The beauty services business is a booming industry. For ambitious entrepreneurs who are passionate about helping people look and feel their best, the beauty franchise sector is brimming with opportunities. The beauty and wellness franchise market size was valued at $87.79 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $160.87 billion by 2033, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 7.95% from 2026 to 2033, according to Verified Market Reports. Owning a beauty franchise offers entrepreneurs the advantage of a well-established brand and business model, including operations and marketing support. But understanding the investment—and what franchisees get in return—is critical.
Below, BeautyMatter rounded up some of the top hair salon franchises to help you understand the various opportunities in this lucrative market. From boutique barbershops to high-growth salon suite rental models, here’s a breakdown of what it costs to buy into an established hair salon business and what kind of support you can expect from the franchise owner.
Blo Blow Dry Bar
Founded: 2007
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $100,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $375,000+
Initial Investment Range: $308,500–$402,620
Franchise Fee: $45,000
Number of Locations: ~165
Typical Location Size: 800–1,000 square feet
Blo Blow Dry Bar is the first-to-market blow dry bar in North America and stands as the largest blow dry bar franchise globally. Since opening its first location in Canada in 2007, Blo’s "no cuts, no color, only blow outs" concept has grown to over 165+ locations across the US and Canada and continues to expand rapidly. The brand's hair menu includes a range of signature blown-out styles with customizable options such as braids, ponytails, and updos.
Drybar
Founded: 2010
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $350,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $750k+
Initial Investment Range: $550,504–$869,724
Franchise Fee: $50,000
Royalty Fee: 7%
Number of Locations: 150+
Typical Location Size: 1,300–1,600 square feet
Founded by Alli Webb, Drybar is a hair salon franchise that exclusively offers professional blowouts, without providing cuts or color services. Known for its unique cocktail-themed blowout styles and styling products, Drybar salons cultivate a fun and relaxing ambiance for clients through chic, feminine decor, flattering lighting, and “chick flick” movies (with subtitles) playing on screens. In 2021, franchiser WellBiz Brand bought the Drybar franchise rights for an undisclosed amount. Today, Drybar has over 200 shops worldwide and more than 100 currently in development.
Great Clips
Founded: 1982
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $100,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $500,000
Initial Investment Range: $187,800–$419,900
Franchise Fee: $20,000
Number of Locations: 4,400+
Typical Location Size: 900–1,200 square feet
Great Clips is the world's largest hair salon franchise, serving 1.7 million customers weekly across the US and Canada. The hair salon brand offers affordable, no-appointment haircuts for people of all ages and genders. The franchise emphasizes convenience with online check-ins and extended hours, catering to busy customers seeking quick and budget-friendly services. Many Great Clips franchisees own multiple salon locations, with the average owner operating five to six salons after five years.
Sports Clips
Founded: 1993
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $200,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $400,000
Initial Investment Range: $288,500–$475,000
Franchise Fee: $69,500 (covers three franchise licenses)
Number of Locations: 1,800+
Typical Location Size: 1,000–1,400 square feet
Sport Clips specializes in haircuts for men and boys in a sports-themed environment, featuring televisions that play sports at each station. Serving over 6,000 clients per week, the men’s hair salon has a 95.4% continuity rate, meaning that more than 95% of its locations opened in the last five years are still in operation. The business model is designed to be manager-style, allowing franchisees to oversee the business with a time commitment of about 10–15 hours per week after the initial grand opening period.
Pigtails & Crewcuts
Founded: 2003
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $150,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $250,000
Initial Investment Range: $130,000–$283,000
Franchise Fee: $30,000
Number of Locations: 80+
Typical Location Size: 1,000–1,200 square feet
Pigtails & Crewcuts is a children's hair salon franchise designed to make haircuts fun and stress-free for both kids and parents. With brightly colored decor, themed chairs, and a play area, the salons are designated specifically to cater to children up to 12 years old. Hairstylists at Pigtails & Crewcuts are specifically trained to work with kids of all ages, including those who may be wiggly, anxious, or have sensory sensitivities and special needs. Once the business is up and running, franchisees have the flexibility of semi-absentee ownership, enabling them to oversee the business while maintaining other work or obligations.
Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids
Founded: 1994
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $100,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $250,000
Initial Investment Range: $118,000–$365,000
Franchise Fee: $40,000
Number of Locations: 100+
Typical Location Size: 1,000–1,500 square feet
Cookie Cutters specializes in children's haircuts in a kids-focused salon environment featuring amenities like playgrounds, video games, and themed chairs to keep kids entertained, engaged, and interested in the haircut experience, encouraging them to return. Cookie Cutters has franchised for 30 years and has a well-established system for operations and support.
Hammer & Nails
Founded: 2013
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $250,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $750,000
Initial Investment Range: $653,450–$866,450
Franchise Fee: $49,500
Number of Locations: 30+
Typical Location Size: 1,700–2,200 square feet
Hammer & Nails is a men's salon that offers a complete range of men's grooming services beyond the typical barbershop, including haircuts, shaves, manicures, pedicures, facial treatments, and waxing services. The salons feature oversized leather chairs, personal televisions with noise-canceling headphones, complimentary beverages (including spirits), and low lighting, mimicking a “man cave” environment. Hammer & Nails is a rapidly growing franchise, with plans to open 70 shops by the end of 2025 and exceed 100 stores by the end of 2026.
