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Contents
Contents
- Best PAYG no contract card machines (table)
- Best card machines on monthly contracts (table)
- Best card payment machines for SMEs
- Monthly lease
- One upfront fee
- Types of card payment machines
- Fees by machine type
- Buy or lease a card reader?
- Card machine costs
- How to choose a card payment machine
- How to get a card payment machine
- FAQs
Best Card Payment Machines For UK SMEs
The best card payment machine for business will depend on your business type, typical card turnover, the payment method preferences of your customers, integrations required, how mobile you need the card reader to be and if you have omnichannel payment requirements.
When comparing card payment machines, the main factors to consider are functionality, connectivity, integrations possible, transaction fees by card type and one-off charges. The cost of the machine (upfront or monthly lease fee) should be a secondary consideration.
Company | Device | Cost Excl VAT | Transaction Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
 | PayPal Reader | £29 | |
PayPal Terminal | £149 | ||
 | Square Reader | £19 | |
Square Terminal | £149 | ||
 | Air | £29 | |
Solo | £79 | ||
Solo & Printer | £139 | ||
 | MyPOS Go | £39 | |
MyPOS Pro | £179 | ||
MyPOS Combo | £179 | ||
 | Tide Card Reader | £59 | |
Tide Card Reader Plus | £79 |
Pros
- Quick to order online and get delivered
- Easy to get set up and start transacting
- No monthly contracts or monthly fees
- Transparent fees shown online
Cons
- Limited functionality of card readers compared to those offered on a contract
- Typically tigher transaction fees than card machines offered by merchant account providers on contract
Brand | Card Machine | Certified to work with | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  | Ingenico Desk 5000 Countertop | Worldpay, Barclaycard, Trust Payments, Elavon, AIB |
 | Ingenico Move 5000 Portable / Mobile | Elavon, Worldpay, Trust Payments, Worldline | |
 | Ingenico Axium 8000 Portable / Mobile | Elavon, Worldpay | |
 |  | PAX A920 Portable / Mobile | Elavon, Worldpay |
 | PAX A920 Pro Portable / Mobile | AIB, Evo Payments, UTP, Teya | |
 |  | Castles Saturn 1000 Portable / Mobile | AIB, Trust Payments |
 | Castles Vega Countertop | Cashflows, Evo Payments, Trust Payments | |
 |  | Verifone 400c Plus Portable / Mobile | Adyen, Elavon |
 |  | Clover Flex Portable / Mobile | AIB, Tyl By Natwest, Lloyds Cardnet |
The approval and onboarding process is more cumbersome than the fixed priced card reader suppliers above, but they offer more functionality, a better user experience, extensive integration options and typically lower transaction fees.
SME’s exceeding £50K in annual card revenue will typically pay less signing up to a monthly contact with a merchant service provider due to the lower transaction fees.
If you are interested in comparing the transaction fees available payment processors offering the card machines below and others, fill in our short form and our payment experts will get you bespoke preferential quotes.
Contents
- Best PAYG no contract card machines (table)
- Best card machines on monthly contracts (table)
- Best card payment machines for SMEs
- Monthly lease
- One upfront fee
- Types of card payment machines
- Fees by machine type
- Buy or lease a card reader?
- How to choose a card payment machine
- Card machine costs
- How to get a card payment machine
- FAQs
Best card payment machines for UK businesses
Ingenico Move 5000
- Portable and Mobile
- OS: PELIUM Tetra
- Printer: 30 lines a sec
- Screen size: 3.5" backlit screen
- Automatic network switching between 4G, 3G, 2G, Dual SIM, Bluetooth and WiFi
- Offered by: Worldpay, Elavon (Santander) and Trust Payments
- Price: Bespoke
The Move 5000 was launched in the UK in 2019 to replace the very popular iWL series. It has a number of improvements on Ingenico’s iWL range including a new Telium Tetra operating system and a faster processor.
