Two mid-range mosquito franchises with similar fee burdens at moderate revenue but different growth profiles, disclosure quality, and system health signals. All data from 2025 FDDs filed with the Wisconsin DFI.
| Mosquito Shield | Mosquito Squad | |
|---|---|---|
| Franchised outlets | 435 | 226 |
| Initial investment | $120K–$157K | $162K–$220K |
| Annual fees at $300K | $86,000 (28.7%) | $77,880 (26.0%) |
| 3-year net growth | +140 units | +3 units |
| System trajectory | Rapid growth, elevated churn | Recovering |
| Royalty structure | 8% flat | 10% / 9% / 8% |
| Franchising since | 2013 | 2009 |
All data from 2025 FDDs filed with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Fee burden figures Modeled at $300K gross revenue, Year 5, single territory.
Shield charges the lowest royalty rate in the cohort (8% flat) but pairs it with the highest local advertising minimum ($50,000/year or 10% of gross revenues, whichever is greater) plus a 2% brand fund. Squad uses a triple-tiered royalty (10% on the first $250K, 9% on $250K–$500K, 8% above $500K) with a local marketing cap of $50,000 and a flat brand fund of $150–$450/month.
At $300K revenue, Shield’s total fee burden is $86,000 (28.7%). Squad’s is $77,880 (26.0%). The $8,120/year difference favors Squad at this level. At $500K revenue, the gap reverses: Shield drops to $106,000 (21.2%) while Squad rises to $110,880 (22.2%), because Shield’s lower royalty rate and Squad’s escalating minimum royalty both take effect.
| Revenue Level | Mosquito Shield | Mosquito Squad | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| $200,000 | $76,000 (38.0%) | $68,380 (34.2%) | $7,620/yr |
| $300,000 | $86,000 (28.7%) | $77,880 (26.0%) | $8,120/yr |
| $400,000 | $96,000 (24.0%) | $91,880 (23.0%) | $4,120/yr |
| $500,000 | $106,000 (21.2%) | $110,880 (22.2%) | $4,880/yr |
Mosquito Shield has the fastest absolute growth in the cohort: +140 net units over 3 years (295 → 435). But this growth comes with the highest termination counts: 65 in 2023 and 44 in 2024. The system added outlets rapidly while also losing them at an elevated rate (11–25% annual churn).
Mosquito Squad contracted in 2022 (−10 net units) but has since stabilized: +4 in 2023 and +9 in 2024, with zero terminations in the most recent year. Squad’s growth is slower but cleaner.
For a buyer, the question is whether Shield’s rapid expansion reflects strong market demand or whether the elevated churn suggests operational challenges for a meaningful share of franchisees. Squad’s recovery from its 2022 contraction, capped by zero terminations in 2024, is a more conservative but more consistent signal.
| Year | Shield | Squad | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net Change | End Count | Net Change | End Count | |
| 2022 | +74 | 369 | -10 | 213 |
| 2023 | +38 | 407 | +4 | 217 |
| 2024 | +28 | 435 | +9 | 226 |
Mosquito Shield’s initial investment ranges from $120K–$158K. Mosquito Squad’s ranges from $162K–$220K — meaningfully higher at headline.
However, $84K–$117K of Squad’s range consists of 12-month working capital reserves (most brands use 3-month reserves). Adjusting for equivalent reserve periods, the gap narrows substantially. Shield’s franchise fee ($54,500 first territory) is comparable to Squad’s ($50,000 standard territory).
Squad offers substantially better disclosure: average revenue of $484,506 per territory, a full company-owned P&L at 25.9% net margin, close rates, renewal rates, and same-store growth data. Shield’s Item 19 covers only 81 of 125 outlets (65%), excludes 21% as “non-conforming” (undefined), and reports average gross sales of $285,839 vs. a median of $134,918 — heavy right skew that suggests a few high performers pull the average up.
Shield has lower entry cost, a lower royalty rate (8% vs. 10%/9%/8%), and faster system growth. Squad has higher average revenue per territory, more transparent data, and a stabilizing system health trajectory.
A buyer who can evaluate the churn data and is comfortable with Shield’s growth-with-turnover profile may find the lower royalty rate and entry cost attractive. A buyer who prioritizes data transparency and proven unit economics has a clearer picture with Squad. The disclosure quality gap between these two brands is among the largest in the cohort.
Free brand pages cover system health, fee burden, and watchouts. Decision Reports go deeper on one brand: Item 19 interpretation, buyer-side economics, payback sensitivity, risk signals, and 8–10 FDD-specific discovery-day questions. Built from regulator-filed FDDs — not affiliated with either franchisor.
See the full fee burden, system health, and cost-to-enter comparisons across all 7 mosquito brands.