Liberty Tax Service vs Smart Tax Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Liberty Tax Service vs Smart Tax including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Liberty Tax Service Franchise
Smart Tax Franchise
Investment $58,700 - $71,900$36,650 - $93,600
Franchise Fee $40,000$20,000
Royalty Fee 14%15-20%
Advertising Fee 5%3% Nat'l $1500Local
Year Founded 1972-
Year Franchised 1973-
Term Of Agreement Perpetual5 years +5+5+5
Term Of Agreement Perpetual5 years +5+5+5
Renewal Fee --


Business Experience Requirements
 
Liberty Tax Service Franchise
Smart Tax Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
  • Customer service experience
    		• We look for candidates who understand the importance of client service; management skills are also important. We are looking for franchise owners who are capable of opening and operating both single and multiple locations.

    Financing Options
     
    Liberty Tax Service Franchise
    Smart Tax Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/No-/-
    Start-up Costs Yes/Yes-/-
    Equipment Yes/Yes-/-
    Inventory Yes/Yes-/-
    Receivables Yes/Yes-/-
    Payroll Yes/Yes-/-

    Training & Support
     
    Liberty Tax Service Franchise
    Smart Tax Franchise
    Training We'll start with a week-long session at our corporate office in Virginia Beach, VA; follow it up with online and printed manuals, traditional and non-traditional training methods, webinars, onsite training, off-site training, conference calls and newsletters. In short, we believe in training. On-The-Job Training: 20 hours Classroom Training: 40+ hours Additional Training: Additional training in various cities -
    Support Competitive advantage, population trends, traffic counts, visibility and more-you won't go it alone. Our team of experienced Site Selectors works one-on-one to locate, negotiate and sign the perfect location for your Liberty Tax office. And with available territories throughout the US and Canada, we're fairly certain we can find the right location, right in your hometown. Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform -
    Marketing Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app -
    Operations 50% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 5 - 10

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (98% of current franchisees are owner/operators)

    		-

    Expansion Plans
     
    Liberty Tax Service Franchise
    Smart Tax Franchise
    US Expansion Yes-
    Canada Expansion Yes-
    International Expansion Yes-

    Company Overviews

    About Liberty Tax Service

    Live Your Dream. Not Someone Else's. You have big dreams. You dream of success. Possess a passion. Believe in yourself. Won't accept average. We know that feeling. We're looking for dreamers who want to work for no one ... but themselves. Liberty franchisees are an exclusive group. We're not for everyone. We dream big. We are forward thinkers embracing proven marketing plans, working seasonally and connecting through cutting-edge social communications. We're high profile. Low investment. Family oriented. And taking the lead. Have what it takes? Join our dream team. We've been looking for you. We are talking to motivated people to operate Liberty Tax offices across the country. If you are prepared to jump in with both feet, now is the time. Read some more about us. Then when you're ready, Liberty Tax wants to talk to you. No Tax Experience? No Worries. As a Liberty Tax franchise owner, you'll have a proven system to follow that was 40+ years in the making. Our franchisees have access to more than 600 years of managerial experience, tax industry expertise and street-savvy marketing. Keep Your Day Job-If You Want To. Our franchisees work really hard for 3  months then spend the rest of the year pursuing other interests. Many of our current franchisees, have kept their day jobs. Many others have found other things to do when tax season comes to a close. Go on vacation. Raise alpacas. Learn to yodel. What you do with your time is up to you.
     We'll Take You To Our Leader  We are led by International Franchise Association Entrepreneur of the Year, John T. Hewitt. As Liberty's CEO and Founder he has weathered more than 42 tax seasons. He's seen the trends. He knows what's coming. He even worked with two of those other tax prep companies, who shall remain nameless. Based on his wealth of experience, Hewitt has led Liberty to open 3,800 offices in just 14 years-more than three times faster than any tax company-EVER. And Hewitt shares his insight with his franchisees, as a hands-on CEO, hosting conference calls, seminars and personally answering his e-mails.
     Low Costs. High Returns. Happy You. The Liberty Tax franchise investment is one of the most affordable out there. Shop around, look at others, even on this website. Go ahead. We have nothing to hide. It is simply a fact that Liberty Tax start-up costs are lower than many other franchises on Entrepreneur magazine's list of the "Top 500 Franchises". A seasonal workforce keeps overhead lower than nearly any other industry. Being a service-based operation, there is no inventory. No inventory. No worries about inventory loss.
     We Are Growing Crazy 

    Liberty Tax Service is prepared to open a Liberty Tax office every day, for the next year. We are ready to talk to people who are anxious to open a Liberty Tax in your city right now. With available territories in two countries, all 50 states from small-town USA to the largest metros, we need people who have that fire in their belly and a desire to succeed. If you have it, you'll know. Don't let someone else open a Liberty Tax in your hometown. Location. Location. Location. Be Prepared To Be The CEO Do hamburger franchise owners flip the burgers in their stores? No way. Liberty Tax franchisees are CEOs. You manage your store, payroll and marketing. You staff it. Network with other businesses. Connect with your community. This is not another job. And we are not hiring employees. You will be in business for yourself with a very powerful partner in the franchising community. Go ahead make your dreams with a reality. We can't wait to talk to you.

    Veteran Incentives  Special financing

    "franchiserankingscom"
    #87 on Franchise Rankings.com

    "Top

    #44 in Canada's Top franchises.

    "Entrepreneur
    #355 in Franchise 500 for 2020.





    About Smart Tax

    A professional, seasonal business opportunity unlike most other franchises! The Smart Tax franchise program is a business ownership opportunity that is different from others. No need to work 52-weeks a year, 7-days a week. No need to have a background in financing, accounting. The Smart Tax system is well-planned, well-established and well-received. And it can be yours to use when you join as a franchise owner. When you become a part of Smart Tax, you'll have immediate access to training, materials, programs, and documentation that are all created to make your business start-up and operations as efficient as possible. You will have up to 5 days of training at our headquarters. In addition, we will provide up to 1 day of onsite help at your own location. You will have access to all Smart Tax operational procedures, software and other exclusive tools. We'll provide you with a copy of our confidential operations manual to help you run your business effectively. Best of all, you can count on the Smart Tax organization to guide you and your clients, both during tax season and - most important - after tax season. You don't even have to keep your office open during the Summer months; just turn everything over to us, and we'll be there to provide the assistance your clients need. What other business model allows you to do that?