Fastframe Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
FASTFRAME is a custom framing franchise designing and building frames for art, photos, and memorabilia. Franchisees run the studios, guiding design consultations and managing framing production and retail sales.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A FASTFRAME franchise requires a total initial investment of $135K – $247K, including a $35K franchise fee and an ongoing 6.0% royalty[2]. The 2024 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). SBA 7(a) loans show a 27.0% charge-off rate across 102 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: F (Weakest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2024 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $135K – $247K
- 15th pct Retail
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- 18th pct Retail
- Units
- 39
- 17th pct Retail
- SBA charge-off
- 27.0%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Retail · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Retail avg · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $135K – $247K including a $35K franchise fee, 6.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSTotal revenues for FY ended Sept 30, 2023 of $982,207 comprised of royalties $771,690, marketing $208,259, and other operating revenue $2,258. Royalties and marketing revenues make up ~99% and 98% of total revenues. Prior year (2022) audited by other auditors.
- RISKVerdict F (Weakest tier), verdict score 11/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 27.0% across 102 loans (well above the 16% franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- DECLINESystem contracting at -26.4% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven (consolidation) or franchisee-driven (economics).
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- FASTFRAME U.S.A., INC.
- Ultimate parent
- None
- CEO title
- Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer
- John Fletcher
- CEO experience
- 1986 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- CA
- HQ
- 433 West Allen Avenue, #114 San Dimas, California 91773
- Auditor
- Assurance Dimensions Certified Public Accountants & Associates
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $982K
- vs $1.1M prior year
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
Overview
About
- CEO
- John Fletcher
- Headquarters
- CA
- Founded
- 1986
- FDD year
- 2024
- States available
- 14
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 54% below the typical retail franchise.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2024 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $35K | $35K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $10K | $15K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $90K | $197K |
| Total initial investment | $135K | $247K |
Source: FASTFRAME 2024 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
- $135K – $247K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $10K – $15K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $35K – $35K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 6.0%
- percentage · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 2.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 8.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 6.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 2.0% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $5 |
| Renewal fee | $9K |
| Inventory (initial) | $11K – $14K |
| Total fee load | 8.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
FASTFRAME did not disclose financial performance in FDD Item 19. The ROIC and return models require Item 19 revenue. Without it all inputs are estimates. You can still run the calculator with your own assumptions by entering an expected revenue figure.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one FASTFRAME unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
26%
Below the 30–60% attractive-franchise band
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2024 FDD
Financial Performance
Total revenues for FY ended Sept 30, 2023 of $982,207 comprised of royalties $771,690, marketing $208,259, and other operating revenue $2,258. Royalties and marketing revenues make up ~99% and 98% of total revenues. Prior year (2022) audited by other auditors.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 8.0% (near the Retail average).
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Operator retention
System contracting at -26.4% CAGR over 3 years. Investigate whether closures are franchisor-driven consolidation or franchisee exits.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Retail averages
How Fastframe Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2024 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 39
- Opened
- 1
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 2
- Terminated
- 1
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 1
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 38.5%
- Company-owned
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- -26.4%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- -26.4%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 1
- Closed (3yr)
- 8
- Terminated (3yr)
- 2
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 5
- Transfers (3yr)
- 5
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 1
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Transfer rate
- 2.6%
- Owners selling to other franchisees
- Termination rate
- 5.1%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
- Ceased ops
- 2.6%
- Units that stopped operating
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 10 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 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 102
- Loan volume
- $11.8M
- Median loan
- $211K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 27.0%
- 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)
- 73.0%
- 5-yr charge-off
- 0.0%
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 39
- Defaults
- 24
- Typical loan rate
- 7.5%
- avg rate to borrowers
- Franchised industry avg
- 31.1%
- brand beats franchise avg ↓
- Jobs supported
- 13
- 0.7 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 38%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 0% went to startups / new businesses, 100% to established operators
Franchise vs independent — in all other home furnishings stores, franchised businesses charge off at 31.1% vs 25.1% for independents — franchising is associated with 24% higher SBA default risk in this category.
Vintage analysis
Fastframe charge-off rate by loan vintage
Top lenders financing Fastframe franchisees
Showing 3 of 39 lenders. The full breakdown — every lender, state distribution, interest rates & risk ratings — is in the SBA Lending Report below.
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Premium insight
SBA Lending Report
Deep-dive into Fastframe's SBA lending history: lender network, geographic footprint, interest rates, and more.
SBA Lending Report
- Principal loss rate and NAICS industry benchmark
- 5 lenders with concentration factor
- Per-state charge-off rates across 3 states
- Startup risk premium and job creation velocity
- 7-year lending trend
Instant access. No subscription.
A 27.0% charge-off rate means roughly 1 in 4 franchisees failed to repay their SBA loan. Investigate what changed.
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 27.0% — 69% above the 16.0% national norm, i.e. higher lender-observed risk.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
FASTFRAME presents elevated risk due to contracting unit count, undisclosed financials, active litigation over royalties, and franchisor going concern status—suggesting both system weakness and franchisee profitability challenges.
Litigation (Item 3)
Two franchisor-initiated royalty collection suits against franchisees: one petition to confirm arbitration award (LA Superior Court, 2023) and one AAA arbitration (2021).
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Assurance Dimensions Certified Public Accountants & Associates
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 11 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORUnit count declining 2.5% YoY indicates shrinking system despite 39-unit base
- 02MINORTwo franchisor-initiated royalty collection lawsuits suggest payment disputes and cash flow stress among franchisees
- 03MEDNo disclosed average revenue or net income data prevents ROI validation and suggests weak unit economics
- 04MINORHigh initial investment range ($135K-$246K) paired with 6% royalty creates significant fixed cost burden
- 05HIGHGoing concern status indicates potential solvency questions at franchisor level
- 06MINORDeclining unit count contradicts the typical growth narrative needed to justify franchise expansion
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 8.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2024 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | protected |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| Territory population | 75,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Optional |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 5 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Los Angeles, California |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | CA |
| Litigation count | 2 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Two franchisor-initiated royalty collection suits against franchisees: one petition to confirm arbitration award (LA Superior Court, 2023) and one AAA arbitration (2021).
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 80 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 48 hrs
- Training location
- Newbury Park, CA (company headquarters)
- Ongoing training
- Optional
- Time to open
- 4 mo
- From signing to launch
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- LifeSaver Software
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: LifeSaver Software
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
14 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
FASTFRAME · FDD (2024) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a FASTFRAME franchise?
The total investment to open a FASTFRAME franchise ranges from $135K – $247K, with an initial franchise fee of $35K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do FASTFRAME franchise owners earn?
FASTFRAME 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 Item 19 in the FASTFRAME FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the FASTFRAME FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is FASTFRAME's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, FASTFRAME has a charge-off rate of 27.0% across 102 loans, meaning 27.0% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many FASTFRAME franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, FASTFRAME has 39 total units in the United States, including 39 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 1 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is FASTFRAME a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates FASTFRAME as a F-grade franchise with a verdict score of 11 out of 100 (higher is better), 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.
For franchisors
Are you the franchisor?
If you represent FASTFRAME, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
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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.