How much does an AtWork franchise cost?
The 2026 AtWork Franchise, Inc. Franchise Disclosure Document gives two separate U.S. investment ranges: $165,000 to $250,000 for an AtWork Personnel Business and $95,000 to $115,500 for an AtWork Professional Business. These are different operating formats and should not be blended into one AtWork startup figure.
Professional: $95,000–$115,500 Estimated Initial Investment — 2026 FDD Item 7
Each official total includes the applicable Initial Franchise Fee, the $5,000 initial Risk Management Reserve Deposit, opening expenses, and Additional Funds for the first 6 to 9 months. The Additional Funds line is already inside the Item 7 total and should not be added a second time.
Data basis: AtWork Franchise, Inc., a Tennessee corporation; U.S. Franchise Disclosure Document issued March 31, 2026; Personnel Business and Professional Business formats; Items 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, and 17; checked July 14, 2026. No matching 2026 FDD was located on an official franchise-controlled public webpage, so FDD citations below are unlinked and identified by Item and page. Current format descriptions are available on the official AtWork U.S. franchise website.
Why are the Personnel and Professional investment ranges so different?
The main difference is the office and staffing structure. The 2026 FDD expects an AtWork Personnel Business to use a 1,000- to 1,250-square-foot storefront office, while an AtWork Professional Business is expected to operate from an owner’s residence. The Professional format therefore has no Item 7 lease, leasehold-improvement, utility-deposit, telephone, printed-material, or signage line.
The bars use the same $0 to $250,000 scale. They show the official low and high endpoints, not averages or typical budgets.
Interpretation: the Professional Business range is narrower because the FDD assumes a residential office and materially lower Additional Funds. Source: 2026 AtWork Franchise, Inc. FDD, Item 7, pp. 13–17.
The official Personnel format page describes a physical-location model, while the official Professional format page describes a remote model with no physical office required. Those descriptions align with the format assumptions in Item 7, even though the investment figures currently displayed on the website do not fully match the March 31, 2026 FDD.
As checked July 14, 2026, AtWork’s official investment page displayed $156,000–$213,000 for Personnel and $95,000–$115,000 for Professional. The later, verified 2026 FDD states $165,000–$250,000 and $95,000–$115,500. For FDD-governed cost disclosures, the 2026 FDD figures are used here; a buyer should ask AtWork to reconcile the official investment webpage with the current disclosure document.
What is included in the AtWork initial investment?
Item 7 includes both one-time opening payments and a 6- to 9-month operating reserve. The cost categories below preserve the two official formats separately and show when each payment is expected.
What does a Personnel Business include?
The 2026 Personnel Business total is $165,000 to $250,000. Its largest range is Additional Funds of $75,000 to $139,500, followed by office equipment, insurance, advertising, and the Initial Franchise Fee.
| Premises and opening asset | 2026 amount | Payment timing / payee | FDD reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $40,000 | Lump sum at Franchise Agreement signing; AtWork Franchise, Inc. | Item 7, p. 13 |
| Lease/Rent and Deposit | $900–$3,500 | Before opening; landlord | Item 7, p. 13 |
| Leasehold Improvements | $500–$2,500 | Before opening; landlord or contractor | Item 7, p. 13 |
| Office Equipment and Supplies | $15,000–$20,000 | Before opening; vendors and designated suppliers | Item 7, p. 13 |
| Utility Deposit | $0–$500 | Before opening; local utilities | Item 7, p. 13 |
| Risk Management Reserve Deposit | $5,000 | Lump sum before opening; AtWork Franchise, Inc. | Item 7, p. 13 |
| Insurance Deposit | $9,500–$12,000 | Before opening; vendors and designated suppliers | Item 7, p. 13 |
| Launch and operating-capital category | 2026 amount | Payment timing / payee | FDD reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Opening Advertising | $5,000 | Before and around opening; vendors and suppliers | Item 7, pp. 13, 16 |
| Advertising | $5,000–$7,500 | Before opening; vendors and suppliers | Item 7, pp. 13, 16 |
| Printed Material and Signage | $600–$1,000 | As needed; vendors | Item 7, p. 13 |
| Telephone | $500–$2,000 | Before opening; chosen utility | Item 7, p. 13 |
| Costs to Attend Initial Training | $3,000–$4,500 | As incurred; travel, lodging, meals, wages, and related expenses | Item 7, pp. 13, 16 |
| Professional Services and Miscellaneous Start-Up Costs | $5,000–$7,000 | As incurred; attorneys, accountants, consultants, licenses, and formation costs | Item 7, pp. 14, 16 |
| Additional Funds — 6 to 9 months | $75,000–$139,500 | As incurred; employees, landlord, suppliers, utilities, and overhead | Item 7, pp. 14, 16–17 |
| Official Personnel total | $165,000–$250,000 | Preserve the FDD total; do not add Additional Funds again. | |
What does a Professional Business include?
