Keeping offices, stores, and facilities clean is big business. As a multi-billion dollar industry, commercial cleaning presents a lucrative franchising opportunity.
Two leading cleaning franchise giants, Jani-King and Jan-Pro, allow entrepreneurs to capitalize on this demand. But which offers the better investment?
In this guide, we’ll analyze the Jani-King and Jan-Pro systems to see how they stack up across operating models, costs, training, support, and more. Read on for an in-depth comparison.
A Brief Comparison Table
| Aspects | Jani-King | Jan-Pro |
| Year Founded | 1969 | 1991 |
| # of Franchises | 8,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Initial Investment | $14,882 – $142,305 | $3,000 – $40,000 |
| Royalty Fee | 10% | 10% |
| Training | Web-based + optional onsite | $1,750 for 2 weeks extensive |
| Office | Encouraged | Optional home-based |
| Average Revenue | $150k – $500k+ | $30k year 1, $100k+ by year 3 |
| Brand Power | Global recognition | Leading global brand |
Commercial Cleaning Industry Overview
First, let’s look at why commercial cleaning is such a strong sector for franchises:
- Industry generates over $55 billion in annual revenue in the U.S.
- Demand for office, school, venue, restaurant, and store cleaning continues growing.
- Contracts provide steady recurring revenue from business customers.
- Low overhead makes for strong profit margins.
- Scalable business model with opportunities to expand.
- Recession resilient since cleaning is essential, not a luxury.
- Franchises can capitalize on established brands and systems.
Now that we’ve seen why cleaning franchises thrive, let’s overview Jani-King and Jan-Pro.
Jani-King Franchise Overview
Jani-King provides commercial cleaning services using a franchise model. Their janitors clean offices, warehouses, hotels, medical facilities, and more.
Let’s look at some background on Jani-King:
- Founded in 1969 in Texas, began franchising in 1983.
- Over 8,000 franchise territories operate globally.
- Franchisees manage teams that clean commercial spaces overnight.
- Recurring service contracts create stable monthly revenue.
- Initial investment ranges from $15k to $150k.
- Franchisees work full or part-time from home. No need for office space.
- Training and ongoing support provided.
- Jani-King handles billing, supports with sales leads, and has a US-based call center.
Jan-Pro Franchise Overview
Jan-Pro Cleaning Systems is one of the world’s largest commercial cleaning franchises, with over 10,000 owners worldwide.
Here is an overview of Jan-Pro franchises:
- Founded in 1991 in Massachusetts, began franchising in 1993.
- Over 10,000 units span 10 countries so far.
- Franchisees sell and manage commercial cleaning accounts.
- Jan-Pro cleans offices, health facilities, schools, stores, and more.
- Initial investment ranges from $3,000 to $40,000.
- Franchise fee is just $1,750 for home-based model.
- Low overhead without need for office space or inventory.
- Training and ongoing franchisee support provided.
Also Read: Comparison Between ServiceMaster And ServPro.
Key Differences Between Jani-King And Jan-Pro
Now that we’ve covered the basics on each franchise, let’s compare them across key factors.
1. Initial Franchise Investment Cost
The initial investment includes the franchise fee, training, initial supplies, working capital, etc.
For Jani-King, total initial investment ranges from $14,882 to $142,305. This includes:
- Franchise fee of $14,450.
- Computer equipment/software.
- Insurance, licenses, admin costs.
- Working capital for two months of operating expenses recommended.
Jan-Pro’s initial investment is $3,000 to $40,000. This includes:
- Low franchise fee starting at $1,750.
- Computer and telephone equipment.
- Insurance and licensing.
- Legal fees.
- Working capital.
Jan-Pro definitely wins when it comes to minimizing initial capital needed to start. Their low franchise fee and optional home-based model result in vastly lower initial costs.
2. Ongoing Fees
Once operating, franchisees pay regular royalties and ad fees to the parent company.
Jani-King’s monthly fees include:
- 10% royalty fee
- 2% marketing fee
- Rent/mortgage if leasing an office.
Jan-Pro has the following ongoing costs:
- $50 per month tech fee
- 10% royalty fee on gross revenue
- 1-2% marketing fee
- No mandatory office lease/rent
The ongoing fees are very similar. Jan-Pro’s optional home-based model again provides cost savings versus leasing an office as Jani-King encourages.
