Side-by-side fee burden, startup cost, and system health for major residential cleaning franchises — built from 2025 FDDs filed with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.
| Brand | Outlets | Investment | Annual Fees at $300K | Notable | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merry Maids | 802 | $126K–$170K | $32,988 (11.0%) | Largest system, lowest fees | Review → |
| Molly Maid | 448 | $139K–$197K | $31,056 (10.4%) | Best tiered royalty at scale | Review → |
| The Cleaning Authority | 233 | $92K–$147K | $22,902 (7.6%) | Only growing large brand | Review → |
| The Maids | 338 | $117K–$141K | $59,130 (19.7%) | Company-owned P&L disclosed | Review → |
| MaidPro | 237 | $109K–$158K | $30,000 (10.0%) | Simplest fee structure | Review → |
| Two Maids & A Mop | 144 | $93K–$149K | $64,800 (21.6%) | Fastest growth (+57%) | Review → |
| Maid Right | 35 | $147K–$218K | $50,780 (16.9%) | Highest recurring revenue % | Review → |
Annual fees Modeled at $300K gross revenue, Year 5, single territory.
Residential cleaning has the widest performance spread of any category on the site. The two largest systems — Merry Maids (1,400+ outlets) and Molly Maid (500+ outlets) — are both contracting, losing franchised units in each of the last three reporting years. Meanwhile, The Cleaning Authority and Two Maids are the only brands posting consistent net growth, with Two Maids growing 57% over three years.
This is also the strongest category for Item 19 disclosure. All seven brands provide some form of financial performance representation, though the depth varies considerably. The Cleaning Authority reports average unit revenue and COGS ratios. The Maids discloses company-owned P&L data. Others provide revenue distributions or medians. No other category on the site offers this level of financial disclosure across the board.
Fee structures are more varied here than in mosquito control or lawn care. Merry Maids pairs the largest system with the lowest total fees. Molly Maid offers a tiered royalty that rewards scale. MaidPro has the simplest structure — flat royalty, no technology surcharges, no call center fees. A buyer’s fee exposure depends heavily on which combination of royalty, marketing, and technology fees a given brand mandates.
All data extracted from 2025 Franchise Disclosure Documents filed with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Modeled values use explicitly documented assumptions. Read our methodology →