Pet Wants vs WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA
Pet Wants vs WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA: Pet Wants costs $30K to $88K to open; WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA costs $95K to $195K. Pet Wants has 10 units, WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA has 40. SBA loan history: Pet Wants = 10 loans (0.0% default); WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA = 44 loans (18.2% 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.
Pet Wants vs WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA: 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
Pet Wants requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($30K vs $95K for WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA), a 68% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $49K for Pet Wants versus $25K for WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA, WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 7% for Pet Wants and 4.5% for WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA, giving WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA operates 40 units to Pet Wants's 10, roughly 4× the system size. WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA has been operating 41 years (founded 1985) versus 16 for Pet Wants (founded 2010), a 25-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 44 7(a) approvals compared with 10 for Pet Wants.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 0.0% for Pet Wants and 18.2% for WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA, Pet Wants has the cleaner SBA loss record by 18.2 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 53 (Moderate) for Pet Wants and 28 (Fair) for WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA, giving Pet Wants the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 53/100 | 28/100 |
Health Tier | Moderate | Limited |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 10 | 44 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 0.0% | 18.2% |
Peer Tier | growing | established |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $30K to $88K | $95K to $195K |
Franchise Fee | $49K | $25K |
Royalty Rate | 7% | 4.5% |
Ad Fund | 2% | N/A |
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 | 10 | 40 |
Franchised Units | 10 | 40 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | N/A |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 2010 | 1985 |
Franchising Since | 2015 | N/A |
Years Franchising | 11 yrs | N/A |
Headquarters | Cincinnati, TX | Glen Echo, MD |
Category | Pet | Pet |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2024 | N/A |
Which Is Better, Pet Wants or WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
Pet Wants: $30K starting · WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA: $95K starting
More SBA lender confidence
WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA
Pet Wants: 10 SBA loans · WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA: 44 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Pet Wants
Pet Wants: 0.0% · WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA: 18.2%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
Pet Wants: 10 units · WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA: 40 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA
Pet Wants: 7% · WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA: 4.5%
More lender financing options
WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA
Pet Wants: 8 unique lenders · WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA: 28 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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Pet Wants vs WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Pet Wants and WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $30K to $195K.
Pet Wants has 10 SBA loans on record and WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA has 44. 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.
Pet Wants vs WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Pet Wants or WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA?
How much does a Pet Wants franchise cost compared to WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA?
Can I finance Pet Wants or WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Pet Wants or WILD BIRD CENTERS OF AMERICA?
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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