Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners vs Zips Cleaners Formally Zips
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners vs Zips Cleaners Formally Zips: Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners costs $65K to $500K to open; Zips Cleaners Formally Zips costs $114K to $1.4M. Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners has 44 units, Zips Cleaners Formally Zips has 9. SBA loan history: Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners = 60 loans (10.0% default); Zips Cleaners Formally Zips = 15 loans (13.3% 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.
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners vs Zips Cleaners Formally Zips: 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
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($65K vs $114K for Zips Cleaners Formally Zips), a 43% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $53K for Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners versus $30K for Zips Cleaners Formally Zips, Zips Cleaners Formally Zips has the lower entry fee.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners operates 44 units to Zips Cleaners Formally Zips's 9, roughly 5× the system size.
SBA Lending Profile
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 60 7(a) approvals compared with 15 for Zips Cleaners Formally Zips. Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners's peak SBA year was 1994 (11 loans); Zips Cleaners Formally Zips's peak was 2025 (3 loans). Zips Cleaners Formally Zips's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners has the most SBA funded units in TX, with 42. Zips Cleaners Formally Zips leads in PA, with 4. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners deals is $255K vs $913K for Zips Cleaners Formally Zips, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 10.0% for Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners and 13.3% for Zips Cleaners Formally Zips, Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners has the cleaner SBA loss record by 3.3 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 29 (Fair) for Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners and 45 (Fair) for Zips Cleaners Formally Zips, giving Zips Cleaners Formally Zips the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 29/100 | 45/100 |
Health Tier | Limited | Fair |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 60 | 15 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 10.0% | 13.3% |
Peer Tier | established | growing |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $65K to $500K | $114K to $1.4M |
Franchise Fee | $53K | $30K |
Royalty Rate | N/A | 6% |
Ad Fund | N/A | 5% |
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 | 44 | 9 |
Franchised Units | 44 | 9 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | N/A | 10 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | N/A | 2021 |
Franchising Since | N/A | N/A |
Years Franchising | N/A | N/A |
Headquarters | DALLAS, TX | WARMINSTER, PA |
Category | Drycleaning | Drycleaning |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | N/A |
Which Is Better, Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners or Zips Cleaners Formally Zips?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners: $65K starting · Zips Cleaners Formally Zips: $114K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners: 60 SBA loans · Zips Cleaners Formally Zips: 15 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners: 10.0% · Zips Cleaners Formally Zips: 13.3%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners: 44 units · Zips Cleaners Formally Zips: 9 units
More lender financing options
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners: 35 unique lenders · Zips Cleaners Formally Zips: 10 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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Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners vs Zips Cleaners Formally Zips: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners and Zips Cleaners Formally Zips is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $65K to $1.4M.
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners has 60 SBA loans on record and Zips Cleaners Formally Zips has 15. 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.
Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners vs Zips Cleaners Formally Zips, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners or Zips Cleaners Formally Zips?
How much does a Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners franchise cost compared to Zips Cleaners Formally Zips?
Can I finance Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners or Zips Cleaners Formally Zips with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Comet One-Hour Dry Cleaners or Zips Cleaners Formally Zips?
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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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