The Joint Chiropractic Franchise Cost & 2025 FDD Data
76/100
Strongest tier
76 this brand49 Healthcare medianlikely 72–80 (high confidence)
Higher is better · an editorial assessment, not investment advice
#276 of 3,069 graded brands
Why an A: Helped by unit growth, scale and transparency. Held back by unit economics. See all six factors
- Total investment
- $245K – $543K
- Avg gross sales
- $570K
- 785 outlets reporting; not profit
- SBA charge-off
- 3.7%
1 in 27 SBA 7(a) loans to The Joint Chiropractic owners charged off (3 of 81 resolved loans, approved since FY1991); Healthcare median 7.3%. Loans approved FY2014–FY2023: 3 of 77 resolved loans charged off (3.9%); newer loans have not had time to default, so this is not a trend.
Data from the FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records. Analysis by FranchiseVerdict · Methodology · Website · Report an error · Franchisor? Claim this listing
The Joint Chiropractic is a franchise of walk-in chiropractic clinics offering affordable, membership-based spinal adjustments without insurance or appointments. Franchisees run clinics staffing licensed chiropractors on a high-volume, recurring-visit model.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2025 FDD
Per the 2025 FDD, a Joint Chiropractic franchise requires a total initial investment of $245K – $543K, including a $40K franchise fee. Once open, the ongoing royalty is 7.0%. Per the 2025 FDD, average gross sales were $570K (785 outlets reporting; gross sales, not profit). SBA 7(a) loans show a 3.7% charge-off rate on 81 resolved loans. Verdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice.
Sources: 2025 FDD · SBA 7(a) loan records (FOIA) · What one unit could make and lose →
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 for the headline figures: 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 scored6 of 6 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
Quick verdict · vs Healthcare median
Top edge: green = better than the Healthcare median by more than 10%, red = worse by more than 10%, gray = within 10% or no benchmark. Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a).
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Methodology
Bottom line
- RETURNSAverage gross sales of $570K/year (785 outlets reporting; gross sales, not profit).
- GROWTHIn the latest Item 20 year, the number of franchised outlets grew by 45 (60 opened, 15 closed).
- FLAGItem 4 discloses a bankruptcy of an officer or of a company an officer ran, not of the franchisor. Review Item 4 for details.
AT STAKEOne unit at the Item 7 midpoint: $51K a year in payments on assumed SBA 7(a)-style terms.You put in about $79K of your own cash and personally guarantee a $315K loan. Assumptions are labeled in Sales; not investment advice.See what one unit could make and lose
Things to check before you sign (4)
- The franchisor keeps the right to compete inside your territory (Item 12, territory).
- You waive a jury trial in disputes with the franchisor (Item 17, renewal, termination and disputes).
- The franchisor receives rebates or payments from suppliers you buy from (Item 8, required suppliers).
- Item 15 (owner participation) requires the owner, or a principal the franchisor approves, to run the business day to day. Ask how much of the business that principal must own.
Checked and clear: no auditor doubt that the franchisor can keep operating, no net loss of franchised outlets in the latest Item 20 years, no pending lawsuit naming the franchisor, SBA charge-off rate 3.7%, below the 7.3% category median and the full filing on file, and an Item 19 average from 785 units.
What to do next
Step 1: Read the FDD itself.
Free: read the 2025 filing on this site, page by page. The franchisor must also give you its current FDD at least 14 days before you sign or pay. Or look it up in a state registry (Wisconsin, Minnesota, California). What to read first.
Step 2: Talk to current and former owners.
Free: Item 20 of the FDD lists every current owner and those who left last year, most with a phone number. Questions to ask.
Step 3: Talk to an SBA lender.
Free: the SBA's Lender Match, or the lenders already lending to this brand in the SBA section. Ask what you would personally guarantee and what the monthly payment would be. If you plan to use retirement savings, ask a CPA about the rules for that first.
Step 4: Have a franchise attorney review the FDD and agreement.
Free: your state bar's lawyer referral service can name franchise lawyers, and many offer a short first consultation. Bring the checks listed above.