The 2026 Professional Business total is $95,000 to $115,500. The FDD expects the office to be an owner’s residence, so the disclosed range omits rent and leasehold improvements.
| Professional Business expenditure | 2026 amount | Payment timing / payee | FDD reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $60,000 | Lump sum at Franchise Agreement signing; AtWork Franchise, Inc. | Item 7, p. 14 |
| Office Equipment and Supplies | $1,250–$2,500 | Before opening; vendors and designated suppliers | Item 7, p. 14 |
| Risk Management Reserve Deposit | $5,000 | Lump sum before opening; AtWork Franchise, Inc. | Item 7, p. 14 |
| Insurance Deposit | $3,000–$4,500 | Before opening; vendors and designated suppliers | Item 7, p. 14 |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $1,500 | Before and around opening; vendors and suppliers | Item 7, pp. 14, 16 |
| Advertising | $3,000–$8,000 | Before opening; vendors and suppliers | Item 7, p. 14 |
| Costs to Attend Initial Training | $2,000–$3,500 | As incurred; travel, lodging, meals, wages, and related expenses | Item 7, pp. 14, 16 |
| Professional Services and Miscellaneous Start-Up Costs | $5,000–$7,000 | As incurred; attorneys, accountants, consultants, licenses, and formation costs | Item 7, pp. 14–16 |
| Additional Funds — 6 to 9 months | $14,250–$23,500 | As incurred; employees, suppliers, utilities, and overhead | Item 7, pp. 15–17 |
| Official Professional total | $95,000–$115,500 | Home-office assumption; owner salary or draw is excluded. | |
Additional Funds cover the first 6 to 9 months and include overhead, but not the owner’s personal salary or draw. The high end assumes a Manager will oversee day-to-day operations. The estimate also does not subtract revenue the business might generate during the start-up phase. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 7, pp. 16–17.
When is the AtWork startup money paid?
The first contractual payment is the Initial Franchise Fee at signing, and most remaining Item 7 costs are paid during the roughly 90-day pre-opening period or the first 6 to 9 operating months. AtWork’s official ownership process places FDD review before Franchise Agreement signing, while the FDD states the typical signing-to-opening period is 90 days.
The Franchise Rule requires the disclosure document before the franchise sale; AtWork’s official ownership process places FDD delivery and review before the franchise award and Franchise Agreement.
$40,000 for Personnel or $60,000 for Professional. It is fully earned at signing, subject only to the limited training-related refund provision described in Item 5.
The $5,000 Risk Management Reserve Deposit is due before operations. Personnel premises and equipment costs are generally arranged with landlords, contractors, utilities, vendors, and designated suppliers.
The training estimate assumes three attendees. Grand Opening Advertising runs from two weeks before opening through six weeks after opening and requires at least $5,000 for Personnel or $1,500 for Professional.