Like its rivals, it can process all the most popular payment methods like traditional EMV Chip & PIN, magstripe, contactless payments, digital wallets, and QR-code transactions. The device features a relatively small 3.5-inch colour touchscreen and offers 4G, 3G, GPRS, Dual SIM, Bluetooth, and WiFi connectivity options.
Its multiple mobile connectivity options also make it a popular choice for businesses that don’t have fixed payment stations (e.g. restaurants with table service).
Providers & Fees
The Ingenico Move 5000 is available on a monthly contract with Elavon, Barclaycard, Lloyds Cardnet, Trust Payments and Global Payments.
Monthly lease
- Elavon: £18 + VAT per month
- Barclaycard: £15 + VAT per month on an 18-month contract
- Lloyds Cardnet: Bespoke prices
- Global Payments: : Bespoke prices
- Trust Payments: Bespoke prices
Transaction rates
- Barclaycard: 1.6% for businesses with card turnover under £100K. Bespoke rates for card turnover above £100K.
- Bespoke rates are offered by other providers.
Compare preferential quotes from multiple payment processors
Ingenico Desk 5000
- Countertop (Wired terminal)
- OS: Telium TETRA
- Screen size: 3.5" colour touchscreen
- Printer: 20 lines a sec
- 3G, WiFi and/or Bluetooth
- Offered by: Worldpay, Elavon
- Price: Bespoke
The Ingenico Desk 5000 is the countertop version of the Ingenico Move 5000. Both offer mobile connectivity via 4G, 3G, GPRS, Bluetooth and WiFi but the Desk 5000 can get online via an ethernet cable. It also does not have a Dual SIM like the Move 5000.
Providers & Fees
The Ingenico Desk 5000 is available on a monthly contract with Elavon, Lloyds Cardnet, and Global Payments.
Monthly lease
- Elavon: £15 + VAT per month
- Lloyds Cardnet: Bespoke prices
- Global Payments: : Bespoke prices
Transaction rates
Bespoke rates are offered on application.
Compare preferential quotes from multiple payment processors
PAX A920
- Portable and Mobile
- OS: PayDroid Powered by Android 7.1
- Screen size: 5" colour HD touchscreen
- Printer: 40 lines a sec
- 10 hours of battery life
- 4G, WiFi (2.4GHz, optional 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.0
- Offered by: Barclaycard, Worldpay, Fiserv, Dojo and Elavon
- Price: Bespoke
The PAX A920 has a sleek design with a large 5-inch HD touchscreen that removes the need for a physical PIN pad. It also has a rear camera for scanning QR codes and barcodes. It supports all major payment methods including chip and PIN, contactless, magnetic stripe, NFC, and QR code payments.
This Smart POS terminal operates on an Android system, allowing users to install and use other Android applications in addition to its standard features like reporting, sales tracking and customer loyalty functions that are included as standard.
Providers & Fees
The Ingenico Move 5000, and the Desk 5000 covered below, are available on a monthly contract with Worldpay, Trust Payments & Elavon.
Compare preferential quotes from multiple payment processors
Ingenico Axium DX8000
- Portable and Mobile
- 4G, 3G, Dual SIM, Bluetooth and WiFi
- OS: Axium (Android 10 Security OS)
- Screen size: 5.5" - 6”
- Thermal Printer: 30 lines a sec
- Offered by: Worldpay
- Price: Bespoke
The Axium DX8000 is positioned as a response to previous criticisms about Ingenico’s outdated designs and an attempt to compete with the stylish and feature-rich PAX A920.
The PAX A920 has seen significant growth and adoption in the UK market, while the Ingenico Axium DX8000 is still emerging, especially among larger multi-site retailers.
Providers & Fees
The Axium DX8000 is offered by the following merchant acquirers and payment processors:
Worldpay
- Monthly terminal hire fee £15
- 18m terminal hire agreement
- Next day terminal replacement
- Free next-business-day settlement
Transaction fees will be bespoke.
Fill in our short form and we’ll you preferential rates to compare.
