Critter Control Franchise Cost, Revenue & Review 2026
- Investment
- $94K – $250K
- Disclosed sales
- partial, no system average
- SBA charge-off
- 7.1%
- on 16 loans
Data from FDD filing + SBA 7(a) records
Analysis by FranchiseVerdict Research · Methodology
Critter Control is a home-services franchise specializing in nuisance-wildlife removal and exclusion, plus pest control, for homes and businesses. Franchisees run a service operation handling inspections, trapping, and prevention in a territory.
FranchiseVerdict summary · 2026
A Critter Control franchise requires a total initial investment of $94K – $250K, including a $75K – $112K franchise fee and an ongoing 9.0% royalty[2]. The 2025 FDD on file does not yield a unit-revenue figure we can publish. SBA 7(a) loans show a 7.1% charge-off rate across 16 loans[1]. FranchiseVerdict grade: A (Strongest tier), an editorial assessment, not investment advice. Run a live ROI scan →
Sources, dates and evidence
FDD issued: · Data extracted: · Last cited check: · Staleness risk: medium - issued 12 to 24 months ago; a newer filing is likely on file
Evidence: strong✓ Investment (Item 7)✓ Item 19 status✓ Units and owners (Item 20)✓ SBA loan coverage✓ Litigation (Item 3)✓ Financial statements (Item 21)✓ Franchisor identityhow this is scored5 of 5 headline figures on this page cite a page of the filing.
Overview
- Investment
- $94K – $250K
- 29th pct Home Services
- Avg gross sales
- N/A
- Outlet subset
- Royalty
- 9.0%
- 72nd pct Home Services
- Units
- 124
- 63rd pct Home Services
- SBA charge-off
- 7.1%
- % of SBA 7(a) loans not repaid · median varies by category
Quick verdict · Home Services · color = vs category peers
Green = favorable by >10% vs Home Services median · No shading = within ±10% · Red = unfavorable by >10% · Source: FDD filings + SBA 7(a)
Data from public FDD filings and SBA records. Not financial advice. Methodology
Bottom line
- COSTTotal investment $94K – $250K including a $75K franchise fee, 9.0% ongoing royalty.
- RETURNSItem 19 reports revenue and expenses rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
- RISKVerdict A (Strongest tier), verdict score 74/100 (higher is better). SBA loan charge-off rate of 7.1% across 16 loans (near or below the 16% franchise average, based on all SBA 7(a) franchise lending, 2010–2025).
- GROWTHNegative: net -6 franchised outlets in the latest year (9 opened, 15 closed) (Item 20).
- DATAItem 19 reports revenue and expenses rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable. Ask franchisees directly for full unit-level revenue.
Item 1 · who you're contracting with
The Franchisor
Corporate structure & franchisor financials
- Legal entity
- Critter Control, Inc.
- Parent company
- Rollins Wildlife Services, Inc.
- FDD Item 1, page 10 of the 2025 FDD
- Ultimate parent
- Rollins, Inc.
- FDD Item 1, page 10 of the 2025 FDD
- Predecessor
- K.D. Clark Services, Inc.
- Prior franchisor entity
- CEO title
- President
- Jeffrey B. Campbell
- Incorporated in
- MI
- HQ
- 2170 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30324
- Auditor
- Grant Thornton LLP
- Audited financials
- Franchisor revenue
- $2.7B
- vs $2.4B prior year
Same owner · FDD Item 1, page 10
1 other brand on this site name Rollins, Inc. as parent or ultimate parent in their own FDD.
Grouped by the owner's name as each filing prints it (this page: the 2025 FDD). Spelling variants of the same group may be listed apart; a brand is never grouped with an owner its filing does not name.
Overview
About
- CEO
- Jeffrey B. Campbell
- Headquarters
- GA
- Founded
- 1987
- FDD year
- 2025
- States available
- 30
Can you afford it, and what does the money buy?
Entry cost is about typical for a home services franchise (near the category median).
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 5–7
FDD Item 7 · 2025 filing
Initial investment breakdown
| Cost component | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $75K | $75K |
| Working capital (3–6 mo) | $3K | $5K |
| Equipment, build-out, other | $16K | $171K |
| Total initial investment | $94K | $250K |
Source: Critter Control 2025 FDD, Items 5 and 7[2]. “Equipment, build-out, other” is computed as total minus disclosed line items above.
