Provafi Review: Affordable, CFA-Reviewed QoE Reports for SBA Acquisitions
If you’ve been shopping for Quality of Earnings (QoE) reports for your SBA acquisition, you’ve probably experienced sticker shock. Traditional firms charge $20,000–$40,000 or more, which can eat up a significant chunk of your deal budget — especially on acquisitions under $5 million. Provafi has entered the market with a compelling value proposition: professional, CFA-reviewed QoE reports for $5,000 flat, delivered in just 2 weeks.
In this comprehensive review, we’ll break down Provafi’s services, technology-enabled approach, pricing, and whether they’re the right QoE provider for your SBA deal.
What Is Provafi?
Provafi is a Quality of Earnings analysis firm purpose-built for small business acquisitions under $10 million. Founded by Matt, a CFA charterholder with 14 years of M&A experience, Provafi combines human expertise with software-powered data processing to deliver professional QoE reports at a fraction of traditional costs.
The firm’s core thesis is simple: buyers of sub-$10M businesses need professional financial due diligence, but the traditional $25,000+ QoE report is often overkill for the deal size. Provafi bridges this gap with institutional-quality analysis at a price point that makes sense for SBA deals.
Services and Pricing
Quality of Earnings Analysis — $5,000 Fixed Price
Provafi offers a single, straightforward engagement:
- Price: $5,000 fixed — no hourly billing, no scope creep, no surprises
- Delivery: 2 weeks from data receipt to final deliverable
- Scope: Full QoE analysis including normalized EBITDA, red flags, trends, and working capital
- Review: CFA charterholder reviewed — not just software-generated
This pricing represents an 80% savings compared to traditional QoE providers that charge $25,000 or more for similar scope. For an SBA buyer acquiring a $1–$3 million business, this pricing changes the calculus entirely — making professional QoE analysis accessible rather than a luxury.
How Provafi Works
The process is straightforward and designed to minimize friction:
- Book an intro call (15 minutes): Confirm fit, scope, and timing. Align on data needs and lender expectations.
- Upload data securely: Provide financials, bank statements, tax returns, and supporting docs via Provafi’s secure portal.
- Data processing: Provafi cleans, normalizes, and maps transactions — no self-serve configuration required on your end.
- Analysis and red flag identification: CFA-reviewed analysis of earnings quality, normalization adjustments, trends, working capital, and red flags.
- Review call (30 minutes): Walkthrough of findings, Q&A on adjustments, and investment committee-ready takeaways for lenders and investors.
Total timeline: 2 weeks from data receipt to final deliverable — compared to 4–6 weeks with traditional firms.
What You Get
Every Provafi engagement includes a comprehensive deliverable package:
Reports and Documents
- IC-ready Word memo: A formal Quality of Earnings report suitable for investment committees, SBA lenders, and investors
- PowerPoint executive summary: A visual overview of key findings for quick stakeholder review
- Excel databook: Detailed supporting schedules and calculations you can dig into
Portal Access
After delivery, you retain access to Provafi’s portal where you can:
- Review the executive summary dashboard with key findings and normalized EBITDA
- Explore detailed financials with trend analysis and period comparisons
- Ask follow-up questions about specific line items or adjustments through AI-powered chat
- Download Excel exports and supporting schedules for your files
The portal access is a unique differentiator — most traditional QoE firms hand you a PDF and move on. Provafi gives you an interactive platform to continue exploring the data after the engagement.
Why Provafi Stands Out
Price vs. Traditional Firms
At $5,000 fixed, Provafi is roughly 80% cheaper than the $25,000+ most traditional CPA firms charge. This isn’t a stripped-down product — it includes the same core analysis (normalized EBITDA, red flags, working capital) that more expensive providers deliver.
Speed: 2 Weeks vs. 4–6 Weeks
Time kills deals. Traditional QoE providers often take 4–6 weeks to deliver, which can strain the buyer-seller relationship and increase the risk of the deal falling apart. Provafi’s 2-week turnaround keeps your deal timeline on track.
CFA-Reviewed + Software-Powered
Provafi uses a hybrid model: software handles data processing, normalization, and mapping for speed and consistency, while a CFA charterholder reviews the analysis for judgment calls on earnings quality, adjustments, and red flags. This gives you the best of both worlds — technology efficiency with human expertise.
