Buff City Soap vs Relax The Back
Buff City Soap vs Relax The Back: Buff City Soap costs $395K to $1.3M to open; Relax The Back costs $176K to $649K. Buff City Soap has 21 units, Relax The Back has 47. SBA loan history: Buff City Soap = 22 loans (4.5% default); Relax The Back = 53 loans (18.9% 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.
Buff City Soap vs Relax The Back: 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
Relax The Back requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($176K vs $395K for Buff City Soap), a 125% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $50K for Buff City Soap versus $30K for Relax The Back, Relax The Back has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 6% for Buff City Soap and 5% for Relax The Back, giving Relax The Back the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Relax The Back operates 47 units to Buff City Soap's 21, roughly 2× the system size.
SBA Lending Profile
Relax The Back has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 53 7(a) approvals compared with 22 for Buff City Soap. Buff City Soap's peak SBA year was 2021 (11 loans); Relax The Back's peak was 1995 (11 loans). Buff City Soap's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Buff City Soap has the most SBA funded units in NY, with 6. Relax The Back leads in TX, with 7. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Buff City Soap deals is $373K vs $206K for Relax The Back, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 4.5% for Buff City Soap and 18.9% for Relax The Back, Buff City Soap has the cleaner SBA loss record by 14.4 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 57 (Moderate) for Buff City Soap and 29 (Fair) for Relax The Back, giving Buff City Soap the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 57/100 | 29/100 |
Health Tier | Moderate | Limited |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 22 | 53 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 4.5% | 18.9% |
Peer Tier | growing | established |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $395K to $1.3M | $176K to $649K |
Franchise Fee | $50K | $30K |
Royalty Rate | 6% | 5% |
Ad Fund | 2% | 2% |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 21 | 47 |
Franchised Units | 21 | 47 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | 10 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | N/A | 1984 |
Franchising Since | 2018 | N/A |
Years Franchising | 8 yrs | N/A |
Headquarters | NY | Long Beach, TX |
Category | All Other Health | All Other Health |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2026 | 2024 |
Which Is Better, Buff City Soap or Relax The Back?
Lower upfront capital required
Relax The Back
Buff City Soap: $395K starting · Relax The Back: $176K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Relax The Back
Buff City Soap: 22 SBA loans · Relax The Back: 53 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Buff City Soap
Buff City Soap: 4.5% · Relax The Back: 18.9%
Larger system & brand presence
Relax The Back
Buff City Soap: 21 units · Relax The Back: 47 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Relax The Back
Buff City Soap: 6% · Relax The Back: 5%
More lender financing options
Relax The Back
Buff City Soap: 12 unique lenders · Relax The Back: 31 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
Buff City Soap vs Relax The Back: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Buff City Soap and Relax The Back is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $176K to $1.3M.
Buff City Soap has 22 SBA loans on record and Relax The Back has 53. 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.
Buff City Soap vs Relax The Back, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Buff City Soap or Relax The Back?
How much does a Buff City Soap franchise cost compared to Relax The Back?
Can I finance Buff City Soap or Relax The Back with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Buff City Soap or Relax The Back?
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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; it does not lend, fund, or approve loans, and 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