials, ratings, or reviews we can't verify.
- We don't sell your personal information.
Every number on the site lists its source. See our sources and methodology.