Starting your own network gives you complete control over branding, pricing, and feature development. You can tailor the product to your local market and expand however you want.

But this route comes with significant challenges:

1. Full Technical Ownership

When you start your own network it's important to understand that you're the sole proprietor and handle 100% of the technology:

• App development (iOS + Android)
• Payment systems
• Firmware updates
• Bug fixes
• Security patches
• Compliance with OS changes
• Infrastructure and server operations

Ready-made apps, often bundled with low-cost hardware from China, may appear attractive, but they frequently suffer from:

• Little or no customization
• Slow or nonexistent updates
• Poor integration with Western payment providers
• GDPR and regulatory non-compliance
• Unstable user experience

When something breaks, you absorb the cost, and your customers feel the impact. In terms of regulations that you need to adhere to within hardware production, it can quickly become complicated in Western markets. Your providers may be the same as for your competitors, but still, the producers will produce in accordance with your requests.

2. Higher Regulatory Burden of App Development & Batteries

Running a digital rental service in the EU, UK, or US requires strict compliance with:

• GDPR & privacy regulations
• Payment security standards (PCI DSS, SCA, PSD2)
• Accessibility laws
• Consumer protection requirements
• Local telecom & IoT guidelines

Most low-cost systems simply aren’t built for these markets, putting you at risk of legal issues or platform shutdowns.

3. Large Upfront Investment

Building a network from scratch realistically requires €20,000–€250,000+, covering:

• Stations & power banks
• Warehousing & logistics
• Customer support operations
• Development team salaries
• Cloud & server infrastructure
• Marketing & branding
• Compliance and certification work

This approach works if you want full ownership, but it’s expensive, time-consuming, and carries substantial risk.

Franchising With Brick: Lower Risk, Lower Investment, Faster Growth

Franchising with Brick delivers a proven method to enter the shared power bank industry without reinventing the wheel.

Brick Handles the Hard Parts

As a Brick Partner, you benefit from:

• A fully developed Western-standard app
• Continually updated, secure software
• GDPR-compliant infrastructure
• Payment integrations & fraud protection
• Hardware built to European quality and safety standards
• Analytics, dashboards, and operational tools
• Training, documentation, and ongoing support

Your role? Sales, placements, operations, and growth.
Brick handles everything technical and regulatory.

Lower Investment & Strong ROI

Compared to building your own system, Brick dramatically lowers the barrier to entry.

• Start with as little as €4,580
• We recommend having €10,000 ready to effectively launch and scale
• Most placed stations reach ROI in ~18 months
• The majority of stations are profitable when actively managed
• Brick offers financing and self-cost pricing to successful partners

Like any business, there is risk—but the model is proven.

Partnership Options Built for Different Goals

1. Network Partner
Perfect for small or mid-sized networks. Low investment, easy to start, flexible growth.

2. Market Operator
Designed for entrepreneurs who want to achieve full regional market saturation.

3. Custom White-Label Solutions
For companies wanting their own branded ecosystem while relying on Brick’s underlying infrastructure. No need to build software, manage compliance, or handle firmware and payment systems.

Why Franchising Outperforms Buying Hardware From China

Many newcomers consider buying cheap stations and an accompanying app—but this almost always leads to major setbacks:

⚠️ Regulatory risks

Chinese software rarely meets Western privacy, data handling, or consumer protection standards.

⚠️ Poor stability and outdated technology

Updates are slow or unavailable. Apps often cannot adapt to evolving market needs.

⚠️ No brand trust

Venues and users convert far more easily to recognized Western brands.

⚠️ High long-term costs

When the technology fails, you end up rebuilding the entire system—increasing total costs far beyond what a franchise model requires.

Brick eliminates these risks. We provide a robust, Western-compliant platform trusted by partners across multiple countries.

White-Label Solutions: For Companies Ready to Build Their Own Brand

Brick also offers custom white-label solutions for organizations that want full branding control without the burdens of software development or regulatory compliance.

This option is ideal for:

• Telecom companies
• Hospitality groups
• Transportation networks
• Enterprise retail chains
• Mobility ecosystems
• Large-scale operators entering multiple markets

White-labeling requires a minimum investment of at least €200,000, with pricing tailored to the complexity and scope of the project.

Summary

Building your own power bank network gives you control, but comes with high cost, high risk, and full regulatory responsibility.
Franchising with Brick offers a lower barrier to entry, a proven system, Western-compliant technology, and the fastest route to profitability.

Whether you want a small network, a full regional operation, or a custom white-label ecosystem, Brick provides the tools and support you need to succeed.

Become a Brick Partner

Not to toot our own horn too loudly, but powerbank sharing with Brick holds promising prospects for your success! Once you've taken a closer look at our partnership options to determine which one aligns perfectly with your goals and aspirations, a Brick representative is ready to connect whenever you're ready!