WIN Home Inspection has the lowest published starting cost among semi-absentee franchises in 2027, at $41,200 to $49,800, ahead of GYMGUYZ ($82,600 to $147,500) and Two Maids (from $93,440). Semi-absentee is not passive: Two Maids says its owners give between 15 and 30 hours a week, and revenue figures are not profit. This is not financial advice.
$3,141,548 to $6,232,089 (Entrepreneur Franchise 500 listing)
Well-capitalized buyers who can fund a large trampoline-park build and hire a general manager
Pick by what you want
Lowest published cost
WIN Home Inspection
Published owner hours from the franchisor
Two Maids
Lowest net worth requirement
The Back Nine
Hired manager running a suite building
Salons by JC
Highest published investment
Launch Entertainment
The ranking
1
WIN Home Inspection
Answrs VerdictThe lowest published starting cost on this list.
Initial investment: $41,200 to $49,800 (WIN franchise FAQ)Semi-absentee wording: WIN’s own guide says a home inspection franchise “can certainly operate semi-absentee”, depending on the franchise model and customer demandAverage gross revenue: $269,804 in 2025, per the 2026 FDD cited on WIN’s page; revenue, not profitOwner hours: Not published
WIN lists $41,200 to $49,800 as its initial investment. Its own guide says a home inspection franchise can certainly operate semi-absentee, depending on the franchise model and customer demand, and it does not publish an owner-hours figure. Average gross revenue was $269,804 in 2025 per the 2026 FDD it cites, which is revenue, not profit. The photo shows a drone at a house, WIN’s own marketing image.
Go ifBuyers who want the lowest published starting cost here and a service business with no storefront
Skip ifYou want a published royalty and franchise fee before you call
Why #1 over #2: Its published starting cost is below every other brand here, including GYMGUYZ.
2
GYMGUYZ
Category photo, not this brand: home and gym weights. Photo: Ser Amantio di Nicolao / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictA mobile fitness brand with a published fee and royalty.
Initial investment: $82,600 to $147,500 (franchise brochure, 2023 copyright)Franchise fee: $44,500Royalty: 6% of gross revenueSemi-absentee wording: A March 2022 press release on franchising.com says GYMGUYZ enhanced its offer for entrepreneurs seeking “a low investment, semi-absentee business opportunity”Premises: A fleet of branded vehicles; its franchise site says no brick-and-mortar office is required
GYMGUYZ lists $82,600 to $147,500 in a brochure with a 2023 copyright, with a $44,500 fee and a 6% royalty on gross revenue. A March 2022 press release on franchising.com says it enhanced its offer for entrepreneurs seeking a low investment, semi-absentee opportunity. The photo shows dumbbells and illustrates the category, not this brand.
Go ifBuyers who want a mobile personal-training brand with no leased studio
Skip ifYou want a current-year Item 7; the cost figures here come from a 2023 brochure
Why #2 over #3: It publishes a fee and royalty, which WIN’s page does not.
3
Two Maids
Category photo, not this brand: home cleaning supplies. Photo: Shixart1985 / CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe only brand here that publishes both a semi-absentee share and weekly hours.
Initial investment: From $93,440 minimum startup (2026 FDD, per the franchise site)Semi-absentee wording: “About 50% of our franchisees are semi-absentee owners”, says Two Maids’ own pageOwner hours: “between 15 and 30 hours a week”, per Two Maids’ own pageFranchise fee and royalty: Not published on the pages read
Two Maids says about 50% of its franchisees are semi-absentee owners and that they give between 15 and 30 hours a week. Its franchise site shows a minimum startup of $93,440 and cites its 2026 FDD; it does not show a fee or royalty on the pages read. The photo shows home cleaning supplies and illustrates the category, not this brand.
Go ifBuyers who want a franchisor that states how many of its owners run semi-absentee and how many hours they give
Skip ifYou want the fee and royalty in writing before you call
Why #3 over #4: It is the only brand here that states both a semi-absentee share and weekly hours.
4
Maid Right
Category photo, not this brand: a cleaning tool. Photo: A.Savin / FAL via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictA cleaning brand that built a semi-absentee model, per a sponsored piece.
