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Free Vending Machine Profit Calculator

A vending machine profit calculator is a tool that estimates how much a vending machine or route will sell, what it nets after product, commission, fees, mileage, and repairs, and how long it takes to pay for itself. Enter a machine type and location to see whether a machine makes money before you buy it.

Typical range: a single machine commonly grosses about $150-$400 a month and nets roughly $40-$120 after costs. That is a typical range, not a promise.

Free calculator · No signup · Runs in your browser

Machine and location

Defaults fill in for each choice. Results update as you type.

Machine

About 45 selections. Typical price $3,500 new, $1,500 used.

Condition

Filled from the machine type. Edit to match your quote.

Location and sales

People who pass the machine on a typical open day.

Share of those people who buy something each day.

Average amount per purchase.

Costs

40-50% is typical when stocking from Costco or Sam's Club.

Share of gross sales paid to the location. 10% is typical; 0% is common.

Expired, damaged, or stolen product.

Share of sales paid by card or phone.

Leave at 0 if not applicable. Rules vary by state.

Most hosts cover power. Turn this off to add the machine's power cost.

Restocking

Editable. Defaults to $0.70; check the current IRS business rate.

Time at the machine: filling, cleaning, collecting cash.

Drive time assumes an average of 30 mph.

Per machine

Your estimate

This snack machine nets about $49 a month and pays for itself in 31 months.

Monthly net profit
$49
Payback period
31 months
Daily sales
$15.75
Monthly sales
$341
Monthly gross profit
$188
Net margin
14%
Year-one ROI
39%
Break-even sales/day
$10.09
Hours per week
0.8 hrs
Effective hourly
$13.52/hr

Cash invested: $1,500. Year-one ROI is 12 months of net profit divided by cash invested.

Idea score

46/ 100Risky

  • Payback period16.5 / 40

    31 months (full points at 6 months or less)

  • Net margin11.9 / 25

    14% of sales (full points at 30%)

  • Location risk11.3 / 15

    Office risk is moderate

  • Time vs. profit6.8 / 20

    $14/hour (full points at $40/hour)

75+ Strong · 55-74 Promising · 35-54 Risky · under 35 Weak.

Assumptions that move your result most

  1. 1. Cost of goods %+20%: −$32/mo · −20%: +$32/mo
  2. 2. Foot traffic+20%: +$27/mo · −20%: −$27/mo
  3. 3. Purchase rate+20%: +$27/mo · −20%: −$27/mo

Change in monthly net profit if the assumption is 20% higher or lower. Check these first before you sign anything.

Vending route calculator

Build your route

Configure a machine above, then add it to your route. Mix machine types and locations to see what the whole route earns, what it costs to start, and the hours it takes each week.

Machines
0
Monthly net profit
$0
Cash invested
$0
Hours per week
0.0 hrs
Blended payback
n/a

No machines yet. Use Add this machine to my route above to start.

Income goal

To net $2,000 a month you need about 41 machines like the machine above ($49 net each), about 34.2 hrs of work a week, and roughly $61,500 in cash to buy them.

Vending machine locations

Pitch a location

Both texts fill in from your inputs: snack machine, 10% commission, and your restock schedule. Replace the bracketed placeholders before you send them.

Call or walk-in script

Hi, is this the owner or manager? My name is [Your name], and I run a local vending service.
I'd like to place a snack machine here for your staff and visitors, at no cost to your office.
There is no cost to you, and I pay you 10% of gross sales every month. I stock it once a week, handle repairs, and keep it clean.
It takes cards and mobile wallets as well as cash, so nobody needs exact change.
It needs a standard outlet and about the space of a refrigerator. Would you be open to a two-week trial? I can drop off a one-page proposal today.
Service contact: [Your name] · [Phone] · [Email]

One-page placement proposal

VENDING PLACEMENT PROPOSAL
Prepared for: [Business name]
Prepared by: [Your company name]

WHAT WE OFFER
A snack vending machine (snack machine) placed at your office, fully owned, stocked, and serviced by us.

