What is Molly Maid and who owns it?
Molly Maid is a residential cleaning franchise brand owned by Neighborly, the Texas-based home services franchisor behind Mr. Rooter, Mr. Handyman, Aire Serv and about two dozen other brands. The franchisor describes Molly Maid as a “residential and commercial cleaning franchise” with 445+ franchise locations in the US and more than 40 years of experience (Molly Maid franchise page).
The company was founded in 1979 in Mississauga, Canada, by Adrienne and Chris Stringer, and expanded into the United States in 1984 (Wikipedia). Neighborly, founded in 1981, reports 28 global brands, 5,500 franchises and $4.6 billion in systemwide sales in 2025 (Neighborly). Entrepreneur’s directory lists Neighborly as the parent company, 431 units, and a 2026 Franchise 500 rank of #67 (Entrepreneur Franchise 500).
Two things follow from that ownership. First, you are buying into a large franchisor with shared purchasing (Neighborly’s ProTradeNet) and cross-brand referrals, which the franchisor lists as benefits. Second, the brand is one of many in a portfolio, so the people who sold you the franchise and the people who support you may change over a 10-year agreement. Ask about that when you talk to owners.
How does the Molly Maid model work?
You run the office, hire and lead cleaning teams, and sell recurring home cleaning; the franchisor supplies the brand, training, marketing and systems. Molly Maid says owners operate as leaders, not cleaners, and that most revenue comes from recurring residential cleanings performed weekly, biweekly or monthly (Molly Maid franchise page).
What the franchisor says it provides:
- Marketing. Digital ads, a local website, social media and email support, plus a custom marketing plan and playbooks.
- Training and coaching. Business operations and systems training, with ongoing coaching. The FAQ is explicit that training on the cleaning trade itself is not provided for you or your team.
- Tools. Technology for scheduling, recruiting, customer service and financial reporting.
- Purchasing. National vendor discounts and rebates through ProTradeNet.
- Territory. Territory size and population density are the main cost drivers the franchisor names: more households means a higher initial cost and more opportunity.
Revenue streams listed on the franchise page are recurring residential cleaning, customized plans, move-in and move-out cleans, commercial cleaning, scheduled cleanings and one-time services for events. The five steps to opening are: download the guide, speak with a franchise developer, research, visit headquarters, then training and a grand opening.
How much does a Molly Maid franchise cost?
Molly Maid posts a total estimated initial investment of $144,150 to $203,950, citing Item 7 of the 2026 Molly Maid SPV LLC Franchise Disclosure Document, with at least $60,000 in liquid capital and a $250,000 minimum net worth (Molly Maid franchise costs). All figures below were read on October 28, 2026.
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment | $144,150 to $203,950 (2026 FDD, Item 7) | Franchisor cost page |
| Initial franchise fee | $14,900 | Franchisor FAQ and Entrepreneur |
| Liquid capital | At least $60,000 | Franchisor cost page |
| Minimum net worth | $250,000 | Franchisor cost page |
| Licensing fee (royalty) | 3% to 6.5% of annual gross sales | Franchisor cost page |
| Ad royalty | 2% | Entrepreneur |
| Technology fee | $155 per month | Entrepreneur |
| Term of agreement | 10 years | Entrepreneur |
| Veteran discount | 20% off the initial franchise fee (VetFran) | Franchisor cost page |
How to read these numbers:
- Two ranges are posted. The cost page gives $144,150 to $203,950 from the 2026 FDD. The FAQ on the franchise home page still gives $139,900 to $197,200 from the 2025 FDD, including the $14,900 initial franchise fee. Use the newer figure and confirm it in the FDD you are handed.
- The franchise fee is small; the territory is not. A $14,900 fee is low for the category. The gap between the fee and a $144,150 minimum is territory, vehicles, equipment, marketing launch and working capital. Ask for the Item 7 table line by line.
- The licensing fee slides. 3% to 6.5% of gross sales means the rate depends on your volume or your agreement; Item 6 of the FDD explains the schedule and any minimums.
- Financing. The cost page describes SBA loans, 401(k) rollovers (ROBS), bank loans and franchisor financing options; it does not post terms.
For the same table across six maid brands, see our overview of cleaning franchise costs and royalties.
What does Molly Maid publish about franchisee earnings?
The franchise page posts one earnings-related figure: $173.43 average gross sales per cleaning, with a footnote pointing to the 2025 Molly Maid SPV LLC Franchise Disclosure Document (Molly Maid franchise page). It does not post average revenue per territory, profit or owner pay on the pages we read.
A per-cleaning average tells you about pricing, not about the business. To turn it into something useful, you need the volume behind it. A worked example with hypothetical numbers: at $173.43 per visit, one team completing 3 cleans a day, 5 days a week, 48 weeks a year produces about $124,870 in gross sales. Three teams would be about $374,609. Those are revenue figures; labor, vehicles, supplies, insurance, the licensing fee and the ad royalty come out before you are paid.
Under the FTC Franchise Rule, any claim about sales, income or profit must appear in Item 19 of the FDD, which the rule calls financial performance representations (16 CFR Part 436). Ask for Item 19 and read how many territories were counted, how long they had been open, and whether the figure is an average or a median.
Which FDD items should you read before signing?
Read Items 3, 5, 6, 7, 12, 19, 20 and 21, and get the document at least 14 calendar days before you sign or pay. The FTC Franchise Rule makes it unlawful for a franchisor to fail to furnish the current disclosure document at least 14 calendar days before the prospective franchisee signs a binding agreement or makes any payment (16 CFR 436.2).
