Sometimes it can be difficult to compare cleaning franchises by visiting websites one at a time. We put our brand up against two other cleaning companies to show you how franchises differ and what to consider when evaluating a business opportunity.
Cleaning Franchise Costs for Three Top Brands
All three brands – Merry Maids, MaidPro and Molly Maid – ranked in the Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list for 2023. Using Entrepreneur’s information for each franchise, here is a side-by-side comparison of the cost to start a franchise with each brand.
| Merry Maids | MaidPro | Molly Maid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial Investment | $94,480 - $144,425 | $105,600 - $130,800 | $127,200 - $184,450 |
| Initial Franchise Fee | $37,500 - $51,000 | $45,000 | $14,900 |
| Net Worth Requirement | $150,000 | $150,000 | $250,000 |
| Cash Requirement | $70,000 - $100,000 | $45,000 | $65,000 |
According to the Molly Maid website, they also charge a territory fee of $45,000 - $65,000 which may or may not be noted in the initial investment total.
Now that you’ve seen the numbers, learn more about what’s behind each brand.
Molly Maid Franchise Costs: Explained
A key thing offered at Molly Maid is a ProTradeNet membership. This membership is available to all 29 brands in the franchise’s parent company and allows you to purchase supplies at a certain rate. Details of the cost of membership and what products might be relevant to the Molly Maid brand are not disclosed on the website.
MaidPro Franchise Costs: Explained
While MaidPro has a preferred vendor list, franchisees can buy supplies, cleaning tools, and uniforms wherever they want. This makes consistency across the brand challenging if everyone is using different supplies.
Like all brands, MaidPro includes management software in their initial investment.
Merry Maids Franchise Costs: Explained
Merry Maids includes an equipment package with our initial franchise fee. This package comes with a plethora of different supportive elements that set the new franchisee up for success. This includes such items as Merry Maid’s proprietary cleaning products, assistance from an already established franchise owner, any other equipment needed, comprehensive in-person/digital training, and access to an array of proprietary tools and software that put each franchise owner on a path to success.
Additional Cleaning Franchise Costs
The Entrepreneur comparison shows some additional costs between Merry Maids, MaidPro, and Molly Maid:
| Merry Maids | MaidPro | Molly Maid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Veteran Incentive | 20% off franchise fee | 20% off franchise fee | 15% off franchise fee |
| Royalty Fee | 5-7% | 6% | 3-6% |
| Ad Royalty Fee | 1.3% | 2% | $104/week |
| Cash Requirement | $70,000 - $100,000 | $45,000 | $65,000 |
MaidPro does not require franchisees to have a regular marketing spend. They still collect advertising royalty fees, but franchisees do not have to do any local advertising. Merry Maids has an additional 0.7% fee for local digital marketing to help franchisees target clients in their territory. This plus the 1.3% ad royalty fee makes it equal to MaidPro. Molly Maid charges a flat weekly ad royalty. This can be tricky since the flat rate could eat at profits when franchisees are first starting out. However, over time, the flat rate could be a very small percentage of their revenue once established.
While Merry Maids and Molly Maid collect royalties on a weekly basis, MaidPro collects royalties monthly, meaning the franchisee must submit a larger lump sum when it’s due.
Other Factors to Consider
There are additional factors, beyond costs, worth considering when choosing a franchise. We’ve got a few more details on all three brands:
| Merry Maids | MaidPro | Molly Maid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Entrepreneur | No. 119 | No. 176 | No. 142 |
| Units as of 2022 | 996 | 265 | 488 |
| Franchising Since | 1980 | 1997 | 1979 |
| Term of Agreement | 5 years | 5 years | 10 years |
| On the Job Training | 10 hours | 14.5 hours | 101.75 hours |
| Classroom Training | 64 hours | 182.5 hours | 21 hours |
Final Thoughts on Molly Maid
Molly Maid has longevity in the marketplace to its advantage, but they also have more than 100 hours of on-the-job training as part of the franchisee commitment. And there is minimal information on their website.
Final Thoughts on MaidPro
All three brands use business coaches, but MaidPro’s support is unstructured – franchisees are responsible for accessing a coach if needed. They boast a 500+ page intranet website for franchisees to search for information and help online.
Final Thoughts on Merry Maids
At Merry Maids, with 40+ years in this business, and nearly 1,000 franchise units in operation, we have a good sense of how to best support the people who carry our brand. We invest heavily in marketing and one of the benefits of a strong and consistent brand is how it reflects on all franchisees. People know what to expect with us.
As a residential cleaning service franchise, we can tell you this is a booming industry, but you still need the right business model to compete in this space. Merry Maids offers franchisee support that is relevant, personable, and easily accessible. Our structure works and we can prove it.
Contact Merry Maids for more information on our franchise opportunity. Compare franchises, what they cost, and what you get for your investment – upfront and throughout your career. This is your business and you deserve the best opportunity.