Purpose-Built for Sub-$10M Deals
Provafi isn’t trying to compete with Deloitte on $100M transactions. They’re laser-focused on the sub-$10M market where SBA buyers, searchers, and independent sponsors operate. This focus means they understand the unique dynamics of smaller deals and can tailor their analysis accordingly.
Who Is Provafi Best For?
SBA Buyers and Searchers
If you’re acquiring a business with an SBA loan, Provafi offers the right combination of quality, speed, and price. The $5,000 price point means you can get professional QoE analysis without blowing your deal budget, and the lender-ready deliverables satisfy SBA requirements.
Independent Sponsors and Family Offices
For independent sponsors and family offices screening platform and add-on opportunities, Provafi provides a professional deliverable you can present to LPs or investment committees without the cost and timeline of traditional firms.
Budget-Conscious Buyers on Smaller Deals
If your acquisition is in the $500K–$3M range, spending $25,000 on a QoE report may not make economic sense. Provafi’s $5,000 price point brings professional diligence within reach for these smaller transactions.
What Buyers Are Saying
Provafi has received positive feedback from early adopters:
- Brent Jackson of Jackson Clear Capital LLC praised the “depth, thoroughness, and insightfulness” of the report, noting it was “comparable in quality to traditional QoE reports”
- Another buyer described the support as “exceptional diligence support — thorough, fast, and highly data-driven” that gave them “clear visibility into earnings quality”
Potential Considerations
While Provafi’s value proposition is strong, here are some factors to weigh:
- Newer firm: Provafi is a newer entrant in the QoE space, which means fewer testimonials and track record compared to established players like Guardian Due Diligence
- Technology reliance: The software-powered approach is a strength for efficiency, but some buyers may prefer the fully human-driven process of traditional firms
- Advisory depth: At $5,000, you’re getting excellent QoE analysis, but you won’t get the depth of advisory support that $25,000–$40,000 providers include (deal strategy, negotiation coaching, etc.)
- Complex deals: For unusually complex transactions with significant forensic accounting needs, a more traditional provider may be more appropriate
How GoSBA Loans Works Alongside QoE Providers Like Provafi
At GoSBA Loans, we love when our buyers use cost-effective QoE providers like Provafi. Why? Because the money you save on due diligence can go toward a stronger down payment, working capital, or other deal expenses.
Here’s how we complement your due diligence process:
- 50+ SBA lenders: We shop your deal across our network of over 50 SBA lenders to find the best rates, terms, and fit for your acquisition.
- $320M+ funded: With hundreds of funded deals, we know exactly what lenders look for in a QoE report and loan package.
- Free business plan ($2,500–$5,000 value): Every SBA acquisition requires a business plan. We include this at no cost — meaning between our free business plan and Provafi’s $5,000 QoE, you’re getting comprehensive deal preparation for a fraction of what it would cost elsewhere.
- Parallel processing: We start your financing while your QoE is underway, so both tracks converge at closing time.
The math is compelling: a $5,000 Provafi QoE + a free GoSBA business plan means you’re getting professional-grade deal preparation for $5,000 total, compared to $30,000+ going the traditional route.
Final Verdict: Should You Use Provafi?
Provafi is a game-changer for SBA buyers who want professional QoE analysis without the traditional price tag. The combination of CFA-reviewed analysis, $5,000 fixed pricing, 2-week delivery, and interactive portal access makes it one of the most compelling value propositions in the SBA due diligence space.
Choose Provafi if:
- You’re acquiring a business under $10M
- Budget is a factor and you want maximum value for your QoE spend
- You need fast turnaround (2 weeks)
- You want interactive portal access to explore the data after delivery
- You’re comfortable with a technology-enabled approach
Consider alternatives if:
- You need extensive deal advisory beyond QoE analysis
- Your deal is unusually complex with potential fraud concerns
- You prefer a fully traditional, human-only approach
- You need a provider with a long track record of hundreds of completed engagements
Start Your SBA Acquisition Journey
Great deals need great financing and great diligence. Pair Provafi’s affordable QoE with GoSBA’s SBA loan expertise for the most cost-effective path to closing your acquisition.
Contact GoSBA Loans today to get pre-qualified and take the first step toward owning your business.