Research steps, not investment or legal advice.
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost (the Item 7 midpoint) is 12% above the Healthcare median ($351K).
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7 (fees and startup costs)
Do you qualify? The filing states no minimum net worth or liquid capital. Ask The Joint Corp. (Item 1: 16767 N. Perimeter Dr., Suite 110, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260) and your lender what they require, and keep living costs for the first year outside the deal.
Full Item 7 breakdown18 line items
Initial investment breakdown
| Line item | Low | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Franchise Fee | $19.9K | $39.9K | |
| Training Expenses | $3.5K | $5K | |
| Lease & Utility Deposits | $3.7K | $5.8K | |
| Rent (3 Months) | $9K | $27K | |
| Clinic Design Fee | $1K | $1K | |
| Architect Fee | $8.5K | $20K | |
| Construction | $63.6K | $225K | |
| Signage | $6K | $12K | |
| Technology Systems | $6K | $11K | |
| Chiropractic & Other Professional Equipment | $7K | $22.5K | |
| Office Furniture & Equipment | $15K | $25K | |
| Uniforms & Office Supplies | $1.5K | $3K | |
| Business Licenses/Permits | $300 | $3K | |
| Chiropractor Credentialing | $200 | $300 | |
| Professional Fees | $3K | $8.2K | |
| Grand Opening Advertising | $20K | $25K | |
| Insurance Premiums | $2K | $4.3K | |
| Additional Funds (3 months) | $75K | $105K | |
| Total initial investment | $245K | $543K |
Line items extracted from FDD Item 7. Ranges reflect the franchisor's stated low and high per line. The total row is the total as printed in Item 7. Actual costs may fall outside this range depending on market and build-out scope.
Item 6 · what you pay once you are open
Ongoing fees
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 7.0% |
| Marketing / ad fundBrand-wide marketing pool. Currently 2% of Gross Sales; Brand Fund Fee may increase up to 3% on 30 days' notice | 2.0% |
| Technology fee | $50/month |
| Training feeAdditional training charge listed in Item 6 | $1,000 |
| Transfer fee | $10,000 |
| Renewal feeDerived: computed by us from the filing's renewal-fee formula, not a printed amount. Check Item 6 | about $25 derived |
| Total fee loadabove the Healthcare median of 8.0% (heavy) | 9.0% of sales |
What do units actually make?
Average gross sales are 20% below the Healthcare median ($715K).
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 19 (sales and earnings)
Items 6 (other fees), 7 (startup costs) and 19 (sales and earnings) · assumptions labeled
What you could make and lose: one unit
What one The Joint Chiropractic unit would ask of you, from the filing's Item 7 total and labeled assumptions.
Average gross sales are $570K (FDD Item 19, p.54), and the royalty and ad fund take about $51K of that a year (Item 6). This brand's Item 19 does not print cost lines. Enter your own from a lease quote, a payroll plan and calls with current owners. So this box does not estimate a profit. To cover the loan payment alone, one unit has to clear $51K a year after its food, labor, rent and other costs and the franchisor's fees.
How these figures are worked out
- Loan (assumption): 80% of the $394K Item 7 midpoint is a $315K loan, paid over 10 years at 10.5%: $51K a year. SBA 7(a)-style terms on a long-term rate; your lender sets yours. The Joint Chiropractic's past SBA 7(a) loans averaged 7.3% at approval; 7(a) rates move with the prime rate, so 10.5% is a current-rate assumption, not this brand's history.
What you put at risk
Your own cash in: about $79K Assumption (the part the loan does not cover of the $394K Item 7 midpoint), plus whatever anything Item 7 leaves out (its notes say what). The loan is $315K.
Personal guarantee. SBA 7(a) loans require a personal guarantee from anyone who owns 20% or more of the business. If the unit cannot pay, the lender can collect from you personally, which can include your savings and your home. The worst case is losing the cash you put in and still owing the rest of the loan.
Gross sales are not profit, and none of these figures is take-home pay until tax and every operating cost are paid. The assumptions are ours, not the filing's. Not investment advice.
