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In an more and more cashless society, for those who don’t have card fee machines, you danger dropping out on gross sales.
There are numerous card machines geared toward small companies available on the market immediately, and most allow you to take chip & pin, contactless, and cellular funds.
However there are variations in options, charges and upfront prices which is able to make some roughly appropriate for your online business than others.
This text will break down the {hardware} and performance of one of the best fee machines at present available on the market that can assist you select the one which’s best for you.
You may leap straight to a selected card machine or learn on to search out extra data on the 10 finest card fee machines for small UK companies in 2023.
>See additionally: 40% of the UK’s micro companies don’t settle for card funds
Card fee machines
- SumUp Air
- Zettle Reader 2
- Sq. Reader
- MyPOS Go
- Dojo Go
- Barclaycard Smartpay Anyplace
- TakePayments
- Tyl (by Natwest)
- Paymentsense
- Shopify WisePad Reader 3
How a lot does a typical card fee machine value?
Card fee machine prices are made up of the price of the gadget and the price of fee processing charges.
System value
Cell card readers typically value between £15 and £30, countertop card machines value between £150 and £200.
You may both purchase the gadget outright or hire the gadget for a month-to-month value. This modifications from supplier to supplier.
>See additionally: Methods to optimise money circulate with cashless funds
Charges
Transaction charges are taken by your card fee supplier as a share of each fee made by means of your card machine. They’re usually between 1.5 per cent and a pair of per cent of the worth of the transaction.
So, if the client buys an merchandise costing £25, and your transaction price is 1.75 per cent, you’ll be charged round 43p by your card fee supplier.
Card fee suppliers may even promote a card not current (CNP) transaction. A CNP transaction happens when neither the cardholder or their card are current for the transaction – in different phrases, a web-based or cellphone fee, or a recurring fee.
CNP charges are often round 2.5 per cent. They’re larger for the straightforward purpose that there’s a better danger of fraud throughout these sorts of funds.
Countertop vs moveable vs cellular card readers
There are three sorts of card fee machine: countertop, moveable, and cellular.
Countertop card machines are designed for use at designated until factors in your retailer. Though they don’t supply any portability, they’re often very dependable when it comes to their connectivity. They’re finest for companies with a hard and fast fee level corresponding to a grocery or small retailer.
Moveable card machines are battery-powered units that use Wi-Fi to take card funds wherever in your website. They’re finest for cafes and eating places.
Cell card readers are much more compact, battery-powered units that use a GPRS (3G or 4G) sign to take card funds wherever you might be. Additionally they often have Wi-Fi performance as effectively. They’re nice for pop up outlets, markets, festivals, avenue meals vans – wherever actually.
This text will predominantly give attention to cellular card readers, as they’re probably the most inexpensive and supply probably the most flexibility to rising small companies.
A lot of the suppliers under additionally promote different {hardware} corresponding to charging docks, receipt printers, countertop programs and tills.
You solely want the cardboard fee gadget to begin taking funds, however this stuff permit you to improve your POS system as your online business grows.
>See additionally: 8 fee programs for festivals, pop-ups and avenue meals markets
Card fee machines – the choices
The ten card fee machines under are nice choices for small companies, providing aggressive charges and nice options.
SumUp Air Card Reader
| System value | £39 (£44 with charging dock) |
| Transaction price | 1.69% |
| CNP price | 2.5% |
| Key options | ● 500 transactions per cost ● Contactless & Chip & PIN ● Funds settled in 2-3 enterprise days ● Accepts all main fee sorts together with Google and Apple Pay, Amex and Diners Membership, and contactless ● E mail and SMS receipts |
Because of its ease of use and practicality, this fashionable and light-weight moveable card reader is at present one of many standard card readers for small companies.
It’s straightforward to arrange and begin utilizing. All you want to do to begin accepting contactless, Chip & Pin, and cellular funds from all main suppliers is to pair the gadget together with your smartphone, which takes minutes.
You may then begin utilizing the SumUp Air wherever with Wi-Fi or knowledge protection, and it could actually course of 500 transactions on a single cost – at 12 hours, it’s most likely one of the best battery life available on the market.
