Always Best Care Senior Services is a senior-services franchise focused on coordinating care through non-medical in-home care, senior living referral services, and—where permitted and offered—skilled home health care. If you’re researching the always best care franchise, the most reliable cost baseline is Item 7 of the most recent Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), which outlines estimated startup and early operating expenses.

According to the 2025 FDD (Item 7), the estimated total initial investment ranges from $89,725 to $145,900. These figures are estimates and can vary by market and business setup. In this guide, we’ll walk through the main cost line items, what day-to-day operations typically involve, the support and training framework, territory considerations, and the type of owner the always best care franchise model may be best suited for.

This article is sponsored by Always Best Care Senior Services and was created in partnership with the brand to provide accurate, compliance-safe information about its franchise offering. Nothing in this article should be considered legal, financial, or tax advice.

Prospective franchisees should review the most current FDD and discuss it with qualified advisors before making an investment decision.

If you’d like help comparing Always Best Care Senior Services with other senior-services or home-services franchise models, start with franchise consulting.

Always Best Care franchise: key facts at a glance.

If you’re evaluating the always best care franchise, here are the high-level details the brand shares publicly (and what you’ll typically confirm in the most current FDD):

• Founded: 1996.
• Began franchising: 2007.
• Corporate headquarters: Roseville, California.
• Footprint: 225+ franchised territories across the U.S. and Canada (as stated by the brand).
• Business model: Non-medical in-home personal care, senior living referral services, and (in select markets) skilled home health care.
• Training highlight: ABCUniversity plus a multi-phase training path that typically includes pre-training, classroom training, and field training.
• Territory approach: Territories are described as protected/exclusive and commonly defined using contiguous ZIP codes.

The origin story: how Always Best Care got its start.

Always Best Care didn’t start as a “franchise concept” on a whiteboard. It started as a pretty human frustration.

In the mid-1990s, just outside Sacramento, Michael Newman was running senior living facilities and kept seeing the same moment play out: seniors and their families arriving exhausted, confused, and overwhelmed—after weeks (sometimes months) of trying to figure out what kind of help they needed and where to find it. The options were there, but the process felt messy and intimidating, and families were carrying the stress alone.

That’s where the idea took shape. Newman’s vision wasn’t simply to add another service provider to the mix—it was to build a company that could meet people earlier in the process, guide them with clarity, and deliver support with compassion. In 1996, he founded Always Best Care around that goal: trusted care, professional advice, and a steady hand for families navigating big decisions.

From the beginning, the brand story leans hard into relationships—caring, trust, respect, and communication—not as a slogan, but as the “how” behind the work. And over time, what began as a local solution grew into a model the company says it began franchising in 2007, allowing others to bring that same relationship-driven approach into their own communities.

How much does it cost to open an Always Best Care Senior Services franchise?

If you’re researching the always best care franchise, Item 7 of the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) is the most defensible place to start. Item 7 lists estimated startup and early operating costs by category. It’s not a quote for your market—use it as a baseline and validate key line items locally during due diligence.

Estimated total initial investment (Item 7).

Item 7 estimates the total initial investment at $89,725 to $145,900, including a $49,900 initial franchise fee. These figures are estimates and can vary by location, services offered, and your local cost structure.

Category	Low estimate*	High estimate*
Initial Franchise Fee*	$49,900	$49,900
Travel and Other Expenses While Training*	$3,000	$6,000
Rent – 3 Months*	$3,000	$6,000
Leasehold Improvements*	$0	$3,000
Furniture and Fixtures*	$1,500	$3,000
Signage*	$500	$2,000
Office Equipment*	$5,000	$8,000
Insurance – Full Year Premium*	$3,000	$6,500
Miscellaneous Opening Costs*	$200	$1,000
Grand Opening Inventory*	$500	$1,000
Advertising*	$1,500	$1,500
Computer Equipment, Software and Printer*	$2,000	$5,000
Permits/Licenses/Policies and Procedures Manual*	$125	$18,000
Professional Fees*	$2,500	$5,000
Additional Funds – 3 Months*	$17,000	$30,000
Total Estimated Initial Investment*	$89,725	$145,900

Optional add-on: Skilled Nursing Services startup costs.

If you plan to offer Skilled Nursing Services, the FDD includes a separate estimate for additional startup costs of $48,500 to $108,500. This range reflects added licensing/compliance steps and additional operating cash needs tied to skilled nursing. This is an add-on estimate and is not automatically included in every franchisee’s initial investment plan.

Always Best Care Senior Services franchise Ongoing fees to know.

You don’t need every possible “other fee” on day one, but most prospective franchisees want clarity on the major recurring fees first. Definitions, exclusions, and timing should be confirmed in Item 6 of the current FDD you receive.

