Doctors Express vs Nurse Next Door
Doctors Express vs Nurse Next Door: Doctors Express costs $1.2M to $1.8M to open; Nurse Next Door costs $45K to $150K. Doctors Express has 41 units, Nurse Next Door has 44. SBA loan history: Doctors Express = 46 loans (6.5% default); Nurse Next Door = 57 loans (17.5% 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.
Doctors Express vs Nurse Next Door: 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
Nurse Next Door requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($45K vs $1.2M for Doctors Express), a 2628% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $60K for Doctors Express versus $56K for Nurse Next Door, Nurse Next Door has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 6% for Doctors Express and 5% for Nurse Next Door, giving Nurse Next Door the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Nurse Next Door operates 44 units to Doctors Express's 41. Doctors Express has been operating 44 years (founded 1982) versus 20 for Nurse Next Door (founded 2006), a 24-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Nurse Next Door has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 57 7(a) approvals compared with 46 for Doctors Express.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 6.5% for Doctors Express and 17.5% for Nurse Next Door, Doctors Express has the cleaner SBA loss record by 11.0 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 37 (Fair) for Doctors Express and 63 (Moderate) for Nurse Next Door, giving Nurse Next Door the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 37/100 | 63/100 |
Health Tier | Fair | Moderate |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Surging |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 46 | 57 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 6.5% | 17.5% |
Peer Tier | established | established |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $1.2M to $1.8M | $45K to $150K |
Franchise Fee | $60K | $56K |
Royalty Rate | 6% | 5% |
Ad Fund | 1% | 1% |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 41 | 44 |
Franchised Units | 41 | 44 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | 5 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1982 | 2006 |
Franchising Since | N/A | 2023 |
Years Franchising | N/A | 3 yrs |
Headquarters | Birmingham, AL | Burbank, CA |
Category | Office Administrative Services | Office Administrative Services |
Website | ||
FDD Year | N/A | 2026 |
Which Is Better, Doctors Express or Nurse Next Door?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Doctors Express: $1.2M starting · Nurse Next Door: $45K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Nurse Next Door
Doctors Express: 46 SBA loans · Nurse Next Door: 57 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Doctors Express
Doctors Express: 6.5% · Nurse Next Door: 17.5%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Doctors Express: 41 units · Nurse Next Door: 44 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Nurse Next Door
Doctors Express: 6% · Nurse Next Door: 5%
More lender financing options
Doctors Express
Doctors Express: 20 unique lenders · Nurse Next Door: 16 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
Doctors Express vs Nurse Next Door: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Doctors Express and Nurse Next Door is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $45K to $1.8M.
Doctors Express has 46 SBA loans on record and Nurse Next Door has 57. 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.
Doctors Express vs Nurse Next Door, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Doctors Express or Nurse Next Door?
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Which has a lower SBA default rate, Doctors Express or Nurse Next Door?
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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