DirectBuy vs Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa
DirectBuy vs Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa: DirectBuy costs $364K to $637K to open; Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa costs $100K to $153K. DirectBuy has 27 units, Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa has 101. SBA loan history: DirectBuy = 29 loans (55.2% default); Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa = 120 loans (0.8% 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.
DirectBuy vs Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa: 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
Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($100K vs $364K for DirectBuy), a 266% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $75K for DirectBuy versus $50K for Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa, Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa has the lower entry fee.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa operates 101 units to DirectBuy's 27, roughly 4× the system size. DirectBuy has been operating 55 years (founded 1971) versus 22 for Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa (founded 2004), a 33-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 120 7(a) approvals compared with 29 for DirectBuy.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 55.2% for DirectBuy and 0.8% for Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa, Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa has the cleaner SBA loss record by 54.4 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 28 (Fair) for DirectBuy and 59 (Moderate) for Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa, giving Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 28/100 | 59/100 |
Health Tier | Limited | Moderate |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 29 | 120 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 55.2% | 0.8% |
Peer Tier | established | major |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $364K to $637K | $100K to $153K |
Franchise Fee | $75K | $50K |
Royalty Rate | N/A | 6% |
Ad Fund | N/A | N/A |
Liquid Capital | N/A | $150K |
Net Worth Required | N/A | $750K |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 27 | 101 |
Franchised Units | 27 | 101 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | N/A | N/A |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1971 | 2004 |
Franchising Since | N/A | 1960 |
Years Franchising | N/A | 66 yrs |
Headquarters | Merrillville, IN | N/A |
Category | All Other Personal Services | All Other Personal Services |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | 2025 |
Which Is Better, DirectBuy or Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
DirectBuy: $364K starting · Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa: $100K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa
DirectBuy: 29 SBA loans · Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa: 120 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa
DirectBuy: 55.2% · Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa: 0.8%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
DirectBuy: 27 units · Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa: 101 units
More lender financing options
Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa
DirectBuy: 21 unique lenders · Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa: 56 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.
Need Funding for DirectBuy or Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa?
PeerSense connects you with 500+ SBA lenders and capital sources. Our referral fee is established upfront and paid at closing.
SBA Lenders & Capital Sources
Retainers or Consulting Fees
10% Down Franchise Loans
About These Franchises
DirectBuy vs Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing DirectBuy and Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $100K to $637K.
DirectBuy has 29 SBA loans on record and Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa has 120. 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.
DirectBuy vs Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, DirectBuy or Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa?
How much does a DirectBuy franchise cost compared to Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa?
Can I finance DirectBuy or Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, DirectBuy or Hand And Stone Massage And Facial Spa?
Talk to PeerSense
Tell us which brand and your budget. We source capital from lenders who have already funded deals in these systems.
Franchise / SBA 7(a): The desk will reach out. No obligation.
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