E-2 Business Plan Cost: What You Should Expect to Pay in 2026

In our experience, a professionally written E-2 business plan typically costs $2,500 to $8,000. Where a plan falls in that range depends mostly on how much research and financial modeling the business needs, not on the number of pages. A franchise or single-location service business sits at the lower end, while acquisitions, multi-unit operations, technology and manufacturing businesses cost more. Cheaper template plans are widely advertised, but they often create problems the officer will notice.

Below we explain what drives the price, how DIY, template and professional plans compare, and the red flags to check before you hire anyone. For what goes into the plan itself, see E-2 business plan requirements.

How much does an E-2 business plan cost?

These are typical market ranges we see, not fixed prices. Providers price differently, and the right plan for your case depends on the business.

Plan type	Typical cost range	What you usually get
Do it yourself	Your time, plus data and software costs	Full control, but you need modeling skills and know what officers check
Template or low-cost marketplace plan	Often under about $1,500	Generic structure and text; little local research; projections not tied to your numbers
Professional plan, simple business	About $2,500 to $4,000	Franchise or single-location service business, local market analysis, five-year model
Professional plan, complex business	About $4,000 to $8,000	Acquisitions, restaurants, retail, multi-unit, technology or manufacturing with detailed modeling

Our own fees follow the same logic. Plans start at $2,500 for a franchise or single-location service business, $4,000 to $6,000 for restaurants, retail, logistics or acquisitions where the model is rebuilt from the target’s actuals, and $6,000 to $8,000 for multi-unit, technology or manufacturing businesses. You get a fixed quote after a 60-minute intake call. Details are on our business plan service page.

What drives the cost of an E-2 business plan?

The writing is the smaller part of the work. The cost comes from research and modeling that the officer can check.

• Business type. A franchise can draw on the franchisor’s disclosure document and benchmarks. A custom startup or technology company needs its own market research and model.
• Acquisition vs startup. Buying a business means rebuilding the model from the seller’s tax returns and financials, and explaining the valuation.
• Financial model depth. One location with a simple cost structure is quicker than several locations, product lines or revenue streams.
• Hiring complexity. A few roles over five years is simpler than a large staffing plan across sites.
• Source of funds. A single, clean source is easier to describe than several transfers across countries, property sales or gifts.
• Turnaround. Rush delivery usually costs extra. Our standard first draft takes two to three weeks; rush delivery in seven to ten days carries an additional fee.
• Bundling. Plans prepared as part of a wider business setup engagement are often priced lower than standalone plans. Clients in our full E-2 launch engagement pay a lower bundled rate.

DIY vs template vs professional: which makes sense?

	DIY	Template	Professional
Upfront cost	Lowest	Low	Highest
Time from you	Very high	Moderate	Low to moderate (intake, data, review)
Local market research	Depends on you	Usually minimal	Included
Five-year model tied to your numbers	Depends on your skills	Rarely	Yes
Addresses marginality and hiring	If you know the rules	Often generic	Yes
Risk of inconsistencies with bank records	Moderate	High	Low, if reconciled

DIY can work if you have a finance background, strong spreadsheet skills, time to research your local market, and a clear grasp of what the Foreign Affairs Manual asks about marginality and investment. Expect it to be a substantial project.

Templates are risky because officers read many plans. Generic market text, round-number projections and hiring plans that the revenue cannot pay for are easy to spot, and they can lead to a 221(g) request for more evidence or a refusal for marginality. See E-2 denial reasons.

A professional plan costs more upfront but is built from your real business, which also prepares you for the interview, because you will have worked through every number.

What a professional fee should cover

When you compare quotes, compare scope, not just price. A professional E-2 plan fee should normally include:

• An intake call on the business, the investment, ownership and source of funds
• Local market research for your city and trade area, with named competitors
• A five-year financial model built from your lease, vendor quotes and local wages
• A hiring plan with roles, start dates and wages that the revenue can support
• An investment schedule reconciled to your bank statements and invoices
• A source-of-funds narrative that matches your documents
• At least one revision round, including comments from your attorney
• The financial model as a working file, not only a PDF

Our plans include each of these, with one revision round and more on request. If a cheaper quote leaves out several items, the difference in price is usually the difference in work.

Red flags when hiring an E-2 business plan writer

• A fixed price before anyone asks about your business. Real plans need an intake on the business, location, investment and funds.
• Delivery in a day or two. Local research and a real financial model take time.
• No financial model file, only a PDF with numbers you cannot trace.
• Approval guarantees. No one can guarantee a visa outcome, and claims like that are a warning sign.
• Recycled samples with other clients’ businesses, or plans that mention the wrong city or industry.
• No questions about source of funds or ownership, which the plan has to address.
• No revision round, or no willingness to work with your attorney’s comments.
• Offers to handle the legal filing from a company that is not a law firm. The visa application should be prepared and filed by a licensed immigration attorney.

Questions to ask before you hire

1. How do you research the local market for my city?
2. Will the financial model be delivered as an editable file?
3. How many revision rounds are included?
4. Will you reconcile the investment schedule to my bank statements?
5. Will you coordinate with my attorney?
6. What is the timeline, and what do you need from me to keep it?
7. What happens if the embassy issues a 221(g) asking for more business information?

Where the plan fits in your total E-2 budget

The business plan is one line in a bigger budget that includes the investment itself, government fees (such as the $315 visa application fee per applicant at an embassy), attorney fees, company formation, licenses and accounting. See our E-2 visa cost guide for the full picture, and lawyer vs consultant for how the work is usually split.

Next steps

If you have chosen your business, request a fixed-fee quote or look at our business plan samples to see the structure. If you are still deciding what to buy or start, begin with the investment calculator or book a consultation.