Screenmobile vs The Designery
Screenmobile vs The Designery: Screenmobile costs $48K to $621K to open; The Designery costs $50K to $454K. Screenmobile has 26 units, The Designery has 7. SBA loan history: Screenmobile = 34 loans (0.0% default); The Designery = 13 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.
Screenmobile vs The Designery: 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
Screenmobile requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($48K vs $50K for The Designery), a 5% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $50K for Screenmobile versus $55K for The Designery, Screenmobile has the lower entry fee. Ongoing royalty load is 7% for Screenmobile and 1% for The Designery, giving The Designery the lighter per-unit drag on operating income.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, Screenmobile operates 26 units to The Designery's 7, roughly 4× the system size. Screenmobile has been operating 46 years (founded 1980) versus 19 for The Designery (founded 2007), a 27-year tenure gap that affects unit-economics maturity and FDD revision history.
SBA Lending Profile
Screenmobile has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 34 7(a) approvals compared with 13 for The Designery. Screenmobile's peak SBA year was 2021 (9 loans); The Designery's peak was 2025 (9 loans). The Designery's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. Screenmobile has the most SBA funded units in OH, with 5. The Designery leads in TX, with 3. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded Screenmobile deals is $241K vs $274K for The Designery, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 0.0% for Screenmobile and 0.0% for The Designery. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 66 (Strong) for Screenmobile and 66 (Strong) for The Designery.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 66/100 | 66/100 |
Health Tier | Strong | Strong |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | N/A |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 34 | 13 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Peer Tier | established | growing |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $48K to $621K | $50K to $454K |
Franchise Fee | $50K | $55K |
Royalty Rate | 7% | 1% |
Ad Fund | 2% | 3% |
Liquid Capital | $150K | N/A |
Net Worth Required | $250K | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Disclosed | Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 26 | 7 |
Franchised Units | 26 | 7 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | 10 yrs |
Brand Information
Year Founded | 1980 | 2007 |
Franchising Since | 2005 | N/A |
Years Franchising | 21 yrs | N/A |
Headquarters | Chino, CA | Huntersville, NC |
Category | Finish Carpentry Contractors | Finish Carpentry Contractors |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2025 | 2025 |
Which Is Better, Screenmobile or The Designery?
Lower upfront capital required
Screenmobile
Screenmobile: $48K starting · The Designery: $50K starting
More SBA lender confidence
Screenmobile
Screenmobile: 34 SBA loans · The Designery: 13 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
Tie
Screenmobile: 0.0% · The Designery: 0.0%
Larger system & brand presence
Screenmobile
Screenmobile: 26 units · The Designery: 7 units
Lower ongoing royalty load
The Designery
Screenmobile: 7% · The Designery: 1%
More lender financing options
Screenmobile
Screenmobile: 15 unique lenders · The Designery: 3 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
Screenmobile vs The Designery: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing Screenmobile and The Designery is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $48K to $621K.
Screenmobile has 34 SBA loans on record and The Designery has 13. 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.
Screenmobile vs The Designery, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, Screenmobile or The Designery?
How much does a Screenmobile franchise cost compared to The Designery?
Can I finance Screenmobile or The Designery with an SBA loan?
Which has a lower SBA default rate, Screenmobile or The Designery?
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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
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