Brain Balance Centers vs Learning Express

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

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Brain Balance Centers
Education/Tutoring
Investment
$215K to $464K
Franchise fee
$45,000
Item 19 status
Revenue Only
Units
69
Learning Express
Education/Tutoring
Investment
$201K to $388K
Franchise fee
$40,000
Item 19 status
Revenue Only
Units
88
Lower entry cost
Leans right
Based on minimum initial investment.
Better disclosed economics
Even
Uses Item 19 availability and transparency status.
Lower SBA default risk
Leans right
Treat low-loan brands carefully, sample size matters.
MetricBrain Balance CentersLearning Express
Franchise Fee
$45,000$40,000
Min Investment
$215K$201K
Max Investment
$464K$388K
Royalty Rate
8.0%5.0%
Ad Fund Rate
2.0%1.0%
Total Ongoing Burden
Royalty plus ad fund when available.
10.0%6.0%
Median Revenue (Item 19)
$542K$820K
Cash-on-Cash Return
Estimated when revenue and margin assumptions are available.
31.9%66.8%
Payback Period
3.1 yrs1.5 yrs
Revenue per Dollar Invested
1.60x2.79x
Franchised Units
6988
1-Year Net Unit Change
-4-2
Net Unit Growth Rate
-5.4%-2.2%
Net Closure Rate
Net closure proxy based on disclosed unit change.
5.5%2.2%
SBA Default Rate
17.6%0.0%
SBA Loan Count
Use this to judge whether SBA default data is statistically meaningful.
4315
Average SBA Loan Size
$268K$296K
Item 19 Status
Revenue OnlyRevenue Only
Has Item 19
✓ Yes✓ Yes
Data Quality Score
100100

What stands out

  • Brain Balance Centers opens at $215K to $464K, while Learning Express ranges from $201K to $388K.
  • Brain Balance Centers shows an Item 19 disclosure; Learning Express shows an Item 19 disclosure.
  • Brain Balance Centers has 69 franchised units versus 88 for Learning Express.

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Last updated: April 2026