Best BrainsFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A BEST BRAINS franchise requires a total initial investment of $50K – $134K, including a $15K franchise fee and an ongoing 14.0% royalty[2]. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). Verdict grade: F. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified June 18, 2026 · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $50K – $134K
- 13th pct Education
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 47th pct Education
- Royalty
- 14.0%
- 50th pct Education
- Units
- 164
- 63rd pct Education
- SBA default
- 0.0%
- system-wide median varies by category
Quick verdict · Education · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Education avg · No shading = within ±15% · Red = >15% below avg · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Franchised units fell from 82 to 65 over 3 years. Investigate why operators are leaving.
Bottom line
- Total investment $50K – $134K including a $15K franchise fee, 14.0% ongoing royalty.
- No Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- Verdict F (Bottom Quintile) with a risk score of 97/100.
- System growing at 39.7% CAGR over 3 years with 164 total units. Strong expansion trajectory.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- BEST BRAINS, INC.
- Incorporated in
- IL
- HQ
- 135 E. Algonquin Road, Suite B, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005
- Auditor
- Accutax Bizsolutions LLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $6.1M
- vs $8.7M prior year
Overview
About
Best Brains operates learning centers focused on cognitive skill development for children, likely offering tutoring, enrichment programs, and educational assessments. Franchisees manage day-to-day center operations including student enrollment, curriculum delivery, staff hiring/training, and parent communication to generate revenue through tuition and program fees.
- CEO
- Ajay Sunkara
- Headquarters
- IL
- Founded
- 2011
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 28
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $15K | $15K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $0 | $6K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $35K | $114K |
| Total initial investment | $50K | $134K |
Source: BEST BRAINS 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $50K – $134K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $0 – $6K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $15K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 14.0%
- Gross Sales · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- $1 per subject per student per month up to $3, subject to…
- Total fee load
- 14.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 14.0% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $3K |
| Renewal fee | $10 |
| Total fee load | 14.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Education averages
How Best Brains Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 164
- Opened
- 43
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 2
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 99%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- +32.8%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- +39.7%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Transfers (3yr)
- 6
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 18 states with active franchisees
The Territory Map
Derived from franchisee contact records. Shows states with at least one current operator. Not where the franchisor is registered to sell new units (that data is re-extracting in a future refresh).
States derived from franchisee contact records (FDD Item 20). Shows states with at least one current operator on file. Full state registration data (Item 12) will appear on a future FDD refresh.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA loan disclosures. This brand has only 4 7(a) loans on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 4
- Loan volume
- $417K
- Median loan
- $117K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 0.0%
- rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 100.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 3
- Defaults
- 0
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Best Brains's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 1 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 1 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 1-year lending trend
- SBA 504 real estate/equipment data
Instant access. No subscription.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Best Brains presents meaningful risk due to missing financial disclosures, aggressive growth metrics, unprotected territory, and corporate stability concerns that warrant cautious investigation.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Accutax Bizsolutions LLC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 97 / 100 rating
- 01MEDNo average revenue or net income disclosed (Item 19 missing) — impossible to validate ROI claims
- 02MINORHigh royalty rate at 14% of gross sales with no profitability benchmarks provided
- 03MINORRapid unit growth (32.8% YoY) may indicate unsustainable expansion or aggressive recruiting over franchisee success
- 04MINORNo protected territory creates direct competition risk and cannibalization potential
- 05HIGHGoing Concern flagged as FALSE — suggests financial instability at corporate level
- 06MINOR5-year term is shorter than industry standard (typically 10 years), increasing renewal uncertainty
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 5 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Protected territory | No |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Not allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Illinois |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 34 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 10 hrs
- POS system
- BEST BRAINS Educational Assistant internet portal ("BEA Portal")
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: BEST BRAINS Educational Assistant internet portal ("BEA Portal")
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
93 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
BEST BRAINS · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a BEST BRAINS franchise?
The total investment to open a BEST BRAINS franchise ranges from $50K – $134K, with an initial franchise fee of $15K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do BEST BRAINS franchise owners earn?
BEST BRAINS does not disclose average franchise owner earnings in their FDD Item 19. Not all franchisors are required to make financial performance representations. We recommend asking existing franchisees directly about their financial experience.
What is BEST BRAINS's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for BEST BRAINS (fewer than 10 loans on file). Charge-off rates are one way to gauge franchise risk, but not all franchise loans go through the SBA program. We recommend reviewing turnover and closure data in the FDD and speaking with current franchisees.
How many BEST BRAINS franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, BEST BRAINS has 164 total units in the United States, including 82 franchised units and 2 company-owned units. 43 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is BEST BRAINS a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates BEST BRAINS as a F-grade franchise with a risk score of 97 out of 100, based on our analysis of investment costs, revenue data, SBA loan performance, and growth trends. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.