Out there for a one-off value of simply £39, and with a hard and fast 1.69 per cent transaction price, it’s additionally very inexpensive. The one actual draw back of the SumUp Air is that it could actually take two-to-three enterprise days for funds to settle in your account, longer than the common of round one-two days.
Nevertheless, for those who bundle a SumUp Air with a enterprise account, funds are obtained with sooner or later and the transaction price is slashed to simply 1.49 per cent.
You additionally get entry to a useful smartphone app, with a dashboard that lets you view your product catalogue, monitor gross sales, and ship digital receipts.
Zettle Reader 2
| System value | from £59 + VAT (Zettle Dock 2 £39) |
| Transaction price | 1.75% |
| CNP price | 2.5% |
| Key options | ● 8 hour battery life (100 transactions) ● Accepts all main fee sorts together with Google and Apple Pay, Amex and Diners Membership, and contactless ● Funds settled in 1-2 enterprise days ● E mail and SMS receipts |
The Zettle Reader 2 is one other light-weight (simply 130g) gadget that you would be able to pair together with your Apple or Android smartphone and begin utilizing inside minutes utilizing the Zettle app.
It accepts all main debit and bank card fee sorts and has an honest eight-hour battery life – although this solely lasts for round 100 transactions, which is not any match for SumUp’s 500.
The place the Zettle Reader 2 actually seeks to distinguish itself is in its give attention to safety. Claiming to be one of many most secure card readers available on the market, Zettle’s tamper-proof gadget adheres to the best trade requirements, and is totally encrypted by HSMs cryptographic servers.
And for those who do spot a suspicious cost, Zettle’s transaction safety covers as much as £250 in chargebacks per thirty days.
As with the SumUp Air, there are not any month-to-month charges – you simply pay a flat price per transaction, although at 1.75 per cent, that is barely larger than its rival.
However at £59 + VAT, the Zettle Reader 2 is dearer than the SumUp Air, and the in-dock charger will value one other £39 + VAT on high.
Sq. Reader
| System value | £19 + VAT |
| Transaction price | 1.75% |
| CNP price | 2.5% |
| Key options | ● All day battery ● Weighs simply 56g ● Accepts chip and PIN playing cards, contactless, Apple Pay and Google Pay ● Funds deposited the following enterprise day |
The Sq. Reader is probably the most glossy, easy and inexpensive card reader available on the market. This appropriately square-shaped gadget prices simply £19 + VAT, a lot decrease than opponents.
And weighing in at simply 56g, it’s not simply the value that’s low. All it’s a must to do is sync it to your cellphone through Bluetooth and begin promoting. You may then monitor and handle all of your gross sales from Sq.’s free app. All funds are deposited the following working day.
Nifty options embody specially-designed POS dashboards for eating places, eating places and cellular companies who must make appointments, corresponding to hairdressers or masseurs.
And Sq. additionally has a complete arsenal of different funds package you should buy to create a full POS setup together with terminals, registers, and different {hardware} and equipment.
At 1.75 per cent, the transaction charges aren’t the bottom, however you’ll nonetheless battle to discover a extra light-weight and cost-effective strategy to begin taking funds.
And companies that take greater than £200,000 a 12 months in card gross sales pay a decrease transaction price.
MyPOS Go
| System value | £19 + VAT |
| Transaction price | 1.10% + 7p |
| CNP price | n/a |
| Key options | ● Digital receipts through electronic mail or SMS ● On the spot entry to funds ● Accepts all main fee sorts together with Google and Apple Pay, Amex and Diners Membership, and contactless ● Tracks particular person employees efficiency and splits ideas ● Tactile keyboard |
Weighing 180g, its design isn’t as glossy and trendy as rivals, however below the hood, MyPOS Go 2 is one other extremely purposeful and compact cellular card reader.
Like Sq. Reader, the gadget prices simply £19 + VAT, however its transaction price of simply 1.10 per cent + 7p will be a lot decrease (relying on the quantity you’re taking).
The Android-driven MyPOS Go 2 card reader has a number of different options that set it aside from opponents. You get a free e-money service provider account, with a devoted IBAN in 14 currencies, making it straightforward to take worldwide funds.
>See additionally: 6 of one of the best fee programs for accepting US {dollars}
In contrast to the times you might need to attend with different suppliers, card funds are settled in your account in lower than three seconds, and also you get on the spot entry to funds through your VISA enterprise card.
