The Grounds Guys franchise
A The Grounds Guys franchisee provides lawn care, landscaping and grounds maintenance services. At the end of 2025 there were 219 The Grounds Guys locations in the US, all franchised.
- Cost to open
- $108K–$253K
- Franchise fee
- $43,750
- Royalty
- 5%–6% + minimum
- Locations, 2025
- 219+8 in 3 yrs
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Company snapshot
- SBA loans
- On the SBA Franchise Directory
From THE GROUNDS GUYS SPV LLC’s 2026 filing; SBA status from the SBA Franchise Directory, October 28, 2026.
How much a The Grounds Guys franchise costs
Opening one territory costs an estimated $107,650 to $252,850. That covers the franchise fee and everything else needed to open, through the first months of working capital.
Source: THE GROUNDS GUYS SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 41
The Grounds Guys franchise fee
The franchise fee is $43,750. You pay it when you sign the franchise agreement.
Source: THE GROUNDS GUYS SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 25
Royalty and ongoing fees
| Royalty | 5%–6% of gross sales, subject to minimum license fees; qualifying roll-in sales have separate rates. |
|---|
The typical franchise royalty is 6% of sales, plus 2% for marketing. See franchise fees and royalties to compare.
Source: THE GROUNDS GUYS SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 28
Sales and earnings
Shares figures The Grounds Guys publishes sales or earnings figures for its locations: Historical results are reported by franchised businesses for the stated periods.. The full tables, with notes on which locations are counted, are in its filing.
Source: THE GROUNDS GUYS SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 80
Locations opened and closed
| Year | Franchised | Company-owned | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 226 (+15) | 0 | 28 |
| 2024 | 229 (+3) | 0 | 28 |
| 2025 | 219 (−10) | 0 | 22 |
Closed or left counts terminations, non-renewals, locations bought back by the franchisor and locations that stopped operating.
See which brands grew most in the fastest-growing franchises rankings.
The Grounds Guys passes four of the five tests on our list of the best franchises to own; more of its franchised locations closed or left than is typical.
Source: THE GROUNDS GUYS SPV LLC, 2026 filing, page 83
How The Grounds Guys compares
Of the 8 lawn care franchises on this site, The Grounds Guys is the 2nd cheapest to open and the 3rd largest by number of locations.
| Measure | The Grounds Guys | Typical lawn care |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to open, low end | $108K | $128K |
| Closed or left per year | 11.8% | 5.7% |
| Change in franchised locations, 3 yrs | +3.8% | +3.8% |
| Shares earnings figures | Yes | 8 of 8 |
Typical is the median across the 8 brands in lawn care franchises.