Compare preferential quotes from multiple payment processors
Square Card Reader
- Device Cost: £19 +VAT
- In-Person Transaction Fees: 1.75%
- Payment methods accepted: Visa, V Pay, Mastercard, Maestro, American Express, Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
- Connectivity: WiFi or SIM. It uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) for wireless connections.
- Settlement times: Payments are received in your bank account within 3-5 business days or only 20 minutes if you pay an additional 1% fee.
We believe the square card reader is the best card reader businesses with a low card turnover looking for a pay as you go solution.
The Square Reader is a small card processing terminal that relies on a iOS/Android app rather than a physical keypad to enter in transactions. This is the second generation Square Card Reader which continues to grow market share amongst small businesses looking for a low cost pay as you go card reader with fixed transaction fees.
It is best suited to single-site cafes, restaurants, bars and service-based businesses that do not take more than £50,000 in card sales per year. It will also be a good choice for mobile businesses where payments need to be made without a WiFi or an ethernet connection.
Square Reader Key Features
- Battery life: It is designed to last a full day of trading. The new 2nd generation reader stays connected for up to 30 days after inactivity (much improved on the 1st gen reader which only lasted 8 hours).
- Charging: Uses a USB-C to USB cable for the 2nd generation and takes about 2-3 hours to charge fully.
- Compatibility: Compatible with most Apple iOS devices and many Android devices with built-in BLE.
- Processing speed: Chip card transactions take around 6-7 seconds to process.
The Square app offers enough features for the majority of small businesses with a relatively low card turnover. It has specialised till apps tailored for various sectors, including retail, hospitality and service sectors. These additional features include customer loyalty programs, detailed product inventories, a customer library, and employee management tools, marketing tools, and team management subscriptions. In reality, many small businesses won’t use most of these additional features and those that do are likely to find them a bit too basic.
For businesses preferring a standalone solution, Square also offers a Terminal that connects directly to a WiFi network and comes with built-in Square Point of Sale features.
The Square software also integrates with a wide range of other ecommerce, accounting, customer management and marketing apps and software.
- Mobile payments: Apple Pay, Android Pay and Samsung Pay.
- Wireless: Connect to Apple or Android devices via Bluetooth.
- Next-day deposits: Get your money as soon as the next business day.
Square offers two primary card machines: the app-based Square Reader and the standalone Square Terminal.
The Square Reader is priced at £19 +VAT, while the Square Terminal comes at a cost of £149 +VAT.
Square Reader Processing Fees
| Type | Fees Per Transaction |
|---|---|
| Monthly fee | None |
| Chip, contactless, and swipe | 1.75% |
| Online store and payment links – UK cards | 1.4% + 25p |
| Online store and payment links – Non-UK cards | 2.5% + 25p |
| Keyed, invoice, virtual terminal | 2.5% |
| Clearpay | 6% + 30p |
| Instant Transfers | 1% in addition to the card fee |
| Refunds | Free |
| Chargebacks | Free |
Monthly fees
- Free: £0 per month + transaction fees
- Plus: £19 per month + transaction fees
- Premium: Bespoke for businesses processing over £200K pa
SumUp Air
- Device Cost: £34 +VAT
- In-Person Transaction Fees: 1.69%
- Payment methods accepted: Visa, V Pay, Mastercard, Maestro, American Express, Discover, Union Pay, JCB, Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
- Settlement times: Payments are received in your bank account within 1-3 business days. Some payments, like international card payments, take longer to process
Launched in 2012, SumUp has become one of Europe’s most successful FinTech companies by meeting the payment processing needs of smaller retailers and service businesses. The SumUp Air card reader is its entry-level POS model and is often spotted in independent shops and cafes across the UK.
SumUp app includes standard features such as quick-sale mode, tipping, cash recording, basic analytics, email/SMS receipts, and QR code payments. It also supports remote payments, including payment links and virtual gift cards.
- Reporting: The SumUp software platform can provide simple business reports such as sales, profits, wastage, and refunds.
