Pool Cleaning and Service Franchise vs. Starting Your Own

What five years costs on each path, counting every cost we can source on both sides. Change the revenue to see how royalties grow with your sales.

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Some numbers on this page haven't been checked against their sources yet.

At a glance

Pool Cleaning and Service: franchise vs. independent
	Franchise (4 brands)	Independent
Franchise fee	$25,000 – $50,000	$0
Initial investment	$43,150 – $213,171	$1,200 – $1,262*
Ongoing royalties	5.45% – 8% of revenue	None
Operating costs (5 years)	$26,460 – $27,660	$26,460 – $27,660
Brand, training, and support	Included	You build your own
5-year total cost	$81,349 – $307,831	$27,660 – $28,922*

Franchise fee
Franchise (4 brands)
$25,000 – $50,000
Independent
$0
Initial investment
Franchise (4 brands)
$43,150 – $213,171
Independent
$1,200 – $1,262*
Ongoing royalties
Franchise (4 brands)
5.45% – 8% of revenue
Independent
None
Operating costs (5 years)
Franchise (4 brands)
$26,460 – $27,660
Independent
$26,460 – $27,660
Brand, training, and support
Franchise (4 brands)
Included
Independent
You build your own
5-year total cost
Franchise (4 brands)
$81,349 – $307,831
Independent
$27,660 – $28,922*

5-year totals assume $36,400–$130,000 in yearly revenue (our forecast presets at full volume), the same sourced operating costs (insurance, software, fees) on both paths, and both the lean and professional independent plans. Franchise investment figures come from each brand's disclosure (FDD Item 7) and already include the franchise fee. * Excludes independent startup lines we haven't sourced yet.

What franchisees report taking in

From each brand's own disclosure (FDD Item 19), copied exactly. These are gross sales before royalties and costs, not profit, and not a promise of what you will earn.

ASP – America's Swimming Pool Company
Item 19 reports 2025 gross revenue per territory by quartile for 127 territories open all year, plus system-wide sales and net profit tables.
Pool Scouts
Item 19 reports 2025 revenue for 60 outlets open at least 12 months, by the year they opened and for year-round markets, plus an income statement for the franchisor's own Virginia locations.
Poolwerx
Item 19 reports 2025 gross revenue invoiced by 31 franchisees open all year, split by number of territories and by mobile-only versus mobile-plus-retail.
- Average 2025 gross revenue, mobile-only franchisees with 1 territory (10 franchisees)$188,847 a year
- Median 2025 gross revenue, mobile-only franchisees with 1 territory (10 franchisees)$183,840 a year
- Average 2025 gross revenue, all mobile-only franchisees (17 franchisees)$256,893 a year
Premier Pool Service
Item 19 reports 2025 gross revenue and weekly accounts by quartile for 33 franchises open all year, and first-year revenue for 9 franchisees that opened in 2024.

What a franchise does give you

Franchises cost more, but the fees buy real things. Weigh them honestly.

Established national brand in residential pool service
Initial training: 32 classroom hours and 64 hours on the job
Franchisor runs your launch direct-mail campaigns and a call center
Required route software (Pool Brain) and a starter truck kit are supplied
Royalty rate steps down as yearly revenue grows
Franchisor-run direct-mail and digital marketing programs
Initial training of 8–10 days, classroom and field
Bundled business software, phones and website
Sister brand of Home Clean Heroes, part of a larger franchise group
International brand that started in Australia
About 11 days of initial training
Integrated technology platform including water-testing software
Option to add a retail store later
Lowest initial investment of the brands shown here
Lower royalty (5.45%) than the other brands shown
Discounted entry for owners converting an existing pool route
Online and on-the-job initial training

Going independent means

You keep 100% of what you earn after costs — no royalties.
You build your own brand, systems, and customer base.
You need more self-reliance, especially in the first year.

Brand by brand

Five-year cost breakdown
Option	Initial investment	Royalties	Marketing fund	Fixed fees	Operating costs	5-year total	vs. independent
ASP – America's Swimming Pool Company	$88,695 – $213,171	$12,740 – $45,500	$1,820 – $6,500	$15,000	$26,460 – $27,660	$144,715 – $307,831	+$117,055 – $278,967
Pool Scouts	$96,662 – $133,787	$14,560 – $52,000	$3,640 – $13,000	$23,700	$26,460 – $27,660	$165,022 – $250,147	+$137,362 – $221,283
Poolwerx	$105,400 – $140,525	$12,740 – $45,500	$5,460 – $19,500	$15,000	$26,460 – $27,660	$165,060 – $248,185	+$137,400 – $219,321
Premier Pool Service	$43,150 – $118,250	$9,919 – $35,425	$1,820 – $6,500	$0	$26,460 – $27,660	$81,349 – $187,835	+$53,689 – $158,971
Independent (lean start)	$1,200 – $1,204*	$0	$0	$0	$26,460 – $27,660	$27,660 – $28,864	—

Low figures pair the low end of each cost with low revenue; high figures pair the high ends. Franchise initial investment is each brand's FDD Item 7 estimate and already includes the franchise fee. Marketing fund and fixed fees show $0 where we have no sourced figure for that brand.

* Excludes independent startup lines we haven't sourced yet.

Costs are only half the picture

A franchise's brand, training, and support can help some owners reach customers faster. Weigh what those are worth to you against the difference above.

Back to the Pool Cleaning and Service guide · Sources for these figures