Fee	Amount	Notes
Royalty	6% of Gross Sales per month or a minimum monthly royalty (whichever is higher)	The minimum royalty is a fee obligation and may apply even if sales are low.
Franchise Advertising Fund Contribution	The greater of 2% of Gross Sales (excluding Skilled Nursing Services Gross Sales) or $300 per month	Multi-territory owners may have different minimums depending on the agreement.
Local Advertising Expenditure	$800 per month	Must be spent promoting the franchised business as required/approved.
Technology Cost	$175 per month	Additional territories may have additional monthly technology costs.

If you plan to provide skilled nursing, Item 6 also includes a Skilled Care Royalty with different percentages depending on payer source. That detail is worth reviewing carefully in the current FDD during due diligence.

What tends to move the total up or down?

In most markets, the biggest swing factors are licensing/permits, office decisions, insurance, and how conservatively you budget three months of cash needs.

• State licensing pathway: Item 7 shows permits/licenses/policies ranging from $125 to $18,000—your state and county requirements can land anywhere in that spectrum.
• Office footprint choices: Rent and improvements depend on whether you lease a dedicated office, where it’s located, and how much build-out is needed.
• Insurance pricing: Premiums vary by state, services offered, and staffing approach—validate this early with local providers.
• Working capital buffer: “Additional funds” is a planning choice; tighter buffers can increase pressure during hiring, onboarding, and early operating months.
• Technology and devices: Item 7 includes computers/software; confirm which systems are required versus optional and what ongoing tech costs may apply beyond startup.

What is the Always Best Care franchise business model, and what does day-to-day operations look like?

The always best care franchise is positioned as a senior-services business that can include non-medical in-home personal care, senior living referral services, and—where permitted and offered—skilled in-home nursing services. At the operator level, the role is typically less about providing care personally and more about building and managing a local service operation: recruiting caregivers, coordinating schedules, overseeing client intake and documentation, and developing referral relationships in the community.

What services does the Always Best Care franchise say it provides?

The brand describes its offering as a “continuum of care,” and notes that service availability can vary by location. Examples the brand commonly lists include:

• Non-medical in-home care.
• Alzheimer’s and dementia care.
• 24/7 home care (often dependent on local staffing capacity).
• Senior living community tours and placement support.
• Home health / skilled services in select markets.
• Veterans assistance support.
• Telephone reassurance (“Always in Touch”).

Note: Specific services and licensing requirements can vary by state, local regulations, and your approved service mix.

What does a typical day look like for an owner-operator?

A typical owner-operator day usually blends referral development, caregiver recruiting, scheduling oversight, and quality control, with additional compliance tasks depending on your state and the services you offer.

• Referral relationship work: Visiting and following up with senior living communities, discharge planners, and local partners
  
• Caregiver recruiting pipeline: Sourcing candidates, interviewing, background checks, onboarding, and training coordination
  
• Scheduling & coverage: Managing shifts, call-offs, and urgent coverage needs
  
• Client intake: Initial calls, assessments, and matching caregivers to client needs
  
• Quality control: Client check-ins, incident documentation, and service recovery when issues arise
  
• Admin rhythm: Payroll and billing workflows, documentation, and internal reporting

If you want a structured way to compare “people-heavy” service franchises before you go deep into discovery calls, consider the Zorakle assessment.

Operational realities to plan for in the Always Best Care franchise.

This type of service business tends to be driven by staffing and scheduling, so the operational load is often tied to how quickly you build repeatable processes and a reliable bench.

• After-hours planning: Even with a team, client needs can extend beyond business hours—ask how on-call expectations are handled.
  
• Recruiting never fully stops: Many home-services operators maintain an “always recruiting” posture to reduce coverage risk.
  
• Documentation discipline: Expect policies, procedures, and consistent record-keeping—especially if your service scope expands.
  
• Local marketing consistency: Referral trust is built through repetition and responsiveness, not one-time promotions—clarify what the brand expects locally.
  
• Service mix decisions: Because skilled/home health services may be limited to select markets, confirm what’s feasible in your area and what licensing steps may apply.

What training, support, and technology does the franchisor provide?

If you’re evaluating the always best care franchise, the franchisor describes a multi-phase onboarding program plus ongoing corporate and regional support. The goal of this section is to translate the brand’s descriptions into clear expectations you can verify during due diligence—especially around training time, who supports you locally, and what technology is included versus optional.

What does training look like?

Always Best Care Senior Services describes training in phases and notes that training “can be completed in as little as seven weeks.” The structure the brand outlines typically includes:

• Pre-training: Online/at-home modules before traveling, often focused on foundational operations, office setup guidance, and introductions to key platforms and workflows.
  
• Classroom training: Five days of classroom training at the headquarters in Roseville, California, covering topics like operations, staffing, marketing, client management, and partnership development.
  
• Field training: Coaching in your market, focused on relationship-building, recruiting and retention, referral development, and public relations.
  
