FDD-based startup cost, franchise fee, revenue, profit, SBA default rate, and investment risk signals for The File Depot.
Based on 2018 FDD · 1 filing in corpus
This page is using 2018 FDD source data. Verify the franchisor's current FDD before relying on costs, fees, or Item 19. It is excluded from search indexing until refreshed.
Cost and profit at a glance
Based on FDDIQ's FDD corpus, a The File Depot franchise shows an estimated initial investment of $42K – $117K. The franchisor does not provide enough Item 19 data for a clean profit estimate. Use the links below to compare the cost, revenue, SBA loan history, and ROI against other franchises before you request the full FDD.
Quick fee read: 6.0% royalty/ad burden. These figures are directional screening data, not a substitute for reading the current FDD and speaking with existing operators.
The File Depot requires a total initial investment of $42K to $117K (midpoint approximately $79K), The ongoing fee burden is 6.0% (6% royalty plus 1% advertising fund). This is below the industry average of approximately 15.5%, leaving more margin for the operator.
The File Depot does not publicly disclose Item 19 financial performance data in their FDD. This is a significant transparency gap — franchisees must rely on validation calls and personal research rather than audited financial representations. Prospective buyers should demand current unit-level financials from existing operators during due diligence.
The SBA 7(a) loan default rate of 40.0% is above the franchise industry average of approximately 7.2%, suggesting elevated financial risk for franchisees relying on debt financing.
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 2018 FDD filing. FDDIQ Editorial Team · Methodology
Estimated using sector-average margins. Actual franchise economics vary by location, operator, and market conditions.
Industry averages based on FranchiseIQ corpus benchmarks. ▲ = better than avg, ▼ = worse.
Real lending data from SBA 7(a) loans (2016-2021). 6 loans across 6 states.
Source: SBA 7(a) loan data via FOIA. Default rate = charged-off loans / total originated. Industry avg default rate ~7.2%.
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