Returns modelOne unit · several units · editable
One unit
One unit: what is left after the loan payment
Gross sales, minus the franchisor's fees and the operating costs, is the unit's EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization). Minus an assumed loan payment, that is what is left for you, before tax. Gross sales are not profit.
This brand's Item 19 does not print cost lines. Enter your own from a lease quote, a payroll plan and calls with current owners. Invested capital is the Item 7 total, which already includes its working-capital (additional funds) line.
Returns model · one unit
What would one The Joint Chiropractic unit leave you each year after the loan payment?
Item 19 reports $569,571 per unit.
Gross sales, not profit: the costs below decide what is left.
The filing also sets a minimum or cap on these fees: “Greater of 7% of Gross Sales or $700 per month (Standard Royalty Structure)” (Item 6). This model applies the percentages, so at low sales the real fee can be higher than shown here.
Item 6, as stored, a year. A fixed fee, so it comes off EBITDA as dollars, not a share of sales.
This brand's Item 19 does not print cost lines. Enter your own from a lease quote, a payroll plan and calls with current owners.
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.
Item 7 midpoint of $245K to $543K
Item 7's $5K to $15K additional funds are already in the total
Left after the loan payment · per year
The unit's EBITDA minus the assumed loan payment. Before tax, depreciation and any cost your inputs leave out (insurance, accounting and legal, licenses, technology fees): not take-home pay.
Gross sales are not profit. Neither the filing nor a stated assumption on this page supplies direct costs, labor, rent / occupancy and other operating costs. Enter your own (a lease quote, owner calls) and the model runs on it.
Loan of $315K at 10.5% over 10 years, an assumption, not a quote. Return and payback are before tax, depreciation and the costs above. The loan usually needs your personal guarantee.
Buying several existing units? The acquisition scenario
Buying several units
What buying a few existing units could return
Prices an existing operator of a few units off the single-unit EBITDA above, after shared services, and finances it with an SBA 7(a) loan, a conventional loan and a seller note. It shows the yearly return on your cash (IRR), whether year-1 earnings cover the loan payments (DSCR) and how the price is paid for. It starts at 5 units; every deal term is an assumption you can change, and none is from the FDD.
Not modelled yet
Gross sales are not profit. Neither the filing nor a stated assumption on this page supplies direct costs, labor, rent / occupancy and other operating costs. Enter your own (a lease quote, owner calls) and the model runs on it.
This scenario starts from a per-unit EBITDA. Fill in the operating costs in the one-unit model above and it runs on that figure, or take it to the full ROI workbench, where the multi-unit and acquisition models accept your own per-unit economics.
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 · filed by The Joint Corp.
Financial performance
Percentile ranks within Healthcare
Each rank is among the Healthcare brands that report that figure (the count is under each bar).
| Group | n | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Qualifying Clinics (785 franchised Clinics open all of 2024), Table A-1, 2024headline above | 785 | $570K | $528K |
| Quartile 1 of 785 Qualifying Clinics, Table A-1, 2024Top 25% by sales of All Qualifying Clinics (785 franchised Clinics open all of 2024), Table A-1, 2024 | 196 | $913K | $859K |
| Quartile 2 of 785 Qualifying Clinics, Table A-1, 2024Middle 25% by sales of All Qualifying Clinics (785 franchised Clinics open all of 2024), Table A-1, 2024 | 196 | $606K | $598K |
