CertaPro Painters vs Maid Brigade
CertaPro Painters vs Maid Brigade: CertaPro Painters costs $50K to $919K to open; Maid Brigade costs $75K to $676K. CertaPro Painters has 214 units, Maid Brigade has 41. SBA loan history: CertaPro Painters = 142 loans (4.2% default); Maid Brigade = 51 loans (11.8% 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.
CertaPro Painters vs Maid Brigade: 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
CertaPro Painters requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($50K vs $75K for Maid Brigade), a 33% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $65K for CertaPro Painters versus $65K for Maid Brigade. Ongoing royalty load is 5% for CertaPro Painters and 6.9% for Maid Brigade, giving CertaPro Painters the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, CertaPro Painters operates 214 units to Maid Brigade's 41, roughly 5× the system size. Maid Brigade has been operating 47 years (founded 1979) versus 34 for CertaPro Painters (founded 1992), a 13-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
CertaPro Painters has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 142 7(a) approvals compared with 51 for Maid Brigade. CertaPro Painters's peak SBA year was 2023 (18 loans); Maid Brigade's peak was 2002 (9 loans). CertaPro Painters's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. CertaPro Painters has the most SBA funded units in FL, with 11. Maid Brigade leads in CA, 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 CertaPro Painters deals is $360K vs $186K for Maid Brigade, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 4.2% for CertaPro Painters and 11.8% for Maid Brigade, CertaPro Painters has the cleaner SBA loss record by 7.6 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 80 (Excellent) for CertaPro Painters and 54 (Moderate) for Maid Brigade, giving CertaPro Painters the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 80/100 | 54/100 |
Health Tier | Excellent | Moderate |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Stable | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 142 | 51 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 4.2% | 11.8% |
Peer Tier | major | established |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $50K to $919K | $75K to $676K |
Franchise Fee | $65K | $65K |
Royalty Rate | 5% | 6.9% |
Ad Fund | 3% | 3% |
Liquid Capital | $100K | $95K |
Net Worth Required | $200K | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 214 | 41 |
Franchised Units | 214 | 41 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | 10 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1992 | 1979 |
Franchising Since | 1960 | 2021 |
Years Franchising | 66 yrs | 5 yrs |
Headquarters | Audubon, PA | Newhall, CA |
Category | Painting | Painting |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2025 | 2025 |
Which Is Better, CertaPro Painters or Maid Brigade?
Lower upfront capital required
CertaPro Painters
CertaPro Painters: $50K starting · Maid Brigade: $75K starting
More SBA lender confidence
CertaPro Painters
CertaPro Painters: 142 SBA loans · Maid Brigade: 51 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
CertaPro Painters
CertaPro Painters: 4.2% · Maid Brigade: 11.8%
Larger system & brand presence
CertaPro Painters
CertaPro Painters: 214 units · Maid Brigade: 41 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
CertaPro Painters
CertaPro Painters: 5% · Maid Brigade: 6.9%
More lender financing options
CertaPro Painters
CertaPro Painters: 71 unique lenders · Maid Brigade: 32 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
CertaPro Painters vs Maid Brigade: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing CertaPro Painters and Maid Brigade is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $50K to $919K.
CertaPro Painters has 142 SBA loans on record and Maid Brigade has 51. 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.
CertaPro Painters vs Maid Brigade, Frequently Asked Questions
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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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