Initial investment: $103,600 to $147,500 (1851 Franchise piece labeled sponsored, Oct. 4, 2022)Franchise fee: $62,500 (same sponsored piece)Semi-absentee wording: The sponsored piece calls Maid Right “a compelling opportunity for prospective franchisees who are looking for semi-absentee ownership”Owner hours: One franchisee quoted in the piece says he spends “maybe five hours a week” on operationsRoyalty and FDD year: Not stated in the piece
A 1851 Franchise piece labeled sponsored, dated Oct. 4, 2022, says Maid Right built a semi-absentee model and lists $103,600 to $147,500 with a $62,500 fee. One franchisee in it says he spends maybe five hours a week on operations. The royalty and FDD year are not stated. The photo shows a duster and illustrates the category, not this brand.
Go ifBuyers who want a house-cleaning brand with an in-house call center for estimates and scheduling
Skip ifYou need current figures; the piece is from 2022 and is sponsored
Why #4 over #5: Its starting cost is below One Hour’s, though its figures come from a 2022 sponsored piece.
5
One Hour Heating and Air
Category photo, not this brand: an outdoor air conditioning unit. Photo: 円周率３パーセント / CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe largest franchised base on this list, per IFPG.
Initial investment: $143,273 to $286,702 (IFPG listing for 2026)Franchise fee: $43,000 (IFPG listing)Royalty and ad fee: 6% royalty and 1.5% ad (IFPG listing)Semi-absentee wording: The IFPG broker listing describes it as “a semi absentee franchise”Franchised units: 418 (IFPG listing)
The IFPG broker listing for 2026 describes One Hour Heating and Air as a semi absentee franchise and shows $143,273 to $286,702, a $43,000 fee, a 6% royalty and a 1.5% ad fee, with 418 franchised units. The wording comes from the broker, not the franchisor. The photo shows an outdoor air conditioning unit and illustrates the category, not this brand.
Go ifBuyers who want a large home-services system with a published royalty
Skip ifYou want the franchisor’s own statement on owner hours; the wording here comes from a broker listing
Why #5 over #6: Its listing shows a royalty, and its starting cost is below Phenix’s.
6
Phenix Salon Suites
Answrs VerdictA salon-suite landlord model with a wide published cost range.
Initial investment: $299,425 to $1,394,550 (FranNet listing)Franchise fee: $49,500 (FranNet listing)Net worth and liquidity: $1,000,000 net worth and $300,000 liquidity (FranNet listing)Semi-absentee wording: A franchising.com piece labeled sponsored calls it a “scalable, semi-absentee opportunity”Owner hours: Not published
Phenix Salon Suites lists $299,425 to $1,394,550 and a $49,500 fee on a FranNet listing, with $1,000,000 net worth and $300,000 liquidity. A franchising.com piece labeled sponsored calls it a scalable, semi-absentee opportunity. Owner hours are not published on the pages read.
Go ifBuyers who want to lease suites to salon professionals rather than run a salon
Skip ifYou want one cost figure; listings for this brand show different ranges
Why #6 over #7: Its starting cost is below The Back Nine’s, though its range is much wider.
7
The Back Nine
Category photo, not this brand: an indoor golf simulator bay. Photo: Ohconfucius / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Answrs VerdictThe lowest net worth requirement among the mid-priced brands here.
Initial investment: $307,050 to $688,500 (IFPG listing for 2026)Franchise fee: $50,000 for a single unit (IFPG listing)Royalty and brand fee: 8% royalty and 1% brand marketing fee (IFPG listing)Net worth: $100,000 (IFPG listing)Employees: 0 to 1 at start and at maturity (IFPG listing)Semi-absentee wording: The IFPG broker listing describes it as “a semi absentee franchise”
The Back Nine lists $307,050 to $688,500 on an IFPG listing for 2026, with a $50,000 fee, an 8% royalty, a 1% brand marketing fee and $100,000 net worth. IFPG describes it as a semi absentee franchise and lists 0 to 1 employees at start and at maturity. The photo shows an indoor golf simulator and illustrates the category, not this brand.
Go ifBuyers who want an indoor golf simulator business with minimal staffing
Skip ifYou want a royalty below 8%
Why #7 over #8: Its starting cost is below MY SALON Suite’s, and its net worth requirement is lower.
8
MY SALON Suite
Answrs VerdictThe largest suite system on this list by its own count.
