You may be surprised at how little you need to invest to afford a franchise business. Investment price tags in our portfolio of brands range from $75,000 into the millions “all in” – which means there is bound to be a brand that fits your budget.

Try Our “Fundability” Calculator

The calculator below will give you an idea of how much franchise you can afford whether you apply for a bank loan, roll over your retirement savings or do a combination of both.

Most clients land in the $150,000 to $350,000 investment range. That can land you a solid home-based or mobile (e.g., van) business as well as some brick-and-mortar brands.

To Be Sure, Speak With a Franchise Financing Expert

Regarding our calculator below, if your goal is to quickly zero in on an investment range so you can start searching for your dream business right now, it works fine.

But to be absolutely sure of how much financing you will qualify for, you eventually will need to talk with a financing expert – ideally someone conversant and experienced with franchise deals. We can connect you with one of our partners when you’re ready.

Three Factors Affecting How Much You Can Afford

Be aware these three factors will affect your “fundability”: Your credit score, net worth and liquidity.

  • Credit Score — Though 640 may squeak you by, most lenders, especially if an SBA loan is involved, will require 680 or better. It’d be wise to check your credit score now and take remedial action if needed. You can check your score for free once a year from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. This website – annualcreditreport.com – allows you to contact all three at once. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also provides helpful credit-score information.

  • Net Worth — Lenders want your net worth to be above your loan amount, the higher the better. Being below $100,000 may somewhat limit your franchise options. In addition to the “fundability” calculator below, we also offer an easy way to quickly calculate your net worth – you can access it here.

  • Liquidity — Be prepared to tap your liquid assets for about 20% of your investment amount, and you likely will also be required to set aside another 10% for post-closing liquidity. For example, if you are planning to finance your business purchase with an SBA loan and your “all-in” investment is $250,000, you likely will need to inject $50,000 (20%) from your savings while the bank loans you $200,000. But you also will need to have $25,000 (10%) in reserve to meet expenses, etc.

Any asset that you can convert into cash relatively easily without significantly affecting its market value is considered liquid. Examples include cash on hand or cash alternatives like treasury bills and notes, certificates of deposit, money market funds and commercial paper.

Also considered to be liquid assets are most types of stocks, bonds and index funds, as well as accounts receivable and, yes, even your tax refund.

Here’s Our Franchise Financing Calculator For Your Use

Want Help Evaluating Franchise Opportunities?

We can help you identify and invest in the franchise business that is right for you. Our personalized ownership recommendations help you save time, reduce risk and invest confidently – with no fee or hidden cost.

Our process starts with a free 15-minute conversation during which we introduce ourselves, learn about you and give you a sense of how we’d work together. You can then decide if you’d like to proceed.

No obligation, no catch – we invite you to chat when you’re ready. You can schedule easily online for the date and time of your preference.