A pickleball franchise costs $332,484 to $2,495,550 to open across four Minnesota-filed disclosure documents, and three of the four put the initial investment above $800,000 at the low end.
Key takeaways
- The Picklr’s 2026 disclosure document puts one club at $1,252,400 to $2,077,300, including $100,000 paid to the franchisor or its affiliates (The Picklr FDD, May 6, 2026, cover page and Item 7).
- All four systems charge a royalty of 7% of Gross Sales; the required marketing percentages bring the total percentage load to 9% or 10% before fixed monthly technology charges (PickleRage FDD, April 30, 2026, Item 6).
- At the end of 2025, The Picklr reported 56 franchised outlets open and 31 franchise agreements signed for outlets not yet open (The Picklr FDD, Item 20, Tables 1 and 5).
- PickleRage reported 1 franchised and 4 company-owned facilities at the end of 2025 against 28 signed agreements, so most of its pipeline is still unbuilt (PickleRage FDD, Item 20).
- A regulation court is 20 by 44 feet, but USA Pickleball recommends a 34 by 64 foot surface for new construction, or 2,176 square feet per court (USA Pickleball 2026 Official Rulebook, Rule 3.A.3).
What do four pickleball franchise FDDs say a club costs?
As of November 2026, the four indoor pickleball franchise disclosure documents we opened span $332,484 for a small 24-hour Pickleball 365 center to $2,495,550 for a 16-court PickleRage facility. Franchise fees run $50,000 to $65,000. The bigger driver is the building: court installation, leasehold improvements and audio, video and access technology make up most of each Item 7 total.
| System (FDD issued) | Item 7 total | Initial fee (Item 5) | Building and courts assumed | Membership model (Item 1) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Pickleball Club (April 29, 2025) | $817,750 to $2,404,850 | $60,000, plus $3,500 technology setup | 25,000 to 40,000 sq ft, 8 to 16 courts | Open play, memberships, tournaments, special events | Ace FDD, Items 1, 5, 7 |
| Pickleball 365 (June 23, 2026) | $332,484 to $625,214 | $50,000 (10% off for qualifying veterans and first responders) | 8,000 to 14,000 sq ft, 3 to 5 courts | Membership driven, autonomously operated, 24 hours | Pickleball 365 FDD, Items 1, 5, 7 |
| PickleRage (April 30, 2026) | $883,000 to $2,495,550 | $65,000; $55,000 for later units under a Development Agreement | 20,000 to 40,000 sq ft, 8 to 16 courts | Court play, instruction, clinics, leagues, tournaments | PickleRage FDD, Items 1, 5, 7 |
| The Picklr (May 6, 2026) | $1,252,400 to $2,077,300 | $60,000; multi-unit fees $60,000, $40,000, then $30,000 each | 18,000 to 30,000 sq ft, 6 to 10 courts | Membership-based business model | The Picklr FDD, Items 1, 5, 7 |
The table is alphabetical, and the same rows are in a downloadable file, pickleball_fdd_costs.csv, published with this page. The Ace Pickleball Club figures come from its April 29, 2025 filing, the newest Clean FDD for that brand on the Minnesota CARDS database when we searched on November 8, 2026; the other three filings are 2026 documents. We did not open filings for Pickleball Kingdom or Dill Dinkers, so neither appears with numbers here.
Item 7 totals run from $332,484 (Pickleball 365) to $2,495,550 (PickleRage). Four Minnesota-filed FDDs, accessed November 8, 2026.
Which Item 7 lines move a Picklr club the most?
Three lines carry most of The Picklr’s spread: Furnishing, Courts and Fixtures at $500,000 to $750,000, Construction Cost at $320,000 to $555,000 and Equipment and Installation at $120,000 to $200,000 (Item 7). Note 4 prices the build at up to $60 per square foot and assumes you convert an existing retail building that is already up to code with working HVAC. A cold shell or new construction falls outside that assumption.
| The Picklr Item 7 line | Low | High | Paid to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $60,000 | $60,000 | Franchisor |
| Start-Up Advertising and Promotions | $38,000 | $38,000 | Franchisor |
| Construction Cost | $320,000 | $555,000 | Suppliers |
| Furnishing, Courts and Fixtures | $500,000 | $750,000 | Suppliers |
| Equipment and Installation (ball machines, AI technology) | $120,000 | $200,000 | Suppliers |
| Opening Inventory | $75,000 | $125,000 | Suppliers |
| Signage | $50,000 | $75,000 | Suppliers |
| Licensing and Permits (liquor license excluded) | $25,000 | $75,000 | Government |
| Rent and Deposit | $15,000 | $50,000 | Landlord |
| Additional Funds, first 3 months | $25,000 | $100,000 | Third parties |
| All other lines | $24,400 | $49,300 | Various |
| Total | $1,252,400 | $2,077,300 |
How many courts and square feet does each system assume?
