Virtual terminal Free, quick comparison
Virtual terminal comparison
Take card payments over the phone or by post with a virtual terminal. Compare MOTO rates, security requirements and monthly costs for UK businesses.
Compare now No obligation · Takes minutes
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Rated 4.9 out of 5
Virtual terminal
Virtual terminalOpayo MOTO terminal
From 1.3%
per MOTO transaction
£25
monthly fee
Setup: Account managed
Payout: Next working day
Virtual terminalWorldpay virtual terminal
From 1.2%
per MOTO transaction
£19.95
monthly fee
Setup: Account managed
Payout: Next working day
Virtual terminalSumUp virtual terminal
2.5%
per MOTO transaction
£0
monthly fee
Setup: Self-serve
Payout: Next working day
No contract
Deal tables sorted by headline rate (low to high)
Rates shown are indicative and depend on your turnover, average transaction value and business type. Final pricing is confirmed by the provider after your quote.
What is a virtual terminal?
A virtual terminal turns any computer, tablet or phone with a browser into a card machine. You key the customer's card details in manually while they read them out over the phone.
Because the card isn't present, these MOTO transactions carry a higher fraud risk and therefore a higher processing rate than chip and PIN.
Why compare virtual terminals providers?
No hardware needed
Nothing to buy or rent — you log into a browser and start taking payments the same day.
Ideal for phone orders
Trades, clinics, wholesalers and mail-order businesses can take deposits and balances without chasing bank transfers.
Better than invoicing
Payment on the call removes the 30-day wait and cuts the admin cost of chasing unpaid invoices.
What to look for in a virtual terminals deal
Headline pricing
The percentage or flat fee taken from each payment. Compare on your real volumes, not the marketing rate.
Monthly and hidden fees
Check minimum monthly charges, PCI fees, gateway fees, refund charges and chargeback costs.
Settlement speed
How quickly funds reach your business account — next day makes a real difference to cashflow.
Security and compliance
PCI DSS scope, 3D Secure, tokenisation and fraud screening should be included, not bolted on.
Reporting and integrations
Links to your accounting software, EPOS or online store so takings reconcile automatically.
Contract terms
Length, notice period and exit fees. Rolling 30-day terms keep you free to switch when rates move.
How does comparing virtual terminals work?
Tell us how much of your turnover comes from phone or mail order and your average transaction value.
We show UK providers who support MOTO for your business type, with the rate they're likely to offer.
Pick a provider and complete the application — self-serve options can be live within hours.
Log in, key in your first payment and funds settle to your business account on the provider's normal cycle.
Do I need virtual terminals?
If customers regularly want to pay by reading their card number out, a virtual terminal is the compliant way to accept it — writing card numbers down is not.
Businesses that already take payment links or invoices online may not need one, as a link is cheaper and lower risk.
Trades and service businesses taking deposits before a visit get the most value from it.
How do I choose the best virtual terminals deal?
MOTO rates vary far more than card-present rates, so compare on the MOTO percentage specifically, not the headline in-person rate. Also check fraud screening tools, refund handling and whether multiple staff logins are included.
How much could I save on virtual terminals?
Moving £8,000 a month of phone payments from a 2.5% aggregator rate to a 1.3% account-managed MOTO rate saves around £1,150 a year, comfortably covering a £25 monthly service charge.
Payment guides
These guides might help.
How payment processing fees work
Interchange, scheme and acquirer fees explained — and which ones you can negotiate away…
Choosing a payment provider
What UK providers check, how long onboarding takes and when a specialist beats your bank…
PCI DSS made simple for small firms
The compliance basics every business handling 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 25 July 2026