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Franchise vs. Independent Practice: Pros and Cons
Reviewed by Mike Lauer | May 15, 2025
Pursuing a career as a chiropractor will require you to make a litany of decisions. Perhaps the most important among them is choosing how you plan to offer your services as a professional healthcare provider to the general public.
For chiropractic care, you have two choices: Franchise ownership of a chiropractic clinic or open your own independent practice. Like any decision that can have a profound, long-term impact on your career, your life, there are pros and cons that come with it.
Therefore, it’s not a decision to be made lightly. So let’s review the benefits and challenges that come with franchise ownership and independent practice as a chiropractor in today’s highly competitive chiropractic industry.
The Pros and Cons of Chiropractic Franchise Ownership
Franchises offer many opportunities for growth by laying down a strong foundation for success that is proven to work. On the other hand, the franchise model only works if you follow the pre-established system to the letter which can limit your autonomy and put you in jeopardy of losing the franchise should you breach the franchise agreement.
How Do Franchises Work?
Buying into a franchise means you are purchasing the rights to use proprietary information and trademarks owned by the franchise company for the purpose of opening a business using that proprietary data. In the case of a chiropractic care franchise, the franchise owner pays a variety of one-time and annual fees to license the brand and operate the business under a set requirements of the franchisor.The Pros of Buying into an Established Franchise
Starting a chiropractic clinic with a strong support system can offer a wide range of benefits:
Buying into a Proven System
The most important advantage of purchasing a franchise is that all of the operational systems and protocols have been established for you. All that you have to do is run the business within those systems and protocols to ensure your franchise location is a success. You are running the business with a solid support system in place which can take a lot of the guesswork out of starting your own chiropractic clinic.
Brand Awareness
A franchise can be a regional or nationwide operation that offers a level of brand awareness that can be beneficial for bringing in new patients. That kind of quick brand recognition is helpful for establishing yourself as an authority in the chiropractic space and lends a level of credibility that patients trust much quicker than if you were an independent shingle trying to gain a foothold in your market or region.
Comprehensive Support Network
As a franchisee, you are buying into a wide-ranging network of support supplied by the franchisor which offers training and guidance designed to help the business succeed. Training comes in many forms, from learning how proprietary technology works to the day-to-day operation of the business at the ground level. This support is usually ongoing with a comprehensive program to start and then additional marketing, functional, or advisory guidance to ensure the proper operation of the business.
More Financing Opportunities
Traditional financing institutions like banks and credit unions are more at ease with extending loans to new customers who plan to invest in a franchise over using those funds for a more conventional startup. Lenders don’t like surprises and investing in a franchise brings a greater level of predictability that makes them more comfortable in providing access to financing.
Invaluable Learning Experience
Working within a structured franchise model offers the kind of learning experience that can prepare you for ownership of multiple chiropractic clinics. Every business owner wants that robust expansion but sometimes they’re not ready for the responsibilities that come with scaling your business at an increased rate.
The Cons of Buying into an Established Franchise
Owning a chiropractic franchise is not for everyone. Some business owners can find the parameters of a franchise tough to navigate, but those who dedicate themselves to learning how the franchise operates and committing to work within those parameters are empowering themselves for success. With that said, consider the following:
Increased Initial Costs
The investment into a franchise opportunity may come with an increased upfront cost by comparison to an independent startup. Franchise fees, equipment costs, and other expenses related to ensuring the proper operation of the business might add up based on the type of franchise you are buying into and the requirements of running the business.
Restricted Autonomy
When you buy into a pre-established franchise model you are doing so with the knowledge that the operation of your business has been all but mapped out for you through proven business systems that work well and have helped other franchisees achieve success. But those models only work when they are adhered to in full which can limit your ability to make your own decisions, particularly when it comes to providing treatment options for patients.
Royalty Payments
Franchise arrangements tend to include royalties or percentages of revenue that must be paid to the franchising company. These payments might eat into the profits of your franchise business and present a challenge to profitability for you, the franchise business owner.
Rigid Franchise Contracts
When purchasing a franchise, you are bound to contractual obligations that define how to run the business and what you are prohibited from doing. Should you violate the contract in any way, you could lose your rights to the franchise. Selling the franchise to another buyer or closing the business altogether could prove difficult based on the language of your franchise contract.
The Pros and Cons of Starting an Independent Practice
Starting out on your own can also bring with it specific benefits and possible setbacks as you attempt to set up your independent practice. While you have more autonomy over the operation of the business, you’re also the individual responsible for just about every other aspect of its success or failure.
The Pros of Starting an Independent Practice
Going independent means that everything rests on your shoulders as you’re starting from scratch to build your brand, attract new patients, and handle all of the financial obligations to keep the business afloat. There can be benefits to this approach:
Fewer Restrictions
Opening an independent practice means you have total control over everything. You choose the location, you create the marketing (or hire someone of your choosing to do it), decide on the fees you charge, select the services you decide to offer, and make any and all business decisions for the practice.
Reduced Initial Costs
In many instances, the initial costs of starting up an independent practice can be lower than the costs associated with a franchise. A reduced upfront financial investment can be attractive to new chiropractors who are just starting out in the healthcare industry and need to be frugal with their finances.
Flexible Work Schedule
Since you’re the one in control, you set your own hours and decide how little or how often you plan to work at your practice. Everything rests on your shoulders, you decide when and how many hours to spend on building the business.
Earning Potential
The more income you earn, the more that goes into your pocket or back into the business. You’re not paying any percentage or a royalty fee that enables you to open your practice.
The Cons of Starting an Independent Practice
Going independent isn’t for everyone either. These are just some of the disadvantages to consider when going it alone:
No Support System
Independent means you’re doing it all on your own. You don’t get any of the support, training, or guidance that comes with being a franchisee. You can always seek out advice and information from colleagues or consultants, but that could represent another expense that you have to cover. Marketing, lead generation, brand management, learning the ropes on certain types of technology and equipment – all of these things come with franchise ownership. As an independent chiropractor, you’re on your own.
Building a Reputation
When you’re opening your own practice, you’re starting from the very beginning when it comes to getting your name out there. It takes awhile to build a reputation, earning the trust of your patients, getting them to review your practice, and asking them to recommend your services to others, this can be a very long and involved part of the process when you’re operating as an independent practice.
Business Expenses
Every aspect of starting the practice comes with some kind of fee or price tag. You and only you are the one who will cover those fees and expenses. You can bet the costs will add up…and quickly too. Are you financially prepared to handle every expense related to your independent practice?
Surviving in a Competitive Market
How are you prepared to take on the competition in your area? Marketing and advertising are two of the most effective ways, but those can come with a hefty price tag and there’s no guarantee you’ve chosen the right type of marketing and advertising strategies to get patients to visit your practice. You’re not just competing with independent chiropractors but large clinics with multiple practitioners. Remember, you’re the new guy in town. You need to make a big splash fast.
Which One is Right for You?
Only you know if buying into a franchise or starting an independent practice is the best option. But as a first time business owner, there are pros and cons to both. You have to decide if you are ready to go it alone and take on all of the responsibilities and obligations that come with it or if you feel buying into a proven franchise model is the better choice with a support system behind you 100%.
Before you make your choice, ask all the questions, do your research, and feel free to speak with one of our franchise ownership experts at FreeForm Chiropractic. We are happy to answer any queries or concerns you may have about buying into one of our franchise opportunities and give you all the information you need to make an informed and educated decision for your career in the chiropractic industry.
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