Franchise Facts Report → compare → Smartstyle vs Cost Cutters
Smartstyle vs Cost Cutters
Two beauty & personal care franchises, compared on the numbers their own Franchise Disclosure Documents put on record — investment, fees, Item 19 earnings, outlet churn, and litigation. Not marketing copy.
| Smartstyle | Cost Cutters | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $184,440 – $336,340 | $180,990 – $342,340 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $39,500 | $39,500 |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | — | 6% |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Not disclosed | Yes |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | — | $1,144,397 |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 911 | 329 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | -166 | -134 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | 4.3% | 8.9% |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | disclosed | disclosed |
| Risk level our read | High | Medium |
| FDD year registration | 2025 | 2025 |
Are Smartstyle and Cost Cutters the same company?
Yes — for franchising purposes they are the same company. THE BARBERS, HAIRSTYLING FOR MEN & WOMEN, INC. is named as the franchisor on the most recent FDD for both Smartstyle and Cost Cutters, so you would sign your franchise agreement with the same entity either way. They remain two separate offerings with their own investment ranges, fees and outlet counts — those differences are in the table above.
Cost to open
Smartstyle is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $184,440 – $336,340, against $180,990 – $342,340 for Cost Cutters.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Only Cost Cutters disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation (headline average unit revenue $1,144,397), while Smartstyle's most recent FDD makes none. That asymmetry is itself a data point: one franchisor puts its unit economics on paper, the other doesn't.
Closures & failure rate
Smartstyle reports 911 franchised outlets, net change -166 in the latest reported year, a 4.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Cost Cutters reports 329 franchised outlets, net change -134 in the latest reported year, a 8.9% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate; the full report puts both brands' churn against beauty & personal care medians.
Litigation
Smartstyle discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (case detail in the full report). Cost Cutters discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (case detail in the full report).
This page is the headline numbers. The Deep report compares up to three brands on the complete FDD record — every fee line, the actual Item 19 figures and what they represent, each lawsuit, and churn benchmarked against beauty & personal care peers.
Only looking at one of them?
Smartstyle vs Cost Cutters — frequently asked
Are Smartstyle and Cost Cutters the same company?
Yes — for franchising purposes they are the same company. THE BARBERS, HAIRSTYLING FOR MEN & WOMEN, INC. is named as the franchisor on the most recent FDD for both Smartstyle and Cost Cutters, so you would sign your franchise agreement with the same entity either way. They remain two separate offerings with their own investment ranges, fees and outlet counts — those differences are in the table above.
What is the difference between Smartstyle and Cost Cutters?
Smartstyle and Cost Cutters are two offerings from one franchisor, THE BARBERS, HAIRSTYLING FOR MEN & WOMEN, INC.. Smartstyle is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $184,440 – $336,340, against $180,990 – $342,340 for Cost Cutters. Only Cost Cutters disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation (headline average unit revenue $1,144,397), while Smartstyle's most recent FDD makes none. That asymmetry is itself a data point: one franchisor puts its unit economics on paper, the other doesn't.
Is Smartstyle more profitable than Cost Cutters?
Only Cost Cutters disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation (headline average unit revenue $1,144,397), while Smartstyle's most recent FDD makes none. That asymmetry is itself a data point: one franchisor puts its unit economics on paper, the other doesn't.
Which is cheaper to open — Smartstyle or Cost Cutters?
Smartstyle is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $184,440 – $336,340, against $180,990 – $342,340 for Cost Cutters.
Is Smartstyle or Cost Cutters growing faster?
Smartstyle reports 911 franchised outlets, net change -166 in the latest reported year, a 4.3% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Cost Cutters reports 329 franchised outlets, net change -134 in the latest reported year, a 8.9% closure rate (FDD Item 20).
Go deeper on each brand
Beauty & personal care rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (Smartstyle 2025, Cost Cutters 2025). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.