Revenue split, contract length, exclusivity, and exit terms are the clauses that actually determine what an ATM agreement costs you. Here is what each one means and what to look for.
Every ATM placement or processing agreement is built around a handful of clauses that actually matter, no matter how the rest of the paperwork is worded. The first is the revenue split — the exact percentage or per-transaction amount you keep versus what the company keeps. "You keep most of it" is not a number; ask for the specific split in writing, and confirm whether it changes at any volume threshold.
The second is contract length and whether it auto-renews. A one- or two-year term with no auto-renewal is very different from a multi-year term that renews automatically unless you cancel inside a narrow window before expiration. The third is exclusivity — whether the agreement stops you from adding a second machine, switching processors, or bringing in another placement company at that location for the life of the contract, even if the relationship isn’t working out.
The clause people skip is the exit: what it costs to leave early, whether there’s an early-termination or liquidated-damages fee, and — if the company owns the machine — what happens to it at the end of the term or if you cancel. Get all of this in writing before you sign anything, not summarized verbally on a call.
Blueprint sells machines outright at acquisition cost and processes on one published flat rate — there is no separate placement contract, revenue split, or exclusivity clause to negotiate, because the terms are the same for every customer and posted on the pricing page.