Bright Star Healthcare/Brights vs Home Instead
Bright Star Healthcare/Brights vs Home Instead: Bright Star Healthcare/Brights costs $50K to $499K to open; Home Instead costs $4.3M to $4.3M. Bright Star Healthcare/Brights has 47 units, Home Instead has 625. SBA loan history: Bright Star Healthcare/Brights = 64 loans (4.7% default); Home Instead = 445 loans (1.1% 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.
Bright Star Healthcare/Brights vs Home Instead: 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
Bright Star Healthcare/Brights requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($50K vs $4.3M for Home Instead), a 99% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $50K for Bright Star Healthcare/Brights versus $54K for Home Instead, Bright Star Healthcare/Brights has the lower entry fee.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Home Instead operates 625 units to Bright Star Healthcare/Brights's 47, roughly 13× the system size. Home Instead has been operating 32 years (founded 1994) versus 21 for Bright Star Healthcare/Brights (founded 2005), a 11-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Home Instead has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 445 7(a) approvals compared with 64 for Bright Star Healthcare/Brights. Bright Star Healthcare/Brights's peak SBA year was 2016 (23 loans); Home Instead's peak was 2022 (38 loans). Home Instead's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Bright Star Healthcare/Brights has the most SBA funded units in FL, with 10. Home Instead leads in CA, with 31. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Bright Star Healthcare/Brights deals is $227K vs $561K for Home Instead, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 4.7% for Bright Star Healthcare/Brights and 1.1% for Home Instead, Home Instead has the cleaner SBA loss record by 3.6 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 42 (Fair) for Bright Star Healthcare/Brights and 68 (Strong) for Home Instead, giving Home Instead the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 42/100 | 68/100 |
Health Tier | Fair | Strong |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 64 | 445 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 4.7% | 1.1% |
Peer Tier | established | major |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $50K to $499K | $4.3M to $4.3M |
Franchise Fee | $50K | $54K |
Royalty Rate | N/A | 5% |
Ad Fund | N/A | 2% |
Liquid Capital | N/A | $59K |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 47 | 625 |
Franchised Units | 47 | 619 |
Company Owned | – | 6 |
Term Length | N/A | 5 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 2005 | 1994 |
Franchising Since | N/A | 1995 |
Years Franchising | N/A | 31 yrs |
Headquarters | TAMPA, FL | Omaha, NE |
Category | Home Health Care Services | Home Health Care Services |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | 2026 |
Which Is Better, Bright Star Healthcare/Brights or Home Instead?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Bright Star Healthcare/Brights: $50K starting · Home Instead: $4.3M starting
More SBA lender confidence
Home Instead
Bright Star Healthcare/Brights: 64 SBA loans · Home Instead: 445 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Home Instead
Bright Star Healthcare/Brights: 4.7% · Home Instead: 1.1%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Bright Star Healthcare/Brights: 47 units · Home Instead: 625 units
More lender financing options
Home Instead
Bright Star Healthcare/Brights: 34 unique lenders · Home Instead: 116 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
Bright Star Healthcare/Brights vs Home Instead: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Bright Star Healthcare/Brights and Home Instead is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $50K to $4.3M.
Bright Star Healthcare/Brights has 64 SBA loans on record and Home Instead has 445. 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.
Bright Star Healthcare/Brights vs Home Instead, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Bright Star Healthcare/Brights or Home Instead?
How much does a Bright Star Healthcare/Brights franchise cost compared to Home Instead?
Can I finance Bright Star Healthcare/Brights or Home Instead with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Bright Star Healthcare/Brights or Home Instead?
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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