Is CARSTAR or Car-X cheaper to open?

CARSTAR costs $298,200–$804,300 and Car-X costs $396,200–$582,000 to open (FDD Item 7). CARSTAR has the lower entry cost.

Which earns more, CARSTAR or Car-X?

CARSTAR reports $3,205,928 average annual unit revenue vs $792,382 for Car-X (FDD Item 19). CARSTAR is higher.

Which is safer, CARSTAR or Car-X?

SBA 7(a) charge-off rate is 0.0% for CARSTAR and 18.2% for Car-X. Lower is safer, so CARSTAR has the stronger loan-repayment record.

Which is the better franchise, CARSTAR or Car-X?

FranchiseVerdict grades CARSTAR A and Car-X B, from FDD Items 5–7, 19–21 and SBA loan performance. See the full side-by-side above.

CARSTAR vs Car-X

Franchise Comparison 2026

Both CARSTAR and Car-X are automotive franchises. CARSTAR requires an investment of $298K – $804K while Car-X requires $396K – $582K. In terms of revenue, CARSTAR reports higher average unit revenue at $3.2M. On SBA loan performance, CARSTAR has a lower charge-off rate (0.0%) compared to Car-X (18.2%). FranchiseVerdict rates CARSTAR A (Strongest tier) and Car-X B (Above average).

Metric	CARSTAR	Car-X
Verdict Grade	AStrongest tier	BAbove average
Investment Range	$298K – $804K	$396K – $582K
Franchise Fee	$10K	$35K
Royalty Rate	1.5%	5.0%
Average Revenue (Item 19)	$3.2M	$792K
SBA Charge-Off Rate	0.0% (40 loans)	18.2% (14 loans)
Total Units	471	97
Unit Growth (YoY)	+16 units	-1 units
Year Began Franchising	1989	2015
FDD Year	2025	2026