Do You Have to Buy an ATM to Get One in Your Business?

If you've searched "ATM for my business," you've seen the same thing everyone sees. Machines for sale. Price lists. Cost guides.

So it makes sense to think step one is buying a machine.

It isn't. Buying is one of four ways to get an ATM into your business. For a lot of owners, it isn't the best one.

The owners who get hurt are the ones who buy a machine before they know their choices. They spend a few thousand dollars. Then they find out they also have to fill it with cash, fix it, and chase down problems on a busy Saturday. An ATM that sits empty is worse than no ATM at all. Your customers walk in expecting cash and walk out annoyed.

This guide lays out all four options side by side, so you can pick the one that fits your business.

What are your four options for getting an ATM?

Here's the quick view. Each option is explained below.

Swipe the table sideways to see every column.

The price shown for buying is the starting price for new machines on our Buy an ATM page as of September 2026.

Option 1: How does free ATM placement work?

With free placement, an ATM company puts its own machine in your business at no cost to you.

The company owns the machine. It loads the cash. It watches the machine remotely and fixes it when something goes wrong. When customers use the ATM, they pay a small fee. That fee is split between the ATM company and you.

What you provide: a few square feet of floor space and a standard electrical outlet. That's it. Our machines connect by wireless cellular service, so you don't need a phone line or internet.

How you get paid: with us, your share arrives by direct deposit (ACH) at the start of each month. The money comes straight from the payment networks. You also get a monthly email statement that shows how many transactions your machine did and how much you made.

How fast it happens: we can have a machine running in as little as 24 hours. Sometimes it takes up to two weeks, depending on scheduling.

Free placement fits owners who want an ATM for their customers and a share of the fees, without taking on another job. If you run a busy, cash-heavy business, this is usually the place to start. You can read the full breakdown in how free ATM placement works, or go straight to our free ATM placement program.

Option 2: What is an ATM partnership?

A partnership sits in the middle. It's for owners who want a bigger cut and don't mind one small job.

In our ATM Partnership Program, we buy the machine, install it, and handle all repairs and monitoring. You load the cash. In return, you get 50% of the surcharge on every transaction. That's more than a standard free placement pays.

Here's the part owners worry about: "Do I lose the cash I put in?" No. When a customer takes out $60, their bank sends that $60 back through the payment network. It usually lands in your account within 24 hours on business days (Monday through Friday). Weekends and bank holidays take longer.

This fits cash-heavy businesses that already have cash on hand, like bars and convenience stores.

Option 3: Should you buy your own ATM?

Buying makes sense for some owners. When you own the machine, you keep 100% of the surcharge. No split.

But owning means you do the work, or you pay someone to do it. Here's what you take on:

• The machine. New machines we sell start at about $2,480. Through-the-wall and outdoor models cost more. See the full breakdown in how much an ATM really costs.
• The cash. You fill the machine with your own money. Most owners need a few thousand dollars on hand, and busy spots need more.
• The upkeep. Paper, jams, error codes, and repairs after the warranty ends.
• The time. Someone has to load it before it runs dry, every time.

When you buy from us, you get free shipping in the continental US, free processing setup when you process with us, a free programming sheet, and 24/7 support. New machines come with a 2-year manufacturer warranty. Used machines come with a 90-day warranty. Installation is not included, but we can send an on-site technician for $250, or program the machine at the factory for $150. We place your order within 12 hours of receiving payment, and delivery usually takes about two weeks.

Here's the honest truth: buying only pays if the machine stays full and working. If you can't keep cash in it, you've paid a few thousand dollars for a box that frustrates your customers.

If you want to own, start with our Buy an ATM page. If you want to own but don't want to load it, we offer cash loading for $1 per transaction.

Option 4: Should you lease an ATM?

Leasing sounds easy. Low monthly payment. Little or no money up front.

Be careful. Many equipment leases cost far more over time than buying outright. The payments often can't be cancelled. They usually keep going even if the machine breaks, even if it's slow, and even if your business closes.

The card machine world shows how bad this can get. CardFellow reported on a dental office that paid $45 a month for four years for a PIN pad. That's $2,160 total for a device it could have bought for $90.

ATM leases aren't always that lopsided. But the risk is the same. Before you sign any lease, get the total of every payment in writing. Then compare it to the price of buying the same machine. In most cases, free placement or buying outright will cost you less.

Which option should you pick?

Start with how much work you want to do and how much cash you have on hand.

• "I want an ATM and zero extra work." Choose free placement.
• "I have cash on hand and want a bigger share." Choose the partnership.
• "I want to own it and keep every fee." Buy your own, and make sure you can keep it full.
• "I want to own it, but I don't have the money right now." Be careful with leases. Talk to us first.

Still not sure? Call us. We'll tell you which option fits your business, even if the answer is buying a machine instead of a free placement. A good fit matters more to us than a quick yes.

What if you already have an ATM that isn't working for you?

Some owners reading this already have an ATM. It's old, it breaks, or the company behind it never answers the phone.

You have options there too:

• Replace it. We offer a new ATM to qualifying businesses with old, unreliable machines.
• Switch processors. If you own your machine, we offer free ATM processing, with 24/7 tech support and free programming help.
• Sell it. We buy ATMs from business owners, one machine or many. See sell your ATM.

Whatever you choose, make the choice with all four options in front of you. That's the difference between an ATM that pays you and one that costs you.