Vending Machine Business evidence: 24 quotes from 8 creators
Every quote, figure and source behind our vending machine business guide: 24 quotes from 8 creators, grouped by claim, with the full source list.
Every quote, by claim
Accepted figures: each is backed by the creators quoted under it, verbatim and linked to the moment they said it.
Insurance: commercial auto insurance, general liability insurance
“Progressive auto insurance was $266.20. Google hit me up for $26.40. Next insurance was $3149”
Ongoing cost: $399/month
“Progressive auto insurance was $266.20. Google hit me up for $26.40. Next insurance was $3149 and then QuickBooks hit me up for another $75 for a grand total of $399.”
Scalability: high
“I fired myself from my business and I actually hired someone. And let me tell you, she's doing an amazing job.”
Schedule control: own schedule
“I've been doing things uh you know, on different days of the week anymore uh when Mrs. GG is at her regular job.”
“But, you can start your route at 5:00 in the morning or 5:00 in the afternoon.”
Work mode: local
“I nestled it right next to the changer and the vending machine we already have here.”
“we're off to one of our vending machine locations to go stock up an AI smart cooler and a snack machine and see just how much money we made”
“The last rule is to stay within 30 minutes or 30 miles of your starting position.”
Single reports, not yet confirmed
What one creator said, before a second independent source backs it. Not used as a fact anywhere on the site.
Monthly earnings, part time
“And that machine was doing $35 a day. So it was doing right around 11 to 1200 bucks a month.”
“we have a couple machines out there doing like 150 bucks a month where our our top our top location is doing $10,000 a month.”
“So, five machines are about 1,000 a month without quitting your job.”
Startup cost
“I did buy a card reader from Nayax. It was $350, so that gives me a total equipment cost of $650.”
“$10 to $15,000 is a better starting point”
“How to start an AI driven vending machine business for $700.”
Ongoing cost
“Progressive auto insurance was $266.20. Google hit me up for $26.40. Next insurance was $3149 and then QuickBooks hit me up for another $75 for a grand total of $399.”
Common pitfalls
“Number one in my vending machine bible is never buy the vending machine first.”
“I mean, there's some snacks that you can't sell, like the peanut M&M's, the wrapper, it gets like very nasty because the entire cooler is refrigerated.”
“And also, very important, vending machine is not a passive income.”
Schedule control
“But, you can start your route at 5:00 in the morning or 5:00 in the afternoon.”
“I've been doing things uh you know, on different days of the week anymore uh when Mrs. GG is at her regular job.”
Equipment
“You don't have to buy a $3000 machine that breaks $1000 credit card reader.”
“You can buy your standard old drink and snack machine.”
“I did buy a card reader from Nayax. It was $350, so that gives me a total equipment cost of $650.”
Scalability
“I fired myself from my business and I actually hired someone. And let me tell you, she's doing an amazing job.”
Employee pay in the related job, nationally and by state
BLS figures describe employees in the closest related occupation, not side-hustle income.