| Quartile 3 of 785 Qualifying Clinics, Table A-1, 2024Middle 25% by sales of All Qualifying Clinics (785 franchised Clinics open all of 2024), Table A-1, 2024 | 196 | $456K | $459K |
| Quartile 4 of 785 Qualifying Clinics, Table A-1, 2024Bottom 25% by sales of All Qualifying Clinics (785 franchised Clinics open all of 2024), Table A-1, 2024 | 197 | $304K | $315K |
| All Qualifying Outlets submitting P&Ls (406 Franchised Clinics), Table B-1, 2024 | 406 | $596K | $558K |
| $1 Million Outlets (26 Franchised Clinics), Table B-2, 2024 | 26 | $1.2M | $1.2M |
| Quartile 1 of P&L Clinics (102 Franchised Clinics), Table B-3, 2024Top 25% by sales of All Qualifying Outlets submitting P&Ls (406 Franchised Clinics), Table B-1, 2024 | 102 | $934K | $877K |
| Quartile 2 of P&L Clinics (101 Franchised Clinics), Table B-4, 2024Middle 25% by sales of All Qualifying Outlets submitting P&Ls (406 Franchised Clinics), Table B-1, 2024 | 101 | $628K | $622K |
| Quartile 3 of P&L Clinics (101 Franchised Clinics), Table B-5, 2024Middle 25% by sales of All Qualifying Outlets submitting P&Ls (406 Franchised Clinics), Table B-1, 2024 | 101 | $486K | $486K |
| Quartile 4 of P&L Clinics (102 Franchised Clinics), Table B-6, 2024Bottom 25% by sales of All Qualifying Outlets submitting P&Ls (406 Franchised Clinics), Table B-1, 2024 | 102 | $334K | $345K |
Costs and net profit, as the filing prints them
The filing's “Net Profit” is before depreciation and owner or manager pay; after royalty, ad fund and rent. The filing does not say whether it is after debt service. Gross sales are not profit, and this line is not take-home pay: what it leaves out still has to be paid.
The cost lines for 6 groups (FDD pp.54, 55, 55, 55, 56, 56)
| Line, as the filing names it | All Qualifying Outlets submitting P&Ls (406 Franchised Clinics), Table B-1, 2024n=406 |
|---|---|
| Average gross sales | $596K |
| Cost of Goods | 0.00%$0 |
| Labor Expense | 46.80%$279K |
| Facilities Expense | 10.60%$63K |
| Insurance | 1.20%$7K |
| Royalty Fee | 7.00%$42K |
| Brand Fund Fee | 2.00%$12K |
| Net Profit | 17.60%$105K |
| Line, as the filing names it | $1 Million Outlets (26 Franchised Clinics), Table B-2, 2024n=26 |
|---|---|
| Average gross sales | $1.2M |
| Cost of Goods | 0.00%$0 |
| Labor Expense | 43.00%$510K |
| Facilities Expense | 6.20%$73K |
| Insurance | 1.20%$14K |
| Royalty Fee | 7.00%$83K |
| Brand Fund Fee | 2.00%$24K |
| Net Profit | 30.00%$355K |
| Line, as the filing names it | Quartile 1 of P&L Clinics (102 Franchised Clinics), Table B-3, 2024n=102 |
|---|---|
| Average gross sales | $934K |
| Cost of Goods | 0.00%$0 |
| Labor Expense | 44.40%$414K |
| Facilities Expense | 7.20%$67K |
| Insurance | 1.10%$10K |
| Royalty Fee | 7.00%$65K |
| Brand Fund Fee | 2.00%$19K |
| Net Profit | 26.60%$248K |
| Line, as the filing names it | Quartile 2 of P&L Clinics (101 Franchised Clinics), Table B-4, 2024n=101 |
|---|---|
| Average gross sales | $628K |
| Cost of Goods | 0.00%$0 |
| Labor Expense | 45.20%$284K |
| Facilities Expense | 10.30%$65K |
| Insurance | 1.10%$7K |
| Royalty Fee | 7.00%$44K |
| Brand Fund Fee | 2.00%$13K |
| Net Profit | 20.50%$129K |
| Line, as the filing names it | Quartile 3 of P&L Clinics (101 Franchised Clinics), Table B-5, 2024n=101 |
|---|---|
| Average gross sales | $486K |
| Cost of Goods | 0.00%$0 |
| Labor Expense | 47.60%$231K |
| Facilities Expense | 12.60%$61K |
| Insurance | 1.10%$6K |
| Royalty Fee | 7.00%$34K |
| Brand Fund Fee | 2.00%$10K |
| Net Profit | 12.90%$63K |
| Line, as the filing names it | Quartile 4 of P&L Clinics (102 Franchised Clinics), Table B-6, 2024n=102 |
|---|---|
| Average gross sales | $334K |
| Cost of Goods | 0.00%$0 |
| Labor Expense | 55.50%$186K |
| Facilities Expense | 17.60%$59K |
| Insurance | 1.60%$5K |
| Royalty Fee | 7.00%$23K |
| Brand Fund Fee | 2.00%$7K |
| Net Profit | -5.80%$-19K |
vs Healthcare medians
How The Joint Chiropractic compares
Category median of published Healthcare 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.
