Compare payment providers, not just terminals
Most businesses choose a card provider once and stay with it. Pricing structures and contract terms across the market change more often than that. We review what your business needs and compare the options available across our panel.
Worth knowing before you compare
The headline percentage is only part of the cost. Authorisation charges, minimum monthly fees, hardware rental, contract length and early termination terms all affect what a business actually pays across a year.
What we can help you explore
These are the categories of solution available through our panel. Which of them suits your business depends on how and where you take payment.
Countertop terminals
Fixed terminals for a shop counter or reception desk, connected by broadband or phone line. Suited to businesses taking most payments at a single point of sale.
Portable terminals
Terminals that work away from the counter within a premises, typically over a local wireless connection. Commonly used for table service in hospitality.
Mobile payment solutions
Devices that use a mobile data connection or pair with a phone or tablet. Suited to mobile traders, deliveries, events and businesses operating across multiple sites.
Contactless and digital wallets
Acceptance of contactless cards alongside Apple Pay, Google Pay and similar wallets, which now account for a substantial share of in person transactions.
Payment processing and merchant accounts
The underlying processing arrangement that settles funds into your business bank account, including settlement timing and the pricing structure applied to each transaction.
Online and remote payments
Payment pages, invoicing and telephone or mail order acceptance for businesses that take payment away from the premises.
Point of sale and reporting
Till software, stock management and sales reporting where a business needs more than payment acceptance alone.
Multi site and integrated setups
Arrangements covering several locations, or integration with existing till, booking or accounting systems.
Specific hardware, pricing and contract terms vary by provider and are confirmed in writing before you commit to anything. We do not publish indicative rates for individual providers on this page, because the rate a business is offered depends on its card mix, average transaction value and trading profile.
The points that actually change the cost
| Consideration | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Pricing structure | Blended, interchange plus and fixed pricing behave differently depending on your mix of debit, credit, commercial and international cards. |
| Transaction rate | Applied to every sale, so small differences compound across a year of trading. |
| Authorisation and monthly charges | Per transaction and fixed monthly charges can outweigh a competitive percentage on low value sales. |
| Hardware purchase or rental | Rental spreads the cost but usually ties the business into a term. Purchase costs more upfront and less over time. |
| Contract length and exit terms | Minimum terms, notice periods and early termination charges determine how easily you can review the arrangement later. |
| Settlement timing | How quickly funds reach the business bank account, which affects working capital. |
| Connectivity | Broadband, wireless or mobile data. The right choice depends on the premises and how you trade. |
| Software and reporting | Whether the business needs stock control, staff reporting and point of sale, or payment acceptance alone. |
| Sector acceptance | Providers take differing views on certain sectors and trading profiles, which affects who will offer terms at all. |
Payment providers we can approach
Square
Countertop terminals · Portable terminals · Mobile payment solutions · Point of sale and reporting · Online and remote payments
- Reader, Terminal, Stand and Register hardware
- Item and menu setup, stock, staff accounts and reporting
- Online ordering, click and collect and invoicing
- Connects to accounting software such as Xero
- Supplied, configured and supported by us, not just sold
Please note: We supply and set up Square directly, so we have a commercial interest in it that we do not have in a panel comparison; Square publish their own current hardware prices and processing rates; Your merchant account is held with Square; we do not hold or handle your funds
We do not claim to be an official partner, exclusive broker or authorised representative of any payment provider unless that relationship is formally in place.
What is your current arrangement costing?
Enter your monthly card turnover and the rate on your statement to see the annual figure. This is an illustration to help you compare, not a quotation.
Your figures
Nothing you type here is sent anywhere. The figures stay in your browser until you decide to talk to us.
No charge to you. The provider pays us.
What a different rate would mean
The same turnover at other rates, so you can see what a fraction of a percent is worth over a year. These are arithmetic, not offers. What you would actually be charged depends on the provider, your card mix and how your business trades.
| Rate | A month | A year | Against your rate |
|---|
Different trades, different priorities
Convenience and off licence
High transaction volumes at low average values. Per transaction charges and the debit card rate tend to matter more than hardware cost.
Restaurants and takeaways
Table service, tips, split bills and receipt printing at the counter. Portable terminals and integration with ordering systems are usually the deciding factors.
Barbers and salons
Chair side payment, deposits against no shows and appointment management. Software features often matter as much as the processing rate.
Market traders and events
No fixed connectivity, and trading patterns that vary week to week. Mobile terminals and the absence of a fixed monthly charge are the priorities.
Trades and construction
Payment taken on site or on completion rather than by invoice. A mobile solution can materially shorten the time taken to be paid.
Professional services
Invoicing, telephone payments and recurring billing rather than a counter. Online and remote acceptance is usually the relevant category.
Card payments explained
How do providers actually differ from one another?
In how they price transactions, whether hardware is bought or rented, contract length and exit terms, settlement speed, the software included and the sectors they will accept. Two providers can look almost identical on headline rate and still produce very different annual costs for the same business.
What types of terminal are there?
Countertop terminals for a fixed point of sale, portable terminals for use around a premises, and mobile terminals that use a mobile data connection for trading away from a fixed site. Online, invoice and telephone acceptance can be arranged alongside any of these.
How should I compare costs properly?
Work out the total annual cost rather than comparing headline percentages. Include the rate applied to your actual card mix, any authorisation or minimum monthly charges, hardware cost or rental, the contract length and any early termination terms.
I am mid contract. Can I still review my options?
Yes, and it is usually worth establishing the end date and notice period first. A review can then be timed so that any change happens without incurring early termination charges. There is no obligation to move.
Will you tell me if I am already on a good arrangement?
Yes. If your existing terms are competitive for your profile, we will say so. There is no benefit to either party in moving a business that is already well placed.
Who holds the merchant account?
You do, directly with the payment provider. Jos Finserv is a broker and introducer. We are not a payment institution and we do not hold or handle your funds at any point.
Before you sign anything
Plain-English guides on what card processing actually costs and how to compare one machine against another.
Request a payments review
Tell us your monthly card turnover and current provider. We will explain how your arrangement compares and what alternatives exist.
What is actually out there
Most business owners meet one provider, sign, and never see the rest of the market. These are the kinds of arrangement that exist. Which one suits you depends on how you trade, not on who called you first.
Taking card payments
The institutions that actually process a card payment and settle the money into your account. Everything else in the chain sits on top of one of these.
A single flat rate, a terminal and an app, with little to negotiate. Simple to set up and often the right answer for a lower volume business.
They resell acquirer services and set their own pricing on top. Rates vary widely between them for the same underlying processing.
Countertop, portable and mobile card readers, sold outright or rented. The rental is frequently a bigger cost over three years than people expect.
Taking payment over the phone, by payment link or through a website checkout, which is priced differently from card present trade.
We are a broker, not a lender and not a payment provider. We approach providers on your behalf and explain what comes back in plain terms. What you are offered depends on the provider, your trading history and their own criteria, so nothing here is a quote and nothing is guaranteed.
