Bricks And Minifigs vs Play N Trade
Bricks And Minifigs vs Play N Trade: Bricks And Minifigs costs $241K to $570K to open; Play N Trade costs $135K to $329K. Bricks And Minifigs has 9 units, Play N Trade has 43. SBA loan history: Bricks And Minifigs = 11 loans (18.2% default); Play N Trade = 56 loans (55.4% default). The franchise with more SBA funded units, a lower SBA default rate, and a lower royalty load is the safer financing bet; see the comparison below.
Bricks And Minifigs vs Play N Trade: Capital, Scale & Lending Analysis
Analysis based on FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan level data. Each pairing reflects a unique combination of capital intensity, system scale, and financing path.
Capital Intensity
Play N Trade requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($135K vs $241K for Bricks And Minifigs), a 79% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $40K for Bricks And Minifigs versus $30K for Play N Trade, Play N Trade has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 6% for Bricks And Minifigs and 4% for Play N Trade, giving Play N Trade the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Play N Trade operates 43 units to Bricks And Minifigs's 9, roughly 5× the system size. Play N Trade has been operating 26 years (founded 2000) versus 16 for Bricks And Minifigs (founded 2010), a 10-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Play N Trade has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 56 7(a) approvals compared with 11 for Bricks And Minifigs.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 18.2% for Bricks And Minifigs and 55.4% for Play N Trade, Bricks And Minifigs has the cleaner SBA loss record by 37.2 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 22 (Fair) for Bricks And Minifigs and 26 (Fair) for Play N Trade, giving Play N Trade the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 22/100 | 26/100 |
Health Tier | Limited | Limited |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 11 | 56 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 18.2% | 55.4% |
Peer Tier | growing | established |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $241K to $570K | $135K to $329K |
Franchise Fee | $40K | $30K |
Royalty Rate | 6% | 4% |
Ad Fund | 4% | 1% |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 9 | 43 |
Franchised Units | 9 | 43 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | 10 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 2010 | 2000 |
Franchising Since | N/A | N/A |
Years Franchising | N/A | N/A |
Headquarters | Orem, WA | San Clemente, CA |
Category | Hobby, Toy, | Hobby, Toy, |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | N/A |
Which Is Better, Bricks And Minifigs or Play N Trade?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Bricks And Minifigs: $241K starting · Play N Trade: $135K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Play N Trade
Bricks And Minifigs: 11 SBA loans · Play N Trade: 56 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Bricks And Minifigs
Bricks And Minifigs: 18.2% · Play N Trade: 55.4%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Bricks And Minifigs: 9 units · Play N Trade: 43 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Play N Trade
Bricks And Minifigs: 6% · Play N Trade: 4%
More lender financing options
Play N Trade
Bricks And Minifigs: 2 unique lenders · Play N Trade: 29 unique lenders
Decision matrix uses publicly disclosed FDD and SBA loan data. Not a recommendation. Your best franchise depends on capital, market, operating capacity, and risk tolerance.
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About These Franchises
Bricks And Minifigs vs Play N Trade: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Bricks And Minifigs and Play N Trade is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $135K to $570K.
Bricks And Minifigs has 11 SBA loans on record and Play N Trade has 56. Those totals are cumulative history rather than a measure of current appetite. Recent lending activity is trending down for at least one of these brands, so current lender appetite has to be checked deal by deal rather than assumed from the totals.
SBA 7(a) loans are the most common franchise funding vehicle, offering up to $5M with as little as 10% down. PeerSense connects franchise buyers with the specific lenders who have approved loans for these brands, not generic referrals, but lenders with actual franchise lending track records.
Data sourced from SBA loan records, Franchise Disclosure Documents, and public filings. Updated regularly. Not financial advice, consult with a lending professional before making investment decisions.
Bricks And Minifigs vs Play N Trade, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Bricks And Minifigs or Play N Trade?
How much does a Bricks And Minifigs franchise cost compared to Play N Trade?
Can I finance Bricks And Minifigs or Play N Trade with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Bricks And Minifigs or Play N Trade?
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Page Review
Reviewed by Edward L. Freeman, Founder and Managing Director, PeerSense
- PeerSense is a capital advisory firm that places commercial financing with direct capital sources; the capital source sets final terms.
- Edward L. Freeman founded PeerSense in January 2020.
- He is a Registered Franchise Consultant with Business Alliance, Inc., a credential issued in March 2022, and worked as a franchise consultant there from March 2022 to May 2023.
- His recorded experience includes a $22 million SBA construction loan, with about $16 million funded on the deal.
- In the 12 months through September 30, 2026, PeerSense tracked 912 publicly announced financings with a disclosed size of $361.32 billion. PeerSense Capital Data Report · Methodology page
Last reviewed LinkedIn profileAbout Edward Freeman