Portable Credit Card Machines

What are the best portable credit card machines for your business? If you run a small business that makes under £20k a month in card transactions, then there’s plenty of options on the market. Card machines like these are small, light and easy to manoeuvre, meaning taking payments has never been more flexible. And, with different pay structures across the market, investing in them is flexible too.

But finding the right portable credit card machine for your business is trickier. Some might ask for long-term contracts, potentially putting your business in a bind. Others may only take a small number of credit cards, limiting your options. Also, some may take larger cuts of your transactions, meaning you make less every time somebody puts their card on your machine.

At Business Quotes, though, we can help. Instead of selling you portable credit card machines ourselves, though, we can help you compare card machines to find the best options on the market. And, with us, you could find lower quotes that help your business save! As a result, you could make a brilliant investment with a smaller payment that allows you to take payments perfectly.

Factors of Portable Credit Card Machines

If you’re comparing portable credit card machines, there are a few factors to consider. Firstly, the length of the contract can put many off investing in one. While some providers don’t require any form of contract, other machines from more traditional companies could make you commit for up to a year or even longer.

Another factor to consider is the amount of money that the company takes from every transaction. While a low fee could be around 1.75% of each payment, some companies could charge up to 2.5% or even more. If you’d like to take payments online, then card machines could end up costing you around 3% of your earnings, a significant hit.

Finally, the cost of any card machine is crucial. While some card machines are outright payments, you can get others through monthly rental. In most cases, though, a rental card machine comes with a long-term contract, meaning you could end up spending more than you might expect. With Business Quotes, though, you can compare various portable credit card machines to find the right one for you.

One-Off Payment Portable Credit Card Machines

Firstly, you could get portable credit card machines with one payment. One example is SumUp’s card machine, which costs £129 to bring to your business. For that outlay, though, you won’t have to commit to a contract or pay any monthly fees. SumUp’s reader also accepts all major brands with an industry-leading 1.69% transaction fee, saving you money in the long run. Without a receipt printer, SumUp’s reader can cost as little as £99 (excl. VAT)!

However, some portable credit card machines cost a lot less than that. Square offer their portable readers for as little as £19 and has many of the same benefits as SumUp give you. You’ll have to take a 1.75% hit with every transaction, but you’ll get value for money in other areas. For example, it’s easy to take mobile payments, and their free POS app has the most features for retail and hospitality businesses!

For the same price, you could invest in the Zettle card reader. Brought to market by PayPal, one of the most respected names in finance, it’s highly versatile and easy to use. You’ll pay no monthly fees, have no contractual commitment, and you can easily send out e-invoices for remote payment. It’s no wonder that the Zettle reader is one of the most popular portable credit card machines for the UK’s small businesses.

Monthly Rental Portable Credit Card Machines

Alternatively, you can get portable credit card machines for a monthly rental fee. While that means you’ll pay less initially, though, you could be tied into a contract. For example, WorldPay’s popular card machines come with a minimum 18-month commitment. However, for that, you’ll benefit from 24/7 support, custom payment plans, and the peace of mind a traditional payment provider brings.

If you’d like more flexibility, you could consider portable credit card machines from Takepayments. You can get a 12-month rental contract with them, making them one of the few to offer their machines with this short commitment. Not only that, you’ll get low fees on high transaction values, multi-pay terminals for up to 6 users at once, along with the option of mobile, portable and countertop readers!

You can even get portable credit card machines for your small business from a very big one. With a Barclaycard Business machine, you can set up a merchant account directly with them, and they offer fees as low as 1.5%. However, fees can alter depending on expected turnover, and you could be forced to pay a fee if it doesn’t reach an agreed mark. But, if you have certainty, this is a good option.