The Item 7 reserve covers overhead and operating expenses, not owner compensation. Ongoing Royalties, Marketing Fund Contributions, local advertising, technology, insurance, and reserve funding begin under their Item 6 schedules.
Which AtWork fees continue after opening?
The continuing cost structure combines percentage-based Royalties, a Marketing Fund Contribution, required local advertising, a per-user Technology Bundle Fee, reserve funding, and format-specific insurance obligations. Percentage fees should be read only on the exact basis disclosed in Item 6; they are not annual dollar estimates.
| Continuing obligation | Amount / basis | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty | 7% of Gross Revenues | Accounted monthly by the 25th for the preceding month | Personnel Business |
| Royalty | 8% of Gross Revenues | Accounted monthly by the 25th for the preceding month | Professional Business |
| Full-time placement Royalty | 10% of Gross Revenues from full-time placements | Monthly | Applicable full-time placements |
| Marketing Fund Contribution | 0.5% of Gross Revenues; may increase to 1.0% | Monthly with the Royalty | Both formats |
| Local Advertising Expenditure | $2,500 per calendar quarter | Quarterly; separate from Marketing Fund Contribution | Each Franchise Agreement and additional territory |
| Technology Bundle Fee | $149 per month, per user, plus costs and expenses | Monthly; subject to third-party cost changes | System users |
| Risk Management Reserve funding | Additional 1% of Gross Revenue until schedule maximum | Withheld monthly after the $5,000 opening deposit | Both formats |
| Insurance Fee | 0.5% of gross payroll plus the greater of actual cost or 2.0% of gross payroll for workers’ compensation | Monthly | Professional Business Assigned Temporary Workers |
AtWork may adjust the Royalty by up to 0.5 percentage point every six months, effective January 1 and/or July 1, but may not increase it by more than 1.0 percentage point in any two-year period. Item 6 also describes a qualifying “low gross margin” customer discount program with discounted Royalty ranges of 6.5% to 4.5% for Personnel and 7.5% to 5.5% for Professional; the program may be modified or discontinued.
How does the Risk Management Reserve grow after opening?
Schedule maximums disclosed in Item 6The opening deposit is $5,000, but Item 6 requires an additional 1% of Gross Revenue to be withheld monthly until the applicable reserve amount is reached. The schedule is a reserve ceiling by annual Gross Revenues band, not a royalty or an Item 7 startup range.
Interpretation: the initial $5,000 deposit does not represent the final required reserve. The reserve can build to $15,000–$50,000 under the current schedule, and a separate territory is determined separately. Source: 2026 AtWork Franchise, Inc. FDD, Item 6, pp. 7, 12–13.
The reserve remains the franchisee’s property while AtWork holds and administers it, but AtWork may draw against it for authorized deductions. After expiration or termination, the balance is payable only after final settlement of accounts receivable, chargebacks, and other amounts owed.
Which AtWork costs arise only in certain circumstances?
Item 6 contains several event-triggered charges that are not part of the ordinary monthly royalty. They matter because customer nonpayment, additional territory rights, transfer, default, audit findings, or payment failures can create costs outside the Item 7 opening range.
A 1.5% High-Risk Surcharge applies to total Gross Revenues uncollected for more than 60 days. Gross Invoice Amounts aged beyond 90 days are currently charged back.
Credit/debit processing reimbursement is typically 3%–4% of the invoiced amount. A customer NSF check is $50; an unsuccessful debit of the franchisee’s account is $100.
$500 per attendee for the first two attendees and $250 for each additional attendee, before attendance. Travel and living expenses are separate.
Late interest is 1.5% per month, subject to state law. Interim operation may cost 10% of Gross Revenue plus out-of-pocket costs; default can also trigger attorneys’ fees and liquidated damages.
The Transfer Fee is 50% of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee. A Personnel Business with multiple territories uses the Item 6 territory multiplier.
