One of the most common questions new operators ask is simple: when does the monthly fee start? The answer is clearer than most people expect — and if you ordered more than one ArcadePay Controller, you also have flexibility on how fast you roll them out.
Here is the customer-safe rule of thumb, straight from ArcadePay pricing and billing basics.
Billing Starts When Hardware Ships
ArcadePay monthly service billing starts when your hardware ships — not when you put the machine on location, and not when your first guest scans the QR code or taps to pay.
If you have not submitted the ArcadePay onboarding form yet, your controllers have not shipped and no billing has started. The clock begins only after onboarding is complete and devices are on the way to you.
Existing operators adding more units follow the same rule: billing starts at ship date for each new controller.
Still Staging Machines at Home or in the Shop?
That is normal. Many operators power on and wire machines in the shop before a location is ready. Once a unit has shipped, the monthly service for that unit is active — even if the cabinet is still at home.
If you are still deciding how many units to take now, the best time to plan your rollout is before hardware ships.
Deploy Controllers at Your Own Pace
Ordered several ArcadePay Controllers but not ready to put them all into service? You do not have to activate everything at once.
- Tell Support how many you want first. Email ops@arcadepay.app with the batch size you are ready for.
- ArcadePay ships that batch and holds the remaining units at no charge until you need them.
- Billing starts when each batch ships — not before.
That keeps your rollout under control: you bring cashless online where you are ready, without carrying monthly service on units still sitting on the shelf.
What You Are Paying For (Standard Rates)
ArcadePay has two ongoing costs once a unit is active:
- $7.95 per month per ArcadePay Controller
- 5.95% per cashless transaction
With promo code ACPAYX, hardware is $0 plus a $15 activation fee per device at checkout. The same code works for new operators and for additional units on an existing account.
Cash dropped directly into the machine is not a cashless transaction. Depending on your setup, cash may still show in reports for counting or tracking.
The Takeaway
Billing starts at ship — complete onboarding when you are ready for hardware, and if you ordered multiple controllers, ask ops@arcadepay.app to phase the shipment so you only start monthly service on the units you are deploying now.
Questions about an invoice or a multi-unit order? Email Support with your account name, device count, and order or charge date and we will sort it out.
Ready to try ArcadePay?
Promo Code ACPAYX — https://arcadepay.app/TryFREE