A chip and PIN reader is a card terminal with a keypad. All the current UK hardware in this index has one, so the real choice is not whether the device supports PIN entry but how it connects, whether it prints, and what the account behind it charges. Published prices start at 11 pounds plus VAT and rise with connectivity and screen.
Why every reader has a keypad now
Contactless has a per transaction ceiling and a cumulative limit before verification is required, so a device without a keypad cannot complete a large or a flagged sale. Card schemes also require a verification fallback. That is why even the smallest readers here carry a PIN pad, and why a tap only device is a curiosity rather than a category.
What separates one reader from another
Connection first: Bluetooth to a phone, wifi to a network, or a SIM of its own. Then whether it prints a receipt, how long the battery lasts through a shift, and whether it can stand alone without a paired device. Zettle prices its Bluetooth reader, its wifi and 4G terminal and its store kits separately for exactly these reasons.
Certification, and why you cannot mix and match
A card reader is certified against the acquirer's platform, which is why a reader bought from one provider will not work on another provider's account. Second hand hardware from a different provider is therefore worthless to you, and a provider that gives you a free terminal is also giving you a reason to stay. Ask what the hardware is worth if you leave.
Questions people ask about chip and pin readers
Can I use any card reader with any provider?
No. Readers are certified to a specific acquirer's platform. If you switch provider you switch hardware, which is one of the switching costs the Payment Systems Regulator identified in its card acquiring market review.
Do chip and PIN readers need to be PCI certified?
The hardware must meet the card schemes' security requirements, and your business separately has PCI DSS obligations for how you handle card data. Some providers charge a monthly PCI compliance fee; Tyl by NatWest lists one among its charges. Ask whether it applies to you.
What is the cheapest chip and PIN reader?
Tide's Nano at 11 pounds plus VAT is the lowest printed hardware price here, followed by Elavon's five pound one-off device cost on its entry plan and Zettle's reader from 29 pounds excluding VAT for new business users.