Franchisor Stories
BrightStar Care Franchise Costs, Fees, Profit and Data for 2026
Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: BrightStar Care is a home health care franchise that provides both medical and non-medical services.
BrightStar Care is a home care franchise that provides in-home support ranging from basic caregiving to skilled nursing, with clinical oversight to help meet a wide range of patient needs.
1. What Is the Brand Overview for BrightStar Care?
About the Brand
BrightStar Care was founded in 2002 near Chicago after founder Shelly Sun Berkowitz struggled to find the level of dependable, complete care her family needed. BrightStar began franchising in 2005 as the brand scaled beyond its early company-owned footprint.
Mission: BrightStar Care is built around improving quality of life alongside quality of care by delivering professional, compassionate support in the comfort of home.
Vision: The brand aims to set “a higher standard” for home care by offering a full continuum of services that can adjust as client needs change.
Unique Selling Points (USPs)
- Full continuum of care (companion, personal and skilled services) so clients can increase support without switching providers.
- RN-led care model with a Director of Nursing overseeing cases, supporting clinical consistency and skilled-service delivery.
- Joint Commission accreditation requirement and quality standards positioned as hospital-level rigor in a home care setting.
2. What Are the Franchise Opportunity Details?
Why Franchise With BrightStar Care?
- Multiple revenue streams, including companion care, personal care, skilled care, staffing and national accounts.
- National Accounts program positioned as a referral engine, with the brand citing relationships with 180+ organizations.
- Proprietary technology platform designed to reduce paperwork and help manage scheduling, payroll and billing.
- Training and support structure that includes initial training, ongoing coaching and systemwide conferences
Available Territories
BrightStar says opportunities are available nationwide. Use the brand’s interactive map to explore state-by-state availability.
Investment Overview
Initial Costs: The estimated initial investment required to begin operation of a BrightStar Care franchise ranges from $132,499 to $235,038 for a standard size territory. The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows:
| Type of Expenditure | Min | Max |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| Office Space (Leased Space for Agency) | $4,000 | $9,600 |
| Utility Deposits | $300 | $500 |
| Furnishings | $2,000 | $4,000 |
| Computer Infrastructure Package | $4,000 | $9,500 |
| Signage | $400 | $5,000 |
| Marketing Materials | $500 | $500 |
| Office Supplies, PPE & Medical Supplies | $600 | $730 |
| Printing, Reproduction & Postage | $300 | $900 |
| Business Licenses & Other Required Licenses | $200 | $8,633 |
| State Licensure Assistance | $0 | $6,500 |
| Local Marketing Spend | $3,000 | $5,250 |
| Recruitment Spend | $3,495 | $6,385 |
| State Electronic Visit Verification | $0 | $2,000 |
| Director of Nursing | $0 | $6,192 |
| Insurance (Excluding Workers’ Comp) | $1,740 | $5,000 |
| Workers’ Compensation Insurance | $445 | $3,300 |
| Training Expenses | $4,990 | $10,200 |
| Learning Management Software | $700 | $5,200 |
| Legal Fees | $2,000 | $5,500 |
| Joint Commission Accreditation | $0 | $6,192 |
| Additional Operating Funds (3 Months) | $53,829 | $83,956 |
Initial Franchise Fee: BrightStar Care’s initial franchise fee is based on the size and population of the protected territory. For standard territories covering 200,000 to 300,000 people — with at least 15,000 residents aged 65 or older — the fee is $50,000, with an additional $100 charged for every 1,000 people over 300,000. Medium-density markets and small territories serving fewer than 200,000 people have a lower initial franchise fee of $25,000. The fee is nonrefundable. Franchisees who meet expansion requirements may qualify for a 10% discount on additional territories after 12 months, excluding smaller territories.
BrightStar Care offers a one-time $5,000 Vet Fran Discount for honorably discharged U.S. military veterans on their first territory.
