Handheld covers everything from a card reader the size of a matchbox to a full terminal with a printer. The choice is about what you give up. A pocket reader is cheapest and needs a phone. A handheld terminal costs more, works alone, and is the only one that will take a chip and PIN card on a doorstep without a second device.
What a pocket reader gives up
Independence. It has no screen worth reading, no keypad on some models, no printer and no connection of its own. On a shop counter beside a tablet none of that matters. On a doorstep in the rain, with a customer waiting and a phone that has just rung, all of it does. The 30 to 50 pound difference in hardware buys back a lot of friction.
Battery, in transactions rather than hours
Ask suppliers for transactions on a full charge, not standby hours. A machine driving a printer and a mobile radio all day is doing real work. The ruggedised models cost more mainly because of the battery and the case, and for anyone working outdoors that is the right place for the extra money.
The rate is the same either way
No provider read here charges differently for a handheld terminal than for a countertop one. Published in-person rates run from 0.79% to 1.75%, with several adding a fixed pence charge. The exception is tap to pay on a phone, which some providers price on its own row, so check which you are actually buying.
Questions people ask about handheld card machine
What is the best handheld card machine for a tradesperson?
One that works without a paired phone and lasts a full working day. That means a standalone terminal with its own SIM rather than a pocket reader, which starts at 39 pounds excluding VAT on published prices.
Do handheld card machines print receipts?
The full terminals usually do; pocket readers do not. Digital receipts by text or email are available on every provider read here, so a printer is a convenience for doorstep trades rather than a requirement.
Is a handheld machine more expensive to run?
No. Providers charge the same in-person rate whichever terminal is used. Only tap to pay on a phone is priced separately by some providers.