RANKED · 570 BRANDS QUALIFY · SBA 7(a)/504 FOIA · FY1991–PRESENT
Which franchises have the lowest SBA loan default rate?
Ranked by the share of resolved SBA-backed franchisee loans charged off — lowest first. The franchises whose owners most reliably repaid the banks that financed them.
BASELINE ACROSS ALL RATED BRANDS: 14.8% OF RESOLVED SBA LOANS CHARGED OFF
| # | Brand | Charge-off rate · SBA 7(a)/504 | Record | SBA loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aaron Rental Purchase | 0.0% | 0 of 31 resolved defaulted | 33 |
| 2 | Ampm Mini Market- Arco | 0.0% | 0 of 61 resolved defaulted | 88 |
| 3 | AQUA-TOTS SWIM SCHOOLS | 0.0% | 0 of 33 resolved defaulted | 60 |
| 4 | Chevron - Retail Supply Contract | 0.0% | 0 of 46 resolved defaulted | 152 |
| 5 | Childrens Lighthouse | 0.0% | 0 of 52 resolved defaulted | 116 |
| 6 | Christian Brothers Automotive | 0.0% | 0 of 223 resolved defaulted | 320 |
| 7 | Club Pilates | 0.0% | 0 of 182 resolved defaulted | 292 |
| 8 | CRUMBL | 0.0% | 0 of 119 resolved defaulted | 307 |
| 9 | Culligan | 0.0% | 0 of 102 resolved defaulted | 123 |
| 10 | Dutch Bros. Coffee | 0.0% | 0 of 79 resolved defaulted | 121 |
| 11 | Goldfish Swim School | 0.0% | 0 of 76 resolved defaulted | 135 |
| 12 | IHOP | 0.0% | 0 of 54 resolved defaulted | 91 |
| 13 | Mathnasium Learning Center | 0.0% | 0 of 42 resolved defaulted | 50 |
| 14 | Nothing Bundt Cakes | 0.0% | 0 of 177 resolved defaulted | 325 |
| 15 | Planet Fitness | 0.0% | 0 of 136 resolved defaulted | 173 |
| 16 | Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen | 0.0% | 0 of 73 resolved defaulted | 140 |
| 17 | PRIMROSE SCHOOLS | 0.0% | 0 of 203 resolved defaulted | 584 |
| 18 | redbox+ | 0.0% | 0 of 47 resolved defaulted | 98 |
| 19 | School of Rock | 0.0% | 0 of 50 resolved defaulted | 126 |
| 20 | SERVICEMASTER CLEAN | 0.0% | 0 of 75 resolved defaulted | 84 |
| 21 | The Joint...the chiropractic place | 0.0% | 0 of 38 resolved defaulted | 52 |
| 22 | Toppers Pizza | 0.0% | 0 of 65 resolved defaulted | 87 |
| 23 | Ubreakifix | 0.0% | 0 of 32 resolved defaulted | 64 |
| 24 | World Fuel Services, Inc Wholesale Supply Agreement | 0.0% | 0 of 32 resolved defaulted | 107 |
| 25 | AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL SERVICES LLC | 0.2% | 1 of 412 resolved defaulted | 544 |
| 26 | Wendy'S | 0.7% | 1 of 136 resolved defaulted | 206 |
| 27 | Chicken Express | 1.0% | 1 of 101 resolved defaulted | 158 |
| 28 | Fairfield Inn | 1.1% | 1 of 90 resolved defaulted | 233 |
| 29 | Orangetheory | 1.5% | 5 of 326 resolved defaulted | 465 |
| 30 | HOTWORX | 1.5% | 2 of 130 resolved defaulted | 534 |
| 31 | Smash My Trash | 1.6% | 1 of 64 resolved defaulted | 109 |
| 32 | Home Instead | 1.8% | 5 of 280 resolved defaulted | 461 |
| 33 | Jack in the Box | 1.8% | 1 of 56 resolved defaulted | 71 |
| 34 | Penn Station | 1.9% | 1 of 54 resolved defaulted | 72 |
| 35 | Valero | 1.9% | 2 of 107 resolved defaulted | 208 |
| 36 | WaterStation | 2.0% | 2 of 102 resolved defaulted | 142 |
| 37 | Burn Boot Camp Fitness | 2.0% | 1 of 49 resolved defaulted | 147 |
| 38 | Plato'S Closet | 2.1% | 3 of 146 resolved defaulted | 234 |
| 39 | Koa Kampgrounds(Kampgrounds of America) | 2.1% | 2 of 97 resolved defaulted | 144 |
| 40 | Bee Hive Homes | 2.1% | 2 of 94 resolved defaulted | 177 |
| 41 | Marriott Hotel | 2.2% | 1 of 45 resolved defaulted | 71 |
| 42 | Culver's | 2.2% | 13 of 580 resolved defaulted | 1,017 |
| 43 | Five Guys | 2.2% | 2 of 89 resolved defaulted | 108 |
| 44 | Best Western - Best Western Plus - Best Western Premier- Executive Residency by Best Western- @Home by Best Western - GLo - Aiden - Membership Agreement | 2.3% | 3 of 133 resolved defaulted | 437 |
| 45 | European Wax Centers-Galleria | 2.3% | 7 of 304 resolved defaulted | 393 |
| 46 | Bin There Dump That | 2.3% | 1 of 43 resolved defaulted | 67 |
| 47 | Visiting Angels | 2.4% | 2 of 84 resolved defaulted | 167 |
| 48 | State Farm Insurance | 2.5% | 2 of 81 resolved defaulted | 133 |
| 49 | Arco (Gas Station) | 2.6% | 5 of 195 resolved defaulted | 272 |
| 50 | Wyndham | 2.6% | 2 of 76 resolved defaulted | 212 |
Charge-off rate = charged-off ÷ (charged-off + paid-in-full) across all SBA 7(a)/504 loans tagged to the brand in the FY1991–present FOIA files. At least 30 resolved loans required. A low default rate is a genuine strength, but note that some strong brands appear less because their franchisees outgrow SBA financing — read it alongside loan volume.
Universe: every franchise brand matched in the U.S. Small Business Administration's 7(a) and 504 loan FOIA files, fiscal 1991 to present (data.sba.gov). This is federal public-record data about loans to franchisees — independent of anything the franchisor discloses. Brand links lead to the full sourced profile where one exists. See the site methodology for name-matching and cohort rules.
A broker is paid by the franchisor to place you. I'm paid by you — and the job is pressure-testing the numbers, including talking you out of a bad deal.