Item 7 · what it costs to open + operate
The Vitals
- Total investment
- $94K – $250K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Liquid capital req'd
- $3K – $5K
- Top 40% of category vs category
- Franchise fee
- $75K – $112K
- Bottom third — review vs category
- Royalty
- 9.0%
- typical 6–8%
- Ad fund
- 1.0%
- typical 3–5%
- Total fee load
- 10.0%
- vs 9–13% typical
Ongoing fees · Item 6
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Royalty | 9.0% of net sales |
| Marketing / ad fund | 1.0% |
| Training fee | $5K |
| Transfer fee | $15 |
| Renewal fee | $20 |
| Inventory (initial) | $8K – $29K |
| Total fee load | 10.0% of rev |
What do units actually make?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 19
ROI & LBO modelsSingle-unit · 25-unit portfolio · editable
No Item 19 revenue figure for Critter Control is on file. The return models need a revenue figure to start from, and the operating costs that turn gross sales into a profit are in no FDD. Enter your own and the calculator runs on your assumptions — nothing here is modelled until you do.
Returns model · single-unit ROIC
What would one Critter Control unit return on the cash you put in?
Illustrative category typicals — not sourced to any filing, survey or sample. Replace them with figures from franchisee validation calls before you rely on the output.
Unlevered ROIC · per unit
Your modelled return on total invested capital, before any debt financing.
—
An FDD discloses gross sales, not profit. We hold no sourced figure for annual revenue, COGS, labour, rent / occupancy and other operating costs, and will not substitute an assumed one. Enter your own and the model runs on your assumptions.
These models are for research and scenario planning only. Not investment advice. Actual results depend on your specific location, management, and market conditions. Consult a franchise attorney and accountant before signing any franchise agreement.
Item 19 · Source: 2025 FDD
Financial Performance
Item 19 reports revenue and expenses rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable. We omit it from rankings.
Operator outlook
What the numbers say
Data-driven interpretation of this brand's financial disclosures, fee structure, and system trajectory.
Fee burden
Total ongoing fee load of 10.0% — above the Home Services median of 8.0%.
Disclosure
Item 19 reports revenue and expenses rather than annual gross sales, so unit revenue is not directly comparable.
Operator retention
System expanding at 12.7% CAGR over 3 years across 124 units — operators are staying and new ones are joining.
Source: FDD Item 19 financial performance representations and publicly filed FDD data. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Verify all figures with the franchisor and current franchisees before making any investment decision.
vs Home Services medians
How Critter Control Compares
Category median of published Home Services brands that report the figure; the middle half spans the 25th to 75th percentile and n counts the brands behind it. Medians are used because a few very large systems pull an average far from the typical brand. Revenue is disclosed gross sales, not profit.
Is the system healthy?
Source: FDD 2025 · Item 20
Unit growth
Item 20 · unit dynamics
The Growth Chart
- Total units
- 124
- Opened
- 9
- Last reporting year
- Closed
- 15
- Terminated
- 2
- Franchisor ended the franchise (per Item 20)
- Non-renewed
- 0
- Term expired, not renewed (per Item 20)
- Turnover rate
- 12.1%
- Company-owned
- 39
- Corporate units in the system
- % franchised
- 72%
- vs corporate-owned
- Net growth (3-yr)
- +12.7%
- Net unit change over 3 years
- 3-yr CAGR
- +12.7%
- Compounded over last 3 years
Last fiscal year · Item 20 exits and transfers
- Terminated
- 2
- Not renewed
- 0
- Transferred
- 4
- Reacquired
- 13
- Franchisor bought back
- Signed, not yet open
- 0
- 0.00 per open outlet · Item 20 Table 5
- Projected new
- 8
- Franchisor's next-year forecast
Year-over-year franchised unit counts and net change. Source: FDD Item 20.
Item 12 · 30 states reported
The Territory Map
FDD Item 12 reports the state count, but the specific list isn't in our current data. The map will appear once we re-extract from the FDD or enough franchisee contacts are available.
30
states with franchisees (per FDD Item 12)
SBA loan performance
Government records
SBA Loan Data
Aggregated from SBA 7(a) and 504 loan disclosures, public data unique to FranchiseVerdict.