Ongoing Fees: According to the 2025 FDD, BrightStar Care franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees:
| Type of Fee | Amount |
| Royalty | Non-National Accounts: 5.25% of net billings/month National Accounts: 6.25% of net billings/month |
| General Marketing Fee | Greater of $500 or 2.5% of net billings/month |
| Athena Business System & Email Service Fee | Greater of $250 or 0.83% of net billings/month |
ROI Potential: According to the 2025 FDD, the 190 BrightStar Care franchises operating for the entirety of FY 2024 reported the following revenue:
| Quartile | Average | Median | High | Low |
| Quartile 1 (48) | $4,667,562 | $3,862,988 | $13,364,802 | $2,862,996 |
| Quartile 2 (47) | $2,442,269 | $2,377,052 | $2,851,487 | $1,996,010 |
| Quartile 3 (47) | $1,666,560 | $1,685,594 | $1,972,844 | $1,317,293 |
| Quartile 4 (48) | $935,932 | $1,039,356 | $1,282,830 | $192,068 |
| Total (190) | $2,432,014 | $1,984,427 | $13,364,802 | $192,068 |
3. What Franchisee Support Does BrightStar Care Provide?
Pre-Opening Support
BrightStar uses a process that starts with an inquiry and calls, then moves through FDD review, validation, Discovery Day, and opening prep.
Training Programs
BrightStar states franchisees receive two weeks of initial training, and the brand also trains key leadership roles such as the director of nursing, sales director and branch manager.
Operational Support
The brand describes ongoing operational support that includes business consultations, field support coaching, KPI review cadence and systemwide conferences designed to share best practices and roll out initiatives.
Technology and Tools
BrightStar uses its own technology platform to manage care plans, scheduling, payroll, billing, and performance tracking in one system.
4. What Are the Franchise Requirements for BrightStar Care?
Eligibility Criteria
- Liquid Assets: $150,000
BrightStar emphasizes management experience and the ability to hire and lead a team in what it repeatedly calls “a people business.”
Operational Commitments
BrightStar notes the business requires meaningful owner attention and leadership, especially given staffing, service delivery and relationship-building demands, while the corporate team provides coaching and systems.
Funding Assistance
BrightStar states its support team can help candidates explore funding solutions and see if they prequalify for SBA financing.
5. Are There Franchisee Success Stories?
"I really like the premium provider model. I like the Joint Commission. I like the Director of Nursing. I like the idea of being the premium, the top drawer, the top shelf provider in the community. And I think over the last couple of years we really have established ourselves as that and I like that."
- Dan Price, Franchisee — Leesburg, Virginia
"You're making a difference every day in people's lives. You're truly impacting people. I have over a hundred employees, and I think four years ago those hundred people weren't working for me. I created a hundred jobs. I take care of families that are sick, and we became an extension of their families, and I just can't think of anything more rewarding than doing this."
- Becky Torrez, Franchisee — Las Vegas, Nevada
"What attracted me to BrightStar was the models and systems they had in place. It was different than the other businesses I was looking at in terms of home care. There was a passion behind BrightStar, and I could see that when I met the folks at BrightStar."
- JP Merchant, Franchisee — White Plains, New York
6. What Is the Market Potential for Home Health Care?
The demand for aging-in-place solutions is fueling the rapid expansion of the U.S. home care industry. With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day, the need for long-term care is significant, as the AARP reports that 83% of older adults will eventually require some form of it. This growth is part of a larger trend: the global home health care market, valued at an estimated $416.4 billion in 2024, is projected to reach $747.70 billion by 2030.
Competitor Analysis
BrightStar positions itself against home care competitors by emphasizing its ability to deliver skilled services alongside non-medical care, its RN-led clinical model and its accreditation-driven quality standards. It competes with other leading in-home care brands such as Right at Home*, Home Halo, and Comfort Keepers.
7. What Is the Application Process for BrightStar Care Franchisees?
- Explore the Opportunity: BrightStar acknowledges the inquiry, schedules a phone conversation, and provides a Franchise Report that explains the model and opportunity.
- Get to Know Each Other: BrightStar schedules a preliminary 15-minute call, then a presentation call to discuss the business model in detail and requests the candidate’s application.
- Is BrightStar Care the Right Fit?: BrightStar conducts a deeper call (typically 60 minutes) to discuss fit, support and territory details.
- Review the FDD: BrightStar reviews key FDD elements and answers candidate questions.
- Speak With Our Franchisees: BrightStar connects candidates with owners for franchisee validation.
- Invitation to Discovery Day: BrightStar’s Chief Development Officer reviews the candidate’s journey and readiness.
- Attend Discovery Day: BrightStar hosts Discovery Day virtually so candidates meet leadership and support team members.
- Franchise Agreement: BrightStar issues a formal invitation, prepares and sends the franchise agreement.
- Get Ready to Open: BrightStar provides checklists and support to help franchisees prepare to launch operations.
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