Franchise financing
Ace Hardware franchise financing
What it costs to finance a Ace Hardware franchise and how buyers fund it. The real numbers: how much gets borrowed, which lenders fund it, and the track record.
By Mario Bailey · Source: SBA FOIA data, as of 2026-03-31
- SBA loans
- 800
- Total funded
- $661.4M
- Median loan
- $535K
- 7(a) charge-off
- 2.2%
What financing a Ace Hardware franchise costs
The median SBA loan to a Ace Hardware franchisee is $535K, and the middle half of Ace Hardware's 800 loans run $300K to $1.0M (average $827K). Across all SBA-financed franchises the median loan is $350K. Ace Hardware buyers borrow more than the typical franchisee.
These are loan amounts, not the brand's total startup cost. Buyers also put in equity (the SBA generally wants at least 10% down on a new franchise), and the brand's own investment estimate is Item 7 of its franchise disclosure document (FDD). The median Ace Hardware loan runs 10 years. Model your numbers with the franchise financing calculator.
Of the 763 Ace Hardware loans where the SBA recorded a business age, 37.8% went to new businesses two years old or younger. The rest funded existing operations.
How to finance Ace Hardware
Ace Hardware franchisees have financed with 800 SBA loans since FY2010, averaging $827K each. Of those, 642 ran through the 7(a) program (franchise fee, build-out, equipment, and working capital) and 158 through 504 (owner-occupied real estate). Lenders weigh your credit, management experience, and the brand's track record alongside the equity you bring.
Ace Hardware's 7(a) charge-off rate is 2.2% across 642 loans, a relative track-record signal lenders and buyers weigh, not a guarantee. See how that compares across franchises.
Lenders that finance Ace Hardware
By SBA loan count
- 1. Live Oak Banking Company 73
- 2. Wells Fargo Bank National Association 82
- 3. National Cooperative Bank, National Association 24
- 4. The Huntington National Bank 58
- 5. PNC Bank, National Association 16
- 6. Columbia Bank 13
- 7. JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association 17
- 8. Mortgage Capital Development Corporation 10
Where Ace Hardware gets funded
Top states by loan count
- 1. California 83
- 2. Texas 63
- 3. Georgia 55
- 4. Florida 36
- 5. Michigan 54
- 6. Arizona 31
- 7. Colorado 30
- 8. Washington 33
Financing a Ace Hardware?
Get matched with the SBA lenders that actually fund businesses like yours, ranked on real loan data by state, industry, and size. Independent: your details go only to the lenders we match you to, never to data brokers.
Ace Hardware SBA financing FAQ
How much does a Ace Hardware franchise cost?
The public SBA data shows what buyers actually borrow, not a sticker price: the median SBA loan to a Ace Hardware franchisee is $535K, and the middle half of Ace Hardware's 800 loans run $300K to $1.0M. Total investment (including the equity you put in, generally 10% or more) is estimated in Item 7 of Ace Hardware's franchise disclosure document.
Can you use an SBA loan for Ace Hardware?
Yes. Lenders have funded 800 SBA loans to Ace Hardware franchisees, worth $661.4M in all, so Ace Hardware is regularly financed with SBA 7(a) and 504 loans.
Can a first-time owner get an SBA loan for Ace Hardware?
The data says yes: of Ace Hardware's 763 SBA loans that record a business age, 37.8% went to new businesses two years old or younger. Expect the lender to look harder at your experience, business plan, and equity injection.
Which lenders finance Ace Hardware?
By loan count, the most active SBA lenders for Ace Hardware are Live Oak Banking Company, Wells Fargo Bank National Association, National Cooperative Bank, National Association, among others. A lender already active with your brand often moves faster.
What is Ace Hardware's SBA charge-off rate?
Across Ace Hardware's 642 SBA 7(a) loans, 2.2% have charged off. Read it as a relative track-record signal, not a prediction. It is not a lifetime default rate.
Which SBA program fits Ace Hardware?
Both. Of Ace Hardware's 800 SBA loans, 642 were 7(a) (franchise fee, build-out, equipment, working capital) and 158 were 504 (owner-occupied real estate). The median Ace Hardware loan term is 10 years.