A lot of people ask if they should try digital leasing or buy a franchise. Both models count on recurring revenue, but they are not much alike. Let’s compare.
Control and Upfront Costs
In digital leasing, you control every step. You choose the website, city, and service. Expenses are usually low at first , you need a domain, hosting, and maybe tools for SEO or call tracking.
A franchise, on the other hand, demands thousands of dollars in fees and ongoing royalties. You are locked into their process and branding.
Flexibility vs. Security
Digital leasing is flexible. You can test different cities and services or try multiple websites. If one fails, start another. If your tenant quits, you find another.
Franchises give you a proven system (at least on paper), but you are stuck with their rules. Changing things is hard.
Profit Potential and Passive Income
With both, you can earn recurring money, but:
- Digital leasing passive income requires getting sites to rank and keeping tenants
- Franchise income depends on sales, store location, and brand power
Digital leasing can be scaled by making more sites. Franchises scale by opening new stores , which is much more expensive.
Risk Factors
| Business Model | Risk Level | Main Risks |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Leasing | Medium | SEO changes, losing tenants, lead droughts |
| Franchise | High | Market changes, high fees, location risks |
Digital leasing only risks your time and a little money. Franchises risk much more upfront, and take more to recover if they go bad.
How “Passive” Is Digital Leasing or a Franchise?
Neither is fully passive. With digital leasing, you spend weeks or months building sites and getting them ranked. You handle tenant complaints and sometimes negotiate pricing.
With a franchise, you usually manage people, handle refunds or bad reviews, and oversee daily operations. You can hire a manager, but costs are high.
If your goal is freedom, digital leasing feels lighter and less stressful, but only after the setup is locked in place.
Learning Curve and Support
You can learn digital leasing through public info, forums, and inexpensive groups. Most support comes from community, not one company.
A franchise offers training and manuals , which can help beginners, but rules limit you.
Liquidation and Exit
If you want to move on, a digital leasing site can be sold, or you can stop and walk away. Losses are small, unless you have a big portfolio.
Franchise contracts make exit harder. Penalties may apply. Inventory must be sold or returned. Some people stay stuck for years.
What the Reviews Are Saying
You see lots of digital leasing reviews and Scamrisk articles about both models. Digital leasing gets complaints about slow results or rough starts. Franchise buyers report major upfront losses , often much more than any failed website builder.
Some franchises thrive, but many stall or fail if the site, store, or market changes.
Joshua T Osborne Reviews and Similar Coaches
Coach reviews for trainers in digital leasing and franchises show about the same pattern:
- Some students win early, sharing big results
- Many feel let down by high course prices or slow progress
- Nobody, including trainers like Joshua T Osborne, can promise every niche or site will work
Most real world results come down to your ability (or your staff’s in a franchise) to stick with the process and learn from failures.
Final Thoughts on Choosing between the Two
Digital leasing lets you start with low risk, build at your own pace, and keep things simple. Franchises take more to start, more to manage, and have bigger risks if things stall.
Some love the formality of a franchise. Others want the freedom to try, fail, and try again with little downside. There is no “right answer” , only what fits your goals, budget, and attitude toward learning and risk.