The filings assume 2,500 to 3,125 square feet of building per court once you divide each stated size range by its court range. A court itself is 20 by 44 feet, or 880 square feet, under USA Pickleball Rule 3.A.1. Rule 3.A.3 sets a 30 by 60 foot minimum playing surface and recommends 34 by 64 feet for new construction, which is 2,176 square feet per court.
| System | Building per court (FCB arithmetic) | Room per court beyond a 2,176 sq ft surface | Item 7 per court, low and high |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Pickleball Club | 25,000 / 8 = 3,125; 40,000 / 16 = 2,500 | 949 and 324 sq ft | $102,219 and $150,303 |
| Pickleball 365 | 8,000 / 3 = 2,667; 14,000 / 5 = 2,800 | 491 and 624 sq ft | $110,828 and $125,043 |
| PickleRage | 20,000 / 8 = 2,500; 40,000 / 16 = 2,500 | 324 sq ft | $110,375 and $155,972 |
| The Picklr | 18,000 / 6 = 3,000; 30,000 / 10 = 3,000 | 824 sq ft | $208,733 and $207,730 |
The per-court column pairs each low Item 7 total with the fewest courts and each high total with the most, which matches how the Ace and PickleRage court lines are built (Ace Item 7 Note 3 prices 8 courts at the low end and 16 at the high end). It is our arithmetic, not a franchisor figure. The other court rules a landlord’s building has to fit are the 7 foot non-volley zone (Rule 3.A.4.c) and a net at 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches at center (Rules 3.B.6 and 3.B.7).
Ceiling height is the screening question no court rule answers. The Picklr’s Item 1 requires an appropriate ceiling height and lists light industrial buildings, strip malls and freestanding buildings as typical sites (Item 1). Ace Item 7 Note 2 says landlord tenant improvement allowances range from $1 to $55 per square foot, and its low total assumes you get one (Ace FDD, Item 7 Note 2).
Where do published pickleball cost figures disagree with the filings?
Four pages ranking for pickleball franchise searches in November 2026 state fees or unit counts that do not match the current filings. None of the five top results we read cites an FDD year. The corrected figures below come from the disclosure documents themselves, with the item number.
| What a ranking page says | What the filing says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| A lender cost page updated July 2026: Picklr fee $50,000 and royalty 6% | Initial franchise fee $60,000 (Item 5); royalty 7% of Gross Sales (Item 6) | The Picklr FDD, May 6, 2026 |
| An investment guide dated August 2026: Picklr three-unit agreement $1,312,900 to $2,164,300 | Three-unit Multi-Unit Development Agreement $1,322,400 to $2,147,300, including $170,000 to the franchisor (cover page) | The Picklr FDD, cover page |
| A listicle updated March 2024: Ace expected 40 clubs by the end of 2024 | 8 franchised and 3 affiliate-owned clubs, 11 in total, at December 31, 2024 (Item 20, Table 1) | Ace FDD, April 29, 2025 |
| A cost blog from March 2025: royalties of 5% to 8% | 7% of Gross Sales in all four filings (Item 6) | Pickleball 365 FDD, Item 6 |
What do the clubs pay every month after opening?
Each system takes 7% of Gross Sales as royalty, then layers a brand fund, a local marketing floor and flat technology charges. The flat charges matter most in the first months, when a club is still selling memberships: The Picklr’s fixed items alone come to $35,352 a year before any percentage fee, by our arithmetic from Item 6.
| System | Royalty | Brand or marketing fund | Local marketing minimum | Fixed technology charges | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Pickleball Club | 7% monthly | 1% of Gross Sales, not to exceed 2% | $6,000 a month in months 2 to 4, then 2% of Gross Sales (1% at maximum membership capacity) | $750 a month, capped at 10% annual increases | Items 6 and 11 |
| Pickleball 365 | 7% monthly | Up to 2%, not currently assessed | 2% of Gross Sales | $350 a month technology (up to $700) plus POS currently $1,500 to $2,150 a month | Item 6 |
| PickleRage | 7% weekly period | 1% Marketing Contribution | $2,000 a month or 2% of Gross Sales, if more | $1,000 a year reserved, not currently charged | Item 6 |
| The Picklr | 7% weekly | 2% National Marketing Fee | Greater of 1% of Gross Sales or $1,500 a month (cap 3%) | $1,096 a month technology from day 90, plus $350 a month marketing subscription box | Item 6 |
| Fixed yearly floor (FCB arithmetic) | Calculation | Total |
|---|---|---|
| The Picklr | $1,096 x 12 + $350 x 12 + $1,500 x 12 | $35,352 |
| Pickleball 365 | $350 x 12 + ($1,500 to $2,150) x 12 | $22,200 to $30,000 |
| PickleRage | $2,000 x 12 local store marketing | $24,000 |
| Ace Pickleball Club | $750 x 12 technology | $9,000, plus $18,000 of local ads in months 2 to 4 |
The Picklr adds two charges tied to a 65% membership level. Its Initial Digital Advertising Fee of $3,000 a month runs from opening until the club reaches that level, and an Operation Assistance Fee of $1,000 a day for up to 3 days applies if the club has not reached it after one year (The Picklr FDD, Item 6). For how 7% compares with other sectors, see the franchise royalty rate dataset.
