Card payment machines are a great way to accept payments from customers, whether you’re running a market stall, craft fair or small shop. However, choosing the best machine for your business can be a complicated task.
Luckily, there are a variety of solutions on offer to suit your needs. Ultimately, it’s important to choose the right card reader for your business and avoid hidden fees or unfavourable terms.
iZettle
iZettle is a payment solution for small businesses that allows business owners to take card payments via a tablet or smartphone, or a freestanding terminal. It includes iZettle Go, a point-of-sale (POS) app, and iZettle E-Commerce, which enables business owners to set up a shop and sell products or services.
The iZettle reader is designed to accept swipe, chip and PIN or contactless payments, including Apple Pay and Android Pay. It supports a range of payment types, including Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Diners Club and American Express.
It also integrates with a number of POS systems, such as Lightspeed Retail. It is a versatile solution that works well with the latest iPhones and iPads. It has a fast connection to mobile devices, allowing you to process payment transactions without any hassle.
In addition, iZettle has a range of features for customers to help them make the most of their experience. For example, it can provide text and email receipts after a customer pays. It can send the receipt to the customer’s phone, or it can link the receipt to their account in your back office.
iZettle also offers a pay-by-link option, which allows customers to pay through a unique link sent to them by text or social media apps such as Gmail or WhatsApp. This links to the customer’s account in your back office, so you don’t have to worry about sending an invoice or reminder – they can just click to pay.
iZettle has a good reputation for customer support, and its UK-based customer service agents are friendly, professional and helpful. Their responses are both automated and personalised, and they can help you solve issues quickly.
Barclaycard Business
Barclaycard offers a range of card payment machines, including countertop, portable and mobile terminals. These machines allow you to accept payments and track sales via the Barclaycard Anywhere app on your tablet or smartphone, helping you manage your business on the go.
The Barclaycard Flex mobile card reader is a more portable option for hospitality businesses, allowing you to take payments on the move without the need for a desktop machine. It comes with a monthly rental fee of PS10 plus VAT and an 18 month contract, but there’s also a pay-as-you-go option for seasonal traders or businesses with less than PS200,000 in annual card turnover.
Rates depend on the type of card you’re accepting, the type of business and your sales volume. They can be as low as 0.6% for personal debit cards and above 3% for premium cards. Refunds and chargebacks can also cost a fixed fee each.
You can get a Barclaycard Business credit card or charge card to help you take payments. These are available to a wide range of business sizes, from start-ups to global companies on the move.
Unlike other merchant service providers, Barclaycard is relatively upfront about terms and does not charge extra for additional cardholders. It also provides a range of useful tools to help you monitor your cash flow and control employee spending.
You can call customer support by phone or use the online resources to find answers to your queries. However, customer reviews indicate that there’s often long waiting times on the phone for support.
Tyl by Natwest
Tyl by NatWest is a card payment solution for UK businesses. It offers a range of card machines to rent, virtual terminals, payment links and an online payment gateway.
Tyl also has a loyalty programme called Tyl Rewards, which allows consumers to earn points when they spend at local business. They can then redeem these points against rewards for a range of things, from free coffee to complimentary hair treatments.
This system is designed to make it easier for customers to shop at local businesses and it’s a great way to incentivise them to continue supporting their local community. It’s also simple to set up, with owners just logging into their Tyl portal to decide what rewards they want to offer and how many points customers need to earn before they can receive their reward.
There are many different payment options available, including swipe and chip and PIN credit cards. It’s also possible to use the machines with contactless cards and mobile wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay.
The company’s card machine rental scheme is straightforward. You can opt for a single machine, multiple machines, or a mixture of both, and you can choose to lease the equipment on an annual basis or a monthly rolling subscription.
One of the key benefits of the platform is its pricing, which is very fair. It has a flat fee for card machine hire and no online gateway fees, and it will even help you process Direct Debits to reduce the costs of collecting payments from your customers.
The company also offers a range of payment links, including email and SMS links that send customers to an online payment page with their details. It’s a good way of making your business more accessible to shoppers who might not be comfortable using a debit or credit card in person, and it also works with ecommerce platforms like WooCommerce.
Takepayments
Takepayments (previously Payzone) offers card payment machines and merchant accounts for UK-based businesses. The company has a strong reputation for customer service and offers short 12-month contracts, making it an attractive option for small businesses.
Its main card reader range includes Countertop for fixed till points, Portable and Mobile for businesses on the go, and an innovative hybrid product called Takepaymentsplus. Each has its own set of features, including Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay support.
The company also offers a tablet-sized system, the tPOS counter, which is compatible with both iOS and Android devices. It comes with EPOS software and a specialised tablet register manufactured by PAX (either the E700 or E800 model), as well as a portable PAX A920 for card payments. There are packages for retail and hospitality, each with a PS250 + VAT setup fee.
tPOS works with an ecommerce solution such as iZettle and Barclays Business, or you can use its own EPOS software. Its product customisation feature lets you add customised products and categories to the till screen in seconds.
Takepayments also includes real-time inventory tracking, so you can update stock levels in the store as soon as they change. This means you don’t have to nip out in the back to check stock levels or get customers frustrated with waiting around.
In terms of security, Takepayments is PCI compliant – it supports 3D secure authentication to protect against fraud. It also offers free next-day settlement, a welcome feature that other merchant account providers don’t offer.
The only downside is that the company doesn’t provide a dashboard to track card machine sales remotely or export them to bookkeeping software. This is an important feature for many businesses, but the lack of it can be a deterrent.
myPOS
myPOS offers a range of payment solutions for businesses across Europe, including mobile payment terminals and online payments. The service is a good fit for small and medium businesses and comes with a free e-money account, card and IBAN.
Unlike many competitors, myPOS doesn’t require a long-term contract or monthly fees for its service. It also offers instant funds access through a free E-money Account and a business card for quick access to all accepted payments.
The myPOS Go card machine is a compact, standalone device that accepts a wide variety of credit and debit cards anywhere with a network connection. It’s a great option for street vendors, small food-and-drink outlets and cab drivers.
It also handles contactless, Chip&PIN and Magstripe payments with ease. It’s IP54 certified so it can withstand drops and shocks.
In addition to payment capabilities, myPOS has a variety of features for POS machines that make it easy for you to manage your business. For example, it lets you offer restaurant vouchers that are branded with your logo and can be used by customers and their friends for special discounts.
Additionally, you can track individual staff performance and split tips hassle-free. It’s a simple way to keep tabs on your staff and increase efficiency.
myPOS has a wide range of options for restaurants and bar owners, including kitchen printers, meal modifiers and loyalty points (Internal, Ebet or Aristocrat). It also lets you create customised price levels to meet the needs of your guests.