Initial investment: $664,738 to $1,479,827 including a $50,000 franchise fee (franchising.com piece labeled sponsored)Net worth and liquidity: $1.5 million net worth, $500K of it liquid (same sponsored piece)Semi-absentee wording: The sponsored piece says “most owners only need to dedicate five to 10 hours a week”Locations: 360+ (same sponsored piece)
A franchising.com piece labeled sponsored lists $664,738 to $1,479,827 including a $50,000 fee for MY SALON Suite, with $1.5 million net worth and 360+ locations. It says most owners need only five to 10 hours a week; treat that as sponsored marketing and confirm it in the FDD.
Go ifBuyers who want a salon-suite landlord model with a large existing system
Skip ifYou want hours that come from the FDD rather than a sponsored piece
Why #8 over #9: Its starting cost is below Salons by JC’s.
9
Salons by JC
Answrs VerdictA high-cost suite model that says plainly it still needs oversight.
Initial investment: $1,424,175 to $2,172,400 (franchise investment page)Franchise fee: $60K (franchise investment page)Net worth: $2 million (franchise investment page)Semi-absentee wording: Its site says the full-time Concierge “ensures your ownership is truly semi-absentee”, and its own guide adds that semi-absentee “still requires active oversight”Locations: Over 160 across 26 states and Canada (franchise site)
Salons by JC lists $1,424,175 to $2,172,400 and a $60K fee on its investment page, with $2 million net worth and over 160 locations. Its site says a full-time Concierge ensures semi-absentee ownership, while its own guide says semi-absentee still requires active oversight. No owner-hours figure or FDD year is published on the pages read.
Go ifBuyers who want a hired Concierge Manager running daily suite operations
Skip ifYou want a low entry cost or a published FDD year and owner-hours figure
Why #9 over #10: Its starting cost is below Launch’s, and it says plainly that oversight is still required.
10
Launch Entertainment
Answrs VerdictThe highest published investment on this list.
Initial investment: $3,141,548 to $6,232,089 (Entrepreneur Franchise 500 listing)Franchise fee: $75,000 (Entrepreneur listing)Royalty and ad fee: 6% royalty and 2% ad royalty (Entrepreneur listing)Net worth and cash: $2,500,000 net worth and $800,000 cash (Entrepreneur listing)Semi-absentee wording: Its own blog says “Launch can be run semi-absentee or 100% absentee, with the right management team in place”
Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 listing shows $3,141,548 to $6,232,089 for Launch Entertainment, with a $75,000 fee, a 6% royalty, a 2% ad royalty and 30 units. Its own blog says Launch can be run semi-absentee or 100% absentee with the right management team in place.
Go ifWell-capitalized buyers who can fund a large trampoline-park build and hire a general manager
Skip ifYou want a starting cost under $1,000,000
How we ranked these
We ranked brands by the lowest published initial investment, using the franchisor’s own page where it shows one and a named listing (IFPG, FranNet, Entrepreneur) or a sponsored piece where it does not. Each pick names which source used the words semi-absentee. Semi-absentee is not passive, and revenue is not profit. Franchisors publish figures from different FDD years, so confirm each one in the current FDD. This page is not financial advice. Facts are taken from each maker's own published information; check the official site before you buy.
Questions people ask
What does semi-absentee franchise ownership mean?
It generally means a hired manager runs daily operations while the owner oversees the business part time. Two Maids says its semi-absentee owners give between 15 and 30 hours a week, and Salons by JC says semi-absentee ownership still requires active oversight.
Is a semi-absentee franchise passive income?
No. Salons by JC states that semi-absentee ownership still requires active oversight, and Two Maids reports owners giving between 15 and 30 hours a week.
How much does a semi-absentee franchise cost?
Published starting costs on this list run from $41,200 for WIN Home Inspection to $3,141,548 for Launch Entertainment, with Two Maids from $93,440 and MY SALON Suite from $664,738.
Do these franchises publish how many hours the owner works?
Only some do. Two Maids says between 15 and 30 hours a week, and a sponsored MY SALON Suite piece says five to 10 hours a week. WIN, Phenix and Salons by JC do not publish an hours figure on the pages read.
Lowest published initial investment (USD) at a glance
WIN$41,200
GYMGUYZ$82,600
Two Maids$93,440
Maid Right$103,600
One Hour$143,273
Phenix$299,425
The Back Nine$307,050
MY SALON Suite$664,738
Salons by JC$1,424,175
Launch$3,141,548
Lowest published initial investment (USD), as published by each maker. Picks without a published figure are left off.
