ATM business guide

How to start an ATM business in Australia

Starting an ATM business means buying an ATM machine, placing it where customers need cash, and earning the surcharge on every withdrawal. Here's every step, from choosing a venue to installation.

1
Choose the right venue
The best ATM locations are places where people need cash and don't want to leave: pubs, clubs, bottle shops, service stations, convenience stores, motels and salons. Foot traffic and trading hours matter more than size — a busy corner store can out-earn a quiet big-box shop.
2
Estimate your daily withdrawals
Count how often customers ask for cash-out or leave to find an ATM. As a rough guide, 20–30 withdrawals a day is where a refurbished machine pays back fastest; busy pubs and servos can do far more. Our calculator turns that number into a monthly earnings estimate and a payback month.
Try the ATM earnings calculator
3
Decide: buy an ATM or take free placement
With free placement an operator owns the machine and keeps most or all of the surcharge. When you buy an ATM machine, you set the surcharge and keep 100% of it, less a great gateway flagfall rate on each cash-out. If the venue has steady traffic, owning usually wins within months.
Compare buying vs free placement
4
Pick your ATM machine
Refurbished NH 2700 lobby units suit most small venues and pay back fastest. A new NH 2800 SE lobby machine suits higher-volume venues, and a through-the-wall NH 2800 serves 24/7 street-facing locations.
5
Get an itemised quote
Your written quote lists the machine, the required 4G modem (the ATM's own secure data link, with its own SIM) and freight to your venue — no bundled surprises.
6
Set up the gateway and settlement account
We connect your ATM to the payments gateway and link it to your business bank account. You'll need your business details (an ABN if you have one) and to answer the processor's standard onboarding questions.
7
Set your surcharge
You choose what each cash-out costs the customer — commonly $2.50 to $5.50 depending on the venue. Late-night and remote venues often sit at the top of that range.
8
Delivery and installation
The machine is delivered to your venue, positioned (lobby or through-the-wall), plugged into a standard power outlet, connected via the 4G modem and tested before you start.
9
Load your cash and start earning
Because you own the ATM, you can fill it with your own takings. Every dollar dispensed is settled back to your account the next business day, plus your surcharge — so your float keeps cycling.
10
Learn the machine and keep it maintained
Your qualified ATM technician installs and commissions the machine, then gives you a practical rundown of how to operate it. Australia-wide phone support can walk you through most questions step by step, with on-site technicians available for repairs. Warranty protection applies, and new preventative servicing at 3- or 6-month intervals is being introduced to check keypads, cash cassettes, locks and other wear points.