How to Choose a Card Machine Provider: Five Steps for UK Businesses

Choosing a card machine provider should involve much more than comparing transaction rates or deciding whether you want a countertop or portable terminal.

For an established business, the card machine sits within a wider payment arrangement that can include:

• card acquiring;
• transaction pricing;
• terminal hardware;
• EPOS integration;
• settlement;
• reporting;
• PCI DSS;
• connectivity;
• support;
• contracts; and
• future payment requirements.

A provider offering the lowest advertised transaction rate could still be the wrong choice if its terminals do not integrate with your EPOS system, settlement is unsuitable, support is poor or the contract restricts your ability to switch later.

Our approach is simple: choose the payment arrangement first and the card machine second.

This guide sets out five steps UK businesses can use to compare card-machine providers properly.

Quick Summary

• Start by mapping how your business actually takes payments before comparing providers.
• Countertop, portable, mobile and Tap to Pay solve different operational problems.
• Do not select a provider based on terminal hardware alone.
• Compare transaction pricing using your real card turnover and card mix.
• Include terminal rental, account fees, PCI-related fees and contract costs in the comparison.
• Check EPOS compatibility before signing a merchant-services agreement.
• Consider connectivity and what happens if the primary payment route fails.
• Settlement speed can affect cash flow even when transaction pricing looks competitive.
• Support arrangements matter particularly for businesses trading evenings and weekends.
• Check both the acquiring contract and the terminal agreement.
• For relevant contracts within the scope of PSR Specific Direction 16, the initial POS-terminal hire term is limited to 18 months.
• The best provider should fit the business now without unnecessarily restricting future payment options.

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What Should You Compare When Choosing a Card Machine Provider?

At a minimum, we would compare:

MAS View

The best card machine is not the device with the most features. It is the payment setup that best fits the way the business takes payments.

Step 1: Start With How Your Business Takes Payments

Before looking at providers, document the payment environment.

Ask:

• Where do customers pay?
• How many locations do we operate?
• How many card machines do we need?
• Do customers pay at a fixed counter?
• Do staff need to take the terminal to the customer?
• Do we take payments away from our premises?
• Do we need tipping?
• Do we need split bills?
• Do we take telephone payments?
• Do we also take online payments?
• Does the terminal need to integrate with EPOS?
• Do we need central reporting across locations?
• How much card turnover do we process?
• What is our average transaction value?

This immediately narrows down the type of payment solution required.

What Type of Card Machine Does Your Business Need?

For more detail, see our Portable Card Machines guide and Countertop Card Machines guide.

Do You Actually Need a Traditional Card Machine?

Not every business does.

Depending on how payments are collected, alternatives can include:

• Tap to Pay using a compatible smartphone;
• payment links;
• QR-based payment journeys;
• online checkout;
• virtual terminals; or
• a combination of channels.

A business taking only occasional face-to-face payments may have very different requirements from a retailer processing hundreds of transactions every day.

See our guide to taking card payments using a mobile phone.

Step 2: Compare the Complete Cost, Not Just the Transaction Rate

Once you know what payment setup is required, compare commercial terms.

Do not start and finish with:

“What percentage do you charge?”

The total cost may include:

• transaction percentage;
• fixed transaction fees;
• terminal purchase or rental;
• merchant-account charges;
• PCI-related fees;
• authorisation charges;
• chargeback fees;
• refund-related charges;
• SIM/data charges;
• integration fees;
• service charges; and
• contract or exit costs.

Read our Card Machine Costs UK 2026 guide for the full cost analysis.

Why Headline Transaction Rates Can Be Misleading

Two providers might quote:

Provider A: 0.80%

and:

Provider B: 0.90%.

At first glance Provider A looks cheaper.

But that comparison is incomplete unless you also know:

• which cards the rates apply to;
• whether commercial cards cost more;
• whether international cards cost more;
• whether fixed fees apply;
• terminal rental;
• monthly charges;
• settlement charges;
• PCI fees;
• contract terms; and
• integration costs.

