Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Payback period
12.4
Monthly net cash flow
$338
Annual ROI
96.4%
Annual net profit
$4,050
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How to use this
- 1Enter machine purchase + first stock cost ($).
- 2Enter expected monthly gross sales ($).
- 3Enter product cost (% of sales) (%).
- 4Enter location commission (% of sales) (%).
- 5Enter monthly service cost (labor, fees) ($).
- 6Read your payback period on the right — it updates as you type.
- 7Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Buying a vending machine is a capital outlay judged the same as any small equipment investment: purchase price plus first stocking load against the net cash it throws off monthly. This calculator takes machine cost, monthly gross sales estimate, product cost percentage, location commission, and a monthly service cost estimate (restocking labor, card reader fees, minor repairs) to compute monthly net cash flow, payback period in months, and annualized ROI on the initial investment. Use it to compare a $3,500 refurbished combo machine against a $9,000 new smart vending unit with telemetry and cashless payment before committing capital.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Machine purchase + first stock cost: 4200 $
- Expected monthly gross sales: 950 $
- Product cost (% of sales): 45 %
- Location commission (% of sales): 10 %
- Monthly service cost (labor, fees): 90 $
Results
- Payback period: 12.4
- Monthly net cash flow: $338
- Annual ROI: 96.4%
- Annual net profit: $4,050
What each field means
Inputs
- Machine purchase + first stock cost ($)
- The machine purchase + first stock cost used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 4200 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Expected monthly gross sales ($)
- The expected monthly gross sales used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 950 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Product cost (% of sales) (%)
- The product cost (% of sales) used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 45 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 10–80 %.
- Location commission (% of sales) (%)
- The location commission (% of sales) used in the calculation, measured in %. Starts at 10 % so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 0–35 %.
- Monthly service cost (labor, fees) ($)
- The monthly service cost (labor, fees) used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 90 $ so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Payback period
- Returned as a decimal number and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Monthly net cash flow
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Annual ROI
- Returned as a percentage. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Annual net profit
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Is a new smart vending machine worth the extra cost over used?
Telemetry (remote sales and inventory monitoring) and cashless payment typically lift sales 15-30% versus a cash-only older unit and cut wasted restocking trips, which often more than offsets the higher purchase price within the first 12-18 months if the location has decent traffic.
What payback period should I target?
12-24 months is a strong target for a used machine in a good location; new equipment with higher upfront cost may run 18-30 months and is justified more by lower long-term maintenance and better sales data than by fast payback alone.
How sensitive is ROI to commission rate?
Very. Moving from 0% to 20% commission on the same sales volume can cut net cash flow by more than half since commission comes straight off the top before any other cost — always negotiate commission before signing a location agreement, it matters more than a few points of product cost.
Should I include financing cost if I take a loan for the machine?
Yes — if financed, add the monthly loan payment to service cost or compare payback period against the loan term to ensure cash flow stays positive throughout repayment rather than relying purely on the equity-free payback number this calculator shows.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
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Vending Machine Shrink Loss Calculator
Quantify product loss from theft, jams, and spoilage as a percentage of revenue.
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Vending Machine ROI Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/vending-machine-roi
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/vending-machine-roi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vending Machine ROI Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Vending Machine ROI Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/vending-machine-roi) (2026).