Every retailer considering a check cashing kiosk asks the same thing: what's the actual take-home? Not the "up to" number on a brochure — the real, bankable fee income after costs. We've placed enough machines across enough business types to give you specific ranges, not hand-waving.
The short answer: most Cashman locations generate between $1,500 and $3,500 per month in gross fee income. The long answer depends on your check volume, average check size, fee percentage, and how long you've been operating. Here's how the math works.
What Does the Average Cashman Location Earn?
Across all active Cashman kiosk locations, the median monthly gross fee income is $2,200. That's the midpoint — half earn more, half earn less.
The bottom quartile (locations still ramping up or in lower-traffic areas) generates $1,200–$1,800/month. These are typically laundromats or small grocery stores in suburban areas with moderate foot traffic. Still profitable after operating costs, but not a windfall.
The top quartile pulls in $3,000–$4,500/month. These are scrap yards, busy c-stores near industrial zones, and check cashing–heavy neighborhoods where the kiosk processes 80–120 checks per week. A few outlier locations — usually scrap operations with high-value checks — clear $5,000/month consistently.
For context, the FDIC's 2023 Survey of Household Use of Banking and Financial Services found that 4.5% of U.S. households remain fully unbanked, with another 14.1% classified as underbanked. That's roughly 19 million households relying on alternative financial services. The demand isn't speculative — it's documented.
How Fee Income Is Calculated
The formula is straightforward:
Fee Income = Number of Checks × Average Check Value × Fee Percentage
Let's work through three real scenarios.
Scenario A — Low volume: 35 checks/week × $280 average face value × 3% fee = $294/week = $1,276/month. This is a slow suburban location. After $400/month in operating costs, you're netting $876. Modest, but the kiosk is still paying for itself if you're on a financing plan.
Scenario B — Mid volume: 60 checks/week × $350 average × 3% fee = $630/week = $2,730/month. This is a busy convenience store or grocery with good foot traffic. After costs, you're clearing $2,100+/month. This is the sweet spot where most operators land by month six.
Scenario C — High volume: 100 checks/week × $425 average × 2.5% fee = $1,062/week = $4,602/month. Notice the lower fee percentage — high-volume locations often set fees at 2–2.5% to stay competitive and maximize transaction count. Even at a lower rate, the volume more than compensates. After costs, you're north of $4,000/month in net fee income.
The fee percentage is yours to set (within state-regulated caps). Most operators land between 2% and 4%. We publish a detailed breakdown in our check cashing fees by state guide if you want to see what the market rate is in your area.
Variables That Increase Your Income
Location type matters more than anything else. A kiosk inside a scrap metal yard where every customer walks in with a $400–$800 check will always outperform a kiosk in a laundromat where the average check is $220. The best locations for check cashing kiosks share specific traits: proximity to hourly-wage employers, limited bank branch access within a 2-mile radius, and extended operating hours.
Check type drives average value. Payroll checks from small businesses average $350–$500. Government benefit checks average $250–$400. Insurance settlement checks can run $1,000+. Locations that attract a mix of payroll and government checks tend to have the most predictable income streams.
Operating hours directly correlate with volume. A kiosk that's available 16 hours a day (say, 6 AM to 10 PM in a convenience store) will outperform one that's only accessible during 9-to-5 business hours. Friday evenings and Saturday mornings are peak transaction windows — if your store is closed during those times, you're leaving money on the table.
Visibility and signage. This sounds basic, but locations that invest $200–$500 in prominent exterior signage ("CHECK CASHING AVAILABLE HERE") see 20–30% higher transaction volume than identical locations without signage. The kiosk itself needs to be visible from the entrance, not tucked in a back corner behind the beer cooler.
Your kiosk setup and placement affects everything downstream. Get that right and the income follows.
What to Expect in Months 1, 3, 6, and 12
Month 1: Expect 40–60% of your projected steady-state volume. Customers are discovering the service, trying it for the first time, and building trust. A location that should do 60 checks/week at maturity might process 25–35 in the first month. Fee income: $800–$1,400.
Month 3: You'll hit 65–80% of capacity. Repeat customers are now habitual users. Word of mouth kicks in — check cashing customers talk to each other. If your signage is solid and your store hours are accommodating, you should see noticeable week-over-week growth. Fee income: $1,400–$2,200.
Month 6: Most locations reach 85–95% of their steady-state volume by month six. The customer base is established and transactions become predictable. You can forecast weekly income within a $100–$200 range. Fee income: $1,800–$2,800.
Month 12: Full maturity. Your regulars are locked in. Seasonal patterns emerge (tax season in January–April drives a 15–25% spike from refund checks). You've optimized your cash loading schedule and know exactly how much float to keep in the machine. Fee income: $2,000–$3,500, depending on location tier.
The ramp period is real, and anyone telling you that you'll hit max volume on day one is overselling. But the curve is predictable and the destination is worth the ramp. Use the free ROI calculator to model your specific timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the fee income taxable?
Yes. Check cashing fees are ordinary business income reported on your Schedule C (sole proprietors) or business tax return. The operating costs — software fees, transaction fees, maintenance, depreciation on the hardware — are all deductible. Most operators see an effective tax rate of 20–28% on net kiosk income after deductions. Talk to your accountant about Section 179 depreciation if you purchase the hardware outright.
What happens during slow weeks — do I still have costs?
Your fixed monthly costs (software platform, compliance) run whether you process 10 checks or 100. That's typically $300–$400/month. Per-transaction fees only apply when checks are cashed, so those scale down with volume. Even in a slow week, most locations cover their fixed costs comfortably. The worst-performing month we've seen at an established location was still north of $900 in fee income.
Can I increase my fees to make more money?
You can, up to your state's regulatory cap. But there's a ceiling where higher fees start reducing transaction volume. We've found that 2.5–3.5% is the sweet spot for most markets. Go above 4% and you'll lose price-sensitive customers to competitors or bank alternatives. The goal is to maximize total fee dollars, not fee percentage — and that usually means competitive pricing with high volume.
Do I keep all the fee income or does Cashman take a cut?
You keep the fee income. Cashman's revenue comes from the monthly software/compliance platform fee and the per-transaction processing fee. Those are fixed, predictable costs — not a revenue share. If your kiosk earns $3,000/month in fees, you pay roughly $400–$500 in platform and processing costs and keep the rest. We detail costs fully in our kiosk cost breakdown.
How does this compare to the income from a staffed check cashing counter?
A staffed counter generates similar fee income at similar volumes — the revenue side is roughly equivalent. The difference is cost. A full-time employee costs $31,000–$40,000/year in wages and payroll taxes. The kiosk's all-in operating cost is $5,000–$7,000/year. Same top line, dramatically different bottom line. Plus the kiosk doesn't call in sick on payday Friday, which is your highest-volume day. See our ROI and payback analysis for the full comparison.
Ready to add check cashing to your business?
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