Card machines are essential for any business that accepts payments in-person. With a variety of models available, there’s a choice to suit every business.
Payment processing companies like Zettle, Square and SumUP offer a range of transaction fees, contract lengths tailored to your monthly turnover figures and portable card readers that don’t need a landline. They can be a good option for sole traders and micro-entrepreneurs.
1. Ingenico i4500
The i4500 is an industry-leading mobile card machine. Powered by an advanced ARM processor and large application memory, it supports multiple branded EMV chip-and-PIN and magnetic stripe contactless applications, including retailer loyalty, prepaid and NFC mobile phone payment programs.
This device includes a high speed modem, thermal printer, and a powerful 32-bit processor to enable fast transaction processing. It also features an extended magnetic stripe reader for a wide range of swipe and contactless use cases and a simple keypad for easy operation. The device is secured by a combination of EMV technology and point-to-point encryption, reducing your scope of PCI compliance.
Ingenico is a merchant services company that facilitates secure electronic transactions. The company offers a wide array of payment terminals and merchant payments SaaS solutions. Its hardware and software products are used by tens of thousands of businesses in more than 125 countries around the world. Ingenico has partnered with Worldline to leverage the company’s market strengths in travel and e-commerce, complementing Ingenico’s strong solutions for merchants in luxury retail and hospitality.
2. iZettle Reader 2
A popular option with UK small businesses, the iZettle Reader 2 (formerly iZettle by PayPal) is an affordable card machine that creates a full mobile point of sale service for you to take with you on the go. It accepts chip and pin, contactless and magstripe payments – including Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.
You can connect this wireless portable reader using WiFi at your establishment, GPRS or mobile data networks – though it depends on the network you’re connected to for stability. It’ll also run for about eight hours before needing recharging and is easy to use with a simple, clear interface.
When paired with one of Zettle’s POS apps, you can also send digital receipts and track your staff productivity. This device costs just PS29, plus VAT and 1.75% transaction fees. Zettle has even created a sustainable model that is made from recycled fishing nets to promote greener business practices.
3. myPOS
Designed for people who sell face-to-face, myPOS has a range of mobile card machines (called ‘terminals’) that either work independently or connect to your phone via WiFi or GPRS. They’re ideal for tradespeople, market stalls and pop-up shops.
When a customer pays with their credit or debit card, the terminal sends transaction details to your merchant bank account. The bank checks the information against the customer’s account and, if everything is fine, approves the payment.
myPOS offers instant access to funds, a commitment-free business account and mobile card processing on the go – ideal for small businesses that travel. Their fees are competitive but, unlike other providers, there’s a monthly fee for a myPOS terminal and an additional cost for transferring money overseas or giving out business Visa cards. You can also add a chip card reader and a large touchscreen POS register for a more integrated solution. These are sold on myPOS’s website and from retailers such as DirectShopfittings and Amazon.
4. Zettle
Zettle by PayPal is a pay-as-you-go card machine service that’s ideal for small businesses that don’t want to commit to a monthly fee. The basic Lite Reader costs PS59 excluding VAT and is magstripe-only, but the company also offers a more expensive Chip and PIN model for retail or hospitality. Merchants pay 1.75% per transaction for swiped payments and 2.5% for online or invoice sales. All payments are encrypted and a support team is on hand Monday through Friday to answer questions.
The company has recently launched a unique terminal called the Zettle Terminal that works like a portable checkout with the POS app built in. It connects to WiFi or 3G/4G using a free SIM card and comes with either a barcode scanner (retail model) or a receipt printer (hospitality model). Zettle supports all major debit and credit cards as well as Apple, Google, Samsung and Microsoft mobile wallets through chip and PIN or contactless taps. It also includes a feature known as Payment Links, which lets you accept bookings or charges over the phone.