Technically a retailer-owned cooperative rather than a classic franchise: no royalties, and store owners share in Ace's corporate profits via patronage dividends.
The estimated total initial investment for a Ace Hardware franchise is $300K–$2.1M, which includes an initial franchise fee of approximately $5K. Ongoing royalties are none (retailer co-op), typically alongside a brand or advertising fund contribution. The system counts roughly 5,900 locations.
Within the Business & Retail Services category of the FranchiseCo Index, Ace Hardware's entry cost places it in the mid ($250K–$750K) tier. Use the Franchise Index to compare it against every other brand in the category, or run the Affordability Calculator to see whether it fits your budget before you go further.
Request the current Franchise Disclosure Document and verify Items 5, 6, and 7 against the estimates above — figures change with every annual FDD renewal. Our guide How to Read an FDD covers the seven items that decide deals, and Franchise Costs Explained covers the costs that don't appear in brochures. The franchisor's official site is acehardware.com.