Industry Comparison Guides
ATM Route vs Vending Machine Route: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Vending machine routes trade at a median 0.6x SDE with estimated DSCRs above 17x, making them one of the strongest cash flow deals in the SBA market. ATM routes lack national aggregate data but share structural DNA. According to Regalis Capital, vending wins on deal math, but ATM routes deserve serious consideration for the right buyer.
Auto Repair Shop vs Auto Detailing: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Auto repair shops offer stronger SBA acquisition economics, with a median asking price of $635,000, $200,000 in SDE, and a 3.0x multiple that sits comfortably in the SBA sweet spot. Auto detailing businesses lack national deal aggregate data, making underwriting harder. Regalis Capital generally favors auto repair for first-time SBA acquirers based on lender familiarity and cash flow consistency.
Cleaning Company vs Landscaping Company: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Cleaning companies trade at 2.1x SDE with a median ask of $254,500 and an estimated DSCR of 5.9x, making them exceptionally bankable SBA deals. Landscaping companies are larger at $500,000 median ask and 2.7x multiple, with strong 3.5x DSCR. According to Regalis Capital, both are highly financeable, but cleaning wins on SBA economics.
Cleaning Company vs Pressure Washing: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Cleaning companies trade at a median 2.1x SDE with a $254,500 asking price and an estimated 5.9x DSCR, making them one of the strongest SBA acquisition targets available. Pressure washing lacks national listing data, but operates as a leaner, more seasonal business. According to Regalis Capital, cleaning companies win on financing economics by a wide margin.
Coffee Shop vs Pizza Shop: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Coffee shops trade at a 2.4x median multiple with a $325,000 asking price and an estimated 4.1x DSCR, making them one of the cleanest SBA acquisition targets in food service. Pizza shops lack national aggregate data, but carry higher food costs and complexity. Regalis Capital generally favors coffee shops on pure acquisition economics.
Coffee Shop vs Restaurant: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Coffee shops and restaurants both sit well below the SBA 7(a) sweet spot at 2.4x and 2.3x EBITDA multiples respectively, with median asking prices near $325K and $350K. Both carry strong estimated DSCRs above 4x. According to Regalis Capital's deal team, restaurants offer marginally better cash flow but coffee shops carry lower operational complexity for most first-time buyers.
Convenience Store vs Gas Station: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Convenience stores come in at a median $399,000 ask with a 2.5x multiple and an estimated 3.8x DSCR, making them among the cleanest SBA acquisition targets available. Gas stations run higher at $750,000 with a 3.4x multiple and a tighter 2.5x DSCR. According to Regalis Capital's deal team, c-stores win on financing economics. Gas stations win on raw cash flow.
Convenience Store vs Liquor Store: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Convenience stores and liquor stores carry nearly identical median cash flow around $157,000, but convenience stores price at 2.5x versus liquor stores at 3.3x, producing a meaningfully better DSCR. According to Regalis Capital's deal team, convenience stores offer stronger SBA acquisition economics for most first-time buyers despite higher operational complexity.
Day Care Center vs Assisted Living: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Day care centers ask a median $739,000 with a 3.5x multiple and estimated 2.6x DSCR, making them more SBA-friendly at lower capital entry. Assisted living facilities run $1.5M median with stronger cash flow at $338,924 SDE, but carry heavier licensing and staffing complexity. Regalis Capital generally favors day care for first-time acquirers on SBA 7(a).
eCommerce vs SaaS: Which Business to Buy? | Regalis Capital
eCommerce businesses trade at 2.9x EBITDA with a median ask of $242,450 and an estimated DSCR of 8.4x, making them the stronger SBA acquisition on pure financing economics. SaaS companies offer better revenue quality and retention but trade at 3.7x with half the deal count at the lower end. Regalis Capital breaks down both below.
FedEx Route vs Vending Machine Route: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Vending machine routes trade at a 0.6x multiple with median asking prices around $30,000 and an estimated DSCR of 17.3x, making them unusually clean for SBA financing. FedEx routes carry structural risks around contractor agreements that most SBA lenders flag. Based on Regalis Capital's deal analysis, vending wins on financing terms for most buyers.
Gym & Fitness Center vs Spa: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Spas outperform gyms on nearly every SBA acquisition metric as of Q1 2026. With a median SDE of $171,579 versus $123,267 and a 2.1x average multiple versus 2.9x, spas offer more cash flow at a lower relative price. Regalis Capital sees spas clearing DSCR thresholds more comfortably on standard SBA structures.
Hair Salon vs Nail Salon: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Hair salons and nail salons are priced nearly identically at roughly $180,000 median, but nail salons trade at a tighter 1.6x multiple versus hair salons at 2.0x, meaning you get more cash flow per dollar spent. Both clear SBA's 1.5x DSCR floor with room to spare. Regalis Capital sees nail salons as the stronger SBA acquisition on pure deal math.
Hair Salon vs Spa: Which Business Should You Buy? | Regalis Capital
Hair salons ask $185,000 at a 2.0x multiple with an estimated 5.3x DSCR, making them one of the strongest SBA acquisition targets by cash-on-cash metrics. Spas ask $339,500 at a 2.1x multiple with a 4.9x DSCR. Both clear SBA thresholds easily, but salons offer lower entry and tighter deal math. Regalis Capital sees both close regularly with 10% equity injections.
