i4 Search GroupFranchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A i4 Search Group franchise requires a total initial investment of $65K – $351K, including a $50K 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
- $65K – $351K
- 17th pct Business Serv…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- 29th pct Business Serv…
- Royalty
- 14.0%
- 32nd pct Business Serv…
- Units
- 39
- 29th pct Business Serv…
- SBA default
- N/A
Quick verdict · Business Services · color = vs category peers
Green = >15% above Business Services 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
The system grew 27% year-over-year. Fast growth means demand, but can strain support.
Bottom line
- Total investment $65K – $351K including a $50K 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 79/100.
- System growing at 72.7% CAGR over 3 years with 39 total units. Strong expansion trajectory.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
- Legal entity
- i4 Franchise Development Inc.
- CEO title
- President
- Scott Butts
- CEO experience
- 18 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Founder active
- Yes
- Original founder still leading the business
- Incorporated in
- AZ
- HQ
- 7185 Liberty Centre Drive, Suite A, West Chester, Ohio 45069
- Auditor
- DA Advisory Group PLLC
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $972K
- vs $890K prior year
Overview
About
i4 Search Group is a staffing/recruitment franchise that places professional and technical talent with client companies. Franchisees manage client relationships, candidate sourcing and screening, and placements while paying 14% royalties on all gross revenue generated. Day-to-day operations involve sales prospecting, candidate interviews, client matching, and commission-based revenue collection.
- CEO
- Scott Butts
- Headquarters
- OH
- Founded
- 2020
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 17
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing · 10 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Feenot refundable | $50K | $80K | |
| Office Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment | $500 | $2K | |
| Rent – Three Months | $0 | $2K | |
| Computer Systems | $1K | $2K | |
| Business Development start Up Investment | $5K | $5K | |
| Travel for Initial Training | $2K | $3K | |
| Professional Fees | $1K | $5K | |
| Insurance | $200 | $4K | |
| Licenses and Permits | $100 | $300 | |
| Additional Funds – Three Months | $6K | $9K | |
| Total initial investment | $65K | $111K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. Total is the sum of line-item lows / highs — actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $65K – $351K
- Better than avg vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $6K – $9K
- Better than avg vs category
- Franchise fee
- $50K – $80K
- Better than avg vs category
- Royalty
- 14.0%
- Gross Sales · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 3.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 17.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 14.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 3.0% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $234 |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
| Renewal fee | $8K |
| Total fee load | 17.0% of rev |
Financial Performance
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
vs Business Services averages
How i4 Search Group Compares
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 39
- Opened
- 10
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 2
- Turnover rate
- 5.1%
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 97%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (yr3)
- +26.7%
- Net unit change last year
- 3-yr CAGR
- +72.7%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 8
- Closed (3yr)
- 3
- Terminated (3yr)
- 1
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 3
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 1
- Franchisor bought back
- Projected new
- 8
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
- Termination rate
- 50.0%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 5 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.
Fast growth in a small system. Newer franchisors expanding quickly may not yet have the support infrastructure of larger systems.
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
No SBA loan data available for this brand.
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 5, 6, 12, 17
Risk & Legal
Non-transparent financial metrics, high ongoing royalties, small system size, and undisclosed going concern status create meaningful investment uncertainty despite moderate growth trajectory.
Litigation (Item 3)
0 case reference(s): 0 pending, 0 settled.
Largest disclosed settlement: $240,000
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · DA Advisory Group PLLC
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 79 / 100 rating
- 01MEDNo Item 19 financial performance data disclosed (average revenue and net income not provided) — impossible to assess ROI on $65k-$351k investment
- 02MINORHigh royalty rate of 14% on gross sales (not net profit) creates cash flow pressure, especially in early years
- 03MED39 total units is a small system with limited brand recognition; while growing 26.7% YoY, absolute growth is modest (~9 units added)
- 04HIGHNo going concern status disclosed — suggests potential franchisor financial instability or recent changes in ownership/structure
- 05MINORWide investment range ($65k-$351k) indicates high variability in startup costs with unclear cost drivers and lack of transparency
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
Item 8 · 5 categories disclosed
Supplier requirements
| Category | Approval | Kickback |
|---|---|---|
| Search agreement management / accounts payable / accounts receivable / third-party vendor management servicesfranchisor-owned | Required | — |
| Insurancefranchisor-owned | Not required | — |
| Branded Items and Marketing Materials | Required | — |
| Computer System | Required | — |
| System Designated Resources | Required | — |
FDD Items 5, 6, 12, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 8 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Population |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Territory population | 6 |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 25 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 2 |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Butler County, Ohio |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Ohio |
| Litigation count | 0 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
0 case reference(s): 0 pending, 0 settled.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 53 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 44 hrs
- Training location
- West Chester, Ohio
- Time to open
- 2 mo
- From signing to launch
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- LOXO
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: LOXO
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
26 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
i4 Search Group · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a i4 Search Group franchise?
The total investment to open a i4 Search Group franchise ranges from $65K – $351K, with an initial franchise fee of $50K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do i4 Search Group franchise owners earn?
i4 Search Group 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 i4 Search Group's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for i4 Search Group (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 i4 Search Group franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, i4 Search Group has 39 total units in the United States, including 22 franchised units and 1 company-owned units. 10 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is i4 Search Group a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates i4 Search Group as a F-grade franchise with a risk score of 79 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.