Who are you contracting with?
The Joint Corp.
Item 1 (the franchisor) · who you're contracting with
The franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- The Joint Corp.
- CEO title
- President and Chief Executive Officer
- Peter D. Holt
- Incorporated in
- Delaware
- HQ
- 16767 N. Perimeter Dr., Suite 110, Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
- Auditor
- BDO USA, LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $122.1M
- latest fiscal year in the 2025 FDD; $117.7M the year before
- Management churn noted
- Frequent turnover
- Item 2 disclosed frequent executive changes
Franchisee associations and councils
- Franchise Advisory Council (FAC)
As the filing names them; ask whether each is independent or set up by the franchisor (Item 11 or 20).
Overview
About
- CEO
- Peter D. Holt
- Franchised outlets in
- 41 states and territories
- Item 20 Table 3, at year end
- States and territories listed
- 30
- registered or offered in, as the filing lists them (DC and territories included); not where units may open
Is the system healthy?
+133 franchised outlets over the two years to 2021 (712 to 845, +18.7% in total, +8.9% a year compounded).
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20 (outlets opened, closed and transferred)
Item 20 (outlet counts) · unit dynamics
The growth chart
- Company-owned
- 125
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 85%
- vs corporate-owned
- Multi-unit owners
- 1.0%
Last fiscal year · Item 20 rates and pipeline
- Termination rate
- 0.1%
- Franchisor-initiated terminations
Item 20 · franchised units at year end
Franchised units rose from 712 in 2022 to 845 in 2024
Axis does not start at zero.
Source and method
Item 20 (outlet counts) Table 3 · franchised outlets at year end
Where current outlets are
Franchised outlets at year end by state, as the filing's Item 20 Table 3 counts them. Not a list of where the franchisor may sell new units.
Current outlets (count on the tile) · 40 states and DCNo current outlet
845 franchised outlets at year end in 41 states (Item 20 Table 3).
Registration-law states
States whose laws require the FDD to be filed, as the filing lists them; not where units may open.
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Wisconsin
The states this FDD names in its state registration list or state addenda. It is not a count of where units operate.
Government records
SBA loan data
Lenders charged off 3.7% of 81 resolved SBA 7(a) loans, below the 7.3% category median. 7(a) is the SBA's main small-business loan; a resolved loan was paid in full or charged off.
- Loans on file
- 173
- SBA 7(a) loans matched to this brand, incl. those still being repaid
- Loan volume
- $49.7M
- Average loan
- $287K
- loan volume divided by loans
- Charge-off rate
- 3.7%
- 3 of 81 resolved loans
- Paid in full
- 96.3%
- of resolved loans
- Recent-loan charge-off
- 0.0%
- on 32 resolved recent loans
- Lenders
- 41
- Average interest rate
- 7.3%
- Jobs reported
- 1,318
- Lender concentration
- 36%
- top lender's share
Cumulative: every 7(a) loan matched to this brand in the SBA’s FOIA files, approved FY1991 onward. Historical lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
Benchmark: the median Healthcare brand charges off 7.3% (11 brands with a published rate, same cumulative window and source). This brand is 3.6 points below it.
Borrower mix: of 136 loans with a business-age entry, 130 recorded an age: 111 (85%) went to startups or businesses under two years old and 19 (15%) to established businesses or ownership changes; 6 were marked unanswered.
The approval-year breakdown covers 77 of the 81 resolved loans and 3 of the 3 charge-offs (FY2014 to FY2023).