WHAT IT COSTS YOU
- No cost to the location: no purchase, lease, or service fees
- 10% commission on gross sales, paid monthly with a sales report
- Uses one standard 110V outlet and about 4 ft x 3 ft of floor space

HOW WE SERVICE IT
- Restocked once a week, more often if it sells out
- Cashless payments: cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, plus cash
- Remote sales monitoring so popular items don't run out
- Repairs and refunds handled by us, usually within one business day
- Product mix chosen with your input; healthy options available

NEXT STEPS
1. Pick a spot together and confirm power access
2. Sign a simple placement agreement (cancel any time with 30 days' notice)
3. We install and stock the machine within two weeks

SERVICE CONTACT
[Your name] · [Phone] · [Email]

How it works

What goes into vending machine profit

Monthly net profit is sales minus product cost, spoilage, the location's commission, card fees, sales tax you absorb, restocking mileage, repairs, insurance and licensing, power, and any loan payment. Payback is the cash you put in divided by that monthly net profit.

Idea score
Up to 40 points for payback (full at 6 months, none at 48), 25 for net margin (full at 30%), 15 for a low-risk location, and 20 for hourly earnings (full at $40/hour).
Sensitivity
Each key assumption is moved 20% up and down while the others stay fixed. The three that swing net profit most are listed first.
Hours
Restock minutes plus drive time at 30 mph, times trips per week. Buying and bookkeeping time is not included.

How to calculate vending machine profit

  1. Estimate monthly sales

    Multiply daily foot traffic by the share of people who buy and the average ticket, then by the days the location is open each month.

  2. Subtract cost of goods

    Take out the product cost (usually 40-50% of sales when you stock from Costco or Sam's Club) plus spoilage and shrink to get gross profit.

  3. Subtract operating costs

    Take out the location commission, card reader and processing fees, restocking mileage, repairs, insurance and licensing, power, and any loan payment.

  4. Check payback and time

    Divide the cash you put in by monthly net profit to get the payback period, and divide net profit by your restocking hours to see what you earn per hour.

Common questions

Vending machine business FAQ

How much does a vending machine make per month?

A single vending machine commonly grosses about $150 to $400 a month and nets roughly $40 to $120 after product, commission, card fees, mileage, and repairs. With this calculator's defaults, a used snack machine in a 60-person office sells about $341 a month and nets about $49. Busy sites like warehouses and hospitals can do far more; quiet ones can lose money.

Is a vending machine business profitable?

It can be, but profit depends almost entirely on placement. A good location pays back a used machine in about 12 to 24 months; a weak one never does. Keep product cost under 50% of sales, keep commission near 10% or less, and group machines close together so restocking trips stay short.

How many vending machines do you need to make $1,000 or $5,000 a month?

Divide your income goal by the net profit of a typical machine. At $50 to $100 net per machine, $1,000 a month takes about 10 to 20 machines and $5,000 a month takes about 50 to 100. Higher-volume machines such as combos and micro-markets in large workplaces cut that number sharply. Use the route builder to see your own number.

What are the best vending machine locations?

The best locations have steady traffic, people who wait or take breaks, and few food options nearby: manufacturing plants and warehouses, hospitals, auto shops and car dealers, laundromats, and offices with 50 or more staff. Gyms and apartment buildings work for drinks and healthy snacks. Avoid spots with competing machines or a store next door.

How much commission do you pay a vending location?

Most locations take 0% to 25% of gross sales, and about 10% is typical. Small businesses often accept no commission because the machine is a free perk for staff and customers, while high-traffic sites such as hospitals and schools may ask for 15% to 25%. Every 10 points of commission removes 10% of sales from your profit.

Keep planning

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Disclaimer: These are estimates for planning, not financial advice. Real sales vary widely by placement, season, and product mix. Check your local business licensing, health permit, and sales tax rules before you buy a machine. Everything runs in your browser; a saved route stays in this browser only.