American Poolplayers Association Franchise
Cost, fees, owner earnings, closure rate and litigation for a American Poolplayers Association franchise — pulled from the franchisor's own public FDD (2026), not its sales material.
Disclosure honesty
American Poolplayers Association discloses little or no owner-earnings data (Item 19) — the franchisor won't put real profit in writing.
What their own earnings claim actually says
APA makes no representations about franchisee financial performance. No earnings claims provided. Actual records available for existing outlets only.
What a American Poolplayers Association franchise actually costs to run
| Fee | Disclosed | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $10,000 | Item 5 — paid up front, before you open |
| Royalty | 20% of gross sales | Item 6 — charged on revenue, not profit |
| Advertising fund | 5% of gross sales | Item 6 — brand marketing, spent at the franchisor's discretion |
| Total recurring fees | 25% of gross sales | Before rent, labor, food or debt service |
| Total initial investment | $22,219 – $30,758 | Item 7 — franchisor's own low/high estimate |
20% royalty on Basic Weekly Fee; 5% on non-licensed merchandise; $426 annual software support; advertising up to 5%; multiple late fees.
Royalty and ad-fund percentages are charged on gross sales — an owner pays them whether or not the location is profitable.
American Poolplayers Association system size and owner turnover
| Total outlets | 356 |
| Ceased operations | 1 |
| Terminated by franchisor | 1 |
| Transferred to new owners | 38 |
| Closure rate | 0.3% of outlets |
Very few terminations/non-renewals despite active system. Limited closure data hampers failure assessment.
From Item 20 of the FDD 2026. Terminations and ceased operations are the franchisor's own count of owners who stopped — the number the sales pitch leaves out.
Is American Poolplayers Association worth it? — how it compares to 436 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 25% of sales | steeper than 98% of other franchises franchises |
| Startup cost | from $22,219 | cheaper than most (median $138,750) |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade F | less honest than most of the category |
| Closure rate | 0.3% of outlets | better than most (median 1.5%) |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 2 | more litigious than 68% of peers |
Benchmarked against every other franchises franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a American Poolplayers Association
The franchisor's framing: APA makes no representations about franchisee financial performance. No earnings claims pr… We reconstruct what an owner actually keeps, from their own FDD.
- Reconstructed owner P&L — net take-home after royalty, ad fund, rent, labor & debt
- Break-even timeline + cash-on-cash ROI
- Full fee stack + required-purchase markups
- Decoded real failure / closure rate
- How it ranks vs comparable franchises
- Validation-call playbook — the exact questions to ask
See a full sample report → · 30-day guarantee
American Poolplayers Association franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a American Poolplayers Association franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $22,219–$30,758, including a $10,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do American Poolplayers Association franchise owners make?
- American Poolplayers Association discloses little or no earnings data (Item 19) — meaning the franchisor won't put real owner profit in writing. That's a red flag worth questioning.
- What are the American Poolplayers Association franchise fees?
- American Poolplayers Association's FDD discloses a $10,000 initial franchise fee, a 20% royalty on gross sales, a 5% advertising-fund contribution, for roughly 25% of gross sales in recurring fees before rent, labor, or debt service. 20% royalty on Basic Weekly Fee; 5% on non-licensed merchandise; $426 annual software support; advertising up to 5%; multiple late fees.
- What is the American Poolplayers Association franchise profit margin?
- American Poolplayers Association discloses no Item 19 earnings representation, so no profit margin can be derived from the FDD at all. Any margin figure quoted elsewhere is an estimate, not a disclosure.
- What is the American Poolplayers Association franchise failure rate?
- Very few terminations/non-renewals despite active system. Limited closure data hampers failure assessment.
- How many American Poolplayers Association locations are there?
- American Poolplayers Association's FDD reports 356 total outlets, with 1 that ceased operations in the most recent reporting year and 38 transferred to new owners. Item 20 is where system health shows up before the marketing does.
- Does American Poolplayers Association have complaints or lawsuits?
- American Poolplayers Association discloses 2 legal matters in Item 3 of its FDD. Item 3 covers the franchisor's litigation history, which is the closest thing to a public record of how it treats franchisees — read the case descriptions, not just the count.
- Is a American Poolplayers Association franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. American Poolplayers Association scores F on disclosure honesty, carries about 25% of sales in ongoing fees, and discloses 2 legal matters. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Compare American Poolplayers Association to similar franchises
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Source: MN CARDS 36593-202605-08 (Clean FDD 2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with American Poolplayers Association or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.