LINK franchise: cost, fees & unit track record
Opening a LINK franchise takes $53,200 – $148,500 all-in, per its franchise disclosure filings (data as of 2026-05). The initial franchise fee is $45,000. Ongoing, franchisees pay a royalty of 7% on sales plus an ad-fund contribution of up to 2%. To qualify, LINK asks for $53,200 in liquid cash and a $250,000 net worth. Anything the filings do not state is marked "Not disclosed" below — never estimated.
LINK franchise costs and fees
| Verification mark | Cost item | Low | High | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise feeOne-time, paid to the franchisor at signing | $45,000 | $45,000 | $45,000 | |
| Initial investment (all-in)FDD Item 7-derived range: build-out, equipment, opening costs | $53,200 | $148,500 | $53,200 to $148,500 | |
| Net worth requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | $250,000 | $250,000 | $250,000 | |
| Liquid cash requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | $53,200 | $53,200 | $53,200 | |
| Cash to open (all-in range) | $53,200 | $148,500 | $53,200 to $148,500 |
| RoyaltyOngoing, % of sales | 7% |
|---|---|
| Ad fundOngoing, % of sales | Up to 2% |
| Initial termLength of the first franchise agreement | Not disclosed |
See the full LINK cost breakdown — what's in that number and what isn't
How LINK's cost compares
A dollar figure means more with a yardstick. Here is where LINK's disclosed cost sits against the Professional Services category:
- Minimum startup cost of $53,200 — about 37% below the Professional Services median of $84,700.
- Initial franchise fee of $45,000 — about in line with the Professional Services median of $39,700.
Category medians are computed from the Professional Services brands in our data that disclosed each figure — a benchmark for scale, not a quality judgment. See all Professional Services franchises
Free info kit — costs, fees, and unit track record. You choose who may follow up.
Figures look outdated? Report outdated info.
How LINK's units have held up
Openings and closures from FDD Item 20-style unit history, 2014–2017: began the window at 0 units; 7 units opened, 0 closed, ending at 6 units.
What about earnings?
We don't publish per-brand earnings figures — for LINK or anyone else. The only primary source is Item 19 of the brand's own franchise disclosure document (FDD), and no law requires a franchisor to publish one, so the "average owner income" numbers circulating elsewhere are usually unsourced or survivorship-biased. Ask LINK for its current FDD and read Item 19 yourself — and if there is no Item 19, that silence is information too.
What this data can't tell you
Everything on this page comes from disclosure filings — fees, ranges, and unit counts. Four questions that matter just as much are not in any filing we can source, so we say so instead of guessing:
- The hours and the labor
- No dataset field says whether LINK is a manage-from-a-laptop business or a 60-hour week in disguise. Item 15 of the FDD states whether you're obligated to run the business personally, and Item 11 lists what the franchisor actually does for you — then ask current owners what their week looks like (validation calls), not the sales team.
- How hands-on the ownership really is
- "Semi-absentee" is a pitch, not a filing field. Treat any hands-off claim as unverified until it's consistent with Item 15 and with what multiple current franchisees tell you — what absentee ownership actually means.
- Your territory — whether it's protected, and whether it's open
- Two territory questions sit outside our data. Whether LINK grants a protected or exclusive area is set in Item 12 of the FDD and varies brand to brand — some grant none, and the carve-outs (online sales, national accounts) matter as much as the map. And filing data can't say what's open in your market this month; only LINK can confirm current availability. Ask both before you inquire, and get the answer in writing.
- What owners earn
- Covered honestly above: our dataset has no earnings fields, the only primary source is the brand's own Item 19, and here is how to read that evidence.
About the LINK franchise
LINK is a professional services franchisor with 6 units at the end of 2017 (FDD Item 20-style unit history). Between 2014 and 2017, it began the window at 0 units; its filings record 7 unit openings and 0 closures, ending at 6 units. Its parent company is LINK USA, LLC.
No franchise-related lawsuits reported in the disclosure data we hold (FDD Item 3, as of 2026-05) — an absence in our sources, not a guarantee; confirm against the brand's current FDD.
From the franchisor's materials
Each LINK Franchised Business will use the LINK mark and other designated trademarks (the “Marks”) and the system (the “System”) developed by LINK NZ to operate a business brokerage business using a unique, tailored approach to facilitation and a focus on delivering exceptional service. The business brokers are grouped into their own specialized divisions, from franchise and rural business to tourism and substantial business. Our website is a key element in helping people find businesses for sale. The purpose of Our franchise program is to expand the marketing of the LINK System and to set up LINK Business offices which will operate under the LINK Marks and System as developed by LINK NZ and to provide business brokerage services. Each LINK Business will use the LINK trademark and other designated trademarks (“Marks”) and follow Our System, which includes the LINK Information and Operations Navigator (“LION”) and business procedures stated in Our confidential Operations Manual (the “Manual”).
LINK franchise: quick answers
- How much does a LINK franchise cost?
- $53,200 – $148,500 all-in to open, per LINK's franchise disclosure filings (data as of 2026-05).
- How many LINK units are there?
- 6 units at the end of 2017 (FDD Item 20-style unit history).
- How have LINK's units held up?
- 100% of units at risk between 2015 and 2017 did not close, per our metric recomputed from FDD Item 20-style unit history (methodology published on our verification page).