SBA 7(a) · charge-off rate by approval year
The Joint Chiropractic: below all franchise loans in each of the 2 rated years
Hollow rings on the axis: years with fewer than 10 resolved loans, not rated (too few to judge; recent years are too early to judge while loans are still being repaid). Their numbers are in the table.
Show the numbers by year
| Year | Resolved | Charged off | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 9 | 0 | Too few |
| 2015 | 7 | 0 | Too few |
| 2016 | 8 | 0 | Too few |
| 2017 | 7 | 0 | Too few |
| 2018 | 16 | 1 | 6.2% |
| 2019 | 9 | 2 | Too few |
| 2021 | 10 | 0 | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 8 | 0 | Too early |
| 2023 | 3 | 0 | Too early |
Dashed line: all franchise 7(a) loans approved the same year.
Source and method
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Full SBA lending reportlenders · charge-off rate · trend
Lender network · SBA 7(a)
SBA Lending Report
Lender, state and yearly detail for The Joint Chiropractic from SBA 7(a) FOIA loan records.
- Average SBA guarantee
- 75%
- Average interest rate
- 7.3%
- Lender concentration
- 36%
- Jobs reported
- 1,318
Top 10 SBA lenders by loan count
| Loans | Volume | Charge-off |
|---|---|---|
| Simmons Bank | ||
| 62 | $13.3M | 6.7%30 resolved |
| The Huntington National Bank | ||
| 21 | $3.6M | Too few5 resolved |
| SouthState Bank, National Association | ||
| 20 | $7.7M | 0.0%12 resolved |
| United Community Bank | ||
| 8 | $2.4M | Too few2 resolved |
| Cadence Bank | ||
| 6 | $1.5M | Too few4 resolved |
| Fifth Third Bank | ||
| 5 | $999K | Too few3 resolved |
| Stearns Bank National Association | ||
| 4 | $735K | Too few2 resolved |
| Wells Fargo Bank National Association | ||
| 4 | $645K | Too few3 resolved |
| First Internet Bank of Indiana | ||
| 3 | $1.3M | Too few0 resolved |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association | ||
| 3 | $631K | Too few2 resolved |
A lender’s rate counts only its resolved loans, the loans that have finished (paid in full or charged off); a 0.0% often means few of its loans have finished. Under 10 resolved loans, the rate reads “Too few”.
Charge-off rate by state (top 10 by loans)
| State | Loans | Charged off | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| FL Florida | 24 | 0 | 0.0%10 resolved |
| TX Texas | 18 | 0 | Too few7 resolved |
| AZ Arizona | 16 | 0 | 0.0%13 resolved |
| GA Georgia | 14 | 2 | Too few7 resolved |
| OH Ohio | 10 | 1 | Too few2 resolved |
| CA California | 8 | 0 | Too few6 resolved |
| CO Colorado | 8 | 0 | Too few7 resolved |
| IN Indiana | 7 | 0 | Too few3 resolved |
| NC North Carolina | 7 | 0 | Too few3 resolved |
| VA Virginia | 7 | 0 | Too few4 resolved |
Rate: charged-off loans over resolved loans (paid in full plus charged off), shown from 10 resolved loans. "Too few": under 10 resolved. The Loans column counts every approval in the window, including loans still being repaid.
SBA 7(a) loans approved per year
Borrower profile
The SBA's own business-age labels (6)
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA loan-level data, matched to the brand by FranchiseVerdict.
What are the risks?
Main risk in the grade: unit economics. The reasons are below.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Verdict grade + FDD Items 3 (litigation), 4 (bankruptcy), 8 (required suppliers), 16 (what you may sell), 21 (audited financials)
Risk and legal
Grade A: Strongest tier, 76/100 (category median 49); the full grade is at the top of the page.
