Mobile card readers are the newest way to take payments on the move.
Read this page if you need to understand if mobile card readers are the right choice for you.
Mobile card readers are compact, portable devices which connect to your phone or tablet to allow businesses to take payments easily on the move. Over the last few years, mobile card readers have become increasingly popular, as companies particularly start-ups and “one man bands” look for convenient, simple solutions to take card payments.
A mobile card reader has the same functions as a normal card machine but with some snazzy applications to help you easily keep track of your payments.
A Mobile Card Reader will connect to your phone or tablet via an application for easy reconciliation or accounting. All the leading providers will connect to most popular devices including Apple IOS, Android, and Windows, so a wide range of laptops, mobiles, and tablets and be used.
Sumup and iZettle have become the most popular providers of Mobile Card Readers in the UK over the last few years and you can see exactly how much these providers, as well as many others, compare using our price comparison tool
Countertop card machines can work via a phone line or broadband. The card machine will sit on your countertop and allow the customer to come to the card machine to pay. Ideal for solo shops where the customers can easily to get to the card terminal.
Portable card readers allow you to take the card terminal to the customer over a range of 60m. Like a cordless phone, it comes with a charging unit. Portable card terminals are best for restaurants, bars, and cafes
Mobile card machines are for business owners who take payments on the move and use GPS sim cards to connect to your provider. Traditional card machines are perfect for those taking payments on the go and have a card turnover over £2k
We compare traditional providers like Barclaycard and Elavon to mobile card readers like iZettle and Sumup to give you a complete view
See price breakdowns from all the leading providers, all on one, easy to understand page
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The key differences are:
Size: A traditional card machine is larger in size and heavier in weight. Most mobile card readers can fit into your pocket and weigh around 50g
Cost: Mobile card readers have higher transaction fees but typically no monthly fees. PDQ machines have a much lower transaction fee but have a monthly terminal charge.
A mobile card reader should only be considered by customers with turnover less than £1.5k or if you would like an app linked to their mobile or phone. You can check which is a cheaper option for you using our price comparison tool
Software: Most card machines/merchant account providers have good reporting tools which allow you to check your payments coming through after a day or 2. Mobile card readers like iZettle and Sumup have specialised applications which can make accounting and reconciliation that much easier, for most businesses either type of machine will do the job.
Yes, both mobile card readers and card machines require a merchant service provider to process your card payments. Transaction fees for providers vary and you can compare them using our price comparison tool.
Our website compares the cost of the providers who will provide you with the card machine and the merchant account as well as online payments if your business requires them.
Yes, we compare the prices of both Sumup and iZettle, commonly reviewed as the best mobile card reader in the UK. Both provide excellent apps, no contracts terms and a one-off charge for the card reader. Beware though for most businesses they will be more expensive than a traditional card terminal.
