What are Ref USA franchise royalty fees?

Ref USA charges a 20% royalty fee on gross sales.

What is the Ref USA franchise fee?

The initial franchise fee for Ref USA is $34,500.

How many Ref USA franchise locations are there?

There are approximately 15 Ref USA franchise locations as of 2023.

How much profit does a Ref USA franchise make?

The median revenue for a Ref USA franchise is $270K, with a cash-on-cash return of 0.0%, according to FDD Item 19 data.

What is the SBA loan default rate for Ref USA?

SBA loan default rate data for Ref USA is not currently available in the SBA database.

Is a Ref USA franchise worth it?

Whether a Ref USA franchise is worth it depends on total startup cost, royalty burden, FDD Item 19 economics, SBA loan performance, and local operator execution. FDDIQ compares these signals against similar franchises so buyers can screen the opportunity before paying for diligence.

Scorecard Worth It?History Database Compare Distress Signals

OtherItem 19: ✓ DisclosedHigh Confidence · 90/100FDD data: 2026 · Fresh

Ref USA Franchise Cost and Profit

FDD-based startup cost, franchise fee, revenue, profit, SBA default rate, and investment risk signals for Ref USA using its latest 2026 FDD coverage.

Based on 2026 FDD · 5 filings in corpus · Latest FDD: 2026

FranchiseIQ Score

Moderate Risk

Composite score from 3 risk dimensions. Click for breakdown ↓

Health Score

56/100

4/7 metrics · Medium confidence

Full analysis unlocks:

✓ Cash-on-Cash return
✓ Payback period
✓ SBA default rate
✓ Red flags assessment
✓ Comparable franchises

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Cost and profit at a glance

How much does a Ref USA franchise cost and make?

Based on FDDIQ's FDD corpus, a Ref USA franchise shows an estimated initial investment of $59K – $77K. Reported owner economics show $0. Use the links below to compare the cost, revenue, SBA loan history, and ROI against other franchises before you request the full FDD.

Startup Cost

$59K – $77K

Total initial investment

Profit / Revenue

FDD Item 19 signal

Payback Signal

0.0% cash-on-cash

Modeled return metric

SBA Default Rate

No matched SBA history

Loan repayment history

Compare franchise costs →Estimate franchise ROI →Check SBA default rates →Browse Other franchises →Compare similar franchises →

Quick fee read: $35K franchise fee · 20% royalty/ad burden. These figures are directional screening data, not a substitute for reading the current FDD and speaking with existing operators.

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Before you talk to Ref USA, check the numbers buyers usually miss.

The unlocked report ties this brand's FDD disclosures to SBA outcomes, Item 20 movement, fee load, missing-data labels, and buyer assumptions — so you can decide whether this is worth deeper diligence.

FDD disclosure qualitySBA default outcomesItem 20 unit movementFee/cost stressComparable brands

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Ref USA Franchise Analysis

Ref USA requires a total initial investment of $59K to $77K (midpoint approximately $68K), with an initial franchise fee of $35K. The ongoing fee burden is 20% . This is above the industry average of approximately 15.5%, which warrants careful scrutiny of the value delivered for the fees charged.

According to Item 19 of the 2026 FDD, the median revenue for Ref USA locations is $270K. The implied franchisee EBITDA is approximately $0, based on the margin assumptions disclosed in the FDD.

Ref USA operates approximately 15 franchised units. Unit count is relatively stable with a 0.0% year-over-year change.

Prospective franchisees should verify all figures against the most recent FDD, conduct validation calls with multiple existing franchisees, and consult with a franchise attorney before signing any agreement.

Analysis based on 2026 FDD filing. FDDIQ Editorial Team · Methodology

Total Investment Range$59K – $77K

MinMid: $68KMax

Key Metrics

Franchise Fee

$35K

Royalty Rate

20%

Ad Fund Rate

Total Burden

20.0%

Royalty + ad fund

Units (2023)

0 vs prior yr

Net Unit Growth

→ 0.0%

Year over year

Cash-on-Cash Return

0.0%

Annual estimated return

Payback Period

~5–12 yrs

Break-even timeline

SBA Default Rate

~3–8%

Fewer than 50 loans on record

Median Revenue

$270K

Item 19 disclosed

Red Flags Assessment

MEDIUM: Royalty burden above 10%

MED ×1

Premium Data

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CoC ReturnPayback PeriodSBA Default RateMedian RevenueEbitda MarginRisk Score

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Estimated using sector-average margins. Actual franchise economics vary by location, operator, and market conditions.

Ref USA vs. Other Average

MetricRef USAOther Avg

SBA Default Rate - 7.2%

Cash-on-Cash Return0.0%▼15.5%

Total Investment$68K$250K

Industry averages based on FranchiseIQ corpus benchmarks. ▲ = better than avg, ▼ = worse.

Compare

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Leaves

$244K – $490K

Questions to Ask Before You Sign

5 data-driven questions every Ref USA franchise buyer should ask.

Generate attorney questions for Ref USA →Validation call guide →

Data sourced from publicly filed Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) submitted to state franchise regulators. SBA loan data from public SBA 7(a) records. Information reflects the most recent FDD filing in our database and may not reflect current terms. Always verify with the franchisor's current FDD before making any investment decision. Not legal or financial advice.

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