Start a ACFN Franchise in 2025

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $39K - $64K

Units as of 2023: 234

People everywhere need to grab cash and sometimes their bank of choice is not nearby. This is where ACFN comes in. With convenient ATMs located across the U.S. and Canada, customers can be sure to find an ATM when they need one most.

ACFN is an ATM franchise that began business in 1997. It is one of the few providing machines and services to hotels, travel, and entertainment-based businesses. ACFN began ATM franchising in 2003 and now has over 225 franchises and more than 2,000 ATMs in operation. If you're interested in opening a franchise with a company that offers a relatively low overhead, then you might want to check out ACFN.

Why You May Want to Start an ACFN Franchise

When opening an ACFN franchise, you can piggyback off a good reputation that your potential clients may already recognize. As a franchisee of ACFN, you have access to national databases. These databases help you to identify potential clients in your area. You also have the benefit of lead tracking software, showing you the activity of your potential clients and support for ATM installation and maintenance. Their support continues while you're running your franchise.

What Might Make an ACFN Franchise a Good Choice?

ACFN strives to provide its franchisees with a company that fits with what they need. You can run your ACFN as a full-time business, as well as a part-time business. You can also run it as a home-based business or serve as an absentee owner. Essentially, your involvement depends entirely on your goals. Running an ACFN franchise does not require prior business experience. The company will train you on the franchise, the ATM industry, and effective marketing strategies for the target audience.

Working with ACFN does not require hiring additional staff. That means you only have to keep track of yourself, and with only one employee, payroll costs can be kept low. That said, you should still make sure that you are financially prepared for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you’ll want to make sure you have enough capital available to cover ongoing fees, including advertising and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set liquid capital requirements.

How To Open an ACFN Franchise

If you want to open an ACFN franchise, there are a few things to know first. There is a multi-day training event you will need to attend at company headquarters in San Jose, California. You will have to pay for each ATM machine, as well as the contents of the machine. If you are a veteran, there may be a discount for you as a franchisee.

To get started with your ACFN franchise, you will need to submit an inquiry form. If your form appears to fit with the ACFN franchise model, a franchise representative may contact you. They may also provide you with additional franchise information.

ACFN holds its multi-day training classes monthly. If approved by the franchise representative, attend the course, review the Franchise Disclosure Document, and sign a franchise agreement. After that, you will be ready to find your first client and install an ATM.

Company Overview

About ACFN

Industry	Financial Services
Related Categories	Miscellaneous Financial Services, Miscellaneous Services
Founded	1996
Parent Company	ACFN Franchised Inc.
Leadership	Jeffrey Kerr, CEO
Corporate Address	4 N. Second St., #1240 San Jose, CA 95113
Social	Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2003 (22 years)
# of employees at HQ	18
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US.
# of Units	234 (as of 2023)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a ACFN franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$25,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$39,234 - $63,817
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$50,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	$1,000 off franchise fee
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	1%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

In-House Financing	ACFN offers in-house financing to cover the following: franchise fee

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

Classroom Training	18 hours
Ongoing Support	Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	Yes
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	Yes
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	Yes
# of employees required to run	1
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	No