How much does a Doodle Bugs franchise cost?
Opening a Doodle Bugs franchise takes a total initial investment of $546,375 to $1,492,500, according to the brand's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document. That FDD makes no Item 19 financial performance representation, so it discloses no earnings figures at all.
Doodle Bugs! franchises education-based child care franchises under the name “Doodle Bugs! Children’s Centers,” offering preschool learning curriculum based programs. Category: Education.
Item 7
What it costs to open a Doodle Bugs franchise
The franchisor's own estimated initial investment, as disclosed in its 2025 FDD. The total is $546,375 to $1,492,500. Each line below carries the FDD page it was read from.
Where the money goes
The largest costs are Center Equipment, Computer Hardware, and Supplies ($175,000 to $500,000), Additional Funds (3 months) ($150,000 to $300,000), and Lease and Utility Security Deposits ($25,000 to $100,000). Together they make up about 60% of the high-end estimate.
Our arithmetic from the Item 7 table below.
| Expenditure | Low | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary Agreement Fee2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $25,000 | $25,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Franchise License Fee2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $65,000 | $65,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Background Check2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 | $2,500 | $2,500 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 10 |
| Center Equipment, Computer Hardware, and Supplies2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $175,000 | $500,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Real Estate and Development Costs (if purchased)2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $0 | $0 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Lease and Utility Security Deposits2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $25,000 | $100,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Pre-Opening Marketing2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $25,000 | $75,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Vehicles2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $875 | $75,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Signage2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $13,000 | $50,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Software (operations/ | $2,000 | $10,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Licenses2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $500 | $5,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Marketing fees (3 months)2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $7,500 | $100,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Insurance2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $25,000 | $75,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Legal fees2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $5,000 | $10,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Opening Inventory of Supplies2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $15,000 | $25,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Bank/ | $10,000 | $75,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Additional Funds (3 months)2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 | $150,000 | $300,000 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 11 |
| Total estimated initial investment2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 10-11 | $546,375 | $1,492,500 | 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 10-11 |
Source Doodle Bugs, 2025 FDD, Item 7, p. 10-11, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-15.
Item 19
What Doodle Bugs franchisees actually report earning
This brand's FDD publishes no Item 19.
We do not make any representations about a franchisee’s future financial performance or the past financial performance of company-owned or franchised outlets. We also do not authorize our employees or representatives to make any such representations either orally or in writing. If you are purchasing an existing outlet, however, we may provide you with the actual records of that outlet.
Source Doodle Bugs, 2025 FDD, Item 19, p. 45, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-15.
Item 20
How many Doodle Bugs outlets there are, and how many closed
Doodle Bugs ended 2024 with 1 franchised outlet and 16 company-owned outlets. No franchised outlets opened or left the system that year.
Three years at a glance
From 2022 through 2024, Doodle Bugs opened 0 franchised outlets and no outlets left the system. The franchised system ended the period the same size it started.
With fewer than 10 outlets, one closure moves the numbers a lot, so we do not calculate a yearly rate.
Our arithmetic from the FDD's Item 20 table below. "Left the system" counts every outlet the franchisor reports as terminated, not renewed, bought back, or closed for other reasons.
| Year | Start | Opened | Terminated | Non-renewed | Reacquired | Ceased, other | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 46 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 46 |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 46 |
Source Doodle Bugs, 2025 FDD, Item 20, p. 46, via Public FDD bucket (storage.googleapis.com/franchiseindx_fdds) (source record). Figures read and verified 2026-09-15.
Compare
How Doodle Bugs compares with other Education franchises
Measured against the 56 Education franchises on this site, using each brand's own FDD.
- Cost to open. The middle of Doodle Bugs' estimated range is $1,019,438. It costs more to open than 89% of Education franchises here.
- Earnings disclosure. 37 of the 56 Education franchises here publish earnings figures in Item 19. Doodle Bugs is not one of them.
Our arithmetic from each brand's Item 7 and Item 20. Growth and departure comparisons leave out brands with fewer than 10 outlets, where one opening or closure distorts the figures. See every Education franchise side by side.
Alert me when Doodle Bugs files a new FDD
Franchisors reissue their FDD at least once a year, and the Item 7 and Item 19 figures move. Leave an email and we will send you Doodle Bugs' updated numbers when the next document is published, plus the brand-comparison worksheet.
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