FranchiseIQ is the only franchise intelligence platform that combines 15,000+ FDD filings with 89,000+ real SBA loan outcomes - with zero affiliate bias and zero franchisor influence.
Feature comparison across the major franchise intelligence platforms (as of April 2026).
| Feature | FranchiseIQ | ChainAI | FDD Intel | FranSpy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FDD Filings Analyzed | 15,458 | ~4,000 | 733 | Unknown |
| Franchise Brands Tracked | 6,700+ | ~4,000 | 733 | Unknown |
| SBA Loan Cross-Reference | 89,000+ loans | - | - | - |
| FDD Items Covered | All 23 items | 5, 6, 7, 19, 20 | 5, 6, 7, 19, 20 | Partial |
| Growth Forecast Engine | ✓ | - | - | - |
| Per-Year Unit Counts | ✓ | Limited | ✓ | Unknown |
| Risk Engine & Distress Detection | ✓ (7 signals) | Basic | Basic | Unknown |
| Transparency Scoring | 5-tier system | - | - | - |
| No Affiliate Bias | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| No Franchisor Fees | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Unknown |
| Blog & Educational Content | Weekly | - | - | - |
| Free Tier | ✓ | ✓ (limited) | ✓ (beta) | Unknown |
Data based on publicly available information as of April 2026. Competitor data self-reported from their websites. We update this comparison quarterly.
We've collected and analyzed over 15,000 FDD filings from state registries across the country. That's 4x more than ChainAI's estimated 4,000 and 21x more than FDD Intel's 733. More filings means more years of data, more brands covered, and more historical context for every franchise you research.
We're the only platform that cross-references FDD data with actual SBA 7(a) loan outcomes. Every other platform shows you what the franchisor disclosed. We show you what happened after franchisees signed - real default rates, real loan performance, real outcomes from 89,000+ loans. This data doesn't exist anywhere else in a consumer-facing tool.
Our Growth Forecast engine extracts per-year unit counts from FDD Item 20 and projects future growth trajectories. No other platform offers forward-looking franchise growth analysis. If you're evaluating a brand's momentum, this is the data point that matters most.
Not all FDDs are created equal. Our proprietary transparency scoring system grades every franchise on how completely they disclose financial performance data, litigation history, and unit economics. A brand that hides its Item 19 gets a different score than one that lays everything out. We show you who's transparent and who's not.
Some franchise platforms earn commissions when you buy a franchise. That creates a conflict: they're incentivized to recommend brands that pay them, not brands that are best for you. FranchiseIQ takes zero franchisor fees, zero referral commissions, and zero advertising dollars. Our only revenue comes from subscribers who value independent data.
Most platforms extract 5-6 FDD items (fees, investment range, Item 19). We extract and normalize all 23 disclosure items - from litigation history (Item 3) to financial statements (Item 21). Full extraction means you see the complete picture, not a cherry-picked summary.
Three independent data sources, cross-referenced. No single-source dependency.
Official franchise disclosure documents from California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, and NASAA cooperative filings.
Actual franchise loan outcomes from the Small Business Administration. Default rates, not projections.
Audited financials from publicly traded franchisors for cross-validation of disclosed performance claims.
Browse 6,700+ franchise brands with full FDD extraction, SBA loan cross-references, and growth forecasts.