For a detailed explanation, see our Card Machine Transaction Fees guide.

Use Your Actual Card Data

If the business already accepts cards, compare quotes using real processing history.

Useful information includes:

• monthly card turnover;
• transaction count;
• average transaction value;
• debit/credit mix;
• consumer/commercial card mix;
• domestic/international card mix;
• current processing fees;
• terminal costs; and
• other recurring charges.

This produces a much more meaningful comparison than asking providers to price one hypothetical £100 transaction.

MAS View

If you already process cards, your merchant statements are more valuable than a generic online card-machine price comparison.

Step 3: Check EPOS, Connectivity and Technical Compatibility

Once the commercial comparison looks sensible, check whether the solution actually works with the business.

Does the Card Machine Integrate With Your EPOS?

If the merchant uses an EPOS or till system, confirm:

• whether the payment provider is supported;
• which terminal models work;
• whether amounts pass automatically from till to terminal;
• whether payment status returns to the EPOS;
• whether refunds are integrated;
• whether tipping is supported;
• whether split bills are supported;
• whether reporting is joined up; and
• who supports the integration.

Do this before signing the new merchant-services contract.

See our Integrated Card Machines & EPOS Compatibility guide.

What Connectivity Does the Terminal Need?

Depending on the terminal, connectivity can include:

• Ethernet;
• Wi-Fi;
• mobile data;
• Bluetooth; or
• a combination of methods.

The right choice depends on the trading environment.

Retail

A fixed retail checkout might prioritise stable Ethernet connectivity with Wi-Fi or mobile backup.

Restaurants

A restaurant may need strong Wi-Fi or mobile connectivity across the entire premises so staff can take payments at the table.

Events and Mobile Businesses

A mobile trader may depend heavily on cellular coverage.

For resilience planning, see our Card Machine Connectivity Issues guide.

What Happens if the Main Payment Route Fails?

A payment system should have a practical contingency appropriate to the business.

Possible alternatives might include:

• backup connectivity;
• a secondary terminal;
• standalone terminal mode;
• mobile payment acceptance;
• Tap to Pay;
• payment links; or
• another approved payment route.

The importance of resilience increases with transaction volume.

A café processing occasional card payments and a stadium processing thousands of transactions during an event have very different tolerance for payment downtime.

Step 4: Check the Contract, Settlement and Support

Once the hardware, pricing and integration work, examine the commercial relationship.

This is where merchants often discover that the “card machine deal” contains more than one agreement.

Are the Card Machine and Merchant Account Contracts Separate?

Potentially.

A business might have separate arrangements covering:

• card acquiring;
• terminal rental;
• EPOS;
• gateway services;
• software; and
• other payment services.

Before signing, identify:

• who each contract is with;
• minimum term;
• renewal provisions;
• notice period;
• early termination provisions;
• equipment-return requirements;
• price review clauses; and
• what happens when one service ends before another.

What Are the Current Rules on POS-Terminal Contracts?

The Payment Systems Regulator identified lengthy POS-terminal contracts as a barrier to merchants switching card-acquiring provider.

Its Specific Direction 16 requires relevant POS-terminal providers within scope to limit the initial term of qualifying terminal-hire contracts to 18 months.

The PSR says some terminal agreements had previously locked merchants in for as long as 48 months, potentially discouraging them from searching for a better acquiring deal.

Read the PSR's guidance for POS-terminal providers.

The direction has a defined scope, so merchants should still check the terms of their individual agreements.

See our Merchant Services Contract Renewal guide.

How Quickly Will You Receive Your Money?

Settlement is another important part of provider selection.

Ask:

• What is the standard settlement schedule?
• Are weekends treated differently?
• Are faster settlement options available?
• Do they cost extra?
• Can settlement change following a risk review?
• How easy is it to reconcile settlements to transactions?

For businesses processing significant daily volume, settlement can materially affect cash flow.

How Good Is the Provider's Support?