- Payment methods accepted: Accepts chip and PIN, contactless NFC payments, and mobile wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
- Keypad: Unlike its rival, the Square Card Reader, it includes a keypad for pin entry.
- Till features: Can carry out essential till functions, such as splitting bills and customising receipts.
- Fast access to funds: Next-day access to funds if the complimentary business account with a Mastercard is used. If it isn’t used payments are typically transferred to the merchant’s bank account within 2-3 days.
- Stock management: Ingredient-level inventory and low stock warnings are available.
- Business development: Users can create loyalty programs or analyse purchase history if they pay the £18 per month loyalty add-on package.
- Battery life: Up to 12 hours of battery life or around 500 transactions on a full charge
- Online payment options. Provides tools for taking remote payments, including a basic online store, payment links, and invoicing.
- Customer support: Offers customer support on weekdays and weekends, which is a step ahead of some competitors.
SumUp Transaction Fees
| Cost Type | SumUp Fees | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction Fee (Standard) | 1.69% | Fee per transaction using the SumUp Air card reader. |
| Transaction Fee (Business Account) | 1.49% | Reduced fee for transactions with the SumUp Business Account. |
| Remote Transactions (Invoice/Link) | 2.50% | Fee for transactions processed through payment links or invoicing. |
| Monthly Costs | £0 | No monthly fees or rental costs associated with the device. |
| Virtual Terminal | 2.95% + 25p | Fee for card-not-present transactions processed without the card reader. |
| Online Payments | 2.50% | Fee for transactions processed through the online store or payment links. |
The standard transaction fees are 1.69% for card reader & business account transactions. However, if you also sign up to aSumUp Business Account, the card reader transaction fee is reduced to 1.49% and payments are typically received in just one business day compared to 2-3 with a normal account.
For remote transactions, such as those processed through payment links or invoicing, there’s a 2.50% fee. If you’re using the Virtual Terminal for card-not-present transactions, the fee is 2.95% + 25p. Finally, for online payments processed through the online store or via a payment link, the fee is 2.50%.
SumUp Card Reader Prices
The SumUp Air, priced at £34 + VAT. This connects via Bluetooth and supports magstripe, EMV/chip cards, and contactless NFC payments. It has an OLED display and a PIN pad, unlike the Square reader.
The SumUp Solo: £79 + VAT. This is a standalone terminal similar to the Square Terminal. It’s battery-operated with a colour touchscreen and accepts EMV and NFC-based payments. Connectivity is through Wi-Fi or a built-in SIM card.
SumUp Solo with a printer: £139 + VAT. This external printer attachment also acts as a separate battery pack extending periods between charges.
Paypal Card Reader
- Card Cost: £29 +VAT for the first machine. Additional card readers are £59 +VAT.
- In-Person Transaction Fees: 1.75%
- Payment methods accepted: Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, American Express, Google Pay, Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
- Settlement times: Typically 1-2 business days.
Since PayPal bought out iZettle (later rebranded Zettle) and broke competition rules in 2018, they retired their Paypal Here card reader and focused on incorporating the Zettle range of card readers into the PayPal ecosystem.
Like other card readers from payment facilitators, its user interface is on its app that users install on their Apple or Android smartphone or tablet and connect via Bluetooth.
Tap to Pay on iPhone or Android phones can also be used with the Zettle by PayPal app.
PayPal Processing Fees
| Type | Fees Per Transaction |
|---|---|
| Monthly fee | None |
| Chip & PIN, contactless, and swiped | 1.75% |
| Manual card entry | 3.4% |
| Payment links (Included in the POS app) | 2.5% |
Device Fees:
- PayPal Card Reader: £29 +VAT for the first machine. Additional card readers are £59 +VAT.
- PayPal Card Terminal: £129 +VAT
- PayPal Terminal with built-in barcode scanner: £199. Excl. VAT.
Delivery fees and terms apply.
Types of card machines
In the table below, we’ve given an overview of the fees you can expect to pay for pay-as-you-go card readers (with and without printers) and countertop, portable and mobile card machines available on a monthly contract.