- Total loans
- 16
- Loan volume
- $6.1M
- Median loan
- $302K
- 50th percentile
- Charge-off rate
- 7.1%
- on 16 loans · rates vary by category · see methodology
Historical SBA 7(a) lending data, not predictive of future performance. How SBA charge-off rates are calculated
- Repayment rate (PIF)
- 91.7%
- 5-yr charge-off
- N/A
- Loans approved 2021+
- Active lenders
- 7
- Defaults
- 1
- Typical loan rate
- 5.9%
- avg rate to borrowers
- Franchised industry avg
- 13.8%
- brand beats franchise avg ↓
- Jobs supported
- 93
- 1.6 per loan
- Lender concentration
- 15%
- top lender's share
Borrower mix: 0% went to startups / new businesses, 100% to established operators
Franchise vs independent — in exterminating and pest control services, franchised businesses charge off at 13.8% vs 12.0% for independents — franchising is associated with 15% higher SBA default risk in this category.
Top lenders financing Critter Control franchisees
Showing 3 of 7 lenders. The full breakdown — every lender, state distribution, interest rates & risk ratings — is in the SBA Lending Report below.
Explore lender portfolios on Bank Reports or regional data on State Reports.
Lender network · 7(a) + 504
SBA Lending Report
Full lending analysis for Critter Control from SBA 7(a) FOIA data.
- Principal loss rate
- 0.7%
- Avg SBA guarantee
- 73%
- Avg interest rate
- 5.91%
- Avg chargeoff amount
- $38K
- Lender concentration
- 15.4%
- Job velocity
- 1.6 per $100K
- NAICS benchmark
- 10.2%
- NAICS 561710
- Jobs supported
- 93
Top SBA lendersTop lender holds 15% of loans
| # | Lender | Loans | Volume | Default % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Truist Bank | 2 | $663K | 0.0% |
| 2 | Three Rivers Federal Credit Union | 2 | $75K | 0.0% |
| 3 | 1st Source Bank | 2 | $35K | 0.0% |
| 4 | Newtek Small Business Finance, Inc. | 2 | $1.8M | 0.0% |
| 5 | Wells Fargo Bank National Association | 2 | $2.6M | 0.0% |
| 6 | U.S. Bank, National Association | 2 | $625K | 0.0% |
| 7 | Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | 1 | $50K | 100.0% |
Geographic failure vector
| State | Loans | Defaults | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| INIndiana | 5 | 0 | 0.0% |
| TXTexas | 3 | 0 | 0.0% |
| KYKentucky | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| MDMaryland | 1 | 1 | 100.0% |
| NCNorth Carolina | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| NENebraska | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
| WVWest Virginia | 1 | 0 | 0.0% |
SBA 7(a) lending trend
Borrower profile
Source: SBA 7(a) + 504 FOIA loan-level data, matched by FranchiseVerdict
What could kill this investment?
SBA loans charge off at 7.1% — 56% below the 16.0% national norm, i.e. lower lender-observed risk.
Source: SBA 7(a) FOIA · FDD Items 3, 21
Risk analysis
FranchiseVerdict rating + FDD Items 3, 4, 8, 16, 21
Risk & Legal
Litigation (Item 3)
Subject: the franchisor is a named party (defendant).
1) Galt Strategies LLC v. Critter Control et al. — breach of contract / trade secret / unfair competition; settled for $215,000 (Aug 2017). 2) Virginia Settlement Order — franchise registration violations; $23,500 penalty (Jan 2018). 3) SEC Settlement Order (Rollins/Northen) — accounting reserve manipulation; $8M civil penalty against Rollins (Apr 2022).
Bankruptcy (Item 4)
None disclosed
Audited financials (Item 21)
Yes · Grant Thornton LLP
Franchisor revenue (Item 21)
Franchisor entity revenue (not unit-level)
Item 21 financial statements are those of the parent/guarantor Rollins, Inc. and Subsidiaries (consolidated), audited by Grant Thornton LLP for fiscal years ended Dec 31, 2022 / 2021 / 2020; figures originally stated in thousands and converted to dollars. Rollins guarantees Critter Control's obligations (Exhibit 9-B). Revenue line is "Customer services"; no separate other-revenue line.
ⓘ These are the parent company's consolidated financials (the parent guarantees the franchisor), not this brand's standalone results — the figure reflects the whole corporate group, not this brand alone.
Supplier relationship · Items 8 & 16
- Franchisor sells you products: No
- Kickbacks from required suppliers: No
- Restricted to system-approved products: Yes
Score breakdown · what drove the 74 / 100 verdict
- 01MINORSystem declining 6.6% YoY with only 124 units—indicates contracting franchise network and potential market saturation or performance issues
- 02HIGHMultiple litigation/settlements including trade secret misappropriation, state regulatory violations, and parent company SEC accounting order—suggests governance and compliance weaknesses
- 03MINORHigh initial investment ($93,850-$250,275) paired with 9% royalty and declining unit count creates elevated risk of negative ROI
Severity inferred from the FDD text · not a regulatory classification
What are you signing up for?
