Lawn Doctor vs Spring-Green Lawn Care
Lawn Doctor vs Spring-Green Lawn Care: Lawn Doctor costs $20K to $211K to open; Spring-Green Lawn Care costs $192K to $794K. Lawn Doctor has 87 units, Spring-Green Lawn Care has 19. SBA loan history: Lawn Doctor = 115 loans (7.0% default); Spring-Green Lawn Care = 19 loans (0.0% 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.
Lawn Doctor vs Spring-Green Lawn Care: 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
Lawn Doctor requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($20K vs $192K for Spring-Green Lawn Care), a 90% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $20K for Lawn Doctor versus $65K for Spring-Green Lawn Care, Lawn Doctor has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 10% for Lawn Doctor and 8% for Spring-Green Lawn Care, giving Spring-Green Lawn Care the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Lawn Doctor operates 87 units to Spring-Green Lawn Care's 19, roughly 5× the system size. Lawn Doctor has been operating 59 years (founded 1967) versus 49 for Spring-Green Lawn Care (founded 1977), a 10-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Lawn Doctor has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 115 7(a) approvals compared with 19 for Spring-Green Lawn Care.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 7.0% for Lawn Doctor and 0.0% for Spring-Green Lawn Care, Spring-Green Lawn Care has the cleaner SBA loss record by 7.0 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 58 (Moderate) for Lawn Doctor and 52 (Moderate) for Spring-Green Lawn Care, giving Lawn Doctor the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 58/100 | 52/100 |
Health Tier | Moderate | Moderate |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 115 | 19 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 7.0% | 0.0% |
Peer Tier | major | growing |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $20K to $211K | $192K to $794K |
Franchise Fee | $20K | $65K |
Royalty Rate | 10% | 8% |
Ad Fund | 4% | 2% |
Liquid Capital | $50K | N/A |
Net Worth Required | $200K | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 87 | 19 |
Franchised Units | 87 | 19 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | 10 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1967 | 1977 |
Franchising Since | 1960 | 1977 |
Years Franchising | 66 yrs | 49 yrs |
Headquarters | TOMS RIVER, NJ | N/A |
Category | Landscaping Services | Landscaping Services |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2026 | 2024 |
Which Is Better, Lawn Doctor or Spring-Green Lawn Care?
Lower upfront capital required
Lawn Doctor
Lawn Doctor: $20K starting · Spring-Green Lawn Care: $192K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Lawn Doctor
Lawn Doctor: 115 SBA loans · Spring-Green Lawn Care: 19 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Spring-Green Lawn Care
Lawn Doctor: 7.0% · Spring-Green Lawn Care: 0.0%
Larger system & brand presence
Lawn Doctor
Lawn Doctor: 87 units · Spring-Green Lawn Care: 19 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
Spring-Green Lawn Care
Lawn Doctor: 10% · Spring-Green Lawn Care: 8%
More lender financing options
Lawn Doctor
Lawn Doctor: 51 unique lenders · Spring-Green Lawn Care: 15 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
Lawn Doctor vs Spring-Green Lawn Care: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Lawn Doctor and Spring-Green Lawn Care is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $20K to $794K.
Lawn Doctor has 115 SBA loans on record and Spring-Green Lawn Care has 19. 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.
Lawn Doctor vs Spring-Green Lawn Care, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Lawn Doctor or Spring-Green Lawn Care?
How much does a Lawn Doctor franchise cost compared to Spring-Green Lawn Care?
Can I finance Lawn Doctor or Spring-Green Lawn Care with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Lawn Doctor or Spring-Green Lawn Care?
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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