Countertop card machines
- Connect via an ethernet cable (some offer a WiFi option)
- High uptime and processing speeds
- Best for fixed point of sale locations
- Typical users include retail stores and hospitality businesses
Countertop card machines connect to a power source and a phone line or broadband router via an ethernet cable. This makes them ideal for businesses that have a fixed point of sale such as a till. They are often seen in retail stores with tills, service businesses with a fixed payment location and supermarkets with checkouts. They tend to be the cheapest machines to lease as they don’t require built-in wireless connectivity.
Portable card machines
- Connect via WiFi or Bluetooth
- Battery powered with long battery life
- 50m - 100m range via Bluetooth or WiFi
- Best for businesses taking payment in various locations across their premises
Portable card machines connect via Wireless or Bluetooth. They are well suited to businesses that take payments from customers away from a till or across a number of locations. You will see restaurants and other hospitality venues using portable card machines inside and outside the venue, while a hotel may choose to take the portable route to facilitate payments anywhere on-site.
Most portable card machines come with a SIM card option to also give them mobile functionality. They will switch between 4G, 3G, GPRS, Dual SIM, Bluetooth or WiFi automatically to ensure there is no drop-off in connectivity.
Mobile card machines
- Connect via 3G, 4G or GPRS
- Built-in GPRS SIM card
- Long battery life
- Connect anywhere with network coverage
Mobile card machines work via a SIM card (GPRS/GSM). They’re ideal for businesses that need to get take payments on the go where Wi-Fi is not available. Some hospitality businesses also prefer them to portable machines, which may lose their WiFi or Bluetooth connection due to being too far from the base station or having obstructions blocking the signal.
Typical fees of card machines by type
In the table below, we’ve given an overview of the fees you can expect to pay for pay-as-you-go card readers (with and without printers) and countertop, portable and mobile card machines available on a monthly contract.
Minimum Contract Required | Transaction Fees | Cost (Excl VAT) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Card readers with no contract |  | In-Person: 1.1% – 1.75% Remote: 1.3% – 2.5% | £16 – £79 upfront per device | |
Card machines with no contract and built in printer |  | In-Person: 1.1% – 1.75% Remote: 1.3% – 2.5% | £149 – £199 upfront per device | |
Countertop card machines (Wired) |  | Variable | £15 – £25 per month | |
Portable card machines (Wifi, Bluetooth) |  | Variable | £18 – £50 per month | |
Mobile card machines (3G / 4G) |  | Variable | £18 – £50 per month |
Merchant Account | Transaction Fees | Cost (Excl VAT) | |
|---|---|---|---|
Card readers 3G / 4G | No contract Aggregated Merchant Account | In-Person: 1.1% – 1.75% Remote: 1.3% – 2.5% | £16 – £79 upfront per device |
Card terminals with printer 3G / 4G | No contract Aggregated Merchant Account | In-Person: 1.1% – 1.75% Remote: 1.3% – 2.5% | £149 – £199 upfront per device |
Countertop terminals Ethernet / Phoneline | Monthly contract Dedicated Merchant Account | Variable | £15 – £25 per month |
Portable terminals Bluetooth / Wireless | Monthly contract Dedicated Merchant Account | Variable | £18 – £50 per month |
Mobile terminals 3G / 4G | Monthly contract Dedicated Merchant Account | Variable | £18 – £50 per month |
How much are card payment machines?
The cost of card machines can be split into 2 main types: the cost of the hardware and the transaction fees. You can see more details of card machine costs here.
Device cost
Card readers from payment payment facilitators payment facilitators are sold with one upfront fee (they cost between £19 – £149 +VAT). Card machines offered by merchant account providers are typically offered on a monthly lease starting at £15+VAT per month. It is possible to find companies selling some of these machines outright from but the majority of UK businesses with a dedicated merchant account lease their card machines.