Ongoing fees run about 10.0% of sales (royalty + ad fund), before rent and labor.
Source: FDD 2025 · Items 11, 12, 17
FDD Items 12, 15, 17 · continued from Risk & Legal
Contract & Territory Detail
| Initial term | 7 years |
|---|---|
| Renewal term | 10 years |
| Allowed renewalsℹ | 1 |
| Territory type | Exclusive territory |
| Protected territory | Yes |
| Exclusive territoryℹ | Yes |
| Territory radius | 30 mi |
| Online sales rightsℹ | Granted |
| Franchisor can compete | Yes |
| Hire a manager? | Allowed |
| Owner-operator | Required |
| Non-compete (years)ℹ | 2 years |
| Non-compete (miles)ℹ | 30 mi |
| Right of first refusalℹ | Yes |
| Transfer requires consent | Yes |
| Termination notice | 30 days |
| Mandatory arbitration | Yes |
| Arbitration location | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Jury trial waiver | No |
| Governing law | GA |
| Litigation count | 3 |
View Item 3 litigation summary
1) Galt Strategies LLC v. Critter Control et al. — breach of contract / trade secret / unfair competition; settled for $215,000 (Aug 2017). 2) Virginia Settlement Order — franchise registration violations; $23,500 penalty (Jan 2018). 3) SEC Settlement Order (Rollins/Northen) — accounting reserve manipulation; $8M civil penalty against Rollins (Apr 2022).
Items 10, 11
Training & Operations
- Classroom training
- 44 hrs
- On-the-job training
- 16 hrs
- Training location
- Atlanta, Georgia and/or virtual
- Ongoing training
- Required
- Time to open
- 1 mo
- From signing to launch
- Site selection
- Franchisee
- Franchisor financing
- Offered
- Item 10
- POS system
- GPS Insight
- Operating tech stack
Items 5 & 11
Franchisor Support
Technology: GPS Insight
Item 20 · call current owners
Franchisee Contacts
16 owners to call
Name · phone · city · state. Extracted from FDD Item 20
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to open a Critter Control franchise?
The total investment to open a Critter Control franchise ranges from $94K – $250K, with an initial franchise fee of $75K. This includes real estate, equipment, inventory, and working capital as disclosed in their Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
What do Critter Control franchise owners earn?
Item 19 of the Critter Control FDD discloses figures for part of the system but no single average across all outlets. These are gross sales figures, not profit; the Revenue section shows what the filing reports and on what basis. Item 20 of the FDD lists current and former franchisees; asking them directly is the standard way to fill this gap.
Who owns Critter Control?
Critter Control is franchised by Critter Control, Inc.. Its parent company is Rollins Wildlife Services, Inc.. The ultimate parent named in the FDD is Rollins, Inc.. Source: FDD Item 1, 2025 filing.
What is Item 19 in the Critter Control FDD?
The FDD section where a franchisor may disclose financial performance of its outlets. Disclosure is optional and formats vary; figures are typically gross sales, which is revenue before expenses, not profit. FranchiseVerdict extracts these figures directly from the Critter Control FDD and qualifies whose outlets they describe.
What is Critter Control's franchise failure rate?
Based on SBA 7(a) loan data, Critter Control has a charge-off rate of 7.1% across 16 loans, meaning 7.1% of franchise loans were charged off. Charge-off rates are one proxy for franchise risk, though they do not capture all closures. This data comes from FOIA-sourced SBA lending records.
How many Critter Control franchise locations are there?
As of their most recent FDD filing, Critter Control has 124 total units in the United States, including 85 franchised units and 39 company-owned units. 9 new units were opened in the latest reporting year.
Is Critter Control a good franchise to buy?
FranchiseVerdict rates Critter Control as a A-grade franchise with a verdict score of 74 out of 100 (higher is better). The grade is a deterministic score built from six weighted dimensions — financial health, unit economics, unit growth, scale, legal, and transparency — then calibrated against SBA loan charge-off rates and FDD age. Transparency is one of the six, so a filing that discloses less scores lower on that dimension than one that discloses more. Our rating is based solely on publicly available FDD and government data; we recommend speaking with current franchisees before making any investment decision. This is not investment advice.
Data sourced from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) FOIA records. Not financial advice.
For franchisors
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Data extracted from public FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan disclosures (FOIA). This information is provided for research purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. Verify all figures with the franchisor's current Franchise Disclosure Document before making any investment decision.