We additionally just like the multi-operator mode, which lets you monitor particular person employees efficiency and cut up ideas accordingly.
Dojo Go
| System value | £15-£20pm + VAT month-to-month rental |
| Transaction price | 1.4% + 5p on all transactions |
| CNP price | 1.9% + 5p |
| Key options | ● 10-hour battery life ● Accepts all main fee sorts together with Google and Apple Pay, Amex and Diners Membership, and contactless ● Funds settled by 10am the following working day ● Constructed-in thermal reader |
Dojo Go describes itself because the “final all-rounder”, a small enterprise card machine that’s simply as useful as a cellular (working on 3G/4G connectivity) and a transportable (utilizing Wi-Fi) gadget.
Dojo Go’s massive promoting level is its pace: the corporate claims its gadget can take card funds in round two seconds – 80 per cent quicker than the trade common. And you may preserve monitor of all these funds in actual time utilizing the Dojo Go app.
Dojo is supremely assured in its product – a lot in order that, for those who’re switching from an present supplier, it should pay your exit charges as much as a worth of £3,000. (It’s important to share your current statements with one other supplier with Dojo earlier than it decides on the switch worth.)
We additionally admire Dojo’s assist and help, which is on the market 24 hours a day. And for those who can’t get issues fastened over the cellphone, Dojo can take over your gadget remotely to research.
All funds are transferred in your account at 10am the following working day, which it claims is quicker than some other supplier as normal.
There are two tiers of transaction charges: 1.4 per cent + 5p per transaction plus £20 per thirty days terminal rental, in case your annual card turnover is under £150,000; for those who’re above £150,000 then your credit score and debit card price can be lower than 1.4 per cent, whereas the month-to-month terminal rental price drops to £15 per thirty days.
Professional tip: Dojo units a minimal £24.95 month-to-month cost for purchasers who haven’t taken card funds earlier than, which is the minimal value you will need to pay in transaction charges every month – even you probably have zero takings. That is on high of the month-to-month £20 terminal rental. After six months, the contract flips to month-to-month rolling.
Since you’re tied right into a six-month contract in case your card turnover is under £150,000, Dojo Go is healthier for scaling small companies with persistently excessive month-to-month takings.
And, if your online business wants money shortly, Dojo affords a service provider money advance powered by YouLend, which is repaid by means of a share of your card takings. Dojo expenses a hard and fast one-off price for this money facility.
Barclaycard Smartpay Anyplace
| System value | £29 + VAT |
| Transaction price | 1.6% on pay as you go, however personalised pricing plans obtainable to fulfill larger enterprise wants |
| CNP price | n/a |
| Key options | ● Contactless and Chip & PIN ● Accepts main fee suppliers together with Visa, Mastercard, Google, Apple Pay, Diners Membership (Uncover), Union Pay, JCB and Amex ● Funds settled the following enterprise day for transactions taken earlier than 7pm ● E mail receipts ● Free FreshBooks account ● Powered by a function packed app for iOS and Android optimised for each cellular and pill ● Consists of entry to an online portal giving actual time entry to gross sales reviews and dashboards |
Barclaycard Smartpay Anyplace is geared toward hospitality and retail companies, with the “app” turning it right into a POS answer. It doesn’t join with money drawers, or barcode scanners – however does hook up with wi-fi printers and an app and internet portal.
It has next-working-day settlement and, along with the usual Mastercard and Visa, accepts Amex and Diners Membership (Uncover).
With a transaction price of simply 1.6 per cent, that is the bottom of any main supplier.
It’s additionally powered by a function crammed app in addition to entry to an online portal offering actual time knowledge and perception into your online business efficiency. If you happen to want help there’s a 24/7 buyer help staff, and it’s PCI compliant with out charges or the necessity for attestation.
Nevertheless, in contrast to some rivals, when making use of for Smartpay Anyplace, it’s a must to undergo a web-based vetting course of checking monetary and borrowing historical past to be accredited for a tool, which Barclays says ensures the gadget is appropriate for your online business earlier than you pay for it.
The professionals are that it’s a compact and inexpensive card reader with low transaction charges and funds settled the following enterprise day.
