ATAX vs The Entrepreneur’s Source

Compare franchise fees, investment range, royalties, SBA lending performance, unit growth, and Item 19 transparency with a permanent shareable URL.

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ATAX
Financial Services
Investment
$101K to $524K
Franchise fee
$35,000
Item 19 status
Cost Data Only
Units
38
The Entrepreneur’s Source
Financial Services
Investment
$114K to $133K
Franchise fee
$75,000
Item 19 status
Cost Data Only
Units
38
Lower entry cost
Leans left
Based on minimum initial investment.
Better disclosed economics
Even
Uses Item 19 availability and transparency status.
Lower SBA default risk
Leans left
Treat low-loan brands carefully, sample size matters.
MetricATAXThe Entrepreneur’s Source
Franchise Fee
$35,000$75,000
Min Investment
$101K$114K
Max Investment
$524K$133K
Royalty Rate
14.0%N/A
Ad Fund Rate
3.0%N/A
Total Ongoing Burden
Royalty plus ad fund when available.
17.0%N/A
Median Revenue (Item 19)
$85K$103K
Cash-on-Cash Return
Estimated when revenue and margin assumptions are available.
2.2%20.8%
Payback Period
46.1 yrs4.8 yrs
Revenue per Dollar Invested
0.27x0.83x
Franchised Units
3838
1-Year Net Unit Change
-312
Net Unit Growth Rate
-10.0%85.7%
Net Closure Rate
Net closure proxy based on disclosed unit change.
7.3%N/A
SBA Default Rate
0.0%37.5%
SBA Loan Count
Use this to judge whether SBA default data is statistically meaningful.
838
Average SBA Loan Size
$37K$134K
Item 19 Status
Cost Data OnlyCost Data Only
Has Item 19
✓ Yes✓ Yes
Data Quality Score
10075

What stands out

  • ATAX opens at $101K to $524K, while The Entrepreneur’s Source ranges from $114K to $133K.
  • ATAX shows an Item 19 disclosure; The Entrepreneur’s Source shows an Item 19 disclosure.
  • ATAX has 38 franchised units versus 38 for The Entrepreneur’s Source.

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Last updated: April 2026