FDD scoring machine

FDDPulse: score the FDD in 60 seconds. Pick who you want to talk to next.

Drop in a Franchise Disclosure Document and get a 1–10 tier score, an Items 3 & 20 red-flag snapshot, a fee map, and a short list of expert questions to bring to a discovery day — then book the broker, attorney, or consultant who already knows the system.

Score a PDF in appEmail the FDDHow scoring works

Educational analysis under the FTC Franchise Rule. Not legal or financial advice.

Sample tier report
V 2.4 · runner

7.4

/ 10

Tier B+

Solid — proceed with eyes open

Above sector median (6.8). Two red flags, three to watch.

Items 3 & 20 snapshot

  • No bankruptcy filings in 7 yrs
  • 2 Item 3 disclosures · routine
  • EBITDA trend: flat

Fee map

Items 5–7

Initial investment
$285k–$420k
Royalty
6.0%
Ad fund
2.0%

6 discovery-day questions ready

fddpulse@polsia.app

What you walk away with

Four artefacts, one FDD drop.

The score is the qualifier, not the report. FDDPulse surfaces the inputs so the call that follows is the deal-flow lever.

  • Item 1

    One-to-ten tier score

    A weighted 1–10 score with a tier label (A, B, C) so you can compare option-to-option without reading ten FDDs in a row.

  • Items 3 · 20

    Items 3 & 20 red-flag snapshot

    Litigation, bankruptcy, and injunctions from Item 3; revenue, EBITDA, and unit-economics trend from Item 20 — surfaced, not buried.

  • Items 5–7

    Fee map

    Initial investment, royalty, ad fund, and renewal terms laid out side-by-side so the math stops hiding in fine print.

  • What’s next

    Discovery-day questions

    A short, expert-vetted question list to bring to the brand’s discovery day — the gaps the AI can’t see, the human can.

How scoring works

Three steps from FDD to the right conversation.

  1. 01

    Drop in the FDD

    Upload the PDF you got from the franchisor (or grab the public one from a state registry). Plain-text PDFs work — no formatting hacks needed.

  2. 02

    Get a tier score in 60 seconds

    FDDPulse extracts Items 1, 3, 5–7, 20, and 22, applies the FTC-anchored scoring model, and returns the tier, the red-flag snapshot, and the fee map.

  3. 03

    Bring it to a human

    Walk into a call with a broker, attorney, or consultant already knowing the score — the discovery-day questions list guides the conversation.

Who it is for

Two audiences. One scoring machine.

For prospective franchisees

You caught a brand’s eye. Before you sign, score it.

  • Compare two or three option-to-option without re-reading ten FDDs.
  • Walk into a discovery day already knowing the tier — and the gaps.
  • Route to a broker, attorney, or consultant who already speaks the rubric.

For franchisors

See what your own FDD looks like before a buyer does.

  • Run the same rubric a buyer will — against Item 5–7, Item 20, and the Item 22 lists.
  • Spot the red flags a reviewer will flag — and the questions they’ll ask.
  • Book a paid review to close the gaps the AI surfaced.

FAQ

The questions we hear first.

Have one we haven’t answered? Mail us.

No. FDDPulse is educational analysis under the FTC Franchise Rule and state FDD registration regimes. The score is a starting point and a qualifier for a real conversation — not a recommendation to invest, sign, or pass.

Ready when you are

Bring the score to a discovery day.

Send your FDD and the FDDPulse team will route it to a broker, attorney, or consultant already trained on the rubric. Education first, conversation second.

Score my FDDfddpulse@polsia.app