TakePayments
| System value | from £7.50 + VAT |
| Transaction price | Primarily based on enterprise turnover however between 0.3%-2.5% + flat price |
| CNP price | Depending on fee service supplier |
| Key options | ● Shorter contract lengths ● No setup or exit charges ● Funds settled subsequent working day ● Customisable dashboard ● Realtime stock monitoring ● Accepts all main fee sorts together with Google and Apple Pay, Amex and Diners Membership, and contactless |
Stockport-based TakePayments has supplied card terminals and on-line fee options for over 30 years. It is among the fastest-growing card fee corporations within the UK, with practically 64,000 clients signed up.
Its new cellular card reader is a rebadged PAX A920 card machine that accepts playing cards through Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or 4G with a 10-hour battery life with a countertop dock for when it’s not in your hand. There’s additionally a built-in receipt printer.
Takepayments pricing
TakePayments affords two month-to-month subscription packages:
- Simple Deal: £7.50pm + VAT (month-to-month contract)
- Takepaymentsplus: £25 + VAT month-to-month (annual contract)
Simple Deal is geared toward small companies on the transfer with solely primary card fee software program however not stock monitoring. There’s a £150 + VAT setup price.
Takepaymentsplus waives the setup price and contains an built-in product library, gross sales and stock reviews and itemised receipts.
Even for those who go for the annual Takepaymentsplus contract, that is nonetheless shorter than the trade norm of 18-60 months.
Nevertheless, due to the way in which its transaction charges are construction, TakePayments is healthier suited to small companies with larger ticket costs, corresponding to automotive dealerships, white good sellers and eating places, versus, say, nook outlets.
Personal POS system
TakePayments makes use of its personal EPOS system referred to as tPOS, which can’t be downloaded onto an iPad or different pill and has its personal pill register.
To get the complete package deal, there’s a model for retail (£45-£55 + VAT month-to-month) or hospitality (£55-£65 + VAT) plus a £250 + VAT setup price.
One downside although is that in contrast to competitor Dojo, it can’t be used for funds revamped the cellphone or through electronic mail. And it doesn’t embed into your web site both, which implies you may’t use it for on-line gross sales, simply in individual.
However, you can too use the Epos Now POS system, which is appropriate for magnificence, hospitality and retail.
Tyl (by NatWest) Clover Flex
| System value | £14.99 + VAT month-to-month (Wi-Fi solely), £16.99 + VAT month-to-month (4G + Wi-Fi) |
| Transaction price | 0.2%-3.5% + 20p-40p depending on gross sales quantity |
| CNP price | N/A |
| Key options | ● 12-month contract ● 8-hour battery life ● Funds settled inside one enterprise day ● Accepts all main fee sorts together with Google and Apple Pay, Amex and Diners Membership, and contactless |
Weighing in at 453 grams, Tyl’s Clover Flex card reader is on the chunkier finish of the cellular card reader market.
Though it nonetheless utilises Wi-Fi and 4G, permitting you to make use of it wherever, it’s nonetheless considerably heavier than the opposite units, which does have an effect on its portability.
Nevertheless, extra does on this case imply extra. The Clover Flex acts as an all-in-one POS system that lets you each take funds and handle your online business from one gadget, together with stock and buyer administration, itemised receipts and extra.
It has an honest eight-hour battery life and a high-res 5’’ touchscreen, which allows you to use quite a lot of the 150 apps on the Clover App Market. Nevertheless, whereas it’s useful to have this performance in a single place, we’d wager most individuals don’t thoughts switching to their cellphone for these capabilities if it means having a smaller gadget.
Additionally, it’s not probably the most inexpensive possibility for small companies. You’ll pay £16.99 per thirty days for the 4G cellular model earlier than transaction charges are even factored into the equation. And the terminal is offered along side a service provider account that may require a four-year dedication with extra charges.
This makes the Clover Flex higher for bigger small companies with a big, constant gross sales quantity.
Paymentsense
| System value | Costs obtainable upon request |
| Transaction price | Costs obtainable upon request |
| CNP price | Costs obtainable upon request |
| Key options | ● Day-long cost ● Paid subsequent working day ● Accepts all main fee sorts together with Google and Apple Pay, Amex and Diners Membership, and contactless |
Paymentsense is a well-established model with greater than 70,000 UK clients. It makes sturdy and purposeful cellular card readers.
