How much does a Coin-Operated Vacuum Route cost to buy?

A typical Coin-Operated Vacuum Route sells for 2x to 3x seller's discretionary earnings. With estimated SDE of $70K, expect to pay roughly $139K to $209K before adjustments for assets, debt, growth, and local market quality.

How much does it cost to start a Coin-Operated Vacuum Route?

Startup costs range from $12K to $65K depending on location, equipment, and scale.

Route

Coin-Operated Vacuum Route

Q: What are the profit margins for a Coin-Operated Vacuum Route?

The average profit margin for a Coin-Operated Vacuum Route is around 58%. Primary costs are host location revenue share (20–30%), consumables (bags, filters), fuel for collection runs, and machine maintenance. Electricity is paid by the host. A 30-machine route can be serviced in one full day per week.

Quarters add up fast when every car needs a clean interior

Bottom line

Strong cash-flow candidate with manageable operations.

Coin-operated vacuum stations are standalone units placed at gas stations, convenience stores, car washes, and truck stops. The operator owns the machines and splits gross revenue with the host location — typically 70/30 or 80/20 in the operator's favor. A well-run 30-machine route in a dense metro market generates six figures with near-zero labor overhead. The model mirrors an ATM route but with higher per-transaction values ($1.50–$4.00) and no banking compliance headaches.

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Acquisition score

Excellent

Avg Revenue

$120K

Profit Margin

58%

Acquisition Multiple

2x - 3x

Startup Cost

$12K - $65K

How It Works

Operators place coin-operated or card-swipe vacuum units at high-traffic host locations. Customers pay $1.50–$4.00 per 3–5 minute vacuum cycle. The host site gets a monthly revenue share (typically 20–30%) in exchange for providing electricity and parking space. The operator collects coin boxes weekly or bi-weekly, performs routine maintenance, and reinvests in new units to expand the route. Many operators combine vacuums with fragrance dispensers, tire inflators, and window wash stations on the same pad to increase revenue per stop.

Revenue Range

Low End

$45K

Typical

$120K

High End

$320K

Pros

+Extremely low labor — one person can service 50+ machines solo
+Cash or card revenue collected weekly with no accounts receivable
+Low barrier to entry — a single machine costs $1,500–$3,500 new
+Host locations are motivated to renew — it's free revenue for them

Cons

-Vandalism and coin theft are constant operational headaches
-Revenue is highly correlated with location traffic — bad locations kill margins
-Fragmented industry — no dominant broker or marketplace for acquisitions

Best For

Route-minded operators who want a second income stream alongside an existing car wash or ATM route

Operating Costs

Primary costs are host location revenue share (20–30%), consumables (bags, filters), fuel for collection runs, and machine maintenance. Electricity is paid by the host. A 30-machine route can be serviced in one full day per week.

SBA Financing Estimator

Adjust the deal — see if it cash flows after debt service

+$3K/mo

after debt service

Deal price — $300K

Range: $180K (2×) to $480K (3×+)

Down payment — 15% ($45K)

SBA minimum equity injection is 10% for change-of-ownership

Interest rate — 8.00%

Current prime-based SBA rates: 7.5–10.5%

Loan term — 10 years (120 mo)

Standard SBA 7(a): 10 years for business acquisition

Down payment

$45K

15% equity injection

Loan amount

$255K

85% SBA-financed

Monthly payment

$3K/mo

$116K total interest

Monthly profit

$6K/mo

at 58% margin

Monthly cash flow after debt service

+$3K/mo

Down payment paid back in ~17 months — strong return

Estimates only. Excludes owner compensation, capex, working capital draws, and taxes. Margin assumes average occupancy and volume. Actual SBA terms vary by lender and borrower profile.