CountertopDojo countertop terminal
£15
per month
From 0.55%
per transaction
Contract: 12 months
Setup: Free installation
Next-day payouts, 7 days a week
Free, quick comparison
Card machine (POS) comparison
Compare countertop, portable and smart POS card machines from UK providers, and find the terminal that fits how your business actually trades.
Compare now No obligation · Takes minutes
Trusted choice
Rated 4.9 out of 5
Countertop
CountertopWorldpay Simplicity countertop
CountertopBarclaycard Smartpay Touch
Deal tables sorted by upfront and monthly cost (low to high)
Rates shown are indicative and depend on your card turnover, average transaction value and business type. Final pricing is confirmed by the provider after your quote.
What is a card machine?
A card machine — or POS terminal — is the device your customers tap, insert or swipe a card on to pay you in person. It authorises the payment with the card issuer and sends it to your provider for settlement.
Modern machines do more than take payment: many print receipts, run your till, track stock, split bills and sync with your accounting software.
Why compare card machines?
Right machine, right counter
A busy café needs portable 4G terminals; a salon needs one reliable countertop unit. Comparing stops you paying for capability you'll never use.
Avoid long rentals
Terminal rental over a four-year contract can cost more than buying the device outright. Comparing shows the true total cost.
Better uptime
Look at connectivity, battery life and UK support hours — an offline terminal on a Saturday is lost revenue.
Types of card machine explained
Countertop terminals
Plug into power and broadband at a fixed till point. The most reliable and usually the cheapest option for shops.
Portable terminals
Work over WiFi or Bluetooth within your premises — ideal for restaurants, pubs and table service.
Mobile 4G terminals
Take payment anywhere with a mobile signal. Suited to tradespeople, markets and events.
Smart POS systems
Android-based terminals that run EPOS apps, stock control, staff logins and reporting on the device.
Receipt printing
Built-in printers save a separate device; digital receipts by SMS or email cut paper costs.
Security standards
Every terminal should be PCI PTS approved with end-to-end encryption and tokenised card data.
How does getting a card machine work?
Tell us your business type, monthly card turnover and where you take payment — counter, table, van or event.
We match you with providers whose terminals and rates fit that profile.
You apply, pass KYC checks and choose whether to buy the terminal outright or rent it monthly.
The machine arrives pre-configured; most are trading within 15 minutes of unboxing.
Do I need a card machine?
If you serve customers face to face, a card machine is now the default — the average UK cash transaction share keeps falling year on year.
Businesses that only invoice or sell online don't need one; a payment gateway or payment links will serve you better.
If you trade both in person and at events, one portable 4G terminal usually covers both without a second contract.
How do I choose the best card machine?
Start with where you take payment, then the numbers. Fixed till point on reliable broadband? A countertop terminal is cheapest and most stable. Table service or mobile trade? Pay for 4G and a full-shift battery. Then compare total annual cost — rental plus transaction fees plus PCI charges — rather than the headline monthly price.
How can I save money on a card machine?
Buying a reader outright often beats renting once you pass 18 months of use. Avoid contracts longer than 12 months unless the rate genuinely drops, check the auto-renewal clause, and never take a terminal from a provider who won't put the full fee schedule in writing.
Considering a card machine:
These guides might help.
How card processing fees work
Interchange, scheme and acquirer fees explained — and how to spot the ones you can cut…
Choosing a merchant account
What UK providers check, how long approval takes and when an ISO beats a bank…
PCI DSS made simple for small firms
The compliance basics every business taking card payments has to meet…
FAQs
Our services are provided at no cost to you. We may receive a commission from the companies we refer you to, but this does not affect what you will pay for the product you choose.
Written by the Grow Your Business payments team · Updated on 21 March 2026