TAB Franchise Review 2026: Ratings & Verdict

Product details

Contents

Key facts


The Verdict

Quick Verdict · who it fits

TAB fits first-time franchise buyers looking for a mid-scale business services concept.

✓ Strengths

⚠ Risks to review

Key FDD Facts

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

Initial investment (Item 7)

$77K - $95K

Franchise fee (Item 5)

$44K

Royalty (Item 6)

6–20% + 2% ad

System size (Item 20)

88 +11

Years in business

30+ yrs

Company-owned units

10

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

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 6–20% + ad fund 2% on gross sales.

PROJECTED ANNUAL SALES$500,000

$100k$2M

Royalty (6–20%)

Ad fund (2%)

Total / year

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

Executive Summary

Free AI summary — the first read on the filing.

Key Numbers

98

Total units open

11

Units opened last year

12

Units closed last year

-6

Net unit growth

AI Due Diligence Findings PREMIUM

What our analysis flagged across the 2026 filing.

5

Risks to review

4

Strengths identified

5

Questions to ask

Industry Benchmarks

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

Initial investment

47th pct · of 91 peers

Franchise fee

38th pct · of 91 peers

System size

61st pct · of 91 peers

Business Services industry averages

Avg investment

$149K - $428K

Avg franchise fee

$49K

Avg system size

222

Franchises analyzed

91

How TAB stacks up

Closest concepts by category and investment.

Brand Item 19 Fee Investment Royalty Units
TAB Disclosed $44K $77K - $95K 6–20% 88
FrannetSimilar price Disclosed $25K $60K - $98K 90–100% 58
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 TAB franchise cost?

TAB requires a $44,000 initial franchise fee and a total initial investment range of $77,130–$95,405, per the most recent FDD on file.

Who owns TAB?

TAB is franchised by TAB Boards International, Inc., 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 TAB disclose financial performance (Item 19)?

Yes. TAB discloses Item 19 financial performance representations in its FDD. See the financials sub-page for the disclosed figures.

What ongoing fees does TAB charge?

Franchisees pay a royalty of 6%–20% of Amounts Collected on Your Behalf and an advertising fund contribution of 2% on gross sales as defined in Item 6 of the FDD.

How many TAB locations are there?

As of their 2026 FDD, TAB has 88 total locations, with 11 new locations opened in the most recent reporting year. This information comes from Item 20 of the FDD.

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