SpiderSmart Learning Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $80K – $139K
- Disclosed sales
- not disclosed
- SBA charge-off
- Not SBA-matched
Data from FDD filing
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
SpiderSmart Learning is a supplemental education franchise offering reading, writing, and math tutoring for K-12 students. Franchisees run the centers, managing tutors, curriculum, and enrollment.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A SpiderSmart Learning franchise requires a total initial investment of $80K – $139K, including a $30K franchise fee and an ongoing 5.0% royalty[2]. This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. FranchiseVerdict grade: B (Above average), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
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: strong✓ 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 scored4 of 4 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $80K – $139K
- 25th pct Education
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- 3rd pct Education
- Units
- 19
- 39th pct Education
- SBA charge-off
- N/A
Quick verdict · Education · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Education 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 $80K – $139K including a $30K franchise fee, 5.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
- RISKVerdict B (Above average), verdict score 56/100 (higher is better).
- GROWTHPositive: net +2 franchised outlets in the latest year (2 opened, 0 closed) (Item 20).
- DATAThis franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- SpiderSmart, Inc.
- Parent company
- JLS Education, LLC
- FDD Item 1, page 7 of the 2025 FDD
- CEO title
- President
- Jordan Steinberg
- CEO experience
- 23 yrs
- Years in role or industry
- Incorporated in
- Virginia
- HQ
- 8401 Maryland Dr, Ste S, Richmond, Virginia 23294
- Auditor
- Ahmad Associates, Ltd (AAL)
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $260K
- vs $259K prior year
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
Overview
About
- CEO
- Jordan Steinberg
- Headquarters
- VA
- Founded
- 2004
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 6
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost runs 44% below the typical education franchise.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
Full Item 7 breakdown16 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $30K | $30K | |
| Lease Deposit (2 months' rent) | $5K | $9K | |
| Construction and remodeling | $5K | $30K | |
| Furnishings | $2K | $5K | |
| Fixtures | $2K | $5K | |
| Signage | $2K | $6K | |
| Equipment | $1K | $3K | |
| Computers for use in tutoring instruction, plus one for the Center Manager's use | $3K | $5K | |
| Inventory (Books and Supplies) | $5K | $8K | |
| Utilities - deposits, connection fees, and monthly charges during first 3 months | $1K | $2K | |
| Advertising (pre-opening and during start-up phase) | $2K | $3K | |
| Business licenses | $500 | $500 | |
| Wages for employees in the first three months | $5K | $8K | |
| Insurance | $400 | $400 | |
| Attorney, Accountant and other Professional Fees | $1K | $5K | |
| Additional funds (initial 3 months) | $15K | $20K | |
| Total initial investment | $80K | $139K |
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
- $80K – $139K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $15K – $20K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $30K – $30K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Royalty
- 5.0%
- Set by a formula · typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- Local advertising: at least 2% of Gross Revenue (calculat…
- Total fee load
- 5.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 5.0% of gross sales |
| Transfer fee | $5K |
| Inventory (initial) | $5K – $8K |
| Total fee load | 5.0% of rev |
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
SpiderSmart Learning makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. 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 SpiderSmart Learning 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, ad fund rate, 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
No financial performance representation
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that.
Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
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 5.0% — below the Education median of 9.0%.
Disclosure
This franchisor makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD. Item 19 is voluntary under the FTC Franchise Rule, and this filing states that it makes none, so no revenue or earnings figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Operator retention
System expanding at 5.6% CAGR over 3 years across 19 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
Multi-unit rate
50% of franchisees own multiple units, a moderate multi-unit rate.
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 Education medians
How SpiderSmart Learning Compares
Category median of published Education 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
- 19
- Opened
- 2
- 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
- 0
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 100%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 50.0%
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +5.6%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +5.6%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 0
- Not renewed
- 0
- Signed, not yet open
- 0
- 0.00 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 3
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 20 · 6 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.
Available to sell in · Item 12
- California
- Maryland
- Virginia
States where the franchisor is registered to sell new franchises (FDD registration filings).
Where the owners are · Item 20 owner list
17 current owners across 6 states.
- TX 7
- MD 3
- VA 3
- CA 2
- DC 1
- GA 1
Counts only, from the list the franchisor prints in Item 20; 3 entries carry no state. Names and phone numbers are for your own due diligence and are not shown here.
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
Positive but thin financials: net worth $118,371, net income $71,579 on $260,179 revenue across 19 units. One regulatory matter — a 2015 Maryland Consent Order for unregistered franchise sales, resolved with cease-and-desist and rescission offers. No Item 19 disclosure.
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (defendant).
Consent Order with Maryland Securities Commissioner (File No. Maryland 2014-0422) dated March 20, 2015. Commissioner concluded SpiderSmart violated Sections 14-214 and 14-223 of Maryland Franchise Law by entering into Licensed Facility Agreements for six locations without proper registration. Franchisor agreed to cease and desist from offering/selling franchises in violation of Maryland law, complete franchise registration application, and offer Maryland licensees option to rescind agreements and receive refunds of setup, initiation or transfer fees.
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Ahmad Associates, Ltd (AAL)
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Score breakdown · what drove the 56 / 100 verdict
- 01MINOR1 regulatory Item-3 matter (Maryland Consent Order, 2015)
- 02MINORThin financials: net worth $118,371, revenue $260,179
- 03MINORNo Item 19 disclosure
- 04MINORNo going-concern, no bankruptcy, audited
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 5.0% 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 | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Exclusive territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory radius | 2 mi |
| Territory population | 5,000 |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 15 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 20 days |
| Termination groundsℹ | 1 |
| Curable defaultsℹ | 1 |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Virginia |
| Litigation count | 1 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
Consent Order with Maryland Securities Commissioner (File No. Maryland 2014-0422) dated March 20, 2015. Commissioner concluded SpiderSmart violated Sections 14-214 and 14-223 of Maryland Franchise Law by entering into Licensed Facility Agreements for six locations without proper registration. Franchisor agreed to cease and desist from offering/selling franchises in violation of Maryland law, complete franchise registration application, and offer Maryland licensees option to rescind agreements and receive refunds of setup, initiation or transfer fees.
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 22 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 0 hrs
- Training location
- virtual through video conferencing technology
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 2 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee (with franchisor advice/approval)
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- Spidersmart.com Website
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: Spidersmart.com Website
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
20 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a SpiderSmart Learning franchise?
The total investment to open a SpiderSmart Learning franchise ranges from $80K – $139K, with an initial franchise fee of $30K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do SpiderSmart Learning franchise owners earn?
SpiderSmart Learning makes no financial performance representation in Item 19 of its FDD - a voluntary item under the FTC Franchise Rule - so no unit revenue figures are disclosed. Declining to publish one is lawful and is not evidence of how the outlets perform. It does mean that less about this brand can be verified from its filing, and the FranchiseVerdict grade - an editorial assessment, not investment advice - reflects that. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns SpiderSmart Learning?
SpiderSmart Learning is franchised by SpiderSmart, Inc.. Its parent company is JLS Education, LLC. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the SpiderSmart Learning 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 SpiderSmart Learning FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is SpiderSmart Learning's franchise failure rate?
SBA 7(a) loan charge-off data is not available for SpiderSmart Learning (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 SpiderSmart Learning franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, SpiderSmart Learning has 19 total units in the United States, including 19 franchised units and 0 company-owned units. 2 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is SpiderSmart Learning a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates SpiderSmart Learning as a B-grade franchise with a verdict score of 56 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
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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.