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Free franchise planning tool

SBA loan calculator,built for the whole franchise.

Model the franchise fee, build-out, equipment, working capital, cash, ROBS funds, and estimated SBA payment in one capital stack. No credit pull and no contact information required to see the math.

Immediate resultsEditable assumptionsPrivate until you ask for review

Why this is different

Most calculators start with a loan balance. Franchise buyers need to find the real project first.

8

cost lines

4

funding sources

1

clear stack

Illustrative planning workspace

A realistic example is loaded so you can see how the model works. Replace every figure with your own.

01

Build the whole project

The franchise fee is only one line. Add the full opening cost so the modeled loan does not leave you short on day one.

$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
Total project cost$370,000
02

Map the capital stack

Show what you could contribute before the SBA loan. These are scenario inputs, not a recommendation to use retirement funds.

$

Used only to show what remains after your planned contribution.

$
$

Optional. Enter zero if you do not want to model retirement funds.

$

For example, a documented seller note or partner equity.

03

Model the debt

Use an illustrative rate or replace it with a lender quote. Terms, rates, fees, and eligibility vary by project and lender.

APR

Editable example—not a current offer or quoted rate.

years

Many acquisition and startup uses are modeled over 10 years; real-estate terms can differ.

$

Used to illustrate DSCR. A lender will calculate this from complete projections and financial records.

The better starting point

A payment is only useful when the project is complete.

A low payment on an underfunded project is not a good plan. This calculator starts with uses of funds, then shows how the sources fit together.

01

Build from the FDD outward

Start with Item 7 and add the costs that sit outside the headline investment range: reserves, professional work, local build-out realities, and time before break-even.

02

See the stack, not isolated products

Cash, a properly structured ROBS contribution, other committed sources, and modeled SBA debt appear together—because franchise projects are frequently funded as a stack.

03

Change one assumption and see the consequence

Adjust the rate, term, contribution, or working capital and the payment, retained cash, debt service, and comparison update immediately.

Worked example

What the loaded example is showing

The example starts with a $370,000 total franchise project—not merely a franchise fee. It models $55,000 in cash, $35,000 from a potential ROBS structure, and the remaining $280,000 as SBA debt.

At the illustrative 10.75% annual rate and 10-year term, the estimated payment is $3,817 per month. Remove the ROBS amount and the model must borrow $315,000, increasing the estimated payment by about $477 per month.

That does not make ROBS the right answer. It makes the tradeoff visible. Retirement funds remain exposed to business risk, and any real structure needs qualified legal, tax, and plan-administration guidance.

The formula

Standard payment math. Franchise-specific inputs.

Payment = P × [ r(1 + r)n ÷ ((1 + r)n − 1) ]

PEstimated loan principal after modeled non-loan funding

rAnnual rate divided into a monthly decimal rate

nTotal monthly payments across the selected term

The SBA says 7(a) proceeds can support uses including working capital, equipment, real estate, and changes of ownership, with a maximum individual 7(a) loan amount of $5 million. Real terms depend on the loan purpose and lender. Review the official SBA 7(a) guidance and confirm franchise eligibility in the SBA Franchise Directory.

Useful answers

Before you trust the estimate

The planner is most useful when its limits are as clear as its outputs.

How does this franchise SBA loan calculator work?

It totals the project costs you enter, subtracts your modeled cash, retirement-fund contribution, and other committed funding, then amortizes the remaining estimated loan over the rate and term you select. It is planning math, not a lender decision.

What should I include in total franchise project cost?

Include more than the franchise fee. A useful starting model includes build-out, equipment, opening inventory, professional and closing costs, initial marketing, working capital, and any other expenses required before the business can support itself.

Does this calculator tell me whether I qualify for an SBA loan?

No. Qualification depends on the complete borrower, franchise, project, lender, credit, collateral, projections, and documentation. Use the Am I Fundable quiz for a broad readiness path, then have Al review the actual file before approaching a lender.

Can a 401(k) rollover be combined with an SBA loan?

A properly structured ROBS arrangement may be used as part of a franchise funding stack, including a modeled equity contribution. This calculator only shows the arithmetic effect. Retirement assets carry risk and require specialized legal, tax, and plan-administration guidance.

Why is the interest rate editable?

SBA loan rates and structures vary by lender, loan size, base rate, project, and timing. An editable field is more honest than presenting one rate as universally current. Replace the illustrative rate with a lender quote when you have one.

What is the DSCR estimate?

Debt service coverage ratio compares the annual cash flow you enter with the calculator's annual loan payments. It is only an illustration. A lender will define and calculate qualifying cash flow from complete projections and financial records.

From modeled to fundable

The calculator gives you the questions. Al helps verify the answers.

Send the plan directly from the calculator or take the one-minute readiness quiz before you start a lender conversation.

Build my funding planTake the readiness quiz