Best Card Payment Machine For SMEs

Compare preferential card processing fees from multiple trusted payment processors

Compare card machines and processing rates in 3 easy steps

Fill in our short form

Fill in our short form above and one of our payment experts will be in contact to confirm your requirements. You can also book a convenient callback time.

Compare bespoke quotes

After the brief discovery call with one of our payment consultants, you’ll receive the latest and most competitive quotes tailored to your specific needs.

Select the best offer & switch

Compare offers from our tried and tested providers and decide which is the best for your business. If you proceed, we’ll support you through the life of the contract.

Best card payment machines for small businesses

Since 2012, our team of payment experts has advised thousands of businesses that either want to switch payment processors or are new to taking card payments. 52.2% of our clients accept payments via card machines (26.4% in combination with online and/or phone payments, and 25.8% as their sole sales channel). We understand which payment processors offer the most competitive rates for your specific business.

Written by

Andrew Parry
Owner of Merchant Savvy

Updated June 26th 2025

Approximately 75% of in-person payments are now made via card machines, and this trend is growing annually. Finding the right card machine can not only decrease your business’s payment processing costs but can also increase revenue and customer satisfaction.

What are card payment machines?

Card payment machines, also known as PDQ machines or card terminals, enable businesses to accept debit and credit cards as well as digital wallets (i.e. Apple Pay). 85.7% of UK retail payments are via a card machine, either using physical cards or using digital wallets.

Wired countertop terminals are best for businesses with fixed checkout locations that can use an Ethernet cable to connect online (i.e. retail stores). Portable and mobile card machines are ideal for businesses that need to take payments on the go and can connect online via 4G, Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi.

What factors should you consider when getting a card machine

When comparing card payment machines, the main factors to consider are functionality, connectivity, integrations possible, contractual tie-ins (if any), payment processors they are certified to work with, hardware cost, transaction fees by card type and one-off charges.

The best card payment machine for your specific business will depend on your business type, typical card turnover, whether you have a preferred payment processor or are tied into using one, willingness to sign a contract, your customers’ payment preferences, the integrations required, and how mobile you need the card machine to be.

Expert View If cost is your most important factor when choosing a card machine you shouldn't assume paying a low one-off cost for a card terminal for £19+VAT is better than signing an 18 month contract at £25 per month per card terminal. The transaction fees and one-off costs (i.e. chargeback fees) typically make up the vast majority of total card machine costs. Make sure you compare the total costs your business would incur for the same volume and type of card spend.

Andrew Parry, Owner of Merchant Savvy

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

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

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

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.

Expert Advice "We find that the supply of card-acquiring services does not work well for small and medium-sized merchants, and large merchants with annual card turnover up to £50 million. These merchants could make savings by shopping around or negotiating with their current supplier, but many don’t."
Payment System Regulator, Market review into card-acquiring services

Pay-As-You-Go vs Monthly Contract Card Machines

UK SME’s can purchase their card machines outright and then pay a fixed transaction fee for all credit and debit card payments. Alternatively, they can lease their card machine on a monthly basis (usually on a 12-18 month contract) and pay bespoke transaction rates for card transactions (often cheaper than fixed blended rates).

	Pay-As-You-Go card readers	Card machines on a monthly contract
Offered By	Payment Facilitators	Merchant Acquirers or Independent Sales Organisations (ISOs)
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)	Varies by business & card Most competitive rates Compare provider quotes
Best for?	Small businesses with annual card transactions under £50,000	Businesses with annual card turnover above £50,000

Pay-As-You-Go Card Readers

UK SMEs with an annual turnover of under £200,000 often use pay-as-you-go card machines offered by a payment facilitator.

25% of the smallest SMEs with an annual turnover of up to £380,000 use a payment facilitator like Square, Zettle or PayPal as their main provider of card-acquiring services.

We recommend some of the best pay-as-you-go card readers here. However, for most SMEs that contact us, we recommend using a card machine on a monthly contract via a merchant acquirer, unless their annual turnover is less than £50,000.

Card Machines On A Monthly Contract

75% of SMEs with an annual turnover of up to £380,000 receive their card machines as part of their monthly contract with their merchant acquirer (i.e., Worldpay, Elavon, Barclaycard). That figure rises to 98% once annual turnover exceeds £380,000.

In the vast majority of cases, the higher the annual card turnover a business has, the lower the transaction rates it can secure. Therefore, SMEs can often make significant savings by avoiding fixed-price card readers, signing a monthly contract with a merchant acquirer or one of their partner ISOs who will provide card machines on a monthly lease.

We’ve listed some of the best card payment machines available from merchant account providers on a monthly lease.

