The numbers side by side
Commercial cleaning franchises are some of the cheapest to buy, because many come with accounts the franchisor sells for you. The trade-off is a share of every invoice for as long as you clean those buildings.
| Up-front fee | Total start-up | Share of sales (royalty) | Marketing or ad fee | Software or tech fee | Card processing | Term | Cash asked for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan-Pro | $2,520 to $44,000 | $4,830 to $58,070 | 10% | 1% | up to $60 a month | Not in the summary; your processor's rate | 10 years | $100,000 |
| Coverall | $15,570 to $40,320 | $17,986 to $64,280 | 5% | None listed | None listed | Not in the summary; your processor's rate | 20 years | $4,000 |
| Going solo on Koira's Office plan | $0, no franchise fee | Your own vehicle and kit; see the tools list | 0%, you keep every sale | None required; you set your own budget | $0 on the Office plan | 2.9% + 30¢ (Stripe) plus 2% (Koira) on card payments only | None; month to month | None asked |
Franchise figures are from each brand's listing in Entrepreneur's franchise directory, which summarizes the brand's Franchise Disclosure Document. Where a fee is a range, the disclosure document sets which end applies to you. Koira's figures are from koira.ai/pricing.
What the ongoing fees take
The up-front fee is paid once. The share of sales is paid on every job for the length of the agreement, before you pay yourself. Here is the arithmetic on an example year of $150,000 in sales, using the low end of each published rate:
| Brand | Royalty | Marketing or ad fee | Software or tech fee | Fees for the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan-Pro | $15,000 | $1,500 | $720 | $17,220 |
| Coverall | $7,500 | $0 | $0 | $7,500 |
| Going solo on Koira's Office plan | $0 | Your choice | $0 | $0, plus $3,000 if every sale were paid by card |
Jan-Pro's tech fee is $60 a month. Card processing is left out of the franchise rows because the summaries do not set it; you would pay a processor either way. On Koira's Office plan, Koira keeps 2% of card payments on top of Stripe's processing, and nothing on cash or check.
The example sales figure is an example, not a promise of what either path earns. Use the calculator above with your own numbers.
What the fees buy
Jan-Pro has been franchising since 1992 and asks for $100,000 in cash and a $250,000 net worth. Coverall has franchised since 1985 and asks for $4,000 in cash. For that, a franchise sells a known name, a written system, training and a territory.
A commercial cleaning franchise fits someone who wants accounts handed to them and does not want to sell. It fits less well if you can win your own bids, because the royalty comes off every account, including the ones you found.
Going solo in commercial cleaning
A solo commercial cleaner bids offices, medical suites and small warehouses directly, usually cleaning at night. The equipment is modest at first; floor machines come later. The work is winning bids, holding a production rate and keeping the building manager happy.
See the commercial cleaning tools list and insurance for commercial cleaners.
Koira's free Office plan covers the office side a franchise system would: a website that books jobs, estimates with signing and deposits, invoices and card payments and your day plan. Paid plans add the phone and crew tools.
Before you sign anything
Federal rules require the franchisor to give you its disclosure document at least 14 calendar days before you sign or pay. Read the fee items and any sales claims with their footnotes, and call former commercial cleaning owners. Our handyman franchise guide walks through the document item by item.
Sources
- Entrepreneur franchise directory: Jan-Pro Cleaning and Disinfecting, checked October 9, 2026
- Entrepreneur franchise directory: Coverall, checked October 9, 2026
- eCFR: 16 CFR 436.2, when the disclosure document must be given, checked October 9, 2026
- Koira: Pricing (Office plan, card payments), checked October 9, 2026
- eCFR: 49 CFR 375.101, who must follow the household goods rules, checked October 8, 2026
Last checked October 9, 2026. This page is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change and differ by state and city, so confirm with the agency named before you act.