BrightStar Care vs Interim Healthcare
BrightStar Care vs Interim Healthcare: BrightStar Care costs $132K to $235K to open; Interim Healthcare costs $156K to $628K. BrightStar Care has 77 units, Interim Healthcare has 230. SBA loan history: BrightStar Care = 106 loans (0.0% default); Interim Healthcare = 68 loans (8.8% 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.
BrightStar Care vs Interim Healthcare: 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
BrightStar Care requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($132K vs $156K for Interim Healthcare), a 15% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $50K for BrightStar Care versus $75K for Interim Healthcare, BrightStar Care has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 5.25% for BrightStar Care and 5.5% for Interim Healthcare, giving BrightStar Care the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Interim Healthcare operates 230 units to BrightStar Care's 77, roughly 3× the system size. Interim Healthcare has been operating 60 years (founded 1966) versus 24 for BrightStar Care (founded 2002), a 36-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
BrightStar Care has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 106 7(a) approvals compared with 68 for Interim Healthcare. BrightStar Care's peak SBA year was 2025 (23 loans); Interim Healthcare's peak was 2018 (7 loans). BrightStar Care's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. BrightStar Care has the most SBA funded units in NJ, with 12. Interim Healthcare leads in CA, with 10. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded BrightStar Care deals is $558K vs $457K for Interim Healthcare, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 0.0% for BrightStar Care and 8.8% for Interim Healthcare, BrightStar Care has the cleaner SBA loss record by 8.8 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 68 (Strong) for BrightStar Care and 69 (Strong) for Interim Healthcare, giving Interim Healthcare the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 68/100 | 69/100 |
Health Tier | Strong | Strong |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Stable |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 106 | 68 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 0.0% | 8.8% |
Peer Tier | major | established |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $132K to $235K | $156K to $628K |
Franchise Fee | $50K | $75K |
Royalty Rate | 5.25% | 5.5% |
Ad Fund | 2.5% | 1% |
Liquid Capital | $150K | $75K |
Net Worth Required | N/A | $300K |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 77 | 230 |
Franchised Units | 77 | 226 |
Company Owned | – | 4 |
Term Length | 10 yrs | 10 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 2002 | 1966 |
Franchising Since | 2005 | 1968 |
Years Franchising | 21 yrs | 58 yrs |
Headquarters | Gurnee, IL | Sunrise, CA |
Category | Home Health Care Services | Home Health Care Services |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2024 | 2025 |
Which Is Better, BrightStar Care or Interim Healthcare?
Lower upfront capital required
BrightStar Care
BrightStar Care: $132K starting · Interim Healthcare: $156K starting
More SBA lender confidence
BrightStar Care
BrightStar Care: 106 SBA loans · Interim Healthcare: 68 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
BrightStar Care
BrightStar Care: 0.0% · Interim Healthcare: 8.8%
Larger system & brand presence
Interim Healthcare
BrightStar Care: 77 units · Interim Healthcare: 230 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
BrightStar Care
BrightStar Care: 5.25% · Interim Healthcare: 5.5%
More lender financing options
Interim Healthcare
BrightStar Care: 33 unique lenders · Interim Healthcare: 38 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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BrightStar Care vs Interim Healthcare: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing BrightStar Care and Interim Healthcare is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $132K to $628K.
BrightStar Care has 106 SBA loans on record and Interim Healthcare has 68. 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.
BrightStar Care vs Interim Healthcare, Frequently Asked Questions
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Which has a lower SBA default rate, BrightStar Care or Interim Healthcare?
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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
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