Pop-A-Lock vs Franchise Creator
Compare FDD disclosures, investment range, royalty and ad fund burden, SBA lending outcomes, Item 20-style unit movement, Item 19 transparency, and data-confidence caveats with a permanent shareable URL.
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Pop-A-Lock
Technology
Investment
$118K to $191K
Franchise fee
$63,000
Item 19 status
Revenue Only
Confidence
High Confidence
Units
384
Franchise Creator
Technology
Investment
$38K to $45K
Franchise fee
$30,000
Item 19 status
Confidence
Medium Confidence
Units
13
Lower entry cost
Leans right
Based on disclosed minimum initial investment only; buyer cash needs may be higher after working capital, lease, and financing assumptions.
Better disclosed economics
Pop-A-Lock
Uses the same Item 19 transparency hierarchy shown on franchise pages and rankings.
Lower SBA default risk
Even
Treat low-loan brands carefully; sample size and SBA borrower mix matter.
| Metric | Pop-A-Lock | Franchise Creator |
|---|---|---|
Franchise Fee From disclosed FDD fee data when available; excludes buyer-specific legal, diligence, and financing costs. | $63,000 | $30,000 |
Min Investment Lower bound of disclosed initial investment range, not a recommended capital budget. | $118K | $38K |
Max Investment Upper end of FDD range; still reconcile to site, lease, buildout, and working-capital assumptions. | $191K | $45K |
Royalty Rate Ongoing royalty burden before local store economics and owner salary. | 7.0% | N/A |
Ad Fund Rate National/brand fund rate when disclosed; local marketing may be additive. | 1.0% | N/A |
Total Ongoing Burden Royalty plus ad fund when available. | 8.0% | N/A |
Median Revenue (Item 19) Only meaningful when the franchisor provides an Item 19 financial-performance representation. | N/A | N/A |
Cash-on-Cash Return Estimated when revenue and margin assumptions are available. | N/A | N/A |
Payback Period | N/A | N/A |
Revenue per Dollar Invested | N/A | N/A |
Franchised Units Latest disclosed franchised-unit count in the corpus. | 384 | 13 |
1-Year Net Unit Change Item 20-style system movement signal; investigate transfers, closures, and refranchising before assuming organic growth. | -11 | N/A |
Net Unit Growth Rate | -2.8% | N/A |
Net Closure Rate Net closure proxy based on disclosed unit change. | 2.8% | N/A |
SBA Default Rate Historical SBA performance for matched loans, not a prediction for a new buyer or location. | 25.0% | N/A |
SBA Loan Count Use this to judge whether SBA default data is statistically meaningful. | 4 | N/A |
Average SBA Loan Size | $125K | N/A |
Item 19 Status Canonical transparency badge used across franchise, ranking, and compare surfaces. | Revenue Only | |
Has Item 19 | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
Data Confidence Derived from the same data-quality thresholds used on franchise pages. | High Confidence · 85/100 | Medium Confidence · 60/100 |
What stands out
- • Pop-A-Lock discloses an initial investment range of $118K to $191K, while Franchise Creator discloses $38K to $45K. Treat these as FDD ranges, not a full purchase budget.
- • Pop-A-Lock shows an Item 19 financial-performance disclosure; Franchise Creator shows an Item 19 financial-performance disclosure. Missing Item 19 data should narrow confidence, not automatically kill a brand.
- • Pop-A-Lock has 384 franchised units versus 13 for Franchise Creator; use one-year net unit movement and closure proxies as early diligence signals, not final underwriting.
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Last updated: May 2026