Safeguard Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Safeguard is a B2B business products franchise selling checks, business forms, printing, and promotional products to companies. Franchisees work as advisors, building client accounts and managing orders and supplier fulfillment.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Safeguard franchise requires a total initial investment of $11K – $65K. The 2025 FDD does not disclose unit-level revenue (no Item 19). FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Data last verified · figures per the 2025 FDD issuance
Overview
- Investment
- $11K – $65K
- 3rd pct Business Serv…
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- N/A
- Units
- 45
- 35th pct Business Serv…
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Business Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Business Services 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 $11K – $65K.
- RETURNSNo Item 19 financial performance data disclosed. The franchisor chose not to publish revenue figures.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 51/100 (higher is better).
- FLAG3 units terminated last reporting year (6.7% of the system). Ask existing franchisees why.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Safeguard Franchise Sales, Inc.
- Parent company
- Safeguard Holdings, Inc.
- Ultimate parent
- Deluxe Corporation
- Predecessor
- Safeguard Franchise Systems, Inc.
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- President and Director
- Mark Byers
- Incorporated in
- Texas
- HQ
- 3000 Kellway Drive, Carrollton, Texas 75006
- Franchisor revenue
- $8.8M
- Most recent fiscal year
Overview
About
- CEO
- Mark Byers
- Headquarters
- TX
- Founded
- 2014
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 23
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 86% below the typical business services franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $6K | $20K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $5K | $45K |
| Total initial investment | $11K | $65K |
Source: Safeguard 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
- $11K – $65K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $6K – $20K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- N/A
- Paid to franchisor at signing
- Royalty
- None
- Ad fund
- -n/d
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Technology fee | $65 |
| Transfer fee | $10K |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
Safeguard 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 Safeguard unit return on the cash you put in?
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Estimated return on your total franchise investment, before any debt financing.
205%
Above the 30–60% band. Verify revenue is per-unit average
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
This franchisor did not disclose financial performance representations in Item 19, or our extractor could not parse them.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Disclosure
Franchisor chose not to disclose financial performance representations. You will need to gather unit economics directly from existing franchisees.
Operator retention
System roughly stable (+3.0% 3-year CAGR) with 45 units.
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 Business Services averages
How Safeguard Compares
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 45
- Opened
- 3
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 0
- Terminated
- 3
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 0.0%
- Company-owned
- 11
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 76%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +3.0%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +3.0%
- Compounded over last 3 years
3-year detail · Item 20
- Opened (3yr)
- 0
- Closed (3yr)
- 0
- Terminated (3yr)
- 0
- Non-renewed (3yr)
- 0
- Transfers (3yr)
- 0
- Reacquired (3yr)
- 0
- Franchisor bought back
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 20 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 1 7(a) loan on file; statistical reliability is limited below 10 loans.
- Total loans
- 1
- Loan volume
- $800K
- Median loan
- $800K
- average
- Charge-off rate
- N/A
- limited sample (1 loan) — rate not shown below 10
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- N/A
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 0
- Defaults
- N/A
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
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
Safeguard discloses 5 past litigation matters, but all involved affiliate SBS rather than the franchisor SFS and are resolved/settled, including a large $6.79M judgment against the affiliate. No going concern or bankruptcy, audited financials, $8.8M revenue and modest 3.0% growth to 45 units. Litigation is affiliate-level and historical, keeping weight moderate.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Score breakdown · what drove the 51 / 100 verdict
- 01MINOR5 resolved suits against affiliate SBS (not franchisor)
- 02MINOR$6.79M judgment against affiliate (Thurston, resolved)
- 03MINORNo going concern; audited; +3.0% growth
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 10 years |
|---|---|
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 0 |
| Territory type | non_exclusive |
| Protected territory | No |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | 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 | Texas |
| Litigation count | 5 |
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 155 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 130 hrs
- POS system
- CMS (Customer Management System)
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: CMS (Customer Management System)
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
30 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
FDD download
Safeguard · FDD (2025) PDF
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Safeguard franchise?
The total investment to open a Safeguard franchise ranges from $11K – $65K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Safeguard franchise owners earn?
Safeguard 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 Safeguard 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 Safeguard FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Safeguard's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for Safeguard (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 Safeguard franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Safeguard has 45 total units in the United States, including 34 franchised units and 11 company-owned units. 3 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Safeguard a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Safeguard as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 51 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 Safeguard, 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.