HVAC vs Electrical Company: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
HVAC companies come in at a lower median asking price ($794,500 vs $1,010,000) with a tighter equity injection requirement, and their estimated 3.2x DSCR gives buyers more cushion than electrical at 2.9x. According to Regalis Capital's deal team, both trade below the SBA sweet spot at roughly 2.9x to 3.0x EBITDA, making either a strong acquisition target.
HVAC vs Landscaping Company: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
HVAC companies ask nearly 60% more than landscaping businesses at the median ($794,500 vs $500,000), but both trade below 3x SDE and clear SBA debt service comfortably. According to Regalis Capital, both industries are strong SBA acquisition targets, with landscaping offering lower entry cost and HVAC offering higher cash flow per dollar invested.
HVAC vs Plumbing Company: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
HVAC and plumbing companies are nearly identical in asking price as of Q1 2026, but plumbing edges ahead on cash flow ($287,400 vs $261,553 SDE) and DSCR (3.5x vs 3.2x). According to Regalis Capital's deal team, both are strong SBA acquisition targets, but plumbing wins on raw financing economics at the median.
Landscaping vs Pest Control: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Landscaping companies trade at a median of $500K with a 2.7x multiple and a 3.5x DSCR, making them the stronger SBA acquisition on paper. Pest control comes in at $875K and a 3.0x multiple with a 2.7x DSCR, still well above the 1.5x floor. Both work. Regalis Capital sees landscaping as the better entry point for first-time buyers.
Landscaping vs Pool Service: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Landscaping companies have strong national deal data showing a 2.7x median multiple and estimated 3.5x DSCR, well inside SBA sweet spot territory. Pool service companies lack national listing aggregates, but carry compelling recurring revenue. According to Regalis Capital, landscaping wins on financing certainty while pool service wins on route-based defensibility.
Laundromat vs Car Wash: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Laundromats and car washes are both cash-heavy, equipment-driven businesses, but the numbers tell different stories. As of Q1 2026, laundromats trade at 4.0x with an estimated DSCR of 2.7x, while car washes trade at 5.8x with a DSCR of 1.4x. According to Regalis Capital, laundromats offer stronger SBA acquisition economics for most buyers.
Laundromat vs Convenience Store: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Convenience stores carry lower asking prices and higher cash flow than laundromats as of Q1 2026, producing an estimated DSCR of 3.8x versus 2.7x on SBA financing. Laundromats command a 4.0x multiple versus 2.5x for c-stores. According to Regalis Capital's deal team, convenience stores win on pure SBA acquisition economics.
Laundromat vs Dry Cleaner: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Dry cleaners trade at 2.2x EBITDA with a median ask of $337,000, meaning a $33,700 equity injection and an estimated 4.3x DSCR. Laundromats trade at 4.0x with a $500,000 ask but still clear SBA thresholds at 2.7x DSCR. According to Regalis Capital's deal team, dry cleaners win on pure acquisition economics. Laundromats win on operational simplicity.
Moving Company vs Trucking Company: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Moving companies carry a 2.8x average multiple versus trucking's 4.0x, making them cheaper to acquire on a cash-flow basis as of Q1 2026. Moving companies also post a stronger estimated DSCR of 3.4x against trucking's 2.5x. According to Regalis Capital, moving companies currently offer better SBA acquisition economics for most buyers.
Plumbing vs Electrical Company: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Both plumbing and electrical companies sit inside SBA's 3x to 5x sweet spot, but plumbing edges out on DSCR at 3.5x versus 2.9x, with a lower median asking price of $795,000 versus $1,010,000. According to Regalis Capital's deal team, plumbing companies generally offer stronger cash-on-cash returns at acquisition for first-time buyers using SBA 7(a).
Restaurant vs Laundromat: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Restaurants trade at a median 2.3x EBITDA with a $35,000 equity injection, making them one of the cheapest entry points in SBA acquisition. Laundromats trade at 4.0x with a $50,000 equity injection but offer simpler operations. Based on Regalis Capital's analysis, restaurants win on deal economics. Laundromats win on operator lifestyle.
SaaS Company vs Marketing Agency: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
SaaS companies carry a higher median asking price ($500,000) but produce nearly 46% more cash flow than marketing agencies ($246,857 vs $169,694). According to Regalis Capital's deal team, SaaS wins on DSCR at 4.8x versus 3.6x, making it the stronger SBA acquisition for buyers who can manage customer concentration and churn risk.
Towing Company vs Trucking Company: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
Towing companies trade at 2.9x EBITDA with a $73,500 equity injection on median deals, well inside SBA's sweet spot. Trucking companies offer higher cash flow at $315,052 SDE but carry more complexity and a $120,000 equity injection. According to Regalis Capital's deal team, towing wins on simplicity and entry cost, trucking wins on scale.
YouTube Channel vs eCommerce Business: Which to Buy? | Regalis Capital
eCommerce businesses have real SBA deal data as of Q1 2026, with a median asking price of $242,450, a 2.9x EBITDA multiple, and an estimated DSCR of 8.4x. YouTube channels have no national deal aggregate data and face serious SBA financing obstacles. According to Regalis Capital, eCommerce wins on acquisition economics by a wide margin.