FranchiseBudget

Code Ninjas vs Dairy Queen Franchise Cost 2026

Code Ninjas runs $169K–$339K. Dairy Queen runs $1.1M–$1.9M. The gap at midpoint: $1.2M.

Code Ninjas

$169K–$339K

total investment

Investment Difference

$1.2M

Code Ninjas costs less

Dairy Queen

$1.1M–$1.9M

total investment

Cost Breakdown

Category Code Ninjas Dairy Queen Lower Cost
Total Investment $169K–$339K $1.1M–$1.9M Code Ninjas
Franchise Fee $26,000 $35,000 Code Ninjas
Royalty Rate 8.0% 4.0% Dairy Queen
Ad Fund Fee 2.0% 6.0% Code Ninjas
Net Worth Required $250K $750K Code Ninjas
Liquid Capital $100K $400K Code Ninjas
Est. Break-Even 8.4 yr 77.3 yr Code Ninjas

Code Ninjas Profile

Category
education
Total Investment
$169K–$339K
Franchise Fee
$26,000
Royalty
8.0%
Est. Annual Revenue
$380K
Full Code Ninjas Cost Breakdown →

Dairy Queen Profile

Category
food
Total Investment
$1.1M–$1.9M
Franchise Fee
$35,000
Royalty
4.0%
Est. Annual Revenue
$970K
Full Dairy Queen Cost Breakdown →

Bottom Line

Code Ninjas costs $1.2M less to open at the midpoint. That difference goes toward working capital or a second location. Dairy Queen also wins on royalty rate.