Miracle-Ear vs Vision Source Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Miracle-Ear vs Vision Source including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees
 
Miracle-Ear Franchise
Vision Source Franchise
Investment $119,000 - $352,500$500 - $33,300
Franchise Fee $30,000N/A
Royalty Fee $48.80/aid-
Advertising Fee $75/aid-
Year Founded 19482003
Year Franchised 19832003
Term Of Agreement 5 years-
Term Of Agreement 5 years-
Renewal Fee $2K-10K-


Business Experience Requirements
 
Miracle-Ear Franchise
Vision Source Franchise
Experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills
    		• -

    Financing Options
     
    Miracle-Ear Franchise
    Vision Source Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/No-/-
    Start-up Costs No/No-/-
    Equipment No/No-/-
    Inventory No/No-/-
    Receivables No/No-/-
    Payroll No/No-/-

    Training & Support
     
    Miracle-Ear Franchise
    Vision Source Franchise
    Training Ongoing training as needed-
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives-
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertising-
    Operations 80% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 3

    Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed.

    		-

    Expansion Plans
     
    Miracle-Ear Franchise
    Vision Source Franchise
    US Expansion YesYes
    Canada Expansion No-
    International Expansion No-

    Company Overviews

    About Miracle-Ear

    Kenneth Dahlberg started Dahlberg Electronics in 1948 and began manufacturing the first Miracle-Ear hearing aids. Today, Miracle-Ear is a subsidiary of Italian hearing aid distributor Amplifon, with U.S. headquarters in Plymouth, Minnesota. Miracle-Ear's retail locations offer free hearing tests and consultations and offer service, warranty and after-care packages with their hearing aids.

    Ken Dahlberg, a World War II aviator turned electronic inventor, created the pillow radio for hospital patients' private listening. Ken's employer rejected the idea, and this inspired the founding of Dahlberg, Inc., which became the foundation of Miracle-Ear. A few short years later, we were the first to offer an in-the-ear hearing aid. Since then, Miracle-Ear has continued to introduce innovative technology to remove the barriers of hearing loss. We've taken the size of hearing aids down to models that fit entirely in the ear canal. We've made technological improvements that allow us to customize a hearing solution to your individual hearing loss profile. And we've developed customer service practices to help ensure that you are completely satisfied with the products and support you receive from your Miracle-Ear representatives nationwide.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Miracle-Ear® franchise is from $119,000 to $352,500. This includes from $35,000 to $45,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or an affiliate for an exclusive territory of up to 250,000 persons. This amount may be higher if the size (population) of your exclusive territory is larger.
    Veteran Incentives 
    10% off franchise fee

    "Entrepreneur

    #98 in Franchise 500 for 2020.
    #84 in Franchise 500 for 2021.




    About Vision Source

    "Vision
    Founded in 1991, Vision Source® is a family of over 3,200 locally owned practices and more than 4,600 doctors collaborating to provide quality professional eye care and to support the long-term success of independent optometry. Vision Source clinicians treat an estimated 16 million patients every year.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a new Vision Source® office ranges from $85,000 to $333,300. The total investment necessary to convert an existing optometry office to operation under a Vision Source® franchise agreement ranges from $500 to $35,200. None of these amounts must be paid to the franchisor. If you elect, in your sole discretion, to purchase products from an affiliate of franchisor, the purchase price for those products will be paid to the affiliate of franchisor.