| Related occupation | Median pay | Middle 80% | People employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers | $22.81/hr ($47,450/yr), BLS OEWS, May 2025 | $34,320–$66,370/yr | 26,410 |
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | $23.21/hr ($48,280/yr), BLS OEWS, May 2025 | $29,720–$97,910/yr | 93,180 |
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $40,670 |
| Alaska | $52,040 |
| Arizona | $56,450 |
| Arkansas | $46,940 |
| California | $51,870 |
| Colorado | $45,600 |
| Connecticut | $50,120 |
| Delaware | $48,350 |
| Florida | $48,430 |
| Georgia | $45,360 |
| Idaho | $43,230 |
| Illinois | $45,560 |
| Indiana | $44,280 |
| Iowa | $45,740 |
| Kansas | $45,750 |
| Kentucky | $42,150 |
| Louisiana | $46,770 |
| Maine | $47,160 |
| Maryland | $49,860 |
| Massachusetts | $54,380 |
| Michigan | $46,980 |
| Minnesota | $49,570 |
| Mississippi | $41,040 |
| Missouri | $44,220 |
| Montana | $47,670 |
| Nebraska | $47,520 |
| Nevada | $51,210 |
| New Hampshire | $48,710 |
| New Jersey | $59,770 |
| New Mexico | $43,860 |
| New York | $60,010 |
| North Carolina | $46,010 |
| North Dakota | $48,870 |
| Ohio | $37,950 |
| Oklahoma | $48,160 |
| Oregon | $56,100 |
| Pennsylvania | $46,600 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,990 |
| Rhode Island | $62,350 |
| South Carolina | $47,120 |
| South Dakota | $43,860 |
| Tennessee | $53,270 |
| Texas | $49,960 |
| Utah | $46,570 |
| Virginia | $44,720 |
| Washington | $58,750 |
| West Virginia | $38,190 |
| Wisconsin | $50,050 |
| Wyoming | $45,190 |
All sources
- Prince Doran Vending Services, I Almost Lost My Best Location! Sept 2025 Revenue Report (YouTube, 13 May 2026, at 1:15)
- Everything DSK, Week in the life of a future millionaire (YouTube, 20 Oct 2026, at 0:15)
- GalaxyGames843, 🔥 🤯 Our AI Vending Machine & Snack Machine Made HOW MUCH?! 💰 (YouTube, 21 Oct 2026, at 9:56)
- Hill Vending Services, The Art of Starting a Vending Machine Business (YouTube, 2 Nov 2026, at 6:33)
- Car Wash Rob, I Spent $1.7 Million on a Vending Machine Location…Will It Make Money? (YouTube, 15 Oct 2026, at 1:41)
- Side Hustle Hero, 203: 9 Fan-Favourite Side Hustle Hero Episodes: An Encore Edition (podcast, 22 Sep 2026, at 2:39)
- Everything DSK, Inside a $100K/Month Pokémon Vending Business (YouTube, 20 Oct 2026, at 4:56)
- Jaime Ibanez, The Vending Business Is Getting Replaced By AI... (YouTube, 29 Apr 2026, at 8:16)
- Jaime Ibanez, He Built a $1,000,000 Vendinng Machine Business!! (YouTube, 23 Mar 2026, at 2:32)
- Chris Koerner, This Business Makes Vending Machines Look Dumb⏐Ep. #270 (podcast, 30 Jan 2026, at 0:15)
- Chris Koerner, The Most Overlooked Business Ideas of 2026 (YouTube, 30 Aug 2026, at 0:26)
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35.
- O*NET 31.0 Database, 31.0.
All data
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Demand trend | declining | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| Insurance | commercial auto insurance, general liability insurance | Prince Doran Vending Services, May 2026 |
| Nearest occupation | Sales and Related Workers, All Other | O*NET 31.0 |
| Nearest occupation | Coin, Vending, and Amusement Machine Servicers and Repairers | O*NET 31.0 |
| Ongoing cost | $399/month | Prince Doran Vending Services, May 2026 |
| Scalability | high | Everything DSK, Oct 2026 |
| Schedule control | own schedule | GalaxyGames843, Oct 2026; Hill Vending Services, Nov 2026 |
| Work mode | local | Car Wash Rob, Oct 2026; GalaxyGames843, Oct 2026; Hill Vending Services, Nov 2026 |
| Median hourly wage, employees: coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers | $22.81/hr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Median annual wage, employees: coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers | $47,450/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Annual wage, 10th percentile: coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers | $34,320/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Annual wage, 90th percentile: coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers | $66,370/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| People employed: coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers | 26,410 jobs | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Projected employment change, 10 years: coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers | -3.4% | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| Share self-employed: coin, vending, and amusement machine servicers and repairers | 23.4% | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| Median hourly wage, employees: sales and related workers, all other | $23.21/hr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Median annual wage, employees: sales and related workers, all other | $48,280/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Annual wage, 10th percentile: sales and related workers, all other | $29,720/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Annual wage, 90th percentile: sales and related workers, all other | $97,910/yr | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| People employed: sales and related workers, all other | 93,180 jobs | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Projected employment change, 10 years: sales and related workers, all other | 1.1% | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |
| Share self-employed: sales and related workers, all other | 16.3% | BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 |