Support can be difficult to assess from a quotation.

But for a card-present business, terminal downtime can prevent customers from paying.

Before selecting a provider, ask:

• What are the support hours?
• Is weekend support available?
• Is telephone support available?
• Who supports EPOS integration problems?
• How quickly can a failed terminal be replaced?
• Is remote diagnosis available?
• What happens outside normal business hours?

Restaurants, hotels, pubs and retailers trading seven days a week should pay particular attention to support availability.

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A cheap card machine that cannot be supported while your business is trading can become very expensive very quickly.

Step 5: Choose for the Business You Are Becoming, Not Just the Business You Are Today

The final step is future fit.

A card-machine arrangement might be perfect for:

one location and two terminals today

but poorly suited to:

ten locations and forty terminals in three years.

Ask what happens if the business needs to:

• add more terminals;
• open new locations;
• integrate EPOS;
• change EPOS;
• add ecommerce;
• add telephone payments;
• introduce payment links;
• take international cards;
• centralise reporting;
• change acquiring provider;
• introduce another brand or legal entity; or
• process significantly more volume.

How Easy Will It Be to Change Provider Later?

This should be considered when choosing the provider now.

Ask:

• Is the terminal tied to this provider?
• Is the EPOS integration proprietary?
• Can another acquirer be used?
• Who owns the transaction data?
• What happens to reporting history?
• What happens to historic refunds?
• How long is the terminal agreement?
• What notice must be given?

A payment setup that is easy to install but difficult to leave can reduce the merchant's negotiating position later.

How Should Multi-Site Businesses Choose Card Machines?

Multi-site businesses should compare the payment estate rather than individual terminals.

Look at:

• group card turnover;
• number of locations;
• terminals per location;
• MID structure;
• central reporting;
• location-level reporting;
• EPOS standardisation;
• rollout;
• remote management;
• replacement terminals;
• support across the estate;
• settlement reporting; and
• group-level commercial terms.

For larger retail estates, see our Merchant Services for Multi-Location Retailers guide.

What Should Restaurants and Hospitality Businesses Prioritise?

Hospitality businesses may need functionality including:

• portable terminals;
• pay-at-table;
• tipping;
• split bills;
• EPOS integration;
• fast refunds;
• multiple venues;
• evening/weekend support;
• reliable Wi-Fi/mobile connectivity; and
• central reporting.

The operational payment journey can be more important than saving a few pounds of terminal rental.

What Should Retail Businesses Prioritise?

Retail merchants may care more about:

• fast transaction processing;
• EPOS integration;
• countertop reliability;
• returns and refunds;
• multi-site reporting;
• stock/till integration;
• terminal estate management;
• support;
• central settlement reporting; and
• competitive pricing at scale.

What Should Mobile Businesses Prioritise?

Businesses taking payments away from fixed premises should focus on:

• mobile connectivity;
• battery life;
• terminal portability;
• coverage;
• ease of setup;
• transaction pricing;
• hardware replacement; and
• whether a physical reader is necessary at all.

Do Card Machines Need to Be PCI DSS Compliant?

Businesses accepting cards have PCI DSS responsibilities, but the exact scope depends on the payment environment.

The merchant should understand:

• which terminals are being supplied;
• how payment data is protected;
• whether the solution uses validated point-to-point encryption where applicable;
• whether terminals are integrated;
• whether telephone payments are also taken;
• who manages terminal security; and
• what validation the merchant needs to complete.

Using a payment provider does not automatically remove every merchant responsibility.

See our PCI DSS Compliance Guide.

The Five-Step Card Machine Provider Checklist

The MAS Card Machine Provider Fit Test

Our five-step framework can ultimately be reduced to five questions.

1. Does It Fit the Customer Journey?

The terminal should work where and how customers want to pay.

2. Does It Fit the Economics?

Transaction pricing, terminal costs and account charges should make sense at the merchant's actual volume.

3. Does It Fit the Technology?

The provider should work with the merchant's EPOS, connectivity and wider payment infrastructure.

