Franchise opportunities compared
Smash My Trash vs Square Cow
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.
Initial investment · Item 7
Smash My Trash
$372,050 – $492,200
2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 26Square Cow
$167,250
2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 21Initial franchise fee · Item 5
Smash My Trash
Not available
Square Cow
$59,500
2025 FDD · Item 5 · PDF p. 12Royalty · Item 6
Smash My Trash
8% of Gross Sales from trash compaction services plus 8% of Net Revenue from Ancillary Services; after 9 months, the greater of that amount or $2,600 multiplied by the number of Trucks required in operation
2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18Square Cow
7%
2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13Before you compare
- Smash My Trash figures come from its 2026 FDD and Square Cow figures from its 2025 FDD, so the years differ.
- Item 19 figures cover the location groups each FDD names (Smash My Trash: 2, Square Cow: 9). Different groups are not directly comparable.
Financial commitment
Smash My TrashSmash My Trash
Square Cow
Smash My Trash
Square Cow
Smash My Trash
Square Cow
Smash My Trash
Square Cow
System scale & health
Smash My TrashSmash My Trash
Square Cow
Smash My Trash
Square Cow
Smash My Trash
Square Cow
Smash My Trash
Square Cow
Smash My Trash
Square Cow
Financial performance (Item 19), by location group
Smash My TrashItem 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.
Smash My Trash vs Square Cow: common questions
- Which costs less to open, Smash My Trash or Square Cow?
- Smash My Trash: $372,050 – $492,200 (2026 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 26); Square Cow: $167,250 (2025 FDD · Item 7 · PDF p. 21). These are each franchisor's Item 7 estimated initial investment. The low end of the disclosed estimate is lower for Square Cow. Estimates are not quotes, and the FDD years may differ.
- How do Smash My Trash and Square Cow royalties compare?
- Smash My Trash: 8% of Gross Sales from trash compaction services plus 8% of Net Revenue from Ancillary Services; after 9 months, the greater of that amount or $2,600 multiplied by the number of Trucks required in operation (2026 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 18); Square Cow: 7% (2025 FDD · Item 6 · PDF p. 13). Royalties as disclosed in Item 6; other recurring fees are listed separately.
- Which has more locations, Smash My Trash or Square Cow?
- Smash My Trash: 523 (2026 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 73); Square Cow: 9 (2025 FDD · Item 20 · PDF p. 58). Total outlets from Item 20. Outlet counts do not indicate territory availability or franchisee results.
- Do Smash My Trash and Square Cow disclose financial performance (Item 19)?
- Smash My Trash has reviewed Item 19 figures for 2 location groups; Square Cow has reviewed Item 19 figures for 9 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.
Keep researching
Full Smash My Trash report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
Full Square Cow report
Every reviewed fee, Item 19 group, outlet table and territory disclosure
