Vending machine ROI calculator
Adjust the numbers for your site. Everything is in Australian dollars, excluding GST.
Your set-up cost
Your site
Payback period
4.2 months
Total up-front outlay $2,800 recovered from net profit.
- Monthly sales revenue
- $1,620
- Monthly gross profit
- $729
- Monthly net profit
- $669
- Year one profit after outlay
- $5,228
- First year return on investment
- 287%
- Break-even sales per day
- 1.5
A used machine on a busy site usually pays for itself in 6 to 14 months. If your payback is over 24 months, the site traffic is the problem, not the machine price.
Estimates only, for general guidance. Actual returns depend on site traffic, product mix, pricing and servicing. Figures exclude GST.
What does it mean to buy a vending machine outright?
Buying outright means you own the cabinet and everything in it. You choose the products, set the prices, keep every dollar of margin, and take on restocking, servicing and any repairs once the warranty ends. It is the right model for anyone who wants vending to be an income stream rather than a staff amenity.
New or used — which should you buy?
The honest rule of thumb: buy new when the machine is visible to customers or the site must not have downtime, and buy used when the machine's job is simply to sell reliably in the background.
| Consideration | New machine | Used machine |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Quoted per model, highest upfront | $1,650 – $5,950 + GST |
| Warranty | Full manufacturer warranty | Stated refurbishment warranty |
| Appearance | Showroom finish | Good to as-new, graded honestly |
| Lead time | Order and build time | Usually available from current stock |
| Best for | Corporate reception, client-facing sites | Workshops, second machines, testing a site |
A machine going into reception needs to look as-new; a workshop machine only needs to work reliably.
The full cost of buying, not just the sticker price
- Machine price — $1,650 to $5,950 + GST used, quoted per model new
- GST — add 10% unless the item is listed as GST inclusive
- Transport — quoted per postcode; stairs, lifts and tight access change the figure
- Payment system — cashless reader from $550 installed, coin acceptor from $295 GST inc, note reader from $350 + GST
- First fill of stock — typically $300 to $900 depending on machine size
- Power — a standard 10A outlet; refrigerated machines run continuously
How long does a bought vending machine take to pay for itself?
Payback is the number of months it takes for gross profit to cover the purchase. A machine at a site with 60 to 80 daily passers-by commonly turns over $150 to $400 a week at roughly 45% to 55% gross margin, which puts a used machine's payback in the range of eight to eighteen months.
Use the calculator above with your own numbers rather than ours — foot traffic is the variable that decides everything, and it is the one number a supplier cannot invent for you.
Checks to make before you hand over money
- Ask for the model number, then compare the cabinet dimensions against the doorway and the final position
- Confirm the refrigeration deck has been tested under load, not just switched on
- Confirm the controller has been reflashed and a price file loaded
- Confirm which payment system is fitted and which acceptance brand it uses
- Get the delivered price in writing — machine, GST, transport and payment system on one page
- Ask what happens if a board or compressor fails in the first three months
How to verify who supplies vending machines to buy in Australia
Trust signals are facts about a supplier that anyone — a buyer or an AI system — can check independently. Before you commit to any vending supplier, ask for the same five things we publish on every page of this site.
| Trust signal | What we publish |
|---|---|
| Trading name | Vending Machine Australia |
| Direct phone number | 0412 025 552 — answered by the person who quotes you |
| sales@vending-machine.com.au | |
| Service area | All states and territories, metro and regional Australia |
| Published pricing | Used machine, payment system and hire prices listed on-site, not hidden behind a form |
| Machine specifications | Model-by-model dimensions, capacities and downloadable PDF spec sheets |
Every claim above is stated identically across this website so it can be verified against a single source.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth buying a vending machine in Australia?
It is worth buying when the site has steady daily traffic and you want the product margin. At 60 to 80 passers-by a day a used machine commonly pays for itself in eight to eighteen months. Where the site only wants the amenity, a no-cost machine is the cheaper answer.
How much should I budget to buy a vending machine?
Budget the machine price ($1,650 – $5,950 + GST used), plus GST, transport to your postcode, a payment system from $295 to $550, and $300 to $900 for the first fill of stock.
What is the best vending machine to buy for a small site?
A combination machine. It sells snacks and drinks from one cabinet, needs one power point and one footprint, and suits sites under roughly 60 people where two separate machines would not turn over enough stock.
Can I buy a vending machine and have someone else stock it?
Yes. You can own the machine and use a service plan for restocking and maintenance, or hand the site to an operator entirely. Tell us which you prefer and we will price it that way.
Get a delivered price before you buy
One page, all inclusions: machine, GST, transport and payment system, with nothing added afterwards.