One of the first decisions every new ArcadePay operator faces is also one of the most important: how much should a play cost, and how do you structure credits so players feel like they're getting a great deal while you're hitting your revenue targets?
Getting this right doesn't require a spreadsheet degree — but it does require a few minutes of clear thinking. Here's a practical framework that experienced cashless operators use.
Start With What Your Machines Actually Cost You
Before you set a credit price, know your floor. For every machine, think through:
- Purchase or lease cost — what's the monthly payment or amortization per machine?
- Location rent — your share of space, especially if you're revenue-splitting with a venue
- Maintenance and parts — on average, what does a machine cost per month to keep running?
- Merchant fees — cashless payment processing has a cost; factor it in
Add those up and you have your break-even point per machine per month. Divide by the number of plays you expect in that period. That's your minimum price per play.
How Credit Bundles Work in Your Favor
ArcadePay operators commonly set credit values at round numbers — \$1 = 1 credit, or \$5 = 6 credits (giving one free). That bonus-credit model is powerful because:
1. Players spend more per session — getting a "bonus" credit motivates players to load up rather than buying play-by-play 2. Larger loads reduce transaction fees — fewer, bigger transactions mean a smaller percentage lost to processing 3. Perceived value increases — a player who loads \$10 and gets 12 credits feels like they won something before they even start playing
Experiment with your bundle structure. A popular approach: offer \$2, \$5, and \$10 load options, with the \$10 option providing the best per-credit value. Most players who see "12 credits for \$10" will choose it over buying \$2 at a time.
Matching Game Costs to Machine Type
Not every machine should cost the same to play. A good pricing structure reflects the experience:
- High-throughput redemption games (crane machines, coin pushers, candy dispensers) — keep costs low (1 credit per play) to encourage volume. These machines make money on repetition.
- Premium experiences (pinball, full-size driving games, VR booths) — can command 2–3 credits per play because the experience justifies it.
- Prize or ticket redemption — factor in the cost of prizes per ticket, then work backward to a sustainable per-play price.
With ArcadePay, you can configure per-machine credit costs. Don't leave them all at the same default — tune them based on what each machine actually delivers.
Dynamic Pricing: The Weekend Advantage
Cashless systems make something possible that coin-op never could: adjusting pricing by time or context. Some operators run weekend rates (slightly higher per-play cost on Friday–Sunday) without any friction — the reader just shows the updated credit cost.
A modest 10–15% weekend premium on your premium machines can meaningfully increase margin on your busiest days. Players who are already in "fun mode" on a Saturday rarely notice a one-credit difference.
Watch the Data, Then Iterate
After setting your initial pricing, give it 30 days. Then pull your transaction data from the ArcadePay dashboard and look at:
- Average transaction size — are players buying small or loading up?
- Per-machine revenue — which machines are underperforming relative to their traffic?
- Repeat visit rate — are players coming back, or is this mostly one-and-done?
If average transaction size is low, consider improving your bundle deal. If a machine is busy but not generating revenue, the play cost may be too low. If a machine is underutilized, consider reducing its cost — more plays at lower margin often beats zero plays.
Keep It Simple for Players
Whatever structure you land on, simplicity wins at the machine. Players shouldn't need to do math to understand your pricing. A clean display — "Load \$5, get 6 credits. 1 credit = 1 play." — converts better than complex tiered systems.
Cashless payment removes the biggest friction in arcade pricing (digging for quarters). Your job is to make the rest equally frictionless.
The Bottom Line
Pricing isn't a one-time decision — it's an ongoing conversation between your costs, your players' behavior, and your revenue goals. The advantage of a cashless system like ArcadePay is that you can update pricing quickly, track the impact in real time, and keep tuning until you find what works.
Start with your break-even, add a margin, structure bundles that reward loading up, and revisit the numbers monthly. That's it.
Questions about configuring machine pricing in ArcadePay? Reach out to the ops team — we're happy to walk through your specific setup.