4. Does It Fit the Commercial Relationship?

Settlement, support, contract and switching terms should be acceptable.

5. Does It Fit the Future?

The payment setup should support realistic growth without unnecessarily locking the merchant into today's architecture.

MAS View

Choose a card-machine provider based on the payment environment you need, not the terminal deal that happens to be easiest to advertise.

What Information Should You Have Before Comparing Providers?

For an existing business, prepare:

• current payment provider;
• reason for reviewing;
• monthly card turnover;
• transaction count;
• average transaction value;
• current card-processing costs;
• number of terminals;
• terminal types;
• number of locations;
• EPOS provider;
• current settlement;
• current contract end date;
• notice period;
• support requirements;
• online payment requirements; and
• expected future growth.

The better the information, the more meaningful the comparison.

Find Your New Processor

How Merchant Advice Service Helps Businesses Choose Card Machine Providers

Merchant Advice Service is an independent payments information, comparison and provider-matching service.

When assessing card-machine options, we may consider:

• business type;
• processing volume;
• transaction profile;
• current costs;
• terminal requirements;
• EPOS;
• number of locations;
• settlement;
• connectivity;
• PCI considerations;
• contract position;
• support requirements;
• provider compatibility; and
• future payment strategy.

Our role is to help businesses compare the complete payment arrangement rather than simply select the cheapest-looking terminal.

Businesses can explore providers through The Payments Directory® or read How Merchant Advice Service Works.

Choosing a new provider is only part of the process. Established businesses also need to consider how existing contracts, terminals, EPOS integrations, settlement and PCI requirements will move across to the replacement setup.

If you are already considering a change, read our Switching Card Machine Provider guide for a step-by-step approach to testing and migrating without disrupting payments.

Sources & Further Reading

Payment Systems Regulator — POS-Terminal Contracts

The PSR found that long POS-terminal contracts could discourage merchants from searching and switching payment providers. Specific Direction 16 limits the initial term of relevant POS-terminal hire contracts to 18 months for providers and merchants within scope.

PSR — Note to Point-of-Sale Terminal Providers

Payment Systems Regulator — Specific Direction 16

The current regulatory direction restricting the initial term of relevant POS-terminal contracts.

PSR Specific Direction 16

PCI Security Standards Council

PCI SSC publishes the current PCI DSS requirements and supporting guidance relevant to merchant payment environments.

PCI SSC Document Library

Related Merchant Advice Service Guidance

• Card Machine Costs UK 2026
• Card Machine Transaction Fees
• Integrated Card Machines & EPOS Compatibility
• Card Machine Rental vs Purchase
• Portable Card Machines
• Countertop Card Machines
• Card Machine Connectivity Issues
• Taking Card Payments Using a Mobile Phone
• Merchant Services Contract Renewal
• PCI DSS Compliance Guide
• Merchant Services for Multi-Location Retailers
• Compare UK Payment Providers
• The Payments Directory®

Editorial & Commercial Disclosure

Merchant Advice Service is an independent payments information, comparison and provider-matching service.

MAS may receive commission or a referral fee from some payment providers where a business chooses to proceed following an introduction. This does not determine the provider-selection framework or factual information included in this guide.

There is no universal best card machine or card-machine provider for every UK business.

Provider suitability depends on factors including transaction volume, terminal requirements, card mix, EPOS compatibility, settlement, contract terms, support requirements and the merchant's wider payment environment.

Specific Direction 16 applies within its defined scope and should not be interpreted as meaning every UK card-terminal agreement is subject to identical contract requirements.

Card-machine hardware, integrations, pricing, provider support and contract terms can change.

Businesses should confirm compatibility and commercial terms with the relevant providers before entering a contract.

Merchant Advice Service does not guarantee provider acceptance, pricing or technical compatibility.

Payment and regulatory information last checked: 27 August 2026

This guide provides general payments information and should not be treated as legal, regulatory, technical or PCI compliance advice.