How many pickleball clubs are open, and how many are only signed?
The four systems reported 65 franchised outlets open at their latest fiscal year ends and 96 franchise agreements signed for outlets not yet open. The Picklr accounts for 56 of the open franchised outlets. Item 20 must report both counts under 16 CFR 436.5(t), and the signed column is the one most ranking pages leave out.
The Picklr had 56 franchised outlets open and 31 signed but unopened at the end of 2025; PickleRage had 1 open and 28 signed. Item 20, four FDDs, accessed November 8, 2026.
| System (Item 20 year) | Franchised open at year end | Company or affiliate owned | Signed, not opened | Projected franchised openings next year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Pickleball Club (2024) | 8 | 3 | 37 | 26 | Item 20, Tables 1 and 5 |
| Pickleball 365 (2025) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Item 20, Tables 1 and 5 |
| PickleRage (2025) | 1 | 4 | 28 | 18 | Item 20, Tables 1 and 5 |
| The Picklr (2025) | 56 | 3 | 31 | 17 | Item 20, Tables 1 and 5 |
All four franchisors are young. The Picklr began offering franchises in March 2023, Ace Pickleball Club in February 2023, PickleRage on November 9, 2023 and Pickleball 365 on June 23, 2026 (each FDD, Item 1). The Picklr opened 35 franchised outlets in 2025, reacquired 1 in Minnesota and reported 0 terminations; it also recorded 5 transfers to new owners in 2025 (Item 20, Tables 2 and 3). Our franchise development backlog study tracks the same signed-versus-open gap across other sectors.
How long from signing to opening day?
The filings put opening 9 to 15 months after you sign. The Picklr and Pickleball 365 both estimate 9 to 12 months, PickleRage requires opening within one year, and Ace Pickleball Club allows up to 15 months. Missing the deadline is a default in each agreement, so lease timing drives the schedule.
| System | Opening rule (Item 11) | What starts the clock |
|---|---|---|
| Ace Pickleball Club | Sign a lease within 6 months; franchisor may terminate if no lease by month 9; open within 15 months | Franchise Agreement signing |
| Pickleball 365 | Approximately 9 to 12 months | Franchise Agreement signing |
| PickleRage | Earlier of one year from signing or six months after location approval | Signing or site approval |
| The Picklr | Typically 9 to 12 months; no more than 10 months after the lease is signed | Lease signing for the hard deadline |
Missing The Picklr’s Projected Opening Date is a non-curable default under Item 17, item h (Item 17). Our time-to-open research compares these windows with other franchise categories.
What does Item 19 cover in each pickleball filing?
Three of the four filings include an Item 19 financial performance representation, and each measures something different. This page does not reproduce those figures; read them in Item 19 of the current FDD and ask the franchisor for the written substantiation each one offers. Our Item 19 research explains how to read the tables.
| System | Item 19 present? | What it measures | Outlets covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ace Pickleball Club | Yes | Monthly and average daily gross sales, operating expenses and net operating income for 2024 | 1 affiliate-owned club in Roswell, Georgia |
| Pickleball 365 | No | No financial performance representation | None |
| PickleRage | Yes | Active memberships and revenue per member per month for 2025 | 3 corporate-owned facilities with 9 to 10 courts |
| The Picklr | Yes | Gross Sales and a margin percentage, high, average, median and low | 12 franchised outlets open a full year; 44 excluded |
The coverage column matters as much as the numbers. A one-club or three-club sample, or a sample that leaves out 44 newer outlets, says little about a club opening in 2027. Ask each franchisor which outlets are in the sample and how long they had been open.
Which club format matches your capital, site and timeline?
Match the format to the building you can lease. A 3 to 5 court, 8,000 to 14,000 square foot unstaffed center is a different business from an 18,000 to 40,000 square foot club with a pro shop and staff, and the filings price them $332,484 to $2,495,550 apart.
