Fish Window Cleaning franchise unit economics
Fish Window Cleaning franchisees run window cleaning businesses that sell recurring commercial and residential window cleaning, served by crews, in Small, Standard or Executive package territories.
Fish Window Cleaning franchise at a glance
Across the 254 outlets reporting for 2025 the system average was $530,840, up 8.4% in two years, while new customers won each year fell 6.4%.
Fish Window Cleaning’s 254 outlets reporting for 2025 averaged $530,840* of sales, worked out from the top-half and bottom-half averages in Item 19 of Fish Window Cleaning’s 2026 FDD, issued 23 March 2026. The 254 in that group are 92%* of Fish Window Cleaning’s 275 locations. Fees paid to Fish Window Cleaning come to about 8.98%* of sales.
- A Fish Window Cleaning franchise costs $111,900 to $179,900 to open, including a $59,900 initial franchise fee, according to the brand's 2026 FDD.
- Fish Window Cleaning charges a royalty of 8% of sales.
- Fish Window Cleaning reported 275 franchised locations in its 2026 FDD.
- 44 of the 254 reporting Fish Window Cleaning outlets, 17%, reached the top half's average of $799,767.
- Work out Fish Window Cleaning's fees at your own sales with the minimum fee calculator.
These figures come from Fish Window Cleaning's 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, as the brand reported them, and were read by Averan Advisors.
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Talk to Averan → Move your books and accounting to Averan →- Revenue rose 8.4% in two years while new customers fell 6.4%. A system average of $530,840 against $489,894, on 219 new customers against 234 *, so revenue for each new customer won rose 15.8% to $2,424, and the existing route did the work.
- The royalty falls from 8% to 5% as sales rise, and the minimum it applies to rises every year. That is 8% up to $500,000 of annual sales, then 7%, 6% and 5% above $1,200,000, against a standard-package minimum climbing from $68,640 a year to $371,800 by year ten *.
- A bottom tenth outlet falls short of the year-three minimum standard. $124,499 of average revenue against a standard-package requirement of $148,720 *, and at a year-ten standard that outlet would owe an effective 23.89% of what it actually billed.
- The top tenth bills 11.6 times the bottom tenth. $1,444,227 against $124,499 *, and outlet to outlet the range ran $2,814,785 to $61,872, which is 45.5 times.
- Every outlet that closed in three years had been trading more than a year. 6, 11 and 7 permanent closures across 2023 to 2025, with none of them open under twelve months, so these were established routes.
How much does a Fish Window Cleaning franchise make?
The average Fish Window Cleaning unit billed $530,840 * of revenue in 2025, Averan’s average of the two halves in the 2026 FDD. The brand’s disclosure document discloses revenue and not profit, so what an owner keeps depends on the cost structure set out below. Fees come off the top first, at about 9% of sales across royalty, brand fund and the rest of the stack. Revenue is not income. Rent, wages, cost of goods and the franchise fees all come out before an owner is paid. The figures for the highest-selling and lowest-selling businesses are below.
Revenue and customers
Sales and new customers by group, 2023 to 2025
Few filings publish an operating driver beside the revenue it produced. This one gives three years of both, for four overlapping groups, which makes the direction of the business readable.
| Group | 2023 revenue | 2024 revenue | 2025 revenue | 2023 new customers | 2024 | 2025 | Revenue a new customer, 2025 * |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 10% | $1,290,413 | $1,376,037 | $1,444,227 | 596 | 609 | 588 | $2,456 |
| Top 50% | $734,360 | $775,483 | $799,767 | 356 | 352 | 337 | $2,373 |
| Bottom 50% | $245,428 | $259,074 | $261,912 | 112 | 108 | 101 | $2,593 |
| Bottom 10% | $121,556 | $125,424 | $124,499 | 46 | 51 | 47 | $2,649 |
| System average * | $489,894 | $517,278 | $530,840 | 234 | 230 | 219 | $2,424 |
Every group row is as the brand reported it; the system average row and the right-hand column are marked *.
Every group won fewer new customers in 2025 than in 2023 and billed more. The top tenth went 596 to 588 on revenue up 11.9%, the bottom half 112 to 101 on revenue up 6.7% *, which is what a recurring route business looks like when the book compounds.
Revenue for each new customer won rose 15.8% in two years. $2,424 against $2,094 at the system average *, and it is highest at the bottom of the system, at $2,649, where the smallest routes are adding the fewest names.
Between 3% and 4% of outlets reach the top tenth’s average. 8 of 254 in 2025 *, and 44 of 254, 17%, reach the top half’s, so the published upper figures describe a narrow group of the system.
The bottom tenth is the one group holding flat. $121,556, $125,424 then $124,499 *, a 2.4% gain across three years against 8.4% for the system, so the gap between the ends is widening.
Top performers
What separates the top Fish Window Cleaning performers
Fish Window Cleaning splits its locations into groups instead of publishing one average. The top group averaged $1,444,227 a year. The lowest averaged $124,499. Both run the same brand, on the same agreement, paying the same fees.
