FOR UK BUSINESS OWNERS

Card payment guides
and free calculators.

Understand the costs, ask better questions and choose your next step. Start with the decision your business needs to make.

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Check the whole quote before you sign

A two-page worksheet with a worked example and space to compare costs, contract terms and switching requirements.

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Put your numbers to work

Calculate your effective fees

Turn card sales and total costs into one effective rate.

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Compare two complete quotes

Include pence fees, rental, minimum charges and setup costs.

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Calculate switching payback

Check how long a monthly reduction would take to recover exit and setup costs.

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Understand and compare costs

Read the bill, check the arithmetic and compare two complete quotes.

Card machine fees explained: calculate the full cost

Your effective card-payment cost is all relevant payment fees divided by card sales for the same period, multiplied by 100. Include percentage charges, billable pence fees, rental and other applicable costs once. Check minimum-charge top-ups and use consistent VAT treatment.

Compare card machine quotes: total-cost calculator

A comparable quote uses the same card sales, card mix, chargeable transaction count, number of terminals and VAT basis. Add percentage fees, pence charges and fixed costs, checking how any minimum applies. Then compare the contract, settlement and integration requirements as well as the calculated price.

How to read a UK card processing statement

Start with one reporting period. Identify card sales and transaction counts, separate processing charges from rental and service invoices, and reconcile payouts independently. Divide the relevant payment costs by the matching card turnover to calculate an effective cost. Do not count a fee again just because it also appears in a bank deduction.

Minimum monthly service charges on card payments

A minimum monthly service charge usually sets a floor for specified processing charges. If those charges fall below the agreed minimum, a top-up makes up the difference. Check which charges count towards the floor: terminal rental and other services may remain payable separately.

Card payment authorisation fees: pence add up

An authorisation fee is a charge for a payment approval request. Its billing rules depend on your provider and agreement; a declined request can still be chargeable on some plans. Multiply the applicable pence fee by the billable request count, convert pence to pounds, and include it in the total-cost comparison.

How card payments work: from tap to settlement

A terminal or gateway sends a payment request through processing and card-network systems to the card issuer. An approval comes back. Clearing and settlement follow; your provider pays your business under its payout terms.

Flat rate, bespoke or Interchange++: what changes?

Flat pricing bundles processing costs into a quoted rate. Bespoke pricing can vary by card category and channel. Interchange++ separates interchange, network fees and acquiring markup. Rental and other charges can still sit outside the processing price.

Looking for the cheapest card machine? Compare the full cost.

Compare turnover, transaction size, card mix and fixed charges before choosing.

Review a provider or contract

Keep the commitment, handover and reasons for switching in view.

A SumUp alternative for your business

Looking for a SumUp alternative? Compare your actual fees and payment needs with a takepayments / Global Payments proposal from Awais.

Switch card machine provider: costs, timing and payback

Before switching, obtain your written exit costs and notice requirements, compare the complete new monthly cost and confirm the operational handover. Divide total one-off switching costs by a positive monthly cost reduction for a simple payback period. A lower headline rate alone is not enough.

Card machine contracts: rental, notice and exit checks

A card-machine setup can involve separate terminal, processing and software agreements. Identify each supplier, minimum term, notice deadline, recurring fees and written cancellation process. Ask for an itemised exit figure; the provider name alone cannot establish your obligations.

Worldpay alternatives: compare your actual payment setup

Use your own Worldpay statement and contract as the starting point. Compare the full term, promotional periods, terminal provision and required integration with a written alternative. Awais can review an offer through takepayments / Global Payments, not a whole-market panel.

Dojo alternatives: compare fees, devices and locations

Compare the full Dojo package you use—rates, devices, services and location charges—with a proposal based on the same business. Preserve the workflows that matter, such as till integration and reporting. Lower recurring costs do not automatically justify exit or transition costs.

Plan around your business

Payment requirements for hospitality, retail, automotive and salons.

Card machines for restaurants, pubs and cafés

Start with the busiest payment period, table and bar coverage, number of simultaneous payments and exact EPOS needs. Compare costs using your average bill and card mix. For another venue, also check per-site charges, permissions and settlement.

Card machines for garages and automotive businesses

Compare fees using actual repair invoices, card mix and payment methods. Confirm how deposits, remote invoice payments and vehicle handover are permitted. A garage, parts retailer and vehicle-sales business can have different approval and operational requirements.

Card machines for shops and retailers: cost and EPOS checks

Choose around checkout demand, average basket value, card mix and your exact till system. Compare per-transaction charges and every device or software cost. Check refunds, reconciliation and branch reporting before changing a working setup.

Card machines for barbers and salons: fees and setup

Identify who sells the service and receives the money, especially where independent chair renters share premises. Compare the complete cost against normal monthly card sales, then confirm deposits, booking-system compatibility and the required payment points.

Card machines for tradesmen and mobile businesses

Take payments at the job or remotely, with a setup matched to your trade.

Expand or change your setup

Another location, EPOS integration, remote payments and settlement.

Opening a second location: card payment checklist

Opening another location? Check the terminal, till integration and full cost per site, then request a quote for the setup you need.

Virtual terminal UK: take payments over the phone

Take payments during a phone call, or let customers pay through a link. Compare the workflow, fees and security checks for your business.

Card machine settlement times: when do you get paid?

Settlement is the transfer of processed payment funds to your business. 'Next working day' depends on the applicable service, approval and banking cut-off; it is not automatically a promise of Saturday or Sunday payment. Gross and net settlement describe how fees are collected, rather than how quickly the money arrives.

Card machine and EPOS integration: what to check

Need your card machine to work with your till? Tell Awais your EPOS system and required features so the available compatibility can be checked.

Choose your starting point

Decide what your business needs before selecting equipment.

Card machines for UK businesses: choosing a setup

Choose around where you take payments, your monthly card sales and the functions your business needs. Compare the full cost and commitment, then confirm the exact terminal, connectivity, support and any till integration in writing.

Card machines for a new business

Estimate card turnover realistically, list your in-person and remote payment needs, and compare the full fixed commitment during a quiet launch month. Work back from opening to allow for provider approval, equipment, connectivity and any integration. The payment check itself does not open a merchant account.

Tap to Pay vs a card machine: compare the business fit

Tap to Pay uses a compatible phone and provider app for supported contactless payments. A dedicated terminal provides a separate payment device whose functions depend on the model. Compare availability, receipts, shared use, connectivity, integration and the complete cost for your business.

Card machines for UK small businesses

Choose between a portable terminal, POS, phone-based payments and payment links.

Mobile card machines for payments on the move

Check 4G, Wi-Fi, receipts and phone compatibility for payments on the move.

Research and illustrative calculations from Cardsmachines. About Awais and our editorial approach. Proposals are offered through Awais’s takepayments / Global Payments role.