The current Additional Territory Fee is $20,000, equal to 50% of the current $40,000 Personnel Initial Franchise Fee. The FDD also estimates an additional $5,000 reserve minimum, a separate office, and increased advertising and performance obligations.
The franchisee pays AtWork’s audit costs when an audit shows Gross Revenues were understated by more than 2%. Data-security and privacy audits may also be charged at AtWork’s cost upon request.
No fixed renewal fee is stated in the Item 6 table, but renewal may require remodeling, expansion, and modification to then-current System Standards. Item 11 permits refurbishment notices for the Office, operating assets, and signage.
The Additional Territory Addendum is not simply a $20,000 add-on. It can create a separate office obligation, another local advertising commitment, a separately determined Risk Management Reserve, and a 10-year term extension measured from the addendum’s effective date. Source: 2026 FDD, Items 6, 11, and 17, pp. 10–13, 24–26, 45–48.
How much liquid capital or net worth does AtWork require?
The 2026 FDD does not state a fixed Liquid Capital or Net Worth minimum, while AtWork’s current official webpages use inconsistent qualification terms. The official investment page says candidates should have at least a $250,000 Net Worth; the Personnel page says “$250,000 cash required”; and the Professional page says “$100,000 cash requirement.” Cash, Liquid Capital, and Net Worth are not interchangeable.
- Estimated Initial Investment
- The Item 7 startup range: $165,000–$250,000 for Personnel or $95,000–$115,500 for Professional.
- Net Worth
- Assets minus liabilities. AtWork’s official qualifications page states at least $250,000, but the 2026 FDD does not state that threshold.
- Cash requirement
- The Personnel page states $250,000 cash, while the Professional page states $100,000 cash. Neither page defines whether “cash” means unrestricted liquid capital, non-borrowed funds, or total available funding.
- Personal Guarantee
- The FDD requires owners to guarantee obligations, and each owner’s spouse must sign a guaranty consent. This is a contractual exposure, not part of the Item 7 dollar total.
Before relying on a qualification threshold, obtain a written statement identifying the required amount for the selected format and whether AtWork measures cash, Liquid Capital, Net Worth, non-borrowed funds, or a combination. The official site’s three formulations cannot be treated as equivalent.
Does AtWork finance the franchise?
No direct or indirect financing is offered under the 2026 FDD, and AtWork does not guarantee a note, lease, or obligation. The official investment page separately says AtWork may refer candidates to third-party funding partners for possible SBA loans, unsecured loans, or retirement-based funding. A referral is not financing by the franchisor and does not guarantee approval. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 10, p. 23.
Is there a veteran discount?
Yes. Item 5 states a 20% VetFran discount on the Initial Franchise Fee for qualifying U.S. Armed Forces veterans. The discount applies to the $40,000 Personnel fee or $60,000 Professional fee, not to rent, insurance, equipment, Additional Funds, ongoing fees, or the entire Item 7 total. Source: 2026 FDD, Item 5, pp. 5–6.
What should a buyer verify before treating the range as a funding target?
The Item 7 total is an official estimate, not a promise that every local cost or later contractual obligation fits inside the stated range. The following issues can materially change the cash plan without creating a new official total.
What is the practical AtWork capital decision?
A prospective franchisee should choose the format first, then fund the matching 2026 FDD range without double-counting Additional Funds. Personnel requires $165,000–$250,000 and carries physical-office, staffing, insurance, and larger working-capital obligations. Professional requires $95,000–$115,500 under the home-office assumption but has a higher $60,000 Initial Franchise Fee and a Professional Business Insurance Fee tied to Assigned Temporary Worker payroll.
The largest unresolved issues are the official website’s older investment figures, inconsistent cash-versus-net-worth qualification language, local insurance and premises costs, and the reserve balance that can grow beyond the $5,000 opening deposit. Ongoing Royalties, the Marketing Fund Contribution, local advertising, technology, and conditional Item 6 charges should be treated as separate post-opening obligations rather than folded into a single annual dollar estimate.