At a Glance
About Merry Maids
About the Merry Maids franchise
Merry Maids — Relax. It's done. — has built its franchise system in the cleaning maintenance category since 1979, headquartered in Memphis, TN. ServiceMaster-portfolio residential cleaning brand with national footprint.
As of recent disclosures, Merry Maids operates approximately 1,500 units worldwide. Initial investment for a single location typically falls between $90,000 and $135,000, with a franchise fee of approximately $37,500.
Unit economics and ongoing fees
Ongoing royalties run approximately 7.0% of gross sales, plus a brand fund / national advertising contribution of about 2.0%. Model these as recurring overhead — they apply to top-line revenue, not profit. Confirm the exact fee schedule and any local/regional marketing co-op requirements in Items 5, 6, and 11 of the current FDD.
Why prospective franchisees consider Merry Maids
Operators considering Merry Maids typically weigh the following advantages:
- Low entry investment
- Recurring residential revenue
- ServiceMaster Brands infrastructure
- Home-based / small office model
Where Merry Maids has real trade-offs
Honest diligence also requires looking at where the system has friction:
- Hourly labor model
- High employee turnover sector
- Customer acquisition cost rising
- Smaller territories than some competitors
How to evaluate the Merry Maids opportunity
Before signing any franchise agreement, request the current Merry Maids FDD, talk to at least 8–10 existing franchisees (both new and mature), and build a unit-level model that stress-tests labor, occupancy, royalties, and ramp. Pay particular attention to Item 19 (financial performance representations) if disclosed, Item 7 (estimated initial investment), and Item 20 (system size and turnover) trends over the past three years. Validation calls with existing operators are the single highest-leverage step in the process.
Figures above are seed estimates compiled from public sources and may not reflect the most recent FDD. Always verify against the current Franchise Disclosure Document before relying on any number commercially.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Low entry investment
- Recurring residential revenue
- ServiceMaster Brands infrastructure
- Home-based / small office model
Cons
- Hourly labor model
- High employee turnover sector
- Customer acquisition cost rising
- Smaller territories than some competitors
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Merry Maids' Item 19 reports Gross Sales for 414 "Qualified Franchises" (Active Franchises with territories of 40,000+ Qualified Households operating an in-territory office) during calendar year 2025. System-wide average Gross Sales was $439,243 (median $339,352), ranging from $35,322 to $1,838,414, with only 36.7% of units meeting or exceeding the average. The FDD also breaks out data by Franchise Ownership Groups (aggregating multiple franchises under common ownership) and by number of units per ownership group, showing average Gross Sales rising with the number of franchises owned (e.g., $6
Training, Territory & Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Similar Franchises
Merry Maids FDD
Request the latest Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for Merry Maids.