Side-by-side fee burden, startup cost, and system health for major lawn care franchises — built from 2025 FDDs filed with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions.
| Brand | Outlets | Investment | Annual Fees at $300K | Notable | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawn Doctor | 653 | $150K–$177K | $78,800 (26.3%) | Largest system, 58yr track record | Review → |
| Weed Man | 121 | $81K–$109K | $25,550 (8.5%) | Lowest fee burden | Review → |
| Spring-Green | 126 | $117K–$134K | $45,318 (15.1%) | Privately held, 48yr history | Review → |
| NaturaLawn | 88 | $77K–$152K | $101,584 (33.9%) | Organic-based premium | Review → |
| Lawn Pride | 35 | $141K–$243K | $57,180 (19.1%) | Explosive growth (Neighborly) | Review → |
| Lawn Squad | 7 | $79K–$118K | $98,540 (32.8%) | Detailed P&L disclosure | Review → |
Annual fees Modeled at $300K gross revenue, Year 5, single territory.
Lawn care is the most established category on the site. All four core brands have been franchising for 30 to 58 years, which means the FDD data reflects mature, stable systems rather than early-stage volatility. The fee spread is narrower than in mosquito control or cleaning — at $300K revenue, the gap between highest and lowest annual fee burden is roughly half what it is in the mosquito cohort.
Where these brands diverge most is disclosure quality and royalty structure. Weed Man offers the lowest effective royalty in the cohort (6.5%/5.5% tiered) but provides no Item 19 financial performance data. Lawn Doctor charges 10% flat but sits atop the largest system (600+ outlets) with an accelerating growth trajectory. NaturaLawn occupies a premium organic niche with a loyalty-rewarding royalty that drops from 9% to 7% at renewal.
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 →