Transaction fees
Card readers offered by payment facilitators have the benefit of transparent fixed transaction fees, but these rates are relatively expensive. When all card machine costs are factored in, these pay-as-you-go card readers are typically the most expensive option for small businesses unless they have a low card turnover.
Once a business exceeds £25,000 in annual card turnover, then it normally makes commercial sense to get a dedicated merchant account and lease a card machine on a monthly contract.
The lowest transaction fees for accepting payments by card machine are available from payment processors with in-house merchant acquiring. The rates offered will depend on the merchant service provider and your business (i.e. the merchant category code it belongs to, trading history, average transaction size, annual card turnover, etc).
You can see a more comprehensive guide to the types of payment processing costs you can expect to pay here.
Should you buy or lease a card machine?
When you need a credit card machine (aka PDQ card machines), you essentially have two choices:
1. Lease your credit card machine(s) from a merchant account provider.
You will need to sign a contract (typically for 6 months or more) and pay a monthly fee for each terminal. The transaction fees are not fixed and will be agreed in advance with your merchant account provider (they will depend on several factors).
2. Buy a mobile card reader from a payment facilitator.
You will not need a dedicated merchant account and the transaction fees are fixed and transparent.
The best route is typically determined by your business type, annual card turnover and typical transaction size. You can compare the typical fees you are likely to pay for buying or renting credit card machines here.
Payment Facilitators | Merchant Account Providers | |
|---|---|---|
Examples | Square, SumUp, Paypal | Worldpay, Lloyds Cardnet, Elavon, Evo Payments |
Dedicated Merchant Account? | ||
Monthly Contract? | ||
Card Machine Manufacturer | Own brand | Normally 3rd party suppliers (e.g. Ingenico, Verifone, PAX) |
Card Machine Pricing | One upfront cost | Monthly hire for the length of the contract |
Transaction Fees | Fixed Relatively high (typically 1.6% – 1.75% for in person transaction) | |
Best for? | Small businesses with annual card transactions under £25K | Businesses with annual card turnover above £25K |
How to choose the best card machine for your business
We’d advise any business not to choose a pos terminal based on the upfront or monthly cost of the device. The transaction fees, functionality, service levels and integrations possible are more important.
When comparing card machines, you need to consider the following factors:
- Payment methods accepted. You need to understand what payment methods your customers prefer and if your card machine will accept them (i.e. contactless digital wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay). The card schemes accepted will be determined by the payment processor you use.
- Battery life. The battery life of portable and mobile card readers varies considerably, so it is important that you check how long your preferred card readers can last with continuous use.
- Processing speed. This is normally determined by the processing chip used.
- Additional functionality offered. Check the existing functionality plus the ability to download additional plugins and apps.
- Connectivity: If you need a wireless solution, check if Wi-Fi will be sufficient or if 3G/4G connectivity will be needed as well.
- Ease of integration. Check how easy it is to integrate the machine with your existing tech stack. Some card terminals can easily connect with third-party EPOS systems, while others don’t offer any plug-and-play integration options with hardware or software outside the same ecosystem.
- Transaction fees: These will be published online for pay-as-you-go machines, but rates will be bespoke for card machines available on a monthly contract.
Which sort of card machine is best for your business?
Pop-ups, stalls and stands
A card payment machine with no monthly contract that works over a mobile network (either connecting directly or via your mobile phone).
Bars, cafes and restaurants
A full point-of-sale system with portable or countertop card machines. These restaurant POS systems often include sector-specific features such as online orders, having orders and payments in the same system, menus, staff management, multiple location management and more.
Retail
If you are a small, single-site shop, a single countertop or portable card machine on a monthly contract may be sufficient. Larger shops, or those with multiple locations, would like to benefit from a dedicated retail POS system that includes stock management, integration with online sales, omni-channel reporting, barcode scanners, employee tracking and more.
You can compare the best payment processors for retailers here.
Service businesses
If your business means travelling to clients, you’ll need a card machine that either connects to your mobile or directly to a 3G or 4G network. Those with fixed locations (i.e. hairdressers) can use wired countertop or wireless machines and add a dedicated service-based EPOS system if required.
