Jan-Pro Franchise Overview
Current Size and Reach
Jan-Pro Cleaning & Disinfecting is one of the largest office cleaning franchise systems in the world. Founded in 1991 by entrepreneur Jacques Lapointe in Providence, Rhode Island, Jan-Pro began franchising in 1992 and has grown rapidly over the past three decades. As of 2024, Jan-Pro boasts over 11,000 franchise units worldwide, serving clients across 41 countries. In the United States alone, the network includes roughly 8,500 franchise units (with the remainder spread internationally). This extensive reach translates into significant business volume – Jan-Pro’s franchise system generated around $660 million in global sales in 2022, reflecting its established presence and consistent demand for commercial cleaning services.
Jan-Pro’s success is underpinned by the stability of the commercial cleaning industry. Cleaning and janitorial services are considered recession-resistant – businesses and buildings always need cleaning, regardless of economic conditions. This stability, combined with Jan-Pro’s strong brand recognition, has made the Jan-Pro franchise opportunity attractive to many aspiring business owners. The brand has achieved 26+ years of consecutive growth and maintains a stellar reputation in the janitorial franchise sector. For anyone considering leaving a traditional career to run their own business, Jan-Pro represents a proven path in a proven industry.
History and Background
Jan-Pro’s journey began with a simple idea: to bring professional standards and franchising to the janitorial world. Jacques Lapointe founded Jan-Pro in 1991 with a mission to deliver high-quality commercial cleaning services via a franchise network. By 1992, the company sold its first franchises, pioneering a two-tier franchising model that remains key to its expansion. Under this model, Jan-Pro operates through regional Master Franchisees (also known as Regional Developers) who in turn recruit and support unit franchisees in local markets. This structure allowed Jan-Pro to scale quickly while maintaining local support for franchise owners. Over the years, Jan-Pro introduced innovations such as its “Cleaning Greener” initiative – using efficient cleaning technologies that reduce chemical usage – and specialized disinfection systems to stay at the forefront of industry trends. The combination of a robust franchise system and a commitment to innovation has made Jan-Pro one of the top commercial cleaning franchise brands worldwide.
Jan-Pro Franchise Services and Support
Jan-Pro franchisees provide a wide range of commercial cleaning and disinfecting services to businesses: from routine office cleaning and floor care to specialized sanitization for medical facilities and schools. What does a Jan-Pro franchisee get when joining the system? In short, franchise owners benefit from a recognized brand, operational training, customer acquisition support, and ongoing coaching:
- Training & Certification: All new franchisees undergo a comprehensive certification program. This includes approximately 15 hours of classroom training and 4 hours of on-the-job training in Jan-Pro’s cleaning processes and business operations. Jan-Pro’s training covers how to deliver their branded services (for example, using their proprietary EnviroShield® disinfection system) as well as how to manage quality and customer relationships. Franchisees do not need prior cleaning experience – the extensive training ensures owners learn the necessary skills.
- Equipment & Supplies: Franchise packages include a starter kit of professional equipment and supplies. At minimum, an owner will purchase Jan-Pro’s starter equipment kit (approximately \$900 investment) that provides the essentials for basic cleaning services. Franchisees can later acquire additional specialized equipment (such as carpet cleaners or floor buffers) if they choose to offer more services. Jan-Pro often finances part of these costs and foots the bill for some initial equipment, making it easier to get started.
- Customer Accounts Provided: A major benefit of the Jan-Pro model is that franchisees don’t have to do their own selling to get clients. Jan-Pro’s regional support team actively markets and secures cleaning contracts and then assigns these customer accounts to franchisees. This means an owner can focus on servicing accounts, while Jan-Pro helps fill their client roster. For example, if you invest in a smaller entry-level plan, it might come with accounts worth about \$500 in monthly billing, whereas higher plans include more and larger accounts. This guaranteed client approach is a big draw for people without sales experience.