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

Did you know? 54% of SME's surveyed reported that they sourced their POS terminal or card machine from their main provider of card-acquiring services. Of those that did, 28% said they did so because it was more cost-effective, 25% said it was more convenient, and 24% said it was part of their package.
PSR Merchant Survey

How to get a card payment machine for your business

Card machines with no monthly contract

You can order pay-as-you-go card readers directly online from payment facilitators. 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, including your business name, address, phone number, business type (sole trader or limited company), VAT number (if applicable), 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. The following documentation will be required.

Proof of ID (passport or driving license)
Proof of trading address
Proof of a business bank account 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 and may need a high-risk merchant account.

How to choose the best card machine for your business

We advise businesses not to choose a POS terminal solely 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:

Transaction fees: Pay-as-you-go card readers with no monthly contracts offer fixed blended transaction fees and publish these online. Card machines offered on a monthly contract typically offer bespoke rates that are lower than fixed fee card readers.
Card machine hardware cost: This will either be charged as a one-off upfront cost (i.e. £19+VAT – £179+VAT) or a monthly lease over a pre-determined period (typically 12-18 months ranging from £20+VAT to £45+VAT per month).
Contract length and termination fees: The UK Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) limits the initial length of card machine hire contracts to 18 months. After this period, they typically revert to a rolling contract. Termination fees are normally applied if a business wants to end its contract before the agreed period.
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.
Speed of bank deposit: How quickly the payment processor can deposit funds into your bank account. While some providers offer same-day or next-day deposits, others take 2-3 working days.
Additional functionality offered. Check the default functionality of the card terminal and as well as options to download additional plugins and apps (normally available on Smart terminals).
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.
Security: The payment processor should comply with all relevant security standards, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS).

For portable and mobile card machines, you should also consider questions:

Is it drop and spill resistant?
Is it compatible with reliable mobile networks that are available in the area(s) you’ll normally be working in?
How heavy is it?
Does it come with an in-car charger?

Did you know? Of those SMEs that had switched card payment providers in the previous two years, 57% did so because they wanted to find a better deal; 16% stated that they were motivated by a price increase; and 16% that a provider approached them with better terms..

How much are card payment machines?

The cost of card machines can be divided into two main components: the cost of the hardware and transaction fees. You can see more details of the card machine costs here.

Card payment machines are either purchased in a one-off payment upfront or leased on a monthly basis.

Monthly Lease

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, but the majority of UK businesses with a dedicated merchant account lease their card machines.

One-Off Upfront Cost (Pay-As-You-Go)

Pay-as-you-go card readers from payment facilitators are sold with one upfront fee (they cost between £19 +VAT and £179+VAT). So the most popular card readers with no monthly contracts and fixed transaction fees below.

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 £50,000 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.

Which card machine is best for your business

The best card machine for small business will be determined in large part by the type of business, customer payment preferences and connectivity coverage in the local area. Here are some types of card machines recommended for popular businesses sectors:

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.

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.

Regular stalls, stands, pitches and more

A card payment machine with a monthly contract that works over a mobile network.

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.

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).

FAQs

Which card machine brands are best?

If you sign up with a payment processor that leases card machines on a monthly basis as part of their package, the models available will typically be made by Verifone, Ingenico, Pax Technology, Castles Technology, Clover, Spire Payments, Datecs or Miura Systems.

Which card machines are the cheapest?

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 £19+VAT. However, 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 transaction and 2.5% for remote payments).

For most businesses, the most cost-effective way to accept card payments in person is to sign up for a monthly contract with a merchant service provider and lease their countertop, portable, or mobile credit card machines.

How can I reduce the fees on my card machine?

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.

Can I connect my card machine with my till / EPOS system?

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.

Can I use a card machine for payments over the phone?

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
1. Card number (the long number on the front of the card)
2. Expiry date (MM/YY)
3. Security code/CVV number (last three numbers on the back e.g. 123)
4. Customer address (usually just the house number)
5. Customer postcode (usually just the numbers e.g. 156)
6. 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.

Why Use Merchant Savvy To Find Card Machines

Secure preferential card processing fees not available going direct

We’ll find you low card processing rates from tried and trusted merchant acquirers. Our objective is to ensure you receive competitive rates from reliable providers and to ensure they continue to “play fair” throughout the agreement you have with them.

Due diligence and ongoing support

Avoid being overcharged, mid-contract rate increases, additional hidden charges, poor after-sales service, punctuative exit penalties or roll-over agreements.

Access multiple trusted payment processors without the hassle

Access to 80% of the UK’s leading acquiring banks so we can find those best suited to your specific business needs and future plans. You will avoid having incessant calls and spam emails that would result from using comparison websites.

Expert independent payment advice

We’ve been doing this since 2012 and helped thousands of businesses reduce their card processing costs and find the best acquirer and payment gateway solution for their specific needs.

Some testimonials from some of our happy clients

See more reviews on Trustpilot here

Compare

Guides

Our services

About

Business Finance

Legals

Cookie Policy