HOW MUCH CAN A
PHOTO BOOTH
BUSINESS MAKE?
There isn't one magic income number. What you can make depends on what you charge, how many events you book, what each event costs you and how much of your calendar you can actually fill.
YOUR INCOME
COMES DOWN TO
THE MATH.
Then subtract the money required to actually operate those events and the broader expenses of running your business. That's why two photo booth companies can book the same number of events and still make very different amounts.
HERE'S THE
SIMPLE MULTIPLICATION.
These are hypothetical examples only. They're not income claims or promises. We're simply using round numbers to show how pricing and booking volume affect gross revenue.
Gross monthly revenue before event expenses, overhead and taxes.
Gross monthly revenue before event expenses, overhead and taxes.
Gross monthly revenue before event expenses, overhead and taxes.
MONTHLY BOOKINGS
BECOME YEARLY REVENUE.
If booking volume stayed consistent for a full year, those same hypothetical examples would look like this.
Hypothetical annual gross revenue before expenses and taxes.
Hypothetical annual gross revenue before expenses and taxes.
Hypothetical annual gross revenue before expenses and taxes.
IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT
GETTING MORE BOOKINGS.
YOUR PACKAGE PRICE
A business booking $300 events and a business booking $800 events can have very different revenue even with the same number of bookings.
YOUR BOOKING VOLUME
One event each month creates a very different business from one that consistently books several weekends.
YOUR SERVICE MIX
Digital booths, prints, 360 experiences, backdrops and other upgrades can create different pricing opportunities and costs.
YOUR MARKET
Local competition, event volume, customer budgets and the types of events available can all affect what you're able to charge and how often you book.
YOUR SALES & MARKETING
The best booth in the world doesn't create revenue if nobody knows your business exists or your inquiries don't turn into bookings.
YOUR CAPACITY
One booth can only be at one event at a time. Growing beyond that may require additional equipment and people.
REVENUE IS NOT
TAKE-HOME PAY.
Travel, software, insurance, payment processing, labor, printing supplies, marketing, equipment and taxes all affect the amount that remains after an event. That's why I prefer thinking about profit per booking rather than getting excited by a big gross revenue number.
SIDE HUSTLE
OR BIGGER BUSINESS?
A photo booth business doesn't have to look the same for everybody.
Some operators may want a small number of weekend events to create additional income.
Others may want to build a larger event company with multiple booths, attendants and a much fuller calendar.
Both are businesses. They simply have different revenue goals, workload and equipment needs.
Decide what kind of business you want before deciding what “good income” means.
DON'T LET YOUR FIRST
BOOTH EAT ALL THE
FUTURE PROFIT.
Revenue is only part of the equation. You also have to recover what you spent getting into business.
If two booth setups can serve the events you want, but one requires a dramatically larger initial investment, it will generally take more profitable bookings to repay that investment.
That doesn't mean buy the cheapest booth available.
It means buy equipment that looks professional, works reliably and makes sense for the business you're actually starting.
START WITH A SETUP
THAT CAN GET YOU
TO THE EVENT.
One reason I like a professional iPad booth like the MWE for a new operator is that several important pieces of the physical setup are already included.
- Professional booth body
- Built-in adjustable lighting
- RGB lighting options
- Rolling base
- Rolling travel case
- iPad mounting panels
- Custom front graphic
HOW DOES A PHOTO BOOTH
BUSINESS MAKE MORE?
BOOK MORE OF YOUR AVAILABLE DATES
Marketing, reviews, referrals and strong venue relationships can help turn more open weekends into paid events.
IMPROVE YOUR AVERAGE BOOKING
Better packaging and useful upgrades can increase the average amount customers spend without simply raising every price.
CREATE REPEAT CLIENTS
Companies, schools, venues, nonprofits and planners can become valuable repeat customers when you deliver consistently.
ADD CAPACITY WHEN DEMAND EXISTS
A second booth can create additional earning capacity, but it makes more sense when you're already turning away events.
BUYING A BOOTH
DOESN'T CREATE
CUSTOMERS.
You'll still need to market, answer inquiries, sell packages, collect contracts and payments, prepare events, transport the equipment and deliver a reliable guest experience. The booth is the product you operate. The business is what creates the bookings.
YOUR NEXT
PHOTO BOOTH BUSINESS GUIDES.
PHOTO BOOTH BUSINESS
INCOME FAQ.
HOW MUCH CAN A PHOTO BOOTH BUSINESS MAKE?
There is no single income figure that applies to every photo booth business. Gross revenue depends mainly on booking price and booking volume, while profit depends on the costs required to operate those events and the business itself.
HOW MUCH CAN A PHOTO BOOTH BUSINESS MAKE PER MONTH?
Monthly revenue depends on how many events are booked and what each customer pays. For example, four hypothetical $500 bookings would produce $2,000 in gross monthly revenue before expenses, overhead and taxes.
HOW MUCH CAN A PHOTO BOOTH BUSINESS MAKE PER YEAR?
Annual revenue varies widely. It depends on the number of events booked throughout the year, average booking value, seasonality and the services offered.
CAN A PHOTO BOOTH BUSINESS MAKE MONEY AS A SIDE HUSTLE?
Yes. Since many weddings, parties and other private events occur during evenings and weekends, a photo booth business can potentially be operated part time depending on your schedule and local demand.
WHAT AFFECTS PHOTO BOOTH BUSINESS INCOME THE MOST?
Pricing, booking volume, local market demand, services offered, marketing, event expenses and available capacity can all have a major effect on revenue and profit.
IS PHOTO BOOTH REVENUE THE SAME AS PROFIT?
No. Revenue is the money collected from bookings. Profit is what remains after accounting for operating expenses, business overhead and other costs.
DO I NEED MULTIPLE PHOTO BOOTHS TO MAKE GOOD MONEY?
Not necessarily. A single booth can be a sensible way to start. Additional booths create more event capacity, but they also require additional investment and may require additional staff.
START WITH A BOOTH
THAT MAKES BUSINESS SENSE.
Take a look at the current MWE iPad booth, compare the equipment included and decide whether it fits the kind of photo booth business you're trying to build.