Pod Plug Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $52K – $106K
- Disclosed sales
- partial, no system average
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Pod Plug is a retail franchise operating automated vending machines that sell Pokemon and trading cards and premium products. Franchisees deploy and manage the machines, handling inventory, restocking, and accounts.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Pod Plug franchise requires a total initial investment of $52K – $106K, including a $35K – $60K franchise fee and an ongoing 8.0% royalty[2]. The 2025 FDD on file does not yield a unit-revenue figure we can publish. FranchiseVerdict grade: D (Below average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Limited operating history: franchising since 2025. A system this young has fewer than three years of Item 20 outlet history and rarely enough SBA loans for a charge-off rate, so its grade rests on less evidence than an established system's. Read its Item 20 tables and talk to its first franchisees before relying on the grade. Other new franchisors
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: medium - issued 12 to 24 months ago; a newer filing is likely on file
Evidence: partial✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✗ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored5 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $52K – $106K
- 3rd pct Retail
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Partial period1 outlet
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- 34th pct Retail
- Units
- 1
- 1st pct Retail
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Retail · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Retail median · 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 $52K – $106K including a $35K franchise fee, 8.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSItem 19 reports per unit monthly rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
- RISKVerdict D (Below average), verdict score 33/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHFlat: no net change in franchised outlets in the latest year (0 opened, 0 closed) (Item 20).
- DATAItem 19 reports per unit monthly rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable. Ask franchisees directly for full unit-level revenue.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Pod Plug Franchising, LLC
- Parent company
- Pod Plug, Inc.
- FDD Item 1, page 9 of the 2025 FDD
- CEO title
- Chief Executive Officer
- Ethan Kohan
- Incorporated in
- TX
- HQ
- 220 S. Sylvania Avenue, Suite 106, Fort Worth, Texas 76111
Affiliated brands
- Pod Plug
Other brands the franchisor or its parent operates (Item 1).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Ethan Kohan
- Headquarters
- TX
- Founded
- 2024
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 1
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 76% below the typical retail franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown16 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $35K | $60K | |
| Lease Expenses | $0 | $750 | |
| Leasehold Improvements | — | — | |
| Computers, Telephone and Office Equipment | $250 | $2K | |
| Furniture and Fixtures | — | — | |
| Equipment (initial 3 vending machines) to be Used in the Business | $2K | $18K | |
| Costs Related to Attending Training | $2K | $2K | |
| Signage for Vending Machines | $250 | $750 | |
| Utility and Security Deposits | $0 | $500 | |
| Insurance Deposits and Premiums | $300 | $1K | |
| Initial Inventory | $3K | $5K | |
| Vehicle (including vehicle decal) | $500 | $2K | |
| Business Software | $200 | $750 | |
| Business Permits/Licenses | $550 | $2K | |
| Professional fees | $2K | $3K | |
| Additional Funds (three months) | $8K | $10K | |
| Total initial investment | $52K | $106K |
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
- $52K – $106K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $8K – $10K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $35K – $60K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 8.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 0.5%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 20.5%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 8.0% of gross sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 0.5% of gross sales |
| Technology fee | $12 |
| Transfer fee | $75 |
| Renewal fee | $10 |
| Inventory (initial) | $3K – $5K |
| Total fee load | 20.5% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
No Item 19 revenue figure for Pod Plug is on file. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Pod Plug unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
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: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
Item 19 reports per unit monthly rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable. We omit it from rankings.
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 20.5% — above the Retail median of 8.0%.
Disclosure
Item 19 reports per unit monthly rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
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 medians
How Pod Plug Compares
Category median of published Retail brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 1
- Opened
- 0
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 0
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- N/A
- Company-owned
- 1
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 0%
- vs corporate-owned
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 0
- Reacquired
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 0
- 0.00 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 6
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 1 state reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
1
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
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.
What could kill this investment?
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Pod Plug is a non-scaling, financially unstable franchise system with a single unit of questionable profitability, no clear franchisor financial backing, and severely inadequate income projections.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
No audited financials on file
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Item 21 attaches only an UNAUDITED balance sheet for Pod Plug Franchising, LLC as of Dec 31, 2024 (franchisor formed Oct 7, 2024, began offering franchises March 2025; no income statement / revenue figures available). Figures in whole USD: Total Assets $168,103.97 (Checking $194 + Startup costs $167,909.97); Total Liabilities $167,909.97 (Advance from POD Plug LLC); Total Equity / net worth $194 (Partner Capital $200 + Net Income -$6). Reconciles: assets = liabilities + equity = $168,103.97. No CPA / auditor (statements expressly prepared without audit).
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 33 / 100 verdict
- 01MINOROnly 1 franchised unit with unknown growth trajectory indicates system is not scaling and may be pre-revenue or failing to attract franchisees
- 02MINORZero franchise fee with $52k-$105k investment is unusual; unclear what initial capital actually funds or if franchisor has financial incentive to support franchisees
- 03MINOR10-year term with only 1 unit suggests franchisor lacks confidence to offer shorter commitments or has difficulty retaining franchisees
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 20.5% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 5 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 2 |
| Territory type | Protected territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | No |
| 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 | 50 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 30 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 2 |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Arbitration location | Fort Worth/Dallas, Texas (AAA offices nearest to principal place of business) |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | TX |
| Litigation count | 0 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 20 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 12 hrs
- Training location
- Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 2 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee with franchisor approval
- Franchisor financing
- Not offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- QuickBooks Online
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: QuickBooks Online
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Pod Plug franchise?
The total investment to open a Pod Plug franchise ranges from $52K – $106K, 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 Pod Plug franchise owners earn?
Item 19 of the Pod Plug FDD discloses figures for part of the system but no single average across all outlets. These are gross sales figures, not profit; the Revenue section shows what the filing reports and on what basis. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Pod Plug?
Pod Plug is franchised by Pod Plug Franchising, LLC. Its parent company is Pod Plug, Inc.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Pod Plug 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 Pod Plug FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Pod Plug's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Pod Plug (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 Pod Plug franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Pod Plug has 1 total units in the United States.
Is Pod Plug a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Pod Plug as a D-grade franchise with a verdict score of 33 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. 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 Pod Plug, you can request corrections or provide updated information.
Other Retail franchises
Compare similar franchise opportunities in the Retail category
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.