The 6 Best Card Machines for Small Businesses

Technology has paved the way for a fast-paced society, born on the back of the technical revolution. Although this is fantastic news for businesses, it has made customers come to expect a certain level of speed when interacting. For example, instead of fishing a credit card out of a purse, inserting it, and putting their pin in, people can simply use their phones and tap card readers. This type of technology means people no longer need to carry around lots of physical cash, which makes their money more secure. If your business will benefit from new card machines, take a look at the following suggestions.

Square Card Machine

Square provides a pocket-sized card machine, but it’s just as powerful as other options you’ll see on this list. The small device connects to iPad devices using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and it accepts a range of payments including physical cards, Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay, and payments through the Square app. The intuitive app used to manage the card reader can generate reports by using real-time sales data.

Given the Bluetooth-enabled nature of this device, it can come into square reader connection issues. However, the chances are that the device is simply connected to more than one iPad terminal, which will interfere with functionality. There’s an easy fix for the majority of square reader connection issues, and you can read more by following the link.

Worldpay

If your business has a relatively high turnover, look no further than Worldpay by FIS. To get one of these nifty card readers, you will need to sign up for an 18-month rental plan. Unfortunately, fees are tied to business income, which means lower rates for those with a high turnover. The FIS card reader integrates with an intuitive app, which allows payments to be received over the phone and email invoices to be sent. Although this card reader is great, there’s no point if your business’s turnover isn’t $20,000+.

Zettle

Zettle is the perfect partner for small businesses in the US, thanks to its partnership with PayPal. The idea behind this intuitive card reader is to provide versatility to customers, you can see this by looking at the accepted payment types including:

• Visa
• Mastercard
• PayPal
• American Express
• Apple, Android, and Samsung Pay
• Union Pay
• JCB
• Diners Club International

To get your hands on the Zettle card reader, you will need to pay upfront, which means no ongoing monthly costs. Regardless of the payment method, transactions are processed at a 1.75% rate, which isn’t bad when you compare it to some providers.

SumUp Air

If you are a small business looking for a no-thrills payment solution, look no further than SumUp Air. There are zero monthly costs, meaning it can be used as little or as much as you would like because payment for the machine is made upfront.

Despite being small, this machine allows businesses to manage everything using the SumUp App, which is free through the AppStore and Play Store. Although there are no running costs, each transaction is charged a 1.69% fee for every in-person transaction. The pay-as-you-go setup makes SumUp Air the perfect solution for businesses in the startup phase.

Clover Flex

Clover Flex allows customers to tap, insert, or swipe major credit cards. Additionally, it accepts payments from Apple, Android, and Samsung mobile wallets. The card machine has a 5” display, making it easy to use. If the internet goes down while using the Clover Flex, you don’t need to worry because it supports offline payments.

One of the only drawbacks of this card machine is the cost. You are looking at a minimum of $14.95 a month, $499 for the device, and 2.3-2.6% in payment processing. That being said, if you have the revenue, this card machine is well worth it considering the features included.

Payanywhere

Payanywhere is a handheld card reader designed with small businesses in mind. As the name suggests, payments can be taken anywhere and receipts can be printed from the terminal, meaning there’s no need to travel back and forwards. Additionally, this card reader can scan barcodes, which makes for a much faster checkout process.

Unfortunately, greatness always has a downside, and in this case, it’s the monthly payment of $9.95. As well as this, you will need to find $349.95 for the device and pay 2.69-3.49% in transaction rates. If you stop using your card machine for 12 months, you will be charged an inactivity charge of $3.99.

Contactless payments are quickly becoming the industry standard, so don’t hesitate in getting the correct solution for your business. Whether you can afford a card reader upfront or a small monthly payment, you will find a device above that will suit your needs.