Card machines, also known as card readers, help businesses accept credit and debit payments. They can be portable, mobile or integrated with an EPOS system. They can take all major cards including contactless, as well as Apple Pay and Google Pay. Transaction fees are generally competitive but can vary depending on the type of machine and payment provider.
Zettle
Zettle, which is owned by PayPal, offers a range of point-of-sale card readers and mobile solutions for small businesses. Its devices are easy to use and include a simple interface for sales tracking, reporting and payment links. You can also track inventory and order supplies from the app. It also provides a variety of reports for you to see your top-selling products, payments and staff performance.
Unlike some competing POS systems, Zettle has no monthly fees or hidden charges. You simply pay a flat fee for your reader and 1.75% per face-to-face card payment. Your funds hit your bank account minus this fee a few days after each sale.
Many vendors at local events — such as food trucks and farmers markets — rely on Zettle for their payment needs. This is why it’s so common to see transactions processed through Zettle on your bank statement. Zettle’s device is 100% portable and works anywhere you have a phone signal.
Barclaycard Business
Get a Barclaycard Business card to make quick, simple payments. Our cards are accepted in more than 200,000 locations worldwide, and you can make payments online or over the phone. You can even set up a direct debit or BACS transfer to get money into your bank account faster.
A good option is the Barclaycard Premium Plus, which charges a very low 0.99% foreign exchange fee on non-Sterling transactions (the typical UK credit card is around 2.99%). You also get cashback and two airport lounge visits each year as part of your card benefits.
Barclaycard has teamed up with ad agency Droga5 London and director Jeff Low, through Biscuit Filmworks, to challenge small businesses to rethink what they’re doing when it comes to payments. The campaign, titled ‘the payment part is just the start’, aims to highlight how good payments can make businesses grow.
SumUp
SumUp’s mobile point-of-sale (mPOS) system makes credit card processing simple. The SumUp app lets you add products from a basic inventory library, and the device lets customers swipe or dip EMV cards and tap contactless or smartphone wallets. All SumUp readers support Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, and American Express, and payments can be deposited into any UK bank account, including business accounts, for free.
A few users have criticized SumUp for a lack of features, but most note that it’s inexpensive and easy to use. The company’s one-time fee for a card reader and monthly transaction fees of 2.75% are among the lowest on the market. The system also offers payment links that can be sent to customers, which can make a significant difference for smaller brick-and-mortar stores with limited budgets. Tio Papelon, a small coffee shop in London, uses SumUp to accept both online and offline transactions. Its terms of service are straightforward and generally standard for a mobile processor.
myPOS
If you’re a business owner, you’ll need to offer your customers multiple ways to pay you. A payment card machine is a great way to do that, as it offers a convenient and secure way for your customers to pay you. However, you should consider a few things before choosing the best one for your needs.
myPOS is a European payment processing company that offers POS terminals and online payment gateways. Its founder, Christo Georgiev, combines tech expertise with degrees in banking and finance to create a payment solution that’s accessible for small businesses. myPOS is headquartered in London to provide easy access to top talent and robust financial regulation.
myPOS has several POS options that include mini card readers that are ideal for small businesses on the go. Its mobile payments functionality lets you generate a one-time, personalized payment link that directs customers to a secure checkout page. The link can be accessed from the myPOS app, POS terminal, or myPOS Glass.card machines uk
