The numbers side by side
Junk removal franchises sell a brand homeowners already search for and a booking system that fills trucks. Going solo starts with one truck or trailer and a dump account.
| Up-front fee | Total start-up | Share of sales (royalty) | Marketing or ad fee | Software or tech fee | Card processing | Term | Cash asked for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? | $65,000 to $97,500 | $182,300 to $303,500 | 8% | 6% | 2% of sales | Not in the summary; your processor's rate | 5 years | $59,000 |
| Junk King | $55,000 to $77,000 | $121,200 to $236,000 | 8% | 2% | $303 a month and up | Not in the summary; your processor's rate | 10 years | $50,000 |
| 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 $400,000 in sales, using the low end of each published rate:
| Brand | Royalty | Marketing or ad fee | Software or tech fee | Fees for the year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-800-GOT-JUNK? | $32,000 | $24,000 | $8,000 | $64,000 |
| Junk King | $32,000 | $8,000 | $3,636 | $43,636 |
| Going solo on Koira's Office plan | $0 | Your choice | $0 | $0, plus $8,000 if every sale were paid by card |
1-800-GOT-JUNK?'s tech fee is 2% of sales; Junk King's tech fee is $303 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
1-800-GOT-JUNK? has been franchising since 1998 and asks for $59,000 in cash. Junk King has franchised since 2010 and asks for $50,000 in cash and a $250,000 net worth. For that, a franchise sells a known name, a written system, training and a territory.
A junk removal franchise fits an owner who plans to run several trucks and wants the call center and brand from day one. It fits less well for one truck run by the owner, where 8% royalties plus marketing fees come straight off a thin margin after dump fees.
Going solo in junk removal
A solo junk hauler needs a truck or a dump trailer, strong backs and a local dump that takes what you haul. Pricing by the load is simple to explain, and single items fill the gaps. The work is getting found and keeping the truck full.
See the junk removal tools list and the junk removal price list.
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 junk removal owners. Our handyman franchise guide walks through the document item by item.
Sources
- Entrepreneur franchise directory: 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, checked October 9, 2026
- Entrepreneur franchise directory: Junk King, 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.