3. Training and Support
Franchisees need ample training to successfully launch and grow their business. Ongoing support is also key.
Jani-King offers:
- Web-based pre-training and operations course.
- Additional onsite training available for $3,000.
- Operations, sales, and marketing support.
- Toll-free helpline, regional advisors, meetings, and events.
Jan-Pro provides:
- Two weeks of onsite training on sales, operations, and cleaning.
- Account generation support and site evaluations.
- Grand opening support.
- National accounts department provides leads.
- Annual meetings and ongoing support via online university.
Jan-Pro’s more extensive initial hands-on training gives franchisees a thorough grounding to start. Jani-King does have the helpline and meetings for ongoing help. But Jan-Pro’s training investment seems greater.
4. Territory and Sites
Exclusive territories guarantee market share for franchisees to grow sales. Site selection focuses on commercial accounts.
Jani-King offers exclusive territories protected by 10-year agreements. Territory size varies.
Jan-Pro also provides exclusive territories to franchisees, with size based on population and business density.
Both offer strong territorial protection for franchisees in all markets. This allows for customer base growth.
5. Revenue and Profit Potential
Ultimately, franchises aim to provide solid returns on investment. Estimated sales and profits are crucial to weigh.
Jani-King does not share average financials. Estimated annual revenue potential per franchise is $150k to $500k+. Profit margins can exceed 20% with multiple accounts.
Jan-Pro estimates first year revenues around $30,000. By year three, $100,000+ in annual gross sales is typical for diligent franchisees. Profit margins range 15-20%.
Jani-King seems to show greater revenue possibilities. However, individual franchisee sales skills impact results. Jan-Pro’s projections take time to ramp up but remain strong.
6. Brand Power and Marketing
An established brand provides a major advantage when attracting new accounts. Franchisors also supply marketing materials and support.
With over 50 years of service globally, Jani-King enjoys widespread brand recognition. Their marketing team provides ad templates, collateral, and guidance.
As a leading global cleaning franchise for over 30 years, Jan-Pro also boasts fantastic brand awareness. Their online marketing hub offers templates, tools, and campaigns.
Both leverage their history and scale to provide new franchisees the tools and trust needed to convert sales. Brand-wise they are closely matched.
Also Read: Comparison Between Zoom Drain And Roto-Rooter.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Yes, Jan-Pro can be a very profitable franchise given its low startup costs and ongoing fees while benefitting from the brand’s reputation and systems. Franchisees quoting over $30,000 in first year sales and $100,000 by year three show Jan-Pro units generate strong returns when executed well. Profit margins around 15-20% are also healthy. Like any business, hard work is required but Jan-Pro provides time-tested models.
The initial investment to start a Jan-Pro franchise ranges from $3,000 to $40,000. The low end covers the basic franchise fee of $1,750 and requires minimal working capital. Higher investments allow leasing an office and more operating funds upfront. The affordable opportunity and optional home-based model provide flexibility. Ongoing royalties are 10% of revenue.
Jan-Pro was founded in 1991 by Teodoro N. Foronda. Foronda immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines in the late 1970s and took cleaning jobs. Seeing the opportunities in commercial cleaning, he launched Jan-Pro based on the franchise model. Foronda’s hands-on experience and vision to create opportunities for small business owners fueled Jan-Pro’s growth into one of the world’s largest cleaning franchises.
Jan-Pro has grown tremendously over the past 30+ years. They now span 10 countries with over 10,000 franchise units. In the United States alone Jan-Pro has over 7,500 franchisees. This massive franchise network allows Jan-Pro to generate strong consumer awareness while giving franchisees the tools to capitalize on demand for commercial cleaning services locally.
Final Verdict
Analyzing these key factors, which cleaning franchise ultimately looks more appealing?
The truth is that Jani-King and Jan-Pro both offer excellent franchising opportunities supported by established brands and systems.
Those with ample capital to invest may favor Jani-King for the slightly higher revenue possibilities and brand recognition. But for a lower budget franchise model run from home, Jan-Pro provides unmatched affordability and flexibility.
Which is right for you depends on your available capital, business experience, growth goals, and desired work/life balance. Jani-King encourages real office spaces while Jan-Pro allows home-based options. Both provide training and support needed to be successful.
Do your due diligence on unit financials and talk to existing franchisees. While Jani-King and Jan-Pro take different approaches, they can both help franchisees prosper in the growing commercial cleaning sector.