ACFN Franchise
Cost, fees, owner earnings, closure rate and litigation for a ACFN franchise — pulled from the franchisor's own public FDD (2026), not its sales material.
Disclosure honesty
ACFN discloses earnings (Item 19) — but the grade is how honestly. We graded it B.
What their own earnings claim actually says
Provides 3 tables showing estimated earnings for 1, 5, 10 ATM scenarios based on average surcharge transactions ($4.16/transaction). Data derived from 2,554 operational ATMs Oct 2024-Sept 2025. No deduction for operating expenses.
What a ACFN franchise actually costs to run
| Fee | Disclosed | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Initial franchise fee | $25,000 | Item 5 — paid up front, before you open |
| Royalty | 1.25% of gross sales | Item 6 — charged on revenue, not profit |
| Total recurring fees | 1.25% of gross sales | Before rent, labor, food or debt service |
| Total initial investment | $37,561 – $58,211 | Item 7 — franchisor's own low/high estimate |
1.25% brand fee on Net Revenue; $12/ATM admin fee; $0.15/transaction fee; extensive other fees including relocation, training, audit costs.
Royalty and ad-fund percentages are charged on gross sales — an owner pays them whether or not the location is profitable.
ACFN system size and owner turnover
| Total outlets | 210 |
| Ceased operations | 46 |
| Terminated by franchisor | 3 |
| Transferred to new owners | 43 |
| Closure rate | 21.9% of outlets |
46 ceased operations in 2025; 23 net franchise reduction; significant churn.
From Item 20 of the FDD 2026. Terminations and ceased operations are the franchisor's own count of owners who stopped — the number the sales pitch leaves out.
Is ACFN worth it? — how it compares to 436 similar franchises
| Ongoing fees | 1.25% of sales | lower than most (median 8%) |
| Startup cost | from $37,561 | cheaper than most (median $138,750) |
| Disclosure honesty | Grade B | more honest than 84% of other franchises franchises |
| Closure rate | 21.9% of outlets | worse than 95% of peers |
| Disclosed lawsuits | 0 | fewer than most |
Benchmarked against every other franchises franchise we've graded from public FDDs — the context the franchisor's pitch never gives you.
Owner take-home for a ACFN
The franchisor's framing: Provides 3 tables showing estimated earnings for 1, 5, 10 ATM scenarios based on average s… We reconstruct what an owner actually keeps, from their own FDD.
- Reconstructed owner P&L — net take-home after royalty, ad fund, rent, labor & debt
- Break-even timeline + cash-on-cash ROI
- Full fee stack + required-purchase markups
- Decoded real failure / closure rate
- How it ranks vs comparable franchises
- Validation-call playbook — the exact questions to ask
See a full sample report → · 30-day guarantee
ACFN franchise — frequently asked
- How much does a ACFN franchise cost?
- The FDD lists a total initial investment of about $37,561–$58,211, including a $25,000 initial franchise fee.
- How much do ACFN franchise owners make?
- Provides 3 tables showing estimated earnings for 1, 5, 10 ATM scenarios based on average surcharge transactions ($4.16/transaction). Data derived from 2,554 operational ATMs Oct 2024-Sept 2025. No deduction for operating expenses. We grade this disclosure B for honesty.
- What are the ACFN franchise fees?
- ACFN's FDD discloses a $25,000 initial franchise fee, a 1.25% royalty on gross sales, for roughly 1.25% of gross sales in recurring fees before rent, labor, or debt service. 1.25% brand fee on Net Revenue; $12/ATM admin fee; $0.15/transaction fee; extensive other fees including relocation, training, audit costs.
- What is the ACFN franchise profit margin?
- ACFN does not publish a franchisee net-profit margin — almost no franchisor does. What Item 19 actually shows: Provides 3 tables showing estimated earnings for 1, 5, 10 ATM scenarios based on average surcharge transactions ($4.16/transaction). Data derived from 2,554 operational ATMs Oct 2024-Sept 2025. No deduction for operating expenses. Recurring fees alone take about 1.25% of gross sales, before rent, labor, food or debt service. Margin has to be reconstructed from the disclosure, not read off it.
- What is the ACFN franchise failure rate?
- 46 ceased operations in 2025; 23 net franchise reduction; significant churn.
- How many ACFN locations are there?
- ACFN's FDD reports 210 total outlets, with 46 that ceased operations in the most recent reporting year and 43 transferred to new owners. Item 20 is where system health shows up before the marketing does.
- Does ACFN have complaints or lawsuits?
- ACFN discloses no material litigation in Item 3 of the filing we reviewed. That's a positive signal, though it covers only what the franchisor is required to report.
- Is a ACFN franchise worth it?
- It depends on the numbers, not the pitch. ACFN scores B on disclosure honesty, carries about 1.25% of sales in ongoing fees. Get the real owner take-home before you sign.
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Compare ACFN to similar franchises
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Source: WI DFI Franchise Registration (2026). FranchiseValidate is independent and not affiliated with ACFN or its franchisor. Figures are extracted from the franchisor's own public disclosure document; verify against the current FDD before any decision.