- Ongoing Support: Jan-Pro franchise owners are supported by their regional Master Franchise office with operational guidance, administrative support, and additional training as needed. The franchisor and regional teams handle billing and collections from clients, provide customer service support, and offer mentoring on how to grow the business. There are also marketing materials, a recognized brand name, and programs for quality assurance (like periodic inspections under the Jan-Pro Signature Clean® standards). In addition, Jan-Pro offers financing assistance to new owners in some cases – notably, military veterans can receive 50% of the franchise fee financed at 0% interest for 24 months, lowering the barrier to entry for veterans.
Overall, a Jan-Pro Cleaning & Disinfecting franchise is designed to be a turnkey package: you step into a system with training, equipment, and customers, backed by a brand that has decades of experience. This appeals to corporate career switchers who want an established path to business ownership without starting from scratch.
Jan-Pro Franchise Costs and Fees
Understanding the investment requirements and fees is crucial when analyzing any franchise opportunity. Jan-Pro’s franchise model is known for its low startup costs at the unit franchise level – one reason it’s often touted as an affordable way to own a business. Below is a breakdown of Jan-Pro’s initial investment and the ongoing fees franchisees can expect:
Initial Investment and Startup Costs
According to Jan-Pro’s Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) for 2024, the total initial investment for a unit franchise ranges from roughly \$5,000 up to \$75,000 or more, depending on the size of the franchise plan you choose. This makes Jan-Pro one of the more affordable franchises in the B2B services space. The variability in cost is largely due to the initial franchise fee, which can be very low for a starter plan or much higher for an expanded plan with greater business potential. Jan-Pro offers multiple entry plans; a smaller plan requires a lower fee (and comes with fewer initial accounts), while a larger plan costs more but includes a bigger bundle of customer accounts and earning potential.
Here is the full breakdown of estimated startup costs (from Item 7 of Jan-Pro’s FDD):
- Initial Franchise Fee: $2,520 – $60,000 (varies by market and plan size)
- Travel & Living Expenses (training): $50 – $300 (if training is out-of-town)
- Office & Related Expenses: $150 – $550 (basic office supplies, phone, etc.)
- Vehicle: $0 – $500 (many start with an existing personal vehicle)
- Initial Equipment Package: ~$950 (core cleaning equipment and supplies)
- Real Estate: $0 – $550 (usually home-based, so minimal cost)
- Electrostatic Sprayer Machine: $750 – $1,500 (for advanced disinfecting services)
- Floor Buffing Machine: $50 – $1,300 (if offering floor maintenance)
- Carpet Cleaning Machine: $50 – $4,400 (if offering carpet cleaning services)
- Insurance (Liability & Bonding): $200 – $620 (initial insurance premiums)
- Legal & Organizational Costs: $50 – $2,000 (business entity setup, licenses)
- Additional Funds (3 months): $150 – $550 (working capital for first 3 months)
Total Estimated Initial Investment: $4,920 – $78,140 (approximately $5K on the low end to about $75K on the high end)
These figures illustrate that someone can start a small Jan-Pro franchise with just a few thousand dollars down (Jan-Pro even notes you can start with as little as $1,250 down payment plus $900 for the starter kit in their basic plan). In fact, many Jan-Pro unit franchisees begin part-time with a minimal investment. The higher-end investment (~$50K–$78K) would apply if you purchase one of the largest plans, which includes a substantial book of business from day one. Even at that high end, the cost is relatively low compared to many franchises, since you don’t need to buy real estate or heavy equipment – it’s a home-based, service-oriented business.
It’s also worth noting that financing options are available. Jan-Pro (through its regional franchisors) often provides in-house financing for up to 50% of the franchise fee for certain plans. This means potential owners might be able to start with just a couple thousand dollars out-of-pocket and finance the rest, making the opportunity accessible to those with limited capital. The low financial barrier and flexible plan sizes have made Jan-Pro popular among first-time entrepreneurs looking for a side business or a path out of their corporate jobs.
Ongoing Fees and Royalty Structure
Like all franchises, Jan-Pro franchisees pay ongoing fees back to the franchisor (and regional master franchise) in return for continued support, brand use, and client services. It’s important to understand these fees, as they impact your profit margins. Jan-Pro’s ongoing fees include:
- Royalty Fee: 13% of gross monthly billings. This is the primary franchise royalty for using the Jan-Pro brand and system. For every dollar of cleaning revenue your business brings in, about $0.13 goes to Jan-Pro.
