Matco Tools franchise: cost, fees & unit track record
Opening a Matco Tools franchise takes $104,374 – $376,241 all-in, per its franchise disclosure filings (data as of 2026-05). The initial franchise fee is $10,000. To qualify, Matco Tools asks for $25,000 in liquid cash and a $25,000 net worth. Anything the filings do not state is marked "Not disclosed" below — never estimated.
Matco Tools franchise costs and fees
| Verification mark | Cost item | Low | High | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise feeOne-time, paid to the franchisor at signing | $10,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 | |
| Initial investment (all-in)FDD Item 7-derived range: build-out, equipment, opening costs | $104,374 | $376,241 | $104,374 to $376,241 | |
| Net worth requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | $25,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | |
| Liquid cash requiredFranchisor's stated qualification minimum | $25,000 | $25,000 | $25,000 | |
| Cash to open (all-in range) | $104,374 | $376,241 | $104,374 to $376,241 |
| RoyaltyOngoing, % of sales | Not disclosed |
|---|---|
| Ad fundOngoing, % of sales | Not disclosed |
| Initial termLength of the first franchise agreement | 10 years |
See the full Matco Tools cost breakdown — what's in that number and what isn't
How Matco Tools's cost compares
A dollar figure means more with a yardstick. Here is where Matco Tools's disclosed cost sits against the Retail category:
- Minimum startup cost of $104,374 — about 37% below the Retail median of $165,000.
- Initial franchise fee of $10,000 — about 73% below the Retail median of $36,750.
Category medians are computed from the Retail brands in our data that disclosed each figure — a benchmark for scale, not a quality judgment. See all Retail franchises
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How Matco Tools's units have held up
Openings and closures from FDD Item 20-style unit history, 2012–2021: began the window at 1,423 units; 2,115 units opened, 1,618 closed, ending at 1,854 units. (partial records: 2018 is not in the source data — totals span the reported years only.)
What about earnings?
We don't publish per-brand earnings figures — for Matco Tools 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 Matco Tools 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 Matco Tools 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 Matco Tools 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 Matco Tools 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 Matco Tools franchise
Matco Tools is a retail franchisor with 1,854 units at the end of 2021 (FDD Item 20-style unit history). Between 2012 and 2021, it began the window at 1,423 units; its filings record 2,115 unit openings and 1,618 closures, ending at 1,854 units (partial records: 2018 is not in the source data — totals span the reported years only). Its parent company is MTH Holding LLC. The filings indicate financing options are available; terms come from the franchisor, not from us.
Disclosure filings report 5 franchise-related lawsuits. Review Item 3 of the FDD. (as of 2026-05)
From the franchisor's materials
This Disclosure Document provides information regarding the operation of a Matco Distributorship. Matco is a manufacturer and distributor of professional quality mechanics’ tools and service equipment (the "Products"). If you enter into a Distributorship Agreement with Matco, you will purchase, resell, and service the Products, which currently consist of more than 15, 800 items, as a mobile distributor under the Matco System
Matco Tools franchise: quick answers
- How much does a Matco Tools franchise cost?
- $104,374 – $376,241 all-in to open, per Matco Tools's franchise disclosure filings (data as of 2026-05).
- How many Matco Tools units are there?
- 1,854 units at the end of 2021 (FDD Item 20-style unit history).
- How have Matco Tools's units held up?
- 76.4% of units at risk between 2019 and 2021 did not close, per our metric recomputed from FDD Item 20-style unit history (methodology published on our verification page).