Independent franchise research, built on public data.
FranchiseVerdict provides independent franchise research data extracted from public Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs) and SBA 7(a) loan records. The platform normalizes information that franchisors are legally required to disclose but rarely make easy to compare across brands.
How it works
The platform extracts, normalizes, and cross-references data from two primary public sources:
- Franchise Disclosure Documents (FDDs): legally mandated filings that franchisors submit to state regulators. FranchiseVerdict parses Items 5, 6, 7, 12, 17, 19, and 20 covering franchise fees, investment ranges, financial performance, litigation, and contract terms.
- SBA 7(a) loan records: public records obtained via FOIA covering Small Business Administration-guaranteed franchise loans. These records are matched to FDD brands to provide actual loan charge-off rates, lending volumes, and lender performance data.
The crossover of FDD financial data with real SBA loan outcomes is what FranchiseVerdict is built around: disclosed financials and actual lending outcomes on the same page, for every brand we can source both for.
How we count: 4,193 brands published — 3,068 with an FDD on file (these carry a grade) and 1,125 with SBA lending data only (no grade). 3,020 distinct FDD filings; 143,527 SBA loan records. Counts as of 2026-10-23.
The Verdict grade
The Verdict grade (A through F) comes from a deterministic Verdict score built from six weighted dimensions (financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency), combined weakest-link style so one serious red flag is not averaged away, then adjusted for SBA 7(a) loan charge-off rates and the age of the filing. It is an editorial assessment, not investment advice.
How we make money
- Revenue comes from franchise buyers and advisors: franchisee contact packs, brand reports, and Pro.
- We earn $0 from franchisors.
- Grades are not paid for. Every brand is graded by the same published method.
Principles
- Franchise investment decisions should be based on data, not sales pitches.
- FDD data is public information that should be freely accessible and comparable.
- SBA loan outcomes are the closest thing to a franchise “report card” that exists.
- Transparency about data gaps is as important as the data itself.
The team
Usman Khan, founder
Usman Khan is a franchise data analyst who built FranchiseVerdict to bring transparency to franchise investing. The platform combines public FDD filings with SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records, and every figure on a brand page names the filing and page it came from.
Every data point on this site comes from public government records.
He writes about how to read a Franchise Disclosure Document, SBA 7(a) lending by brand, lender and state, franchise unit economics and territory rights, and the risk signals public records carry.
Important disclaimer
FranchiseVerdict provides informational data only and is not a financial advisor, franchise broker, or attorney. Verdict Grades are editorial assessments based on public data and should not be construed as investment recommendations. Always consult qualified professionals and conduct your own due diligence before making franchise investment decisions.
Accessibility
Last updated: October 2026
FranchiseVerdict is committed to making its franchise research accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA.
Measures we take
- Semantic HTML with a single
<h1>, landmark regions, and a skip-to-content link on every page. - Keyboard operability with visible focus indicators throughout.
- Text alternatives for images and ARIA labelling for interactive controls.
- Respect for the
prefers-reduced-motionsetting (animations are disabled when requested). - Color-contrast targets for body text and data labels, and a responsive layout that works at 200% zoom.
- Charge-off rate colours and lender rating badges measured against the WCAG AA small-text contrast ratio (4.5:1) in October 2026.
Known limitations
We test and improve continuously, but some third-party embeds (e.g. the Stripe checkout frame) and dense data tables may not yet fully meet every criterion. Our accessibility checks are run by hand (axe and keyboard passes); no automated accessibility test runs in our build yet. We are actively working to close remaining gaps.
Report an accessibility barrier
If you encounter a barrier or need information in an alternative format, please email hello@franchiseverdict.com with the page URL and a description of the issue. We aim to respond within five business days.
Questions? Reach us at hello@franchiseverdict.com