- Support Fee: 3% of gross monthly billings. This is an additional fee (sometimes termed an “administrative” or support fee) that covers the support and client-account services provided by the regional office. The royalty + support fee together amount to 16% of revenue.
- Advertising/Marketing Fee: Up to 1% of gross billings. Jan-Pro may charge up to a 1% ad fee to fund national or regional marketing efforts, though this fee is capped.
- Insurance and Technology Fees: Jan-Pro charges an insurance administrative fee up to $50 per month to cover liability insurance arrangements, and a technology fee (e.g. for proprietary software) up to about $60 per month.
- Special Services Fee: 10% of gross billings for special services. If your franchise performs one-time special cleaning projects (like floor refinishing jobs), the franchisor’s cut on those jobs is 10% (instead of the standard 13%+3% on regular contracts).
- Customer Acquisition Fees: One unique aspect of janitorial franchises is the fee for new customer accounts. Jan-Pro typically charges a sales or “finder’s” fee for each new client contract it provides to you – often equal to the first month’s billing of that account. (In Jan-Pro’s FDD this is called a “Negotiation Fee”.) In practice, this means if Jan-Pro signs a cleaning contract for you worth $1,000 per month, you pay $1,000 as a one-time fee to Jan-Pro for that account. This is how the company recoups the cost of marketing and sales efforts upfront.
- Additional Misc. Fees: There are a few other potential fees in the franchise agreement, such as a Complaint Resolution fee ($50 per incident if a franchisor has to handle a customer complaint on your behalf, plus possible service charges), a National Accounts fee (1% of revenues from any corporate-nominated national accounts), a renewal fee (around $750 to renew your franchise term), and transfer fees if you sell your franchise. Franchisees are also required to maintain certain insurance coverage and may pay an annual insurance review fee (~$200/year).
All told, a Jan-Pro unit franchisee can expect to remit roughly 15% to 20% of their revenues in various royalties and fees on an ongoing basis, depending on the mix of business (regular recurring accounts vs. special jobs, national accounts, etc.). For example, a standard local office cleaning account will incur 16% (13% royalty + 3% support) plus up to 1% marketing, totaling up to 17%. If that account was originally provided by Jan-Pro, you’d also have paid the one-time finder’s fee at the start. These fees are the trade-off for having a low-cost entry and a steady stream of clients handed to you. Jan-Pro handles billing and client acquisition, and in return franchisees give up a portion of revenue. It’s a model that works well for those who want a smaller owner-operator business without having to invest heavily in sales or infrastructure.
Aspiring franchisees should go in “with eyes open” about this fee structure. The Jan-Pro franchise can be very rewarding, but profit margins need to account for the royalties and fees. Many Jan-Pro owners start solo (doing some cleaning themselves to maximize earnings) and gradually hire employees as they grow.
Comparing Jan-Pro and Assett Office Cleaning Franchises
Jan-Pro provides a benchmark in the commercial cleaning franchise arena given its size and history. Now, let’s compare how Jan-Pro stacks up against the Assett Commercial Cleaning Franchise – particularly for entrepreneurs evaluating which office cleaning franchise is the best fit for their goals. Assett is a newer, family-owned franchise brand in the same industry (commercial cleaning), and it differentiates itself with a distinct business model and support system. Below we compare key aspects of ownership, scale, and operational support between Jan-Pro and Assett:
Ownership: Corporate vs. Family-Owned
One immediate difference is the corporate structure behind the franchise. Jan-Pro is owned by a large parent company (it is a subsidiary of Empower Brands, LLC, which oversees multiple franchise brands). This means when you become a Jan-Pro franchisee, you are joining a tiered organization – local support comes from a regional Master Franchise office, which is ultimately part of a big corporate network. The upside is a very established system with extensive resources and a widely recognized name. However, it can also feel more “corporate” in that franchise policies and fees are set by a large franchisor entity.