How the grade is built
Why an A, factor by factor
- Financial health NeutralAudited financials; no going-concern doubt
- Unit economics Weighs on it, weakest dimensionAvg gross sales $570K on a $394K investment midpoint, 1.4x (gross sales, not profit)
- Unit growth Helps+133 franchised outlets over the two years to 2021 (712 to 845, +18.7% in total, +8.9% a year compounded); turnover 1.5%
- Scale Helps845 franchised units, +125 company-owned (970 in all); franchising since 2010
- Legal Neutral1 matter naming the franchisor among the Item 3 matters we list (0.1 per 100 outlets); a bankruptcy disclosed in Item 4 (an officer's)
- Transparency HelpsItem 19 discloses financial performance; audited financials
- Adjustments after the six dimensions (+5 points)SBA loan record: the SBA charge-off rate (3.7% on 81 resolved loans) is between 2% and 5%, a range the score counts in a brand's favour, so it added 5 points.
From the six scored dimensions, an editorial assessment, not investment advice. How the score is built
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
Subject: an officer. An officer’s own bankruptcy or a company an officer ran, not the franchisor’s
Item 4 discloses the Chapter 11 of GGI Holdings, LLC (Case No. 20-31318), the Gold's Gym parent, where the franchisor's SVP of Development Craig Sherwood was Chief Development Officer. The filing states the proceeding did not involve The Joint Chiropractic.
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · BDO USA, LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
The revenue figures are in the Franchisor tab, under The franchisor.
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
The Joint Corp. generated total revenues of $80,859,653 in 2021 (company-wide, all segments); of this, $21,800 came from purchases/leases by Regional Developers (FranConnect fees), less than 1% of total revenue.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
Ask what the franchisor earns on the supplies it sells you or the rebates it takes (Item 8).
- Franchisor sells you products: Yes
- Franchisor takes supplier rebates: Yes
- Must buy proprietary products: Yes
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
- Can negotiate own supplier terms: No
Notes from the filing review · not the score inputs
- 01MINOROld individual officer Chapter 7 (2014, discharged)
- 02MINORAudited financials, healthy revenue
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
Litigation case detail1 matter · Item 3
Litigation cases
The franchisor
Concluded (1)
Carmel Mountain et al. v. The Joint
settledBrought by a franchisee · filed 2015-07-07 · American Arbitration Association (California) · 01-15-0004-1604
“… (Case No. 01-15-0004-1604) On July 7, 2015, a Demand for Arbitration was filed against us in California by the following former and/or current franchisees: Carmel Mountain The Joint Enterprises, Inc., Funny Bones, LLC,”Page 16 of the 2025 FDD, Item 3
Outcome: “On December 12, 2016, the parties entered into a settlement agreement whereby all parties disclaimed any liability or wrongdoing and mutually agreed that it was in their best interests to resolve their differences through settlement rather than arbitration.”
Item 3 lists the litigation the franchisor must disclose; a matter against a parent, an affiliate or a named officer is not a matter against the franchisor, and pending claims are allegations, not findings.
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 9.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before your own operating costs.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12 (territory), 15 (owner participation) and 17 (renewal, termination and disputes)
Contract and territory detail
| Allowed renewals | 1 |
|---|---|
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territory | Yes |
| Territory size | “Exclusive Development Area generally defined by state or county boundaries or fixed geographic boundaries; no fixed min/max size, determined by demographics, RD capacity, and number of Location Franchises expected to operate in the area.” |
| Online sales rights | Restricted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Who runs it (Item 15) | The owner, or a principal the franchisor approves, must run it |
| Non-compete (years) | 1.5 years |
| Non-compete (miles) | 25 mi |
| Right of first refusal | Yes |
| RoFR response window | 60 days |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 60 days |
| Termination grounds | 13 |
| Curable defaults | 3 |
| Mandatory arbitration | No |
| Jury trial waiver | Yes |
| Governing law | Arizona |
Items 5 (initial fees), 7 (startup costs), 12 (territory) and 20 (outlet counts) · development agreement
Area development (several units)
The filing offers a development agreement for several units. If you miss the schedule, the development agreement can be ended.
Every term, with its page
- Development fee
- At the time you sign the ADA, you pay us the full $39,900 initial franchise fee for your first Clinic and a development fee calculated as $10,000 for each additional Clinic you commit to develop..