Decided before you open
- Site and trade area.The top band sells 11.6× the bottom band. Catchment, daytime population and neighboring businesses affect where a location falls.
- Territory.This model sells from a territory, with no storefront. Population density sets how much driving sits between jobs.
- Opening cost range.Opening costs $111,900 to $179,900, a 1.6× range inside one brand.
- Fees and the minimum.Fees run about 9.0% of sales. A minimum fee also applies, so lower-selling locations pay a higher effective rate. Work out the sales level where the percentage overtakes the minimum.
Live operating levers
- Routes.Each van costs the same per day. Track stops per van and the distance between them.
Context you underwrite around
- Locations included.These figures cover 254 of 275 locations. Locations open less than the full year, brand-owned, or not meeting the reporting criteria are excluded.
- What the filing does not include.Item 19 publishes no profit or cost data for franchised locations, no median. Ask the franchisor or current owners for cost and profit figures.
Discounts available
- Fish Window Cleaning takes 10% off the applicable initial franchise fee for honorably discharged veterans (VetFran).
- Fish Window Cleaning takes 30% off a second or later franchise for existing franchisees who meet its multi-unit criteria.
From Item 5 of the Fish Window Cleaning 2026 FDD. The costs on this page use the full initial franchise fee for one unit, before any discount.
Two fees pulling apart
Royalty rate and minimum performance standard
The royalty is charged weekly on the greater of what the outlet billed or a minimum performance standard. Two ladders govern it, and they run in opposite directions.
| Aggregate sales in the calendar year | Rate applied each week | Which group averages sit here * |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $500,000 | 8% | Bottom half, $261,912; bottom tenth, $124,499 |
| $500,000.01 to $900,000 | 7% | Top half, $799,767 |
| $900,000.01 to $1,200,000 | 6% | n/a |
| Above $1,200,000.01 | 5% | Top tenth, $1,444,227 |
| Year of the term | Small, a week | Standard, a week | Executive, a week | Standard, a year * |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| One | $1,100 | $1,320 | $1,430 | $68,640 |
| Three | $2,420 | $2,860 | $3,190 | $148,720 |
| Five | $3,740 | $4,400 | $4,950 | $228,800 |
| Seven | $4,620 | $5,500 | $6,270 | $286,000 |
| Ten | $5,940 | $7,150 | $8,250 | $371,800 |
The rates, the standards and the package names are as the brand reported it; the annual column is marked *, multiplying the weekly figure by 52.
The bottom tenth bills less than a standard-package outlet is required to bill in year three. $124,499 against $148,720 *, so a route at that level is paying royalty on revenue it has yet to earn from its third year onward.
At a year-ten standard that outlet owes an effective 23.89%. 8% of $371,800 is $29,744 against $124,499 of actual sales *, three times the headline rate, and the clearest illustration of what a minimum does to a low-selling unit.
At a year-ten standard the bottom half pays an effective 11.36%. $29,744 against $261,912 *, so at a mature standard, the lower half of this system pays above the top of the published rate range while the upper half pays 7% and 5%.
The highest-selling outlets pay the lowest rate on the largest base. The top tenth at 5% of $1,444,227 is $72,211, against the bottom tenth’s $29,744 on a mature standard *, 2.43 times the money from 11.6 times the revenue.
Three package sizes
Cost to open by package
| Package | Initial franchise fee | Total investment | Year-one weekly standard | Year-ten weekly standard | Entry against the system average * |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | $49,900 | $111,900 to $129,900 | $1,100 | $5,940 | 0.21 to 0.24 times |
| Standard | $59,900 | $134,800 to $149,900 | $1,320 | $7,150 | 0.25 to 0.28 times |
| Executive | $74,900 | $161,800 to $179,900 | $1,430 | $8,250 | 0.30 to 0.34 times |
Fees, totals and standards are as the brand reported it; the comparison column is marked *, dividing each total by the $530,840 system average.
Entry runs a quarter to a third of what an average outlet bills in a year. A Fish Window Cleaning outlet costs $111,900 to $179,900 to open against $530,840 of average sales *.
The Executive package costs 44.6% more and requires 38.9% more revenue. $161,800 against $111,900 at the low end, on a year-ten standard of $8,250 a week against $5,940 *, so the larger territory brings a larger obligation attached to it.
The network of locations
Outlets opened and closed, 2023 to 2025
| Year | Franchised at start | Franchised at end | Net change | Permanent closures | Closures as a share of year end * | Outlets reporting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 263 | 264 | +1 | 6 | 2.3% | 257 of 264 |
| 2024 | 264 | 269 | +5 | 11 | 4.1% | 252 of 269 |
| 2025 | 269 | 275 | +6 | 7 | 2.5% | 254 of 275 |
Every column apart from the closure share is as the brand reported it.
The system added 12 outlets in three years and closed 24. 263 to 275 *, so roughly three openings were needed for every one net addition.
Every closure had traded more than twelve months. None of the 24 had traded under twelve months *, which points at the mature end of the curve, and sits alongside a bottom tenth holding flat at $124,499.
Questions we get asked
Questions owners ask.
How much does a Fish Window Cleaning franchise make?
