Franchise Facts Report → compare → Merry Maids vs Pop-A-Lock
Merry Maids vs Pop-A-Lock
Two cleaning & restoration franchises, compared on the numbers their own Franchise Disclosure Documents put on record — investment, fees, Item 19 earnings, outlet churn, and litigation. Not marketing copy.
| Merry Maids | Pop-A-Lock | |
|---|---|---|
| Total initial investment FDD Item 7 | $126,875 – $169,325 | $117,565 – $190,610 |
| Initial franchise fee FDD Item 5 | $55,000 | $23,000 |
| Royalty FDD Item 6 | 7% | 7% |
| Item 19 earnings disclosed FDD Item 19 | Yes | Not disclosed |
| Avg unit revenue (headline) FDD Item 19 | $439,243 | — |
| Franchised outlets FDD Item 20 | 684 | 309 |
| Net outlet change (latest yr) FDD Item 20 | -80 | -63 |
| Closure rate FDD Item 20 | 13.4% | — |
| Franchisee lawsuits FDD Item 3 | disclosed | 1 |
| Risk level our read | Medium | High |
| FDD year registration | 2026 | 2026 |
Are Merry Maids and Pop-A-Lock the same company?
No — Merry Maids and Pop-A-Lock are franchised by separate companies. Merry Maids's franchisor is Merry Maids SPE LLC; Pop-A-Lock's is SystemForward America, LLC. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
Cost to open
Merry Maids is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $126,875 – $169,325, against $117,565 – $190,610 for Pop-A-Lock.
How much does each make? (Item 19)
Only Merry Maids disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation (headline average unit revenue $439,243), while Pop-A-Lock's most recent FDD makes none. That asymmetry is itself a data point: one franchisor puts its unit economics on paper, the other doesn't.
Closures & failure rate
Merry Maids reports 684 franchised outlets, net change -80 in the latest reported year, a 13.4% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Pop-A-Lock reports 309 franchised outlets, net change -63 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20). Outlet churn — closures, terminations, non-renewals — is the closest thing an FDD has to a failure rate.
Litigation
Merry Maids discloses litigation in FDD Item 3 (each case is described there). Pop-A-Lock discloses 1 franchisee-vs-franchisor proceeding in FDD Item 3.
Deciding between Merry Maids and Pop-A-Lock?
See what else fits before you choose. Tell us your budget and state and we'll send you the 5–10 cleaning & restoration franchises (or any industries you pick) with the strongest FDD record for it.
Merry Maids vs Pop-A-Lock — frequently asked
Are Merry Maids and Pop-A-Lock the same company?
No — Merry Maids and Pop-A-Lock are franchised by separate companies. Merry Maids's franchisor is Merry Maids SPE LLC; Pop-A-Lock's is SystemForward America, LLC. Each registers and files its own Franchise Disclosure Document, and you would be signing with a different entity depending on which you chose. Note that a registry filing names the franchisor, not necessarily its ultimate parent — two brands owned by the same parent company can still have separate franchisors.
What is the difference between Merry Maids and Pop-A-Lock?
Merry Maids and Pop-A-Lock are cleaning & restoration franchises from different franchisors (Merry Maids SPE LLC and SystemForward America, LLC). Merry Maids is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $126,875 – $169,325, against $117,565 – $190,610 for Pop-A-Lock. Only Merry Maids disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation (headline average unit revenue $439,243), while Pop-A-Lock's most recent FDD makes none. That asymmetry is itself a data point: one franchisor puts its unit economics on paper, the other doesn't.
Is Merry Maids more profitable than Pop-A-Lock?
Only Merry Maids disclosed earnings: it makes an Item 19 financial performance representation (headline average unit revenue $439,243), while Pop-A-Lock's most recent FDD makes none. That asymmetry is itself a data point: one franchisor puts its unit economics on paper, the other doesn't.
Which is cheaper to open — Merry Maids or Pop-A-Lock?
Merry Maids is the cheaper franchise to open: its FDD Item 7 puts the total initial investment at $126,875 – $169,325, against $117,565 – $190,610 for Pop-A-Lock.
Is Merry Maids or Pop-A-Lock growing faster?
Merry Maids reports 684 franchised outlets, net change -80 in the latest reported year, a 13.4% closure rate (FDD Item 20). Pop-A-Lock reports 309 franchised outlets, net change -63 in the latest reported year (FDD Item 20).
Go deeper on each brand
Cleaning & restoration rankings
Figures are as disclosed in each brand's most recent registered FDD (Merry Maids 2026, Pop-A-Lock 2026). “—” means the FDD does not disclose it or the table did not parse cleanly — never an estimate.