In contrast, Assett Commercial Cleaning Franchise is a family-owned and operated company. Founded by Matt Pencarinha (who also runs a successful commercial cleaning service business, Assett Commercial Services), Assett takes a more personal approach. The company is smaller and newer, which means franchisees often work directly with the founders and a close-knit team for support. Being family-owned, Assett emphasizes its hands-on mentorship and a culture of treating franchisees like business partners rather than just numbers. This difference can appeal to individuals who prefer a more entrepreneurial, less bureaucratic environment. While Jan-Pro’s parent company provides a tried-and-true playbook, Assett’s family ownership means more flexibility and potentially more individual attention as you grow your franchise.
Franchise Scale and Growth Potential
Perhaps the biggest contrast between Jan-Pro and Assett is the intended scale of the franchisee’s business. Jan-Pro’s unit franchise model is generally geared toward small owner-operators. Many Jan-Pro franchisees operate as single-person or family operations – in fact, Jan-Pro even allows owners to keep a day job and run the franchise part-time if they choose. The entry costs are low and multiple franchisees may serve the same metropolitan area. The model is ideal if someone wants to start small, replace their job income with a stable self-employment, and is comfortable doing much of the cleaning work themselves (at least initially). In industry terms, Jan-Pro is a “unit franchise” system. This means the franchisor takes on the selling and administrative heavy-lifting, while the franchisee focuses mainly on service delivery. However, the trade-off for Jan-Pro’s low-cost, unit franchise model is higher ongoing fees and limited territory control. For example, Jan-Pro can have multiple franchisees in the same city, and the franchisor can reassign client accounts between franchisees if necessary. Growth for a unit franchisee tends to be incremental – you can add more accounts, but the margins are thinner (due to fees) and you may eventually need to buy into a larger plan or territory if you want to significantly expand.
Assett, on the other hand, is positioned as an “Executive Franchise” model. This concept means an Assett franchisee is set up to be more of a business owner/executive managing a team, rather than a cleaning operator. From day one, Assett encourages franchise owners to think bigger: the franchise model is designed for building a business that can achieve $1,000,000+ in gross annual sales under a single owner. In fact, Assett openly promotes its “Proven $1,000,000+ Cleaning Franchise Model” as a core selling point. Franchisees get exclusive territories (only one Assett owner per region, so no internal competition) and have the green light to aggressively market and grow their client base without caps. Importantly, Assett’s royalties and fees are lower – royalties range from about 3% to 7% of revenue, and marketing fees 0.5% to 2%, which is significantly less burden than Jan-Pro’s ~17%+ fees. This lower overhead means owners can afford to hire employees to do the cleaning work. In fact, Assett’s philosophy is that the owner should not be the one out there cleaning; they should be running the business, managing crews, and scaling up. The end result is that an Assett franchise is intended to grow larger and faster in revenue than a typical Jan-Pro unit.
In summary, if your goal is to build a large, scalable cleaning company with many employees and a higher income potential, Assett provides a framework for that – it’s about becoming an executive in your business. If your goal is more modest, like earning a stable income by servicing a handful of accounts personally, Jan-Pro’s model fits well. Jan-Pro is proven for small operators, whereas Assett aims to graduate you into a full-scale business owner with a million-dollar enterprise.
Operational Advantages and Support Systems
Both franchises offer support, but the nature of support differs. Jan-Pro’s biggest operational advantage to franchisees is the customer acquisition: as mentioned, Jan-Pro finds and provides client accounts so you don’t need to do outbound sales. It essentially guarantees revenue as long as you are willing to do the work. Additionally, Jan-Pro has decades of experience in training people who have never run a business before, with a structured certification program and ongoing mentorship by the regional offices. Franchisees also benefit from Jan-Pro’s investments in technology (like their cleaning process innovations and account management systems) and their brand credibility which helps in client retention (entrepreneur.com).