- Item 3, litigation. Pending and past lawsuits involving the franchisor, its predecessors and affiliates. For a brand inside a portfolio like Neighborly, check which entities are covered.
- Item 5, initial fees, and Item 6, other fees. The $14,900 fee, the 3% to 6.5% licensing fee schedule, the ad royalty, the technology fee, and any transfer, renewal or training fees.
- Item 7, estimated initial investment. The table behind $144,150 to $203,950. Look for the “additional funds” line and how many months it covers.
- Item 12, territory. How your territory is drawn, whether it is protected, and what happens if you miss performance targets.
- Item 19, financial performance representations. The only place earnings claims may be made.
- Item 20, outlets. Openings, closures, transfers and terminations over three years, plus the contact list of current and former franchisees. Entrepreneur lists 431 units and a negative growth rate, so look at where the closures were.
- Item 21, financial statements. The franchisor’s audited financials.
A franchise attorney and an accountant should review the FDD and the franchise agreement with you. This guide is not legal or financial advice.
What do public records and Molly Maid franchise reviews show?
On October 28, 2026 our search of readable news and court records found no reported lawsuit between Molly Maid’s franchisor and its franchisees. That is not proof that none exists: the authoritative list is Item 3 of the current FDD, and state franchise regulators in the registration states keep filings you can request.
What the public record does show:
- Rankings. Entrepreneur ranks Molly Maid #67 in its 2026 Franchise 500 and #6 among top franchises for less than $150,000, and lists 431 units with a 5% decline (Entrepreneur). The franchisor says it has been ranked in the Franchise 500 for 17 consecutive years.
- Unit counts differ. The franchisor posts 445+ US locations; Entrepreneur lists 431. Item 20 will give you the exact count by state and year.
- Owner reviews are mixed sources. Reviews on job sites are mostly written by cleaners employed by franchisees, not by owners, and reviews on consumer sites are about individual locations. Treat both as information about one location, not the franchise.
The most reliable “reviews” are calls to the owners listed in Item 20, including those who left. The questions below are for those calls.
What should you ask current and former Molly Maid owners?
Call at least five current and five former owners from Item 20, not only the ones the franchise developer introduces. Ask the same questions of each so the answers can be compared.
- What did you actually spend before your first profitable month, compared with the Item 7 range?
- What was your gross revenue in year one, year two and now? What is your average revenue per cleaning, and how does it compare with the posted $173.43?
- What rate on the 3% to 6.5% licensing scale are you paying, and what changes it?
- What does the $155 technology fee buy, and what do you pay for on top of it?
- Where do your new clients come from: the national brand, the local website, your own referrals or paid ads?
- How hard is it to hire and keep cleaners in your area, and does the brand help?
- How did Neighborly’s ownership change the support, the fees or the required vendors since you signed?
- How many hours a week do you work, and when did you first pay yourself a salary?
- If you sold or closed: what was the process, and what did the franchisor require?
- Would you buy it again at today’s price?
Molly Maid vs going independent: a 5-year example
In our hypothetical example, a Molly Maid owner pays about $212,050 to the franchisor over five years, and an independent owner with the same revenue spends about $46,540 on software and matching marketing. The difference, about $165,510 or $33,102 a year, is what the brand, territory, training and support must earn back.
Assumptions: both businesses reach the same revenue, which is the big assumption. We use the $14,900 initial franchise fee, the top of the posted licensing range (6.5%), the 2% ad royalty and the $155 monthly technology fee from the sources above. The independent owner pays for Broombook’s Pro plan at $39 a month and spends the same 2% of revenue on their own marketing.
| Example year | Revenue (assumed) | Licensing fee at 6.5% | Ad royalty at 2% | Technology fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $200,000 | $13,000 | $4,000 | $1,860 |
| Year 2 | $350,000 | $22,750 | $7,000 | $1,860 |
| Year 3 | $480,000 | $31,200 | $9,600 | $1,860 |
| Year 4 | $560,000 | $36,400 | $11,200 | $1,860 |
| Year 5 | $620,000 | $40,300 | $12,400 | $1,860 |
| 5-year total | $2,210,000 | $143,650 | $44,200 | $9,300 |
| Over five years (example) | Molly Maid | Independent |
|---|---|---|
| Franchise fee | $14,900 | $0 |
| Licensing fee | $143,650 | $0 |
| Marketing (ad royalty, or the independent’s own 2%) | $44,200 | $44,200 |
| Booking, scheduling and billing software | $9,300 (technology fee) | $2,340 |
| Total | $212,050 | $46,540 |
What the franchise gives you that the independent path does not: a known name, a protected territory, a written system, Neighborly’s vendor pricing, and other owners to call. What the independent path gives you: every dollar of revenue, your own choice of services and prices, and the freedom to sell or close without approval. A first-time owner with capital may grow faster inside the system; an owner who already cleans or has referrals may not need it.
Much of what the franchisor’s technology fee covers is available to independents directly. Broombook gives an independent residential cleaning company online booking with instant prices, recurring scheduling, automatic reminders, a crew app with checklists, and card-on-file billing. It is free for an owner with up to 2 cleaners, or $39 a month on Pro for a bigger crew, with no credit card to start. It replaces systems, not a brand or a territory. If you lean independent, start with our step-by-step guide on how to start a cleaning business, then put your own numbers into the cleaning business profit calculator and subtract the fees at Molly Maid’s rates to compare.