• Ongoing training: Webinars, online resources, conferences, and planning tools (often described as KPI-focused planning and structured business reviews).

Practical note: “As little as seven weeks” is a best-case training timeline, not a guarantee. Ask what factors typically extend it (licensing lead times, hiring pace, office setup, etc.).

Ongoing support: what the franchisor provides.

The always best care franchise describes layered support that combines corporate resources with regional guidance. Use the overview below to translate “support” into specifics you can confirm during due diligence.

Support area	What’s described	What to confirm
Corporate support	Webinars, benchmarking, customer service help, marketing resources	Your main contact, response times, and how issues get escalated
Regional support	Coaching for planning and day-to-day operational guidance	How often check-ins happen, and whether support includes on-site/market visits
Training infrastructure	ABCUniversity plus online, classroom, and field components	Who must attend, whether extra trainees are allowed, and any added fees
Marketing support	Materials and guidance for local outreach	What’s required vs. optional, what needs approval, and what you control locally
Tools & systems	Web-based tools intended to support operations	What’s included, what’s optional, required integrations, and recurring fees

Quick takeaway: Ask for real examples—training schedules, support cadence, and who shows up locally—so you can plan staffing, timelines, and accountability upfront.

What technology does the Always Best Care franchise mention?

The always best care franchise describes a fully integrated, web-based system designed to support core back-office workflows. In the brand’s materials, this system is positioned as a centralized place to manage functions such as invoicing, accounting, and payroll, with software updates provided as part of the platform.

Because an “integrated system” can mean different things in practice, treat this as a verification step during due diligence. Ask for a clear breakdown of:

• What’s included vs. optional: Which tools are part of the standard package, and which features or add-ons cost extra.
  
• What you must provide: Required hardware (computers, printers, phones), internet requirements, and any needed subscriptions.
  
• Integrations and workflow fit: How the system connects to scheduling, recruiting/onboarding, HR/payroll processes, and reporting.
  
• Costs over time: Any recurring technology fees, user fees, or per-territory fees you should budget for.
  
• Training and support: Who trains you on the system and what ongoing tech support looks like once you’re operating.

What should you confirm during due diligence?

Your goal is to convert “brand descriptions” into a written, local operating plan—especially around licensing, staffing, scheduling, technology, and territory boundaries. Questions to ask include:

• What licenses are required in my state for the services I want to offer first?
• What is the typical approval timeline in my jurisdiction?
• What are the non-negotiables for office setup (space, signage, equipment)?
• How is caregiver recruiting taught, and what tools/templates are provided?
• What does “field training” look like in my market—who comes, how often, and for how long?
• What technology is required, what is included, and what ongoing costs (if any) should I expect?
• How is the territory drawn, and what is the process for resolving boundary issues?

Important note: If the franchisor provides financial performance information, it may appear in Item 19 of the FDD. Review Item 19 with qualified advisors and rely only on what’s disclosed there.

How do territories, real estate, and equipment requirements typically work?

For the always best care franchise, the setup is usually described as a protected territory paired with a modest administrative office—not a retail storefront buildout.

What real estate profile is typical?

Item 7 budgeting (rent, light improvements, basic signage) generally aligns with a small office footprint used for administration, recruiting, and intake—not a customer-facing location.

Practical checks before you sign a lease:

• Signage: Is it required, recommended, or optional in your market? (Item 7 includes signage as a cost category.)
  
• Layout needs: Do you need a private room for intake calls, caregiver interviews, or team meetings?
  
• Access basics: Are there parking, accessibility, or visibility expectations even if clients don’t visit the office?
  
• Territory fit: Does the franchisor prefer the office to be located within (or near) your territory boundaries?

How does territory protection work?

The brand’s territory materials describe territories as protected/exclusive and commonly defined by contiguous ZIP codes. The same materials also reference a minimum population base of 200,000 people for a territory.

What to confirm during due diligence:

• Where the territory definition actually lives (agreement language vs. marketing language)
• Whether any exceptions exist (overlap scenarios, national accounts, caregiver staffing across borders, referrals that cross ZIP codes, etc.)
• How territory “protection” is applied in practice—especially around referral sources and marketing

What equipment or vehicles are commonly required?

Item 7 reflects typical office setup items (computers/software, office equipment, furniture/fixtures) and does not indicate a required vehicle purchase as a standard line item.

Plan for a functional admin office and basic tech to run scheduling, intake, documentation, and staffing workflows—and treat the territory definition as a contract detail you verify line-by-line before signing.

Who is the ideal Always Best Care Senior Services owner, and what time commitment is typical?

The always best care franchise tends to be a strong match for owners who enjoy leading people, building local trust, and running a structured operation in a service business where staffing and scheduling are central.

Traits that usually fit the model well.

• People leadership: You’re comfortable coaching a team, handling issues quickly, and keeping standards high.
  
