UK card machines come in four practical shapes: a phone reader, a handheld reader that pairs with a phone, a portable machine with its own SIM or wifi, and a countertop machine wired to a till. The price gap between them is smaller than the price gap between the accounts behind them, which is why this page starts with the account and treats the hardware second.
Start with the account, not the box
A reader costs between 11 and 179 pounds on published prices. An account charging 1.75% instead of 1.10% on 4,000 pounds a month costs an extra 26 pounds every month, which buys a new reader every six weeks. The hardware decision is about where you take payments and whether you need to work away from wifi; the money decision is entirely in the rate and the monthly fee.
Contract length is the term nobody advertises
The Payment Systems Regulator's market review into card acquiring found that contract length and early termination charges are what stop UK merchants switching, and this shelf still divides on it. The app based providers here print no minimum term at all. The bank owned and reseller side more often rents the terminal on a fixed term, and the exit cost lives in the merchant agreement rather than on the pricing page.
What to write down before you call anyone
Your last twelve months of card takings, your average transaction value, and the share of your customers paying with American Express, a business card or an overseas card. Those three numbers turn every published rate into a real monthly cost, and they are the same three a consultant will ask for before quoting. Having them means the unpriced providers can be compared with the priced ones on the same footing.
Questions people ask about card machines for small businesses uk
Are UK card machine prices the same as elsewhere?
No, and it matters. UK interchange for domestic consumer cards is capped by retained regulation at a level Viva.com's own page states as 0.20% for debit and prepaid and 0.30% for credit. The same brands price differently in other markets, so a rate quoted on a .com page is not a UK rate.
Can I buy a card machine outright rather than rent?
Yes, from most of the app based providers here: myPOS, Zettle, Tide, Elavon's entry plan and SumUp all print an outright hardware price. Renting is more common among the bank owned acquirers and the resellers, where the monthly service fee usually includes the terminal.
How long does it take to start taking cards?
With an app based provider, ordering a reader and passing identity checks is usually a matter of days. With a traditional acquirer the underwriting is longer and a terminal is often installed rather than posted. If you have a date you must be trading by, ask for it in writing before you sign.