A taxi is the hardest environment on this shelf: moving between cells, no wifi, a long shift on one battery, and fares small enough that a fixed pence charge matters. That points at a standalone machine with its own SIM rather than a phone reader, and at an account whose fixed per transaction element is low.
The fixed pence element decides it
On a 7 pound fare, a 5p per transaction charge is 0.7% of the fare on its own, before the percentage. Published fixed elements on this shelf run from 2p at Revolut Business to 11p on one Tide plan. A driver doing thirty fares a shift should compare the total on a typical fare in pence, because that is where the money actually goes.
Connectivity in a moving vehicle
A Bluetooth reader depends on the driver's phone, which is also the dispatch device and the satnav. A machine with its own SIM keeps the payment independent of all of that. Coverage will still drop between cells, so ask whether the terminal retries automatically and what it does with a transaction interrupted mid authorisation.
Mounting, battery and the practical stuff
A machine handed to a passenger in the back needs to reach and to survive being dropped. A shift is ten hours or more, so ask for transactions on a full charge rather than standby time. Ruggedised models cost more, up to 179 pounds excluding VAT on published prices, and in a taxi that premium is usually repaid in the first year.
Questions people ask about taxi card machine
What is the best card machine for taxi drivers?
One with its own mobile connection, a full shift battery and a low fixed per transaction charge. On published prices that means a standalone portable terminal rather than a phone paired reader.
Do taxi card machines need wifi?
No, and they should not rely on it. A machine with its own SIM works wherever there is mobile coverage, which is what a moving vehicle needs.
Which rate matters most on small fares?
The fixed pence element, not the percentage. Published fixed charges run from 2p to 11p per transaction, and on a short fare that is worth more than the difference between two headline rates.