| If your situation is | Then compare first | Why (filing and item) |
|---|---|---|
| Total capital under $700,000 | Pickleball 365 | Item 7 tops out at $625,214 for 3 to 5 courts |
| A landlord offering 18,000 to 30,000 sq ft of code-ready retail space | The Picklr | Item 7 Note 4 assumes a conversion at up to $60 per sq ft |
| A building of 30,000 to 40,000 sq ft | Ace Pickleball Club or PickleRage | Both size Item 7 for up to 16 courts |
| No signed lease within 6 months of signing | Avoid tight deadlines; ask for extension terms | Ace may terminate at month 9 without a lease; PickleRage requires opening within 1 year |
| You want an exclusive area | Read Item 12 before Item 7 | The Picklr grants a protected zip-code territory but not an exclusive one |
| You will not be on site daily | Ask who supervises | The Picklr Item 15 requires you or an approved business manager to supervise on site |
Every system above requires court, technology or fixture purchases from designated suppliers or affiliates, so ask each for its Item 8 supplier list before comparing totals. The territory rights research and our franchise costs guide cover the questions to raise at that stage. Fitness-club buyers comparing formats can also read the gym franchise cost comparison. This page is general information, not legal, financial or investment advice.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pickleball franchise cost?
The four filings we opened put the initial investment at $332,484 to $625,214 for a 3 to 5 court Pickleball 365 center, $817,750 to $2,404,850 for Ace Pickleball Club, $883,000 to $2,495,550 for PickleRage and $1,252,400 to $2,077,300 for The Picklr (Item 7 of each FDD). Franchise fees run $50,000 to $65,000.
How much does The Picklr franchise cost?
The Picklr’s FDD issued May 6, 2026 lists $1,252,400 to $2,077,300 for one club, including $100,000 paid to the franchisor or its affiliates. The initial franchise fee is $60,000, the royalty is 7% of Gross Sales and the National Marketing Fee is 2% (Items 5 to 7). A three-unit development agreement totals $1,322,400 to $2,147,300.
How much does a Pickleball Kingdom franchise cost?
We did not open a Pickleball Kingdom disclosure document for this page, so we do not quote a figure. Search the franchise name on the Minnesota Department of Commerce CARDS database or ask the franchisor for its current FDD, then read the Item 7 table and Item 5 for the initial fee. Third-party listings often cite older filings.
Is a pickleball franchise profitable?
This page does not publish earnings figures. Three of the four filings include Item 19 data: The Picklr covers 12 franchised outlets open a full year, PickleRage covers 3 corporate-owned facilities and Ace covers 1 affiliate-owned club. Pickleball 365 has none. Compare those samples with the 7% royalty and fixed monthly charges in Item 6.
How much space does an indoor pickleball club need?
The filings assume 8,000 to 14,000 square feet for 3 to 5 courts (Pickleball 365) up to 40,000 square feet for 16 courts (Ace Pickleball Club and PickleRage). USA Pickleball Rule 3.A.3 recommends a 34 by 64 foot surface per court for new construction, so plan on about 2,500 to 3,125 square feet of building per court.
Can you buy an existing pickleball franchise for sale?
Resales are still rare. The Picklr reported 5 transfers of franchised outlets in 2025 (Florida 1, Illinois 3, Texas 1), and Ace, PickleRage and Pickleball 365 reported none. The Picklr’s 2026 Item 20 says it is not offering any existing outlets. Its transfer fee is 50% of the then-current initial fee (Item 6).
Do you have to run a pickleball club yourself?
The Picklr’s Item 15 requires you or an approved business manager to provide direct, on-site supervision, and the manager must complete initial training. Pickleball 365 sells an autonomously operated 24-hour format, which changes staffing but not the 7% royalty. Read Item 15 of each FDD before assuming a semi-absentee role.
How we compiled this
On November 8, 2026 we read 4 pickleball franchise disclosure documents filed in Minnesota (The Picklr, Ace Pickleball Club, PickleRage and Pickleball 365) for Items 1, 5 to 7, 11, 12, 17, 19 and 20, and the 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook through a Wayback Machine copy because the publisher’s site refused our request. Per-court, per-square-foot and yearly fee figures are our arithmetic and are labelled. We excluded every Item 19 number and did not open filings for Pickleball Kingdom or Dill Dinkers.
Sources
- Picklr Franchise Inc. (The Picklr) Franchise Disclosure Document, issued May 6, 2026, Minnesota Department of Commerce CARDS, document 36581-202605-08. Accessed 2026-11-08.
- Ace Pickleball Club Franchise, LLC Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 29, 2025, Minnesota CARDS, document 34158-202505-17. Accessed 2026-11-08.
- PickleRage Franchise LLC Franchise Disclosure Document, issued April 30, 2026, Minnesota CARDS, document 36745-202605-11. Accessed 2026-11-08.
- Pickleball 365 Franchising, LLC Franchise Disclosure Document, issued June 23, 2026, Minnesota CARDS, document 36963-202607-10. Accessed 2026-11-08.
- 2026 USA Pickleball Official Rulebook, Rules 3.A and 3.B, USA Pickleball, Wayback Machine capture of April 18, 2026. Accessed 2026-11-08.
- 16 CFR 436.5, Disclosure items (FTC Franchise Rule), Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School. Accessed 2026-11-08.