Fish Window Cleaning’s 254 outlets reporting for 2025 averaged $530,840* of sales, worked out from the top-half and bottom-half averages in Item 19 of Fish Window Cleaning’s 2026 FDD, issued 23 March 2026. The 254 in that group are 92%* of Fish Window Cleaning’s 275 locations. Fees paid to Fish Window Cleaning come to about 8.98%* of sales.
What does a Fish Window Cleaning outlet bill?
The system average across the 254 outlets reporting for 2025 was $530,840 on our own reading of the two halves. The top half averaged $799,767 and the bottom half $261,912; the top tenth $1,444,227 and the bottom tenth $124,499. Outlet to outlet the range ran $2,814,785 to $61,872.
Where is the growth coming from at Fish Window Cleaning?
Fish Window Cleaning's growth is coming from the existing customer book. Revenue rose 8.4% from 2023 to 2025 while new customers won each year fell 6.4%, so the revenue accompanying each new name rose 15.8% to $2,424. Every one of the four published groups shows the same direction.
What fees does Fish Window Cleaning charge?
The royalty is 8% of gross sales up to $500,000 of annual sales, falling to 7%, then 6%. Above $1,200,000 it is 5%, charged weekly on the greater of actual sales or a minimum performance standard. A technology fee of $100 a week sits on top, which is $5,200 a year.
How much does the minimum standard matter at Fish Window Cleaning?
It matters a great deal at the lower end. A standard-package outlet must bill $68,640 in year one rising to $371,800 by year ten. An outlet at the bottom tenth’s $124,499 falls short of the year-three requirement. Against a year-ten standard, that outlet would owe an effective 23.89% of what it actually billed.
How much does a Fish Window Cleaning franchise cost to open?
A Fish Window Cleaning franchise costs $111,900 to $129,900 to open for the Small package, $134,800 to $149,900 for Standard and $161,800 to $179,900 for Executive, with franchise fees of $49,900, $59,900 and $74,900. That is roughly a quarter to a third of what an average outlet bills in a year.
How stable is the Fish Window Cleaning system?
Franchised outlets went from 263 to 275 across three years, a net gain of 12, against 24 permanent closures. Every one of those closures had been trading more than twelve months, so the lost outlets were established routes.
- The filing gives no median. Only an average is published, which a few large locations can lift on their own.
- The filing gives no profit figure. The filing reports sales and not earnings, so what an owner keeps is not disclosed.
- The filing breaks out no cost lines. Wages, rent and cost of goods are not broken out, so margin cannot be rebuilt from the document.
Questions worth putting to Fish Window Cleaning
The filing answers what it answers. These are the gaps an owner or a buyer should close directly.
- What do locations at the median spend on wages and rent as a share of sales? The filing reports sales only.
- Which factors does Fish Window Cleaning see in its highest-selling locations, such as trade area, years open and size?
- How long does a new location take to reach the average you publish, and what does the build-up look like month by month?
- At what level of sales do the minimum charges stop applying and the percentage take over?
- How many Fish Window Cleaning locations closed, were sold, or changed hands last year, and why?
Run your own numbers.
The Franchise Numbers Check runs the same checks on your own numbers. It scores where you stand and compares you with Item 19 of your brand’s FDD. It works out what one location earns and spends, and builds a 13-week cash forecast. It checks whether you are ready to open another one. It is free and it runs in your browser.
Launch the diagnostic →Are you billing above your own minimum standard?
We review your unit economics and cash forecast and build your reporting around new customers won against the system’s 219 a year, your effective royalty rate against the 8% to 5% ladder. Where your sales sit against the standard for the year you are in.
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Fish Window Cleaning reads against the rest of the window cleaning and exteriors group: Outdoor Lighting Perspectives · Shine Window Cleaning · Window Genie. The window cleaning and exteriors guide compares all of them on the same figures.
Questions owners ask next
The figures above raise these, and each one is answered on its own page.
- At what level of sales does a minimum fee stop costing me more than the percentage?It works out the sales level where a minimum fee stops applying.
- How much cash do I fund before a new location covers its own costs?It builds a 13-week forecast for the months before break-even.
- My payroll percentage keeps climbing. Is that a payroll problem?It shows how to tell whether payroll is rising or revenue is falling.
- Revenue was the highest it has been. Why did profit not move?It traces where the extra revenue went, line by line.
- At what point do spreadsheets stop coping?It explains what changes at around ten units and why lenders care.
Where these figures come from.
Every figure here comes from Fish Window Cleaning Services, Inc.’s 2026 FDD and is unaudited by us. We are unaffiliated with the brand. Calculations of our own are labeled where they appear, the figures describe past performance at other businesses and are not a projection of yours. This page is an educational summary. It is not an offer to sell a franchise, and it is not financial, legal or tax advice. Fish Window Cleaning® is a registered trademark of its owner. How Averan reads a Franchise Disclosure Document.
These figures come from the brand's disclosure. They are not a forecast, an offer to sell a franchise or advice. Source: Fish Window Cleaning Services, Inc., 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document, issued 23 March 2026.