Based on 118 real vending machine businesses in the US, including 50 that closed.
✓Your budget should cover this.
Bills run about $380 a month (fuel, insurance, rent, phone). Most owners make a profit after about 6 months. Keep this much aside to pay bills until then.
Health department vending permit, about $50 per machine.
A written deal with each site owner on your share.
Form an LLC with your state ($50 to $500). Get a free tax number (EIN) from the IRS.
Free to about $15 a month. Keeps business money apart from yours.
Sets up your books and files your first tax return.
Before costs. Follows office and school terms.
| Slow | Typical | Strong | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $1.3k | $2.6k | $5.3k |
| Year 3 | $3.4k | $6.3k | $11.5k |
| Year 5 | $4.3k | $8.1k | $15.4k |
Slow: 1 in 4 make less than this. Typical: half make more, half make less. Strong: 1 in 4 make more than this.
VendKing's machines were in offices, and the offices emptied. As Madrid companies moved to hybrid work, footfall at Diego Martín's sites fell by more than half, and machines that had earned $340 a month dropped below $115, less than the cost of restocking them.
$16.4k
about $54k
Starting costs about $37.6k less. Buying costs more, but you earn from the first month and skip the risky early years.