Assett, being newer, instead differentiates itself in the operational efficiency it offers owners. The hallmark of Assett’s support is its proprietary Automated Hiring System (bizbuysell.com). Hiring and retaining cleaning staff is notoriously the biggest challenge in the cleaning industry – high turnover can stunt a business’s growth. Assett recognized this and built an automated system to recruit, screen, and onboard employees quickly. This system, refined since 2019, reportedly saves an owner 20–30 hours per week on hiring tasks by streamlining the process to just 2–5 hours weekly (bizbuysell.com). In practical terms, that means an Assett franchisee spends far less time posting jobs, interviewing, and processing paperwork, and more time focused on client service and expansion. Assett’s owners can thus scale up faster and with less burnout, because finding reliable cleaners – the lifeblood of the business – is made much easier. The company claims this unmatched hiring advantage leads to lower turnover and better service quality (since you can be choosy and maintain a strong team).
Another operational difference is how the day-to-day is structured. In a Jan-Pro unit franchise, especially at the start, the owner often is the primary worker. Many Jan-Pro franchisees clean offices themselves (maybe with a spouse or family helping) to avoid the cost of employees until they have more accounts. Assett franchises, by design, encourage you to hire from the start and be the manager, not the cleaner. Assett provides tools like professional management software and 1-on-1 business coaching to help you run a larger operation effectively. They also only award one franchise per territory, so each Assett owner can grow unhindered in their region. By contrast, Jan-Pro’s model of overlapping unit territories means an owner’s growth could be geographically limited, and marketing is often controlled by the regional franchisor (unit franchisees typically aren’t independently marketing heavily, as they rely on Jan-Pro’s sales team). Assett gives you the freedom to market and add accounts aggressively – because you’re not paying hefty finders fees and you won’t compete with another franchisee next door.
In terms of ongoing fees, we’ve noted Jan-Pro’s are higher. Assett’s lower royalty (3-7%) and fees allow owners to reinvest more into their business (hiring staff, local advertising, etc.) or simply enjoy a higher profit margin. For instance, a Jan-Pro franchisee paying ~17% in fees vs. an Assett owner paying around 5-7% could mean the difference of tens of thousands of dollars as the business grows. This isn’t to say one system is “better” universally – it’s about the model: Jan-Pro’s fees fund the services that make the business hands-off in sales and administration, whereas Assett’s model expects the owner to take the lead on growth with enhanced tools and support.
Conclusion: Choosing the Right Office Cleaning Franchise
Jan-Pro, and competitors like Coverall, have proven that the commercial cleaning franchise model can be a stable and profitable path for those leaving corporate careers to become business owners. Jan-Pro is a well-established, proven brand with thousands of successful franchisees and a long track record – choosing Jan-Pro means you’re riding on a well-oiled system with strong brand recognition. For many, that established system and low entry cost make it the best office cleaning franchise to start with.
On the other hand, our Assett Commercial Cleaning Franchise offers an equally viable opportunity – especially for entrepreneurs who aspire to build a larger business with a unique competitive edge. Assett is family-owned and driven by a passionate team, which translates to personalized support and a franchise culture centered on your success. With Assett, you gain an exclusive territory, enjoy lower ongoing fees, and leverage our one-of-a-kind Automated Hiring System to save time and money while scaling up. The result is a franchise that can match the industry’s top brands in credibility and results, while giving you an advantage in operational efficiency and growth potential.
In choosing between Jan-Pro and Assett (or any franchise in this arena), consider your personal goals. If you value a famous brand name and a ready-made client list and don’t mind a smaller-scale operation, Jan-Pro could be a great fit. If you’re aiming higher – looking to potentially grow a $1M+ revenue business where you are the executive, not the cleaner, and you want more control and innovation in how you run your company – then Assett Commercial Cleaning Franchise may be the better choice. Coverall and Jan-Pro have shown the franchise model works; Assett builds on that foundation with a modern twist to address the biggest pain point (hiring) and to focus on quality and sustainable growth.
Ultimately, both opportunities have merits, but Assett’s unique advantages make it a compelling option for the ambitious entrepreneur. We invite you to take the next step: connect with our Assett team to learn more about how our franchise can help you achieve your business ownership dreams. Whether you are comparing us to Jan-Pro or any other franchise, we’re here to answer your questions openly and help determine the best fit for your future. Your journey to owning a thriving commercial cleaning business could start now – and we’re excited to help you make it happen!