Floyd’s 99 Barbershop
Founded: 1999
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $500,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $1.5 million
Initial Investment Range: $399,500–$767,500
Franchise Fee: $49,500
Number of Locations: 140+
Typical Location Size: 1,200–1,800 square feet
Floyd’s 99 Barbershop offers a modern twist on the traditional barbershop, combining classic services with a contemporary, music-inspired brand identity. Strategically positioned between discount haircut chains and luxury salons, it offers a range of services including haircuts, coloring, beard trims, shaves, and waxing. The brand stands out as a revenue leader in the hair-cutting franchise sector, generating 55% more revenue than its closest competitor. Floyd's 99 offers a semi-absentee ownership model, ideal for franchisees balancing other commitments. The barbershop also offers a 25% discount on the initial franchise fee to qualifying veterans and active-duty military personnel.
Tommy Gun’s Original Barbershop
Founded: 2009
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $250,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $350,000
Initial Investment Range: $400,000–$550,000
Franchise Fee: $49,500
Number of Locations: 100+
Typical Location Size: 800–1,500 square feet
Tommy Gun’s Original Barbershop combines classic barbershop traditions with premium haircuts, shaves, and grooming services at an affordable price point. Salons feature a retro-modern design and modern amenities, including in-mirror TVs, complimentary beverages, a signature scalp massage, and a hot towel finish. With salons in the US, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, the brand has a global presence with a strong reputation for quality and customer service.
Diesel Barbershop
Founded: 2011
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $120,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $500,000
Initial Investment Range: $336,700–$460,200
Franchise Fee: $45,000
Number of Locations: 30+
Typical Location Size: 1,200–1,400 square feet
Diesel Barbershop offers a contemporary take on the traditional corner barbershop, blending classic men’s grooming services with an edgy, masculine atmosphere. Shops feature exposed brick, leather chairs, flat-screen TVs, and retro arcade games in an effort to make the space feel more like a gentleman's lounge than a hair salon. Diesel offers haircuts, beard trims, shaves, and scalp treatments alongside local beer and curated playlists, aiming to turn routine grooming appointments into an experience worth anticipating.
V’s Barbershop
Founded: 1999
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $100,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $400,000
Initial Investment Range: $326,500–$602,450
Franchise Fee: $40,000
Number of Locations: 60+
Typical Location Size: 1,200–1,500 square feet
V’s Barbershop aims to stay true to the traditional barbershop experience, offering premium services like straight-razor shaves, hot towel treatments, and haircuts in a nostalgic atmosphere. Founded by a father inspired to recreate the barbershop of his childhood, V’s Barbershop blends old-school ambiance—complete with vintage chairs and tiled floors—with modern operational support for franchisees. Each franchise location is assigned a protected territory, typically within a five-mile radius, for the duration of the agreement.
Sola Salon Studios
Founded: 2004
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $500,000+
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $1.5 million
Initial Investment Range: $1,181,960–$1,939,349
Franchise Fee: $60,000
Number of Locations: 700+
Typical Location Size: 4,200–9,000 square feet
Sola Salon Studios pioneered the salon suite rental model, providing turnkey, fully equipped suites for beauty professionals to operate their own businesses independently without the traditional challenges and risks associated with opening a full salon. Each location houses 20–40 private studios for hairstylists, estheticians, nail techs, and massage therapists. Opening a Sola Salon Studios franchise requires a significant investment, but it has the potential for high returns. Over 75% of Sola franchisees own multiple units, demonstrating the potential for growth and expansion within the franchise model.
Phenix Salon Suites
Founded: 2007
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $300,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $1 million
Initial Investment Range: $721,109–$1,420,469
Franchise Fee: $52,500
Number of Locations: 415+
Typical Location Size: 3,500–13,000 square feet
Founded by celebrity stylist Gina Rivera, Phenix Salon Suites operates a semi-absentee franchise model within the growing salon suite sector. Franchisees function as property managers, leasing individual salon suites within a larger facility to a variety of beauty professionals, including hairdressers, nail technicians, and estheticians. Each location requires only one staff member to manage the front desk and greet customers. Franchisees can also boost their profits by stocking product inventory in the reception area.
Salons by JC
Founded: 1997
Minimum Liquidity Requirement: $750,000
Minimum Net Worth Requirement: $2 million
Initial Investment Range: $1,424,175–$2,172,400
Franchise Fee: $60,000
Number of Locations: 150+
Typical Location Size: 6,000–10,000 square feet
Salons by JC is a salon suite franchise that offers individual, private suites for beauty and wellness professionals to operate their businesses within a larger, multisuite salon. The franchise provides the space and infrastructure, while beauty professionals lease the suites and manage their own clientele, services, and pricing. Suite owners also have the ability to customize their space to reflect their brand and personality. This model allows beauty professionals to run their own businesses with autonomy while benefiting from the shared resources and amenities of a larger salon environment. Each location features a full-time concierge to support tenants and ensure seamless operations.
