Fantastic Sams vs The Great American Barbershop

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

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Fantastic Sams
Beauty/Salon
Investment
$172K to $462K
Franchise fee
$40,000
Item 19 status
Revenue Only
Units
565
The Great American Barbershop
Beauty/Salon
Investment
$265K to $413K
Franchise fee
$35,000
Item 19 status
Cost Data Only
Units
0
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 right
Treat low-loan brands carefully, sample size matters.
MetricFantastic SamsThe Great American Barbershop
Franchise Fee
$40,000$35,000
Min Investment
$172K$265K
Max Investment
$462K$413K
Royalty Rate
6.0%6.0%
Ad Fund Rate
0.0%2.0%
Total Ongoing Burden
Royalty plus ad fund when available.
6.0%8.0%
Median Revenue (Item 19)
$299KN/A
Cash-on-Cash Return
Estimated when revenue and margin assumptions are available.
15.1%N/A
Payback Period
6.6 yrsN/A
Revenue per Dollar Invested
0.94xN/A
Franchised Units
5650
1-Year Net Unit Change
-53N/A
Net Unit Growth Rate
-8.6%N/A
Net Closure Rate
Net closure proxy based on disclosed unit change.
8.6%N/A
SBA Default Rate
3.1%0.0%
SBA Loan Count
Use this to judge whether SBA default data is statistically meaningful.
321
Average SBA Loan Size
$161K$150K
Item 19 Status
Revenue OnlyCost Data Only
Has Item 19
✓ Yes✓ Yes
Data Quality Score
10075

What stands out

  • Fantastic Sams opens at $172K to $462K, while The Great American Barbershop ranges from $265K to $413K.
  • Fantastic Sams shows an Item 19 disclosure; The Great American Barbershop shows an Item 19 disclosure.
  • Fantastic Sams has 565 franchised units versus 0 for The Great American Barbershop.

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Last updated: April 2026