2025 FDD p.18
“At the time you sign the ADA, you pay us the full $39,900 initial franchise fee for your first Clinic and a development fee calculated as $10,000 for each additional Clinic you commit to develop.”Open p.18 in the filing - If you miss the schedule
- The development agreement can be ended.
2025 FDD p.16
“We vigorously denied liability for all of Claimants’ claims and asserted counterclaims against each Claimant for breach of contract and breach of guaranty, among other claims, and sought a declaratory judgment that termination was proper because Claimants failed to adhere to the development schedules in their respective franchise agreements.”Open p.16 in the filing
Each unit still needs its own Item 7 investment on top of the development fee. Have a franchise attorney read the schedule and the default terms before you sign.
Items 10 (financing), 11 (training and support)
Training and operations
- Classroom training
- 26 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 40 hrs
- Training location
- Our corporate headquarters in Scottsdale, AZ and training locations we designate
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Field support
- 40 hrs/yr
- On-site visits per year
- Time to open
- 2 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- franchisor
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- FranConnect
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 (initial fees) & 11 (training and support)
Franchisor support
Item 20 (outlet counts) · call current owners
Franchisee contacts
Who can you call before you sign?
11 current outlets listed
Each record has a phone number and state. 1 of 11 also name the franchisee. No cities. 11 records. From the filing's Item 20 (the outlet list); the FDD itself is the free source. Our list covers 11 of the 845 franchised outlets Item 20 counts at year end; the owner exhibit prints the rest without a usable phone number, or omits them.
For your own due-diligence calls only. Not for telemarketing, marketing lists, or automated or prerecorded calls or texts.
The list is not offered for this brand yet. The FDD's Item 20 exhibit lists the owners.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to open a Joint Chiropractic franchise?
Per the 2025 FDD, the total investment to open a Joint Chiropractic franchise ranges from $245K to $543K, with an initial franchise fee of $40K. This is the Item 7 total in the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD): the startup costs the franchisor lists, such as build-out, equipment, inventory and working capital. It usually leaves out buying land or a building; Item 7's notes say what is excluded.
What do The Joint Chiropractic franchise owners earn?
According to Item 19 of the Joint Chiropractic FDD, average gross sales were $570K (785 outlets reporting; gross sales, not profit). What an owner keeps depends on location, operating costs and management.
Who owns The Joint Chiropractic?
The Joint Chiropractic is franchised by The Joint Corp. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Joint Chiropractic 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 Joint Chiropractic FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is The Joint Chiropractic's franchise failure rate?
There is no published franchise failure rate. What is measurable is The Joint Chiropractic's SBA charge-off rate: 3.7% on 81 resolved loans. Put plainly: 1 in 27 SBA 7(a) loans to The Joint Chiropractic owners charged off (3 of 81 resolved loans, approved since FY1991); loans approved FY2014–FY2023: 3 of 77 resolved loans charged off (3.9%); newer loans have not had time to default, so this is not a trend. The SBA charge-off rate is the share of a brand's resolved SBA 7(a) loans to its franchisees that the SBA wrote off, including purchased guarantees. Resolved means paid in full or charged off; active loans are excluded because their outcome is not yet known. It is a lending outcome, not a count of closed businesses. A franchisee can repay and close, or default and keep trading.
How many The Joint Chiropractic franchise locations are there?
Per the 2025 FDD, The Joint Chiropractic has 845 franchised units and 125 company-owned (970 in all). In the latest year, the number of franchised outlets grew by 45 (60 opened, 15 closed).
Is The Joint Chiropractic a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict gives The Joint Chiropractic an A Verdict grade (Strongest tier) with a verdict score of 76 out of 100 (higher is better), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Helped by unit growth, scale and transparency. Held back by unit economics (avg gross sales $570K on a $394K investment midpoint, 1.4x: gross sales, not profit). The “Why an A” section on this page lists all six dimensions and any adjustment. Speak with current franchisees before making any investment decision.
Other Healthcare franchises
Similar investment first, then by grade
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.