How to get a card payment machine for your business
Card machines with no monthly contact
You can order card readers directly from the pay-as-you-go card reader providers. They will typically be delivered in 1-2 working days and are easy to set up. Before you can use the machines, you will need to:
- Verify the identification of business owners, shareholders, directors, partners and beneficial owners, as applicable. This can be done by providing a passport or UK/EU/EEA driving licence.
- Provide some details about your business such as your business name, business address, business phone number, type of business (sole trader or limited company), VAT number if you have one and business category.
- Link your bank account. This can be done within the online account of the card reader provider.
Card machines with monthly contracts
Your business will need to be approved for a merchant account before you can order card machines. This will involve the payment processor conducting KYC (know your customer) checks on the company directors and the business. This will involve providing many of the items below:
- Proof of ID (passport or driving license)
- Proof of trading address
- Proof of business bank with account details
- Photos of your trading premises (inside and out)
- Unique Taxpayer Reference (UTR) for sole traders
Start-ups will have different requirements and may need to provide a business plan.
High-risk businesses (i.e. travel agents, vape shops, etc) may be required to provide industry-specific licenses.
FAQs
If you sign up with a payment processor that provides card machines the models available will typically be made by Verifone, Ingenico, Pax Technology, Clover, Spire Payments, Datecs or Miura Systems.
They will either be classed a countertop, portable or mobile card machines (we are discounting EPOS systems as they fall into a different subset).
Card readers without a contract offered by payment facilitators are the cheapest in terms of hardware as they only incur a one-off upfront fee as low as £16+VAT. Whilst these are the cheapest card machines in terms of hardware, they would cost more overall for many SME’s due to their expensive transaction fees (the most popular card readers providers charge between 1.60% – £1.75% per face-to-face transactions and 2.5% for remote payments).
For most businesses, the cheapest way to take card payments in person will be signing up for a monthly contract with a merchant service provider and leasing their countertop, portable or mobile credit card machines.
Only businesses with a relatively low annual card turnover (below about £50,000) may be better off with a no-contract mobile card reader like those offered by Square or SumUp.
If your business takes over £2,000 per month in card transactions per month (or expects to) it normally makes commercial sense to sign up with a merchant services provider (i.e. Worldpay, Elavon etc) that can offer significantly lower transaction fees.
Fill in the form here and will find you the best one for your business.
A contract will need to be signed (typically with a minimum term of 12 months) but on balance, the benefits will make this the best option when you process more than £25K per year.
If you believe the ‘pay as you go’ mobile card readers are the way to go there are only a handful to consider.
The integration options of card machines, till and EPOS vary. Many will connect seamlessly but you need to check integration options before making any decisions.
Yes. The machine can be used for cardholder-not-present (CNP) payments. The steps for doing this will vary slightly depending on your terminal but they remain more or less the same.
- Key in the amount of the transaction and follow the prompt to enter customer card details. Some terminals will have a dedicated CNP option usually found within the menu.
- Enter the following information in the order your card machine prompts
- Card number (the long number on the front of the card)
- Expiry date (MM/YY)
- Security code/CVV number (last three numbers on the back e.g. 123)
- Customer address (usually just the house number)
- Customer postcode (usually just the numbers e.g. 156)
- The terminal will connect to the provider for approval and either approve or reject the transaction.
CNP transactions are processed in essentially the same way as an online transactions. Since the cardholder is not physically present, the transaction rates will tend to be higher due to the higher risk. The alternative is to enter in your customers’ card details into a virtual terminal which most payment processors will offer.
Contents
- Best PAYG no contract card machines (table)
- Best card machines on monthly contracts (table)
- Best card payment machines for SMEs
- Monthly lease
- One upfront fee
- Types of card payment machines
- Fees by machine type
- Buy or lease a card reader?
- How to choose a card payment machine
- Card machine costs
- How to get a card payment machine
- FAQs
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