---
title: "Free Tools to Evaluate Franchises Video"
description: "Watch this video to learn free Franchise Grade tools that help you evaluate franchises before you buy, with clearer data and less guesswork."
url: "https://www.franchisegrade.com/learn/academy/franchise-basics/free-tools-evaluate-franchises"
canonical: "https://www.franchisegrade.com/learn/academy/franchise-basics/free-tools-evaluate-franchises"
markdown_url: "https://www.franchisegrade.com/learn/academy/franchise-basics/free-tools-evaluate-franchises.md"
type: "Video"
topic: "Franchise Basics"
duration: "1:24"
published: "2026-07-18"
watch_url: "https://www.franchisegrade.com/learn/academy/franchise-basics/free-tools-evaluate-franchises"
video_url: "https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/IwxiZ3w0qzg"
---

# Free Tools to Evaluate Franchises Video

Watch this video to learn free Franchise Grade tools that help you evaluate franchises before you buy, with clearer data and less guesswork.

## Video details

- **Runtime:** 1:24
- **Presented by:** Franchise Grade Research Team
- **Video:** https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/IwxiZ3w0qzg
- **Watch page:** https://www.franchisegrade.com/learn/academy/franchise-basics/free-tools-evaluate-franchises

## Key takeaways

- Free tools narrow thousands of brands to a shortlist; they do not make the decision.
- The useful ones work from Franchise Disclosure Document data rather than brand marketing copy.
- Screening on capital first eliminates fastest and costs nothing.
- Comparison only means something when the same fields are shown for every brand.
- Finish with validation calls and a franchise attorney regardless of what any tool says.

## Frequently asked questions

### What free tools help evaluate a franchise?

A directory carrying Item 7 investment ranges and Item 6 fees, a side-by-side comparison view, an affordability screen that filters by liquid capital and net worth, and a glossary of the terms used in the agreement. Franchise Grade publishes all four without a sign-up, drawn from FDD data across more than 3,000 U.S. systems.

### Can a free tool tell me if a franchise is right for me?

It can tell you whether a brand fits your capital, what it charges, how many units it operates and whether it discloses earnings. It cannot judge whether the model works in your market with your management. That requires validation calls with current and former franchisees and a review of the agreement with a franchise attorney.

### What data should a franchise evaluation tool show?

Total initial investment from Item 7, the full recurring fee schedule from Item 6, three-year openings, closures, terminations and transfers from Item 20, whether an Item 19 exists and what it covers, and litigation from Item 3. A tool that shows growth without closures is showing you half the picture.

### Are free franchise tools biased toward paying brands?

Many franchise portals are funded by franchisor advertising, which means placement reflects spend rather than performance. Check how a tool makes money and whether brands can pay for ranking. A source that publishes unflattering data about well-known brands is demonstrating that it is not selling placement.

---

*Source: [FranchiseGrade](https://www.franchisegrade.com) — independent, FDD-derived franchise research.*
*Cite this page as: https://www.franchisegrade.com/learn/academy/franchise-basics/free-tools-evaluate-franchises*
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