• Process discipline: You don’t mind living in systems—SOPs, schedules, documentation, and regular performance reviews.
  
• Relationship-building: You like networking and earning referrals through consistent follow-up and professionalism.
  
• Calm under pressure: You can handle last-minute coverage needs without letting every fire become “the whole day.”
  
• Compliance mindset: You treat licensing, policies, and record-keeping as core operations—not optional paperwork.

What time commitment is typical?

The brand doesn’t spell out a single “standard” weekly hour expectation in the materials referenced here, and real-world time demands can vary by market, service mix, and how quickly you build your team.

A practical validation step is to ask existing owners:

• What did you personally handle in the first 90 days (recruiting, scheduling, referrals, intake)?
  
• What did you delegate first—and what still stays on your plate weekly?
  
• When did you feel the operation became predictable (if it did), and what changed?

If you want to map Item 7 costs to your own assumptions and comfort level, the franchise financial calculator can help you organize a realistic startup-and-runway plan without guessing.

How does the Always Best Care franchise compare to similar options?

When you compare senior-services franchises, the most useful difference usually isn’t “which one is best”—it’s what kind of operator the model rewards. 

The always best care franchise is often positioned as broader than a single-service home care concept because it describes multiple service lines (such as non-medical in-home care and senior living referral services, plus home health in select markets). 

A broader menu can create more ways to serve clients, but it can also add complexity in staffing and operations.

A qualitative comparison lens.

Use these questions to compare the always best care franchise against other home-care or senior-services models:

• Service scope: Is it non-medical only, referral/placement only, or a blended model? What services are realistically available in your state and market?
  
• Operational complexity: More service types can mean more processes, training, and compliance work. Decide how much complexity you actually want to manage.
  
• Staffing model: How intense is recruiting? What does on-call coverage look like? Who handles scheduling and caregiver supervision as you grow?
  
• Territory design: Is the territory defined by ZIP codes, a radius, or population? What happens if referral activity crosses boundaries?
  
• Support intensity: How hands-on is support after launch—especially field coaching, recruiting guidance, and operational troubleshooting?

Next step if you’re building a shortlist.

To compare models side by side, browse franchise opportunities and attend a live franchise webinar. For more due diligence education and checklists, visit the FBA blog.

FAQ about the Always Best Care franchise.

Does an Always Best Care franchise require a retail location?

Not typically. The startup budget in Item 7 includes rent and basic office setup costs, which generally aligns with a small administrative office rather than a customer-facing storefront. Before signing a lease, confirm any site criteria (and signage expectations) in your current FDD and franchise agreement.

What is the Always Best Care franchise fee and what ongoing fees should you expect?

Item 7 lists an initial franchise fee of $49,900. For ongoing fees, the brand commonly references a 6% royalty and a marketing contribution. Use Item 6 of the current FDD you receive to confirm the exact definitions (especially what counts as “Gross Sales”), timing, minimums, and any exclusions.

What services does the Always Best Care franchise say it offers?

The brand describes a mix of senior-services options that can include non-medical in-home care, senior living referral services, and—where permitted and offered—home health/skilled services in select markets. Service availability can vary by location, licensing requirements, and your approved service mix.

How long is training for the Always Best Care franchise?

The brand says franchise training can be completed in as little as seven weeks, typically spanning pre-training modules, classroom training, and field training. Ask what factors commonly extend that timeline in your state (licensing lead times, hiring pace, office setup, and service scope).

What operational support does the Always Best Care franchise describe?

The franchisor describes layered support that combines corporate resources (training resources, webinars, and planning tools) with regional guidance (often via Area Representatives and/or National Directors). During due diligence, confirm cadence, response times, and what “field support” looks like in your market.

Does the Always Best Care franchise provide a technology system?

The brand mentions an integrated, web-based system intended to support functions like invoicing, accounting, and payroll, and notes there are no up-front software costs. Confirm what’s included versus optional, what hardware is required, and any ongoing technology fees in your current FDD.

Is the Always Best Care franchise the right fit for you?

The always best care franchise may be a fit if you want to run a relationship-driven services business—and you’re comfortable leading the day-to-day realities of staffing, scheduling, and compliance consistently.

Quick “fit” checklist

This model tends to align well if:

• You’re comfortable hiring, coaching, and holding a team accountable.
• You can build trust through steady referral outreach (not one-time marketing bursts).
• You like running a business with systems, documentation, and routines.
• You can handle urgent service issues calmly and professionally when they come up.

Reasons to be cautious.

You may want to think twice if:

• You want a low-interruption business with minimal staffing demands.
• You strongly prefer a model with less licensing variability across markets.
• You dislike ongoing local networking and relationship-building as a core weekly activity.

If you’d like help comparing the always best care franchise to other senior-services or home-services options, explore opportunities here.