In contrast to most of its opponents, Paymentsense’s cellular units solely have GPRS SIM and never Wi-Fi connectivity, which is okay for many customers when out and about. It accepts all main card and fee sorts, and it’s best to see funds deposited in your account the following working day.
Paymentsense’s pricing is all tailor-made to your online business – what number of units you want, how a lot you’ll be taking in card funds and so on – so the one method you could find out pricing is to investigate for a free personalised quote.
Shopify WisePad 3 Reader
| System value | £49 + VAT |
| Transaction price | 1.5%-2% on-line + 25p/1.5%-1.7% in individual |
| CNP price | 2.5% |
| Key options | ● Absolutely built-in with Shopify POS ● Cost inside 6 working days ● 4-hour full cost for 500 transactions ● Accepts all main fee sorts together with Google and Apple Pay, Amex and Diners Membership, and contactless |
Though solely obtainable for Shopify clients, we predict it’s value highlighting Shopify’s WisePad 3 Reader.
It’s light-weight (130 grams) and accepts all main fee playing cards and kinds. It’s important to subscribe to Shopify although to have the ability to use it and it solely works with an iPad or by means of your iPhone.
Shopify subscriptions
Shopify has three subscription ranges for its Wisepad 3 card reader: Fundamental, Shopify and Superior. Fundamental prices £19 a month, Shopify £49 per thirty days, and Superior £259 a month. All are billed yearly.
Fundamental (£19pm)
Bank card charges
- 2% +25p on-line
- 1.7% + 0p in individual
What’s included in Fundamental
- Fundamental reviews
- As much as 1,000 stock areas
- 2 employees accounts
Shopify (£49pm)
Bank card charges
- 1.7% +25p on-line
- 1.6% + 0p in individual
What’s included in Shopify
- Skilled reviews
- As much as 1,000 stock areas
- 5 employees accounts
Superior (£249pm)
Bank card charges
- 1.5% + 25p on-line
- 1.5% +0p in individual
What’s included in Superior
- Customized report builder
- As much as 1,000 stock areas
- 15 employees accounts
Nevertheless, there isn’t a contractual obligation it’s a must to signal with Shopify, so you aren’t tied in for months or years. Plus there’s a 14-day free trial interval so that you can check out the Wisepad 3 card reader.
There are additionally slick addons to the Shopify Wisepad 3, together with a pill stand (£130), a barcode scanner (£199) and a Bluetooth receipt printer (£259).
Nevertheless, with a £49 buy worth (in contrast with, say, £39 for the SumUp Air card reader), plus month-to-month subscription charges, Shopify Wisepad 3 works out as one of the crucial costly readers available on the market.
That stated, if already use Shopify as your POS system, this might be a no brainer.
Which is one of the best card fee gadget?
By now you’ve both found the cardboard reader that’s proper for your online business, otherwise you’ve left bamboozled by a dizzying vary of various card fee machines, price constructions and extra options.
If it’s the latter, don’t fear. For many small companies, we’d suggest SumUp. It’s an inexpensive gadget with one of many lowest transaction charges available on the market, and because it’s a flat price, it’s predictable and clear. We had been additionally impressed by its lengthy battery life, which may course of greater than 500 funds on a single cost.
MyPOS Go additionally actually stands out to us as one other nice possibility for small companies. In addition to very aggressive transaction charges, it has nice added options like multi-operator mode, which make it an amazing selection for cafes and eating places. It’s additionally nice that you would be able to entry funds immediately.
That stated, we’ve chosen all of the above card fee machines for his or her flexibility, simplicity and practicality, and each can be an amazing possibility to your small enterprise. Pleased promoting.
Want a card fee gadget quote?
Need to examine costs from all one of the best card fee units we’ve listed above? Why not use our free comparability instrument to be matched with probably the most appropriate supplier to your wants.
Merely fill in our free quote-finding kind, and reply a number of questions on your online business (it takes lower than a minute). We’ll match you with probably the most applicable card fee supplier.
Additional studying
Finest fee processors for UK small companies – 11 of one of the best
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