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How Much Money Can You Make Owning an ATM Business?

Start an ATM Business

Do you want to start an ATM business and need know how much ATMs make monthly? If YES, here is a quick analysis detailing the income potential of ATM owners.

Automatic teller machines strategically placed in public locations are a profitable way to earn a comfortable passive income. This business is very inexpensive to get into as you don’t need employees or a storefront. Your investment into the ATM machine can be paid back in less than six months.

You can manage your ATM business from home at your own schedule. You may only have to go to the location of the machine once or twice a month depending on usage and amount of money stocked in the machine. You can run this business while still working a part-time or full-time job since it requires so little time.

Note that you can get into this business for a very low cost. For as little as $2,099, you can purchase your first machine. You can stock the machine with as little as $500 or as much as $16,000+. Most customers stock their ATM machines with between $1,000 – 3,000. Therefore, you can get started with your first ATM machine at about $3,000.

Your ATM business is there to serve anyone who may need quick access to cash. Restaurants, bars, strip malls, convenience stores, and shopping malls are a great place to start. It is crucial to choose high – traffic areas for your terminal locations.

Have it in mind that successful business owners report an average profit of $500 per month, per ATM Machine. Additionally, the more machines you have strategically placed, the higher your profits.

Understanding the ATM Business Model

The ATM Business model is simple and works on a split between the ATM owner, the processor and the vendor location. The processor or bank, charges a fee for each transaction. Note that the fees differ significantly by institution and a range of 20 – to 50 – cents is not uncommon.

The vendor location will also expect a cut in most cases. You will have to negotiate with location owners to place your ATM in their space for a percentage of the revenue. However, the fee is entirely dependent on your negotiating abilities and the contractual agreement you have in place.

A 50 cent per transaction rate works as a common starting point, but the amount can increase or decrease. It not uncommon for a machine to work for eight to 12 months before the machine itself is paid off, and it becomes profitable. Machines earning several hundred dollars on average are common, while high – traffic locations have a much greater earning potential, and a single machine can deliver more than $500 dollars a month in profits.

Breakdown of Profit Generated from an ATM Machine

ATM fees are divided between parties or partners in the ATM ecosystem. The three primary parties in every ATM business are the ATM owner, the venue owner and the ATM processor. The ATM owner (“you”) is the one that buys and owns the machine.

Next, the venue owner is the person you’ve contacted and negotiated with to place your ATM machine. Then the ATM processor is the company that is taking care of the processing or paperwork to document and allow the ATM to function.

These three parties are the ones that will share the fee that everyone pays. ATM processor contracts will typically provide terms in the form of a “surcharge rebate of X percent and a fee of $0.10 to $0.50 per transaction.” What does this mean?

A surcharge is simply the “ATM fee” you charge to use your ATM to withdraw cash. The surcharge rebate is the ATM processor referring to how much of your “ATM fee” is returned to you. You should expect a 100 percent surcharge rebate or a full return of your ATM fees charged.

Note that ATM processors may attempt to eat into your profits by offering a percentage less than 100 percent or by adding “network accessing fees.” (E.g., $0.25, $0.50 or $0.75). Then, the venue owner will typically want $0.50 per transaction.

Notably, this amount is a negotiation between you and the venue, so the cost per transaction could differ drastically. If the venue is seen as a high -income generating venue, you may have to offer up to 50 percent of the ATM fee or surcharge fee because it would generate a significant amount of fees.

But, the typical fee share is $0.50 per transaction. Nonetheless, you will receive the remaining balance of the ATM fees remaining after paying the ATM processor and the venue owner. Note that first person to get paid is always the ATM processor and the second person paid is the venue owner. You’re always the last one to be paid and you receive what is left in the fees.

The average ATM customer nationally withdraws $60 dollars per transaction. From detailed statistics, expect an ATM to have between 8 to 10 transactions on an average daily basis. This would mean that $600 dollars are withdrawn per day. Your fees collected based on $3.00 per transaction would be $24 dollars – conservatively.

Putting into consideration that your ATM processor fee is $0.20 per transaction, the ATM processing cost is $1.60. Also the venue owner cost per transaction is $0.50, their fees are $4.00. The total in transaction fees deducted is $5.60. Your gross profit is $18.40. Your gross profit per 30 day month is $552. Annually, this ATM would generate $6,624 in gross profit.

Conclusion

ATM machines offer a low maintenance, semi – passive income business. The machines are ideal as a side business, and they also have the potential for full – time business opportunities. There is no formal training needed to own an ATM Machine.

A business degree or background is recommended. Strong interpersonal skills would also prove beneficial, as you will need to develop relationships with vendors, banks, and business owners throughout the community.