Diesel Barbershop vs Tune Up The Manly Salon
Diesel Barbershop vs Tune Up The Manly Salon: Diesel Barbershop costs $361K to $503K to open; Tune Up The Manly Salon costs $200K to $297K. Diesel Barbershop has 31 units, Tune Up The Manly Salon has 35. SBA loan history: Diesel Barbershop = 10 loans (0.0% default); Tune Up The Manly Salon = 38 loans (10.5% 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.
Diesel Barbershop vs Tune Up The Manly Salon: 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
Tune Up The Manly Salon requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($200K vs $361K for Diesel Barbershop), a 80% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $45K for Diesel Barbershop versus $40K for Tune Up The Manly Salon, Tune Up The Manly Salon has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 7.5% for Diesel Barbershop and 5% for Tune Up The Manly Salon, giving Tune Up The Manly Salon the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Tune Up The Manly Salon operates 35 units to Diesel Barbershop's 31. Diesel Barbershop has been operating 15 years (founded 2011) versus 14 for Tune Up The Manly Salon (founded 2012), a 1-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Tune Up The Manly Salon has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 38 7(a) approvals compared with 10 for Diesel Barbershop. Diesel Barbershop's peak SBA year was 2020 (5 loans); Tune Up The Manly Salon's peak was 2018 (14 loans). Diesel Barbershop's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Both systems have the most SBA funded units in TX. Borrowers in that state will find the deepest lender familiarity with either brand. Average SBA loan size on funded Diesel Barbershop deals is $270K vs $242K for Tune Up The Manly Salon, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 0.0% for Diesel Barbershop and 10.5% for Tune Up The Manly Salon, Diesel Barbershop has the cleaner SBA loss record by 10.5 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 51 (Moderate) for Diesel Barbershop and 41 (Fair) for Tune Up The Manly Salon, giving Diesel Barbershop the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 51/100 | 41/100 |
Health Tier | Moderate | Fair |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 10 | 38 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 0.0% | 10.5% |
Peer Tier | growing | established |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $361K to $503K | $200K to $297K |
Franchise Fee | $45K | $40K |
Royalty Rate | 7.5% | 5% |
Ad Fund | 1% | 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 | 31 | 35 |
Franchised Units | 27 | 35 |
Company Owned | 4 | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | N/A |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 2011 | 2012 |
Franchising Since | 2017 | N/A |
Years Franchising | 9 yrs | N/A |
Headquarters | KATY, TX | Spring, TX |
Category | Barber Shops | Barber Shops |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2026 | N/A |
Which Is Better, Diesel Barbershop or Tune Up The Manly Salon?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Diesel Barbershop: $361K starting · Tune Up The Manly Salon: $200K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Tune Up The Manly Salon
Diesel Barbershop: 10 SBA loans · Tune Up The Manly Salon: 38 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Diesel Barbershop
Diesel Barbershop: 0.0% · Tune Up The Manly Salon: 10.5%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Diesel Barbershop: 31 units · Tune Up The Manly Salon: 35 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Tune Up The Manly Salon
Diesel Barbershop: 7.5% · Tune Up The Manly Salon: 5%
More lender financing options
Tune Up The Manly Salon
Diesel Barbershop: 8 unique lenders · Tune Up The Manly Salon: 11 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
Diesel Barbershop vs Tune Up The Manly Salon: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Diesel Barbershop and Tune Up The Manly Salon is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $200K to $503K.
Diesel Barbershop has 10 SBA loans on record and Tune Up The Manly Salon has 38. 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.
Diesel Barbershop vs Tune Up The Manly Salon, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Diesel Barbershop or Tune Up The Manly Salon?
How much does a Diesel Barbershop franchise cost compared to Tune Up The Manly Salon?
Can I finance Diesel Barbershop or Tune Up The Manly Salon with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Diesel Barbershop or Tune Up The Manly Salon?
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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