--- title: "Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More Franchise: Costs, Fees and Profit" url: https://burnaze.com/article/81298552-3d0a-4779-b181-e07cc9e8df4a source: "1851 Franchise" original_url: https://1851franchise.com/franchise-deep-dive-big-frog-custom-t-shirts-more-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2727063 category: "Specialty retail" industry: "Retail" segment: "Specialty retail" topics: ["Finance & M&A"] published: 2024-08-30T13:08:02.000Z modified: 2026-11-01T22:33:51.944Z image: https://newimage.1851franchise.com/cdn-cgi/image/quality=85,format=webp,width=1280,height=720/story/featureImage/1ce8855def931d38dabfedc3ded7502c3571.jpg --- # Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More Franchise: Costs, Fees and Profit **TL;DR:** Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More is a retail franchise opportunity specializing in custom apparel with a focus on ultra-fast direct-to-garment printing. The company was founded in 2008 in Clearwater, Florida and operates over 75 locations across the United States and Canada. *originally published in 1851 Franchise on 2024-08-30. [Read the original](https://1851franchise.com/franchise-deep-dive-big-frog-custom-t-shirts-more-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2727063).* ## Story Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: Big Frog offers a creative, community-focused retail model with strong margins, low overhead and proven success in the custom apparel industry. REPORTED COST TO GET IN: $163,987 - $323,110 REPORTED ROI (Item 19): $513,537 (average annual revenue for FY 2024) Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More offers a unique retail franchise opportunity specializing in custom apparel with a focus on ultra-fast direct-to-garment printing, no minimum orders and exceptional customer service. Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More was founded in 2008 in Clearwater, Florida. The company was co-founded by Tina Bacon-DeFrece, Ph.D., with the goal of making custom apparel accessible, fast and fun for everyone. Today, Big Frog operates over 75 locations across the United States and Canada, with a goal of reaching 125 stores by 2028. **Mission:** To provide a personalized and consultative retail experience for custom apparel with local ownership and community engagement. **Vision:** To become the leading provider of custom apparel solutions through fun, efficient and community-oriented stores. **Unique Selling Points (USPs)** - Ultra-fast turnaround with on-site, direct-to-garment printing - No minimums or setup fees for orders - High repeat and referral customer base (estimated 70%) - Local store ownership with community give-back programs - Eco-friendly water-based inks and minimal waste **Why Franchise With Big Frog?** - Low investment model with a turnkey retail buildout - Proven, scalable business model with over 15 years of success - Recession-resistant model in a more than $20 billion industry - Strong B2B and B2C revenue streams - Light manufacturing with low overhead and minimal staff - Full in-house support team for training, marketing and tech - Minority- and veteran-friendly opportunity **Available Territories** Big Frog is actively expanding across the U.S., with high-priority markets in Florida, Arizona and Virginia. **Investment Overview** **Initial Costs:** The estimated initial investment required to begin operation of a Big Frog franchise ranges from $163,987 to $323,110. The 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows: **Initial Franchise Fee:** The franchise fee is $60,000, due upon signing the franchise agreement. Discounts may be available for veterans and minority franchisees through Big Frog’s diversity initiatives. **Ongoing Fees:** According to the 2025 FDD, Big Frog franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees: **ROI Potential:** Big Frog provides Item 19 performance data for franchised stores operating throughout 2024. Here’s a snapshot of performance for the 70 franchisees that reported: **Training Programs** Big Frog offers in-depth training for franchisees and staff, including: - Big Frog University (online and in-person) - Center of Excellence training with top-performing franchisees - On-site support during pre-opening and launch - Comprehensive training manuals, webinars, and videos **Operational Support** - Site selection and lease negotiation assistance - Buildout and store-in-a-box delivery for quick setup - Grand opening support and marketing planning - Assigned business coach for ongoing support **Technology and Tools** - Proprietary POS and order tracking systems - ADA-compliant, mobile-responsive microsites - Ready-made marketing collateral and planning calendar - Access to email platforms, PPC support and SEO tools **Eligibility Criteria** - **Liquid Capital:** $250,000 - **Net Worth:** $450,000 - Business or leadership experience preferred, but not required **Operational Commitments** - Franchisees are expected to be hands-on or semi-absentee owners - Store hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, with limited weekend hours - Staffing needs are minimal (2-3 employees) **Funding Assistance** Big Frog offers support in connecting franchisees with preferred lenders and SBA loan partners. It also provides guidance on business plans and capital structuring. Many franchisees have shared how Big Frog helped them escape the corporate grind and create a rewarding business rooted in creativity and community. “I was drawn to Big Frog because of its fun branding — the name, logo, and overall trade dress really stood out to me. It’s fun, and people are drawn to that. In my previous job, I was in a role where I was always dealing with problems — maintenance issues, things breaking — and no one ever thanked me when things were running smoothly. I was ready for something different — something fun — and Big Frog fits that.” **Zoltan Varga, Franchisee — Stockton, California** “It doesn’t take much to get into the business from an investment standpoint, and it allowed us to start without huge loans. Plus, Albuquerque didn’t have a Big Frog franchise, which was attractive to us. Initially, I laughed at the idea of changing my whole career, but after talking to the team, I changed my mind. The family feel and the fact that we’re catching a franchise system poised for growth, rather than one that’s already tapped out, made it an easy decision." **Alex Turkai, Franchisee — Albuquerque, New Mexico** The global custom clothing market was estimated to be $50.21 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 9.80% from 2024 to 2031. North America's custom clothing market held the largest share in 2024, exceeding 40% of the global revenue, with a market size of $20.08 billion. It's expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.0% from 2024 to 2031. **Competitor Analysis** Big Frog sets itself apart with its fast, in-house production using direct-to-garment printing, strong customer experience and local engagement, and low overhead and high-margin model. The brand’s top competitors include Custom Ink, Printful, Vistaprint, CafePress, Spreadshirt, Minuteman Press, Shirt Shack and EmbroidMe. 1. **Initial Inquiry:** Fill out the form at bigfrogfranchise.com 2. **Franchise Introduction Call:** Speak with the franchise development team 3. **FDD Review and Q&A:** Dive into the details of the opportunity 4. **Validation:** Talk to current franchisees 5. **Discovery Day:** Visit headquarters and meet the leadership team 6. **Franchise Award:** Sign your agreement and begin onboarding 7. **Training and Buildout:** Complete training, prep your store and launch! The whole process can take anywhere from 60-120 days, depending on financing and site selection. *Disclaimer: This content is for information only. You should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Nothing contained on this site constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer to buy or sell any franchises, securities, or other financial instruments in this or in any other jurisdiction in which such solicitation or offer would be unlawful under the franchise and/or securities laws of such jurisdiction.* *All content in this article is information of a general nature and does not address the detailed circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Nothing in the article constitutes professional and/or financial advice, nor does any information in the email constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed or the law relating thereto. You alone assume the sole responsibility of evaluating the merits and risks associated with the use of any information or other content in this article before making any decisions based on such information or other content.* ## Entities - 1851 Franchise (publication) - Retail (sector) - franchise opportunity (topic) - canada (location) - United States (location) - Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More (company) - Tina Bacon-DeFrece (person) - custom apparel (topic) - Clearwater, Florida (location) - retail model (topic) - Alex Turkai (person) - Zoltan Varga (person) --- Originally reported by 1851 Franchise (https://1851franchise.com/franchise-deep-dive-big-frog-custom-t-shirts-more-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2727063). Summarized by Burnaze (https://burnaze.com/article/81298552-3d0a-4779-b181-e07cc9e8df4a).