Frenchies Modern Nail Care vs Great Clips
Frenchies Modern Nail Care vs Great Clips: Frenchies Modern Nail Care costs $40K–$350K to open; Great Clips costs $188K–$420K. Frenchies Modern Nail Care has 22 units, Great Clips has 471. SBA loan history: Frenchies Modern Nail Care = 33 loans (12.1% default); Great Clips = 600 loans (4.5% default). The franchise with more SBA-funded units, lower default rate, and lower royalty load is the safer financing bet, see the comparison below.
Frenchies Modern Nail Care vs Great Clips: Capital, Scale & Lending Analysis
Data-driven differentiation pulled from 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
Frenchies Modern Nail Care requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($40K vs $188K for Great Clips), a 79% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $50K for Frenchies Modern Nail Care versus $20K for Great Clips, Great Clips has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 6% for Frenchies Modern Nail Care and 6% for Great Clips, equal royalty drag.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Great Clips operates 471 units to Frenchies Modern Nail Care's 22, roughly 21× the system size. Great Clips has been operating 44 years (founded 1982) versus 12 for Frenchies Modern Nail Care (founded 2014), a 32-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Great Clips has the deeper SBA lending track record with 600 historical 7(a) approvals versus 33 for Frenchies Modern Nail Care. Frenchies Modern Nail Care's peak SBA year was 2019 (15 loans); Great Clips's peak was 2004 (45 loans). Frenchies Modern Nail Care's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Geographically, Frenchies Modern Nail Care concentrates in OH (6 SBA-funded units) while Great Clips leads in TX (97). Pick the brand whose strongest state matches yours for warmest lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Frenchies Modern Nail Care deals is $227K vs $210K for Great Clips, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 12.1% for Frenchies Modern Nail Care and 4.5% for Great Clips, Great Clips has the cleaner historical loss profile by 7.6 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 47 (Fair) for Frenchies Modern Nail Care and 59 (Moderate) for Great Clips, giving Great Clips the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 47/100 | 59/100 |
Health Tier | Fair | Moderate |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 33 | 600 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 12.1% | 4.5% |
Peer Tier | established | major |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $40K – $350K | $188K – $420K |
Franchise Fee | $50K | $20K |
Royalty Rate | 6% | 6% |
Ad Fund | 2% | 5% |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | $1 |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Not Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 22 | 471 |
Franchised Units | 22 | 471 |
Company-Owned | – | – |
Term Length | N/A | 10 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 2014 | 1982 |
Franchising Since | N/A | 1983 |
Years Franchising | N/A | 43 yrs |
Headquarters | Cincinnati, OH | SAN ANTONIO, MN |
Category | Nail Salons | Nail Salons |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2025 | 2026 |
Which Is Better, Frenchies Modern Nail Care or Great Clips?
Lower upfront capital required
Frenchies Modern Nail Care
Frenchies Modern Nail Care: $40K starting · Great Clips: $188K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Great Clips
Frenchies Modern Nail Care: 33 SBA loans · Great Clips: 600 SBA loans
Lower historical default rate
Great Clips
Frenchies Modern Nail Care: 12.1% · Great Clips: 4.5%
Larger system & brand presence
Great Clips
Frenchies Modern Nail Care: 22 units · Great Clips: 471 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Tie
Frenchies Modern Nail Care: 6% · Great Clips: 6%
More lender financing options
Great Clips
Frenchies Modern Nail Care: 13 unique lenders · Great Clips: 132 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
Frenchies Modern Nail Care vs Great Clips: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Frenchies Modern Nail Care and Great Clips is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $40K to $420K.
Both brands have active SBA lending histories, Frenchies Modern Nail Care with 33 SBA loans and Great Clips with 600. This means proven lender acceptance and established underwriting paths for franchise buyers.
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.
Frenchies Modern Nail Care vs Great Clips, Frequently Asked Questions
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