REF Global Franchise Review 2026: Ratings & Verdict

Product details

Contents

Key facts


The Verdict

Quick Verdict · who it fits

REF Global fits first-time franchise buyers looking for an emerging business services concept.

✓ Strengths

⚠ Risks to review

Key FDD Facts

The numbers a buyer needs first — straight from the filing.

Initial investment (Item 7)

$67K - $84K

Franchise fee (Item 5)

$58K

Royalty (Item 6)

20%

Item 19 median rev

$314k all franchised units

System size (Item 20)

14

Years in business

7+ yrs

Item 3 litigation

1 suit

Model REF Global's costs in the investment calculator → Prefilled from this filing — startup cost, cash flow and break-even.

Buyer qualifications

Data extracted from the 2026 FDD filed with state regulators. Fees and terms may have changed since filing — request the current FDD from the franchisor before deciding. Not legal, financial, or investment advice. Full disclaimer.

What you'd pay the franchisor

Drag to your projected annual sales. Royalty 20% on gross sales.

PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$310,000

$100k$2M

Royalty (20%)

Total / year

▪ Of-sales fees only · excludes rent, labor, COGS, and one-time costs · for illustration

Industry Benchmarks

How REF Global ranks against 91 Business Services peers we've analyzed.

Initial investment

38th pct · of 91 peers

Franchise fee

77th pct · of 91 peers

System size

18th pct · of 91 peers

Business Services industry averages

Avg investment

$149K - $428K

Avg franchise fee

$49K

Avg system size

222

Franchises analyzed

91

How REF Global stacks up

Closest concepts by category and investment.

Brand Item 19 Fee Investment Royalty Units
REF Global Disclosed $58K $67K - $84K 20% 14
Coaching MattersSimilar price Disclosed $60K $80K - $84K 8% 51
The Ups StoreBiggest system Disclosed $40K $86K - $606K 5% 5,487
Unishippers Global LogisticsTop-rated in category Disclosed $30K $17K - $233K 15–18.5% 191

Compare side-by-side ↗

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a REF Global franchise cost?

REF Global requires a $58,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $66,560–$84,275, per the most recent FDD on file.

Who owns REF Global?

REF Global is franchised by REF USA Corporation, the franchisor entity of record on its Franchise Disclosure Document. Item 1 of the FDD discloses the franchisor's corporate history, parents, and predecessors.

Does REF Global disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

Yes. REF Global discloses Item 19 financial performance representations with reported revenue around $314,113. See the financials sub-page for the full distribution.

What ongoing fees does REF Global charge?

Franchisees pay a royalty of 20% of Gross Received Revenues on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.

How many REF Global locations are there?

As of their 2026 FDD, REF Global has 14 total locations. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.

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