The Cheapest Boba Tea Franchises to Open, Ranked

Kung Fu Tea has the lowest published standalone single-unit Item 7 figure among the four 2026 FDDs below: $169,000 to $378,000 for a standard shop. Its dual-concept figure of $164,000 to $373,000 covers only the tea shop when paired with a TKK Fried Chicken or Yasubee Ramen franchise, whose costs are disclosed separately, so it is not a complete budget. Feng Cha, Gong cha and Sharetea follow when ranked by their lowest disclosed investment.

For a full brand-by-brand comparison of fees and royalties, see our boba franchise cost comparison.

First, the boba brands you cannot actually open

Boba Guys’ FAQ states: “Are you open to franchising Boba Guys? Unfortunately, no.”

Cheapest boba tea franchises, ranked by 2026 FDD cost

Ranked by the lowest single-unit total investment on each FDD’s cover or in Item 7. The highest column is the upper end for the same format, not the highest cost across every format the brand offers. These are disclosed estimates, not site-specific quotes.

Rank	Brand	Lowest Item 7 total investment (format)	Highest	Franchise fee (Item 5)	Royalty and ad fund (Item 6, with basis)	FDD issued
1	Kung Fu Tea	$169,000 (standard shop; dual-concept tea shop $164,000, companion franchise costs separate)	$378,000	$37,000; $25,000 for existing franchisees or non-traditional units	Royalty: 4% of Gross Sales; marketing: 2% of Gross Sales	April 20, 2026; revised July 6, 2026
2	Feng Cha	$206,925 (single franchise)	$582,710	$30,000	Royalty: 5% of Gross Revenue; brand development fund: currently 1%, up to 2% of Gross Revenue	March 23, 2026
3	Gong cha	$207,450 (single store)	$648,460	$37,000	Royalty: 6% of weekly Net Sales; brand marketing: 1% of weekly Net Sales, may rise to 2% with 90 days’ prior written notice	March 25, 2026
4	Sharetea	$275,600 (single tea shop)	$606,400	$12,000	Royalty: 6% of Gross Monthly Sales, minimum $1,200/month; marketing fund: percentage of Gross Monthly Sales not yet determined, payable if fund established	March 5, 2026

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Our free startup-cost worksheet follows Item 7's rows so you can price your site against each FDD's range. Plus the due-diligence kit.

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No published cost figures on these franchise pages, checked October 14, 2026:

• CoCo Bubble Tea: its global page invites applications and says cost information is provided during an interview; it does not specify US terms.
• Happy Lemon: its US page says it is expanding throughout the United States and seeking qualified franchise partners.
• Moge Tee: its USA page says it is actively looking for franchisees and directs applicants to a franchise questionnaire; the footer reads © 2023.
• Vivi Bubble Tea: its page invites a form submission or email; it gives no US-specific terms, and the footer reads © 2022.

Minnesota registry note, checked October 14, 2026: Chatime Franchise LLC’s record shows an “Order of Withdrawal - 120 Day” in 2026. TIGER SUGAR FRANCHISE USA, INC.’s registration shows an “Order of Cancellation” dated December 22, 2025.

What the low figures include

Kung Fu Tea’s dual-concept figure is not a complete two-brand opening budget. Its cover separates the TKK Fried Chicken or Yasubee Ramen franchise charges into those brands’ own FDDs. For a standalone shop, Kung Fu Tea’s Item 7 range is $169,000 to $378,000 standard or $184,000 to $269,500 non-traditional. Use the standalone range when budgeting a tea-only location. The low estimates use a $25,000 franchise fee; for a standard shop, that reduced fee applies to existing franchisees. A new standard-shop franchisee pays $37,000.

Feng Cha’s row uses its single-franchise range. Gong cha’s row uses one store, and Sharetea’s uses one tea shop. Multi-unit development commitments are not the basis of this ranking. The franchise fee is only one expense within Item 7, not an amount to add to its total.

The fee bases also differ. Kung Fu Tea’s Gross Sales excludes sales tax. Gong cha’s Net Sales excludes customer refunds and sales tax collected and remitted. Sharetea’s Gross Monthly Sales excludes taxes collected for payment to tax authorities. Feng Cha’s Gross Revenues includes sales taxes and business-interruption insurance, but excludes customer refunds and adjustments.

The table’s fund charges are not every advertising obligation. Feng Cha’s Item 6 also allows cooperative marketing charges up to 2% of monthly Gross Revenues if a cooperative is formed. Its Item 11 separately requires local advertising of at least 1% of monthly Gross Revenue, which may rise to 2%. Gong cha can require regional cooperative contributions up to 2% of Net Sales, or more if cooperative members vote to exceed that amount. Sharetea’s Item 6 leaves the marketing-fund percentage undetermined; Item 11 says no fund currently exists and describes approximately 3% of Gross Monthly Revenues, or another stated percentage, if one is established. Do not treat that as a current fixed fee.

Cheapest is a filter, not the answer

Use the ranking to choose which disclosures to compare. Read Item 7’s investment rows against your proposed site, check Item 6 for recurring charges, and confirm the franchisor is accepting applicants in your market. A lower opening estimate does not settle differences in lease costs, required equipment or ongoing fees.

Equipment you’ll budget for

Item 8 in these FDDs sets purchasing restrictions, including purchases through the franchisor, its affiliates or approved suppliers. Use these equipment guides to understand the categories; confirm the approved model and supplier before buying for a franchised shop.

• Bubble tea cup sealing machine: seals compatible cups with film.
• Boba shaker machine: mechanically shakes capped drink containers.
• Commercial tapioca pearl cooker: cooks tapioca pearls for drink service.
• Bubble tea fructose dispenser: dispenses measured portions of liquid sweetener.

For a related tea-brand cost breakdown, see the HTeaO franchise cost guide.

For help navigating the disclosure, see how to read an FDD. For other concepts, compare food franchises under $25K, cheapest pizza franchises and ice cream and dessert franchises.