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    Franchise opportunities compared

    Monster Tree Service vs The Grounds Guys

    Reviewed figures from each brand's Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), side by side. Each figure carries its FDD year and page. This is not a ranking or recommendation, and the two FDDs may cover different years and location groups.

    Monster Tree Service2026 FDDThe Grounds Guys2026 FDD

    Initial investment · Item 7

    Monster Tree Service

    $335,040 – $489,775

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 35

    The Grounds Guys

    $107,650 – $252,850

    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 41

    Initial franchise fee · Item 5

    Monster Tree Service

    $49,500

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

    The Grounds Guys

    $43,750

    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 25

    Royalty · Item 6

    Monster Tree Service

    6.5%-3.5% or $350-$625/wk

    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19

    The Grounds Guys

    Not available

    Before you compare

    • Both sets of figures come from 2026 FDDs.
    • Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Monster Tree Service: 6, The Grounds Guys: 2). Different groups are not directly comparable.

    Financial commitment

    Estimated initial investment (Item 7)

    Monster Tree Service

    $335,040 – $489,775
    TOTALS
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 35

    The Grounds Guys

    $107,650 – $252,850
    Totals
    2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 41
    Standard initial franchise fee (Item 5)

    Monster Tree Service

    $49,500
    Item 5 also lists a $0.25 fee for each additional Single Family Dwelling Unit above 80,000.
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 16

    The Grounds Guys

    $43,750
    2026 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 25
    Royalty (Item 6)

    Monster Tree Service

    6.5%-3.5% or $350-$625/wk
    Royalty Fee
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 19

    The Grounds Guys

    Not available
    No reviewed royalty record
    Brand / advertising fund (Item 6)

    Monster Tree Service

    1% of percentage of gross revenue
    Brand Fund Contribution
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 20

    The Grounds Guys

    $25,000/yr
    Initial Marketing Spend Requirement — per year for Year 1 and Year 2
    2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 36

    System scale & health

    Total outlets (Item 20)

    Monster Tree Service

    134
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 87

    The Grounds Guys

    219
    Outlets at end of 2025
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 83
    Net outlet change (Item 20)

    Monster Tree Service

    −83
    Calculated: 217 at end of 2023 → 134 at end of 2025

    The Grounds Guys

    −7
    Calculated: 226 at end of 2023 → 219 at end of 2025
    Outlet exits (Item 20)

    Monster Tree Service

    43
    Closures, terminations & non-renewals in 2025 · Calculated turnover 24.4% of outlets at start of year
    2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 87

    The Grounds Guys

    Not available
    No complete exit records for a year
    Franchising since (Item 1)

    Monster Tree Service

    2021
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 6

    The Grounds Guys

    2010
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 10
    Franchisor founded (Item 1)

    Monster Tree Service

    Not available
    Not in reviewed records

    The Grounds Guys

    2020
    2026 FDD · Item 1 · PDF p. 10

    Financial performance (Item 19), by location group

    Monster Tree Service
    Franchised (40 franchisees) — revenue
    $1,548,004 per franchisee
    other Gross Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 82
    Franchised (47 franchisees) — revenue
    32.4 percent
    other Repeat Customer Revenue
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 86
    Franchised (51 franchisees) — other measures
    $1,998
    other Job Size
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 85
    +3 more groups in the full report
    The Grounds Guys
    Franchised (105 businesses) — revenue
    $820,392
    mean Annual Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 81
    Franchised (56 businesses) — revenue
    $392,054
    mean Annual Gross Sales
    2026 FDD · Item 19 · PDF p. 82

    Item 19 groups are shown separately and never combined. Revenue or sales figures are not profit. Net outlet change and turnover are Franopolis calculations from the disclosed counts; turnover is a count-based rate, not a measure of owner earnings.

    Monster Tree Service vs The Grounds Guys: common questions

    Which costs less to open, Monster Tree Service or The Grounds Guys?
    Monster Tree Service: $335,040 – $489,775 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 35); The Grounds Guys: $107,650 – $252,850 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 41). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for The Grounds Guys. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
    Which has more locations, Monster Tree Service or The Grounds Guys?
    Monster Tree Service: 134 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 87); The Grounds Guys: 219 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 83). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
    Do Monster Tree Service and The Grounds Guys disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
    Monster Tree Service has reviewed Item 19 figures for 6 location groups; The Grounds Guys has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups. Different location groups are not directly comparable, and revenue is not profit.

    Answers restate the reviewed figures above. Not a ranking or recommendation.

    How Franopolis reviews FDD figures

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    Full Monster Tree Service report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

    Full The Grounds Guys report

    Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure

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    Plain-language meaning of each Item