Looking for the cheapest option? You can't get any lower than £0.00. Discover the UK's only true zero-cost card terminal setup designed for all businesses, commercial enterprises, and high-volume operations.
Trusted by merchants across every industry in the UK.
"Switched from Worldpay and saving over £80 a month. The terminal arrived within days and setup was straightforward. Next day settlement is a game changer for our cash flow."
"As a mobile hairdresser I needed something reliable outdoors. The PAX A800 works perfectly on 4G everywhere I go. Free payment links are brilliant for taking deposits in advance."
"Was declined by my bank for being high risk. These guys got me approved within 48 hours. Fantastic service and the rates are far better than anything else I was offered."
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See exactly how our solution stacks up against every alternative on the market.
| Feature / Fee | Typical Retail Readers (Square / SumUp) |
High-Street Banks (Worldpay / Clover) |
Our Free-for-Life Solution ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront Terminal Cost | £19 to £49 + VAT | Up to £150+ | £0.00 (Completely Free) |
| Monthly Rental Charges | £0.00 | £15 to £45/month | £0.00 (Never Any Rental) |
| Minimum Monthly Service Fees (MMSC) | None | £10 to £25/month | £0.00 (True Pay-As-You-Go) |
| PCI Compliance Fees & Fines | None | £5 to £60/month | £0.00 (No PCI Fees Ever) |
| Contract Exit / Penalty Fees | None | Up to £500+ Penalty | £0.00 (Merchant Agreement Required — No Exit Penalty) |
| Flat Transaction Rate | 1.75% Flat | Varies (Hidden Tiers) | 1.2% Flat Rate (Drops to 0.7% for volume over £10k) |
| Hardware Warranty | 1 Year Limited | Varies | Lifetime Warranty Included |
| Paper/Digital Billing Overhead | Digital Only | Monthly Variable Bills | No Complex Bills Ever |
| Settlement Speed | 1–3 Business Days | 2–5 Business Days | Next Day Settlement (Funds by Next Working Day) |
| Payment Links | Paid Add-On | Paid Add-On | Free — Included with Every Merchant Account |
| Feature / Fee | Typical Retail Readers (Square / SumUp) |
High-Street Banks (Worldpay / Clover) |
Our Free-for-Life Solution ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront Terminal Cost | £19 to £49 + VAT | Up to £150+ | £0.00 (Completely Free) |
| Monthly Rental Charges | £0.00 | £15 to £45/month | £0.00 (Never Any Rental) |
| Minimum Monthly Service Fees (MMSC) | None | £10 to £25/month | £0.00 (True Pay-As-You-Go) |
| PCI Compliance Fees & Fines | None | £5 to £60/month | £0.00 (No PCI Fees Ever) |
| Contract Exit / Penalty Fees | None | Up to £500+ Penalty | £0.00 (Merchant Agreement Required No Exit Penalty) |
| Flat Transaction Rate | 1.75% Flat | Varies (Hidden Tiers) | 1.2% Flat Rate (Drops to 0.7% for volume over £10k) |
| Hardware Warranty | 1 Year Limited | Varies | Lifetime Warranty Included |
| Paper/Digital Billing Overhead | Digital Only | Monthly Variable Bills | No Complex Bills Ever |
| Settlement Speed | 1–3 Business Days | 2–5 Business Days | Next Day Settlement (Funds by Next Working Day) |
| Payment Links | Paid Add-On | Paid Add-On | Free Included with Every Merchant Account |
Every merchant account includes free payment links as standard. No extra cost, no setup fee.
A payment link is a unique URL that you send to a customer by text, email, WhatsApp, or social media and they click it to pay you instantly and securely online. No card machine needed. No invoice chasing. No waiting for a bank transfer to clear.
You simply generate a link for the amount owed, send it to your customer, and the funds settle into your account the next working day just like a terminal transaction.
Payment links are perfect for deposits, remote invoices, phone orders, and any situation where your customer is not physically in front of you. With most providers charging extra for this feature, we include it completely free with every merchant account.
Works seamlessly indoors and outdoors via built-in 4G SIM and WiFi.
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Whether your business operates indoors, outdoors, on the move, or falls into a specialised category, our £0.00 terminal is pre-configured for your workflow.
For years, we watched UK businesses get quietly overcharged by the card payment industry. Hidden fees buried in small print. PCI compliance traps and fines. Terminal rentals that never seemed to end. Transaction rates that crept up after the first few months. Merchants locked into contracts they didn't fully understand, paying hundreds or sometimes thousands of pounds more than they should every single year.
We built Cheapest Card Machines Online because we believed there was a better way.
Working directly with payment processors and cutting out the middlemen, we negotiated a true zero-cost terminal setup that any UK business can access, from a mobile hairdresser in Manchester to a high-volume restaurant group in London.
No smoke and mirrors. No hidden tiers. Just a low flat rate ranging from 0.7% to 1.2%, a free terminal, next day settlement, and a technical support team available 24/7 if you ever need us.
Because every pound you save on card fees is a pound that stays in your business, where it belongs. We can also offer other bespoke rates if the circumstances require it.
An honest breakdown of every major UK card machine provider in 2026.
Square is popular with sole traders and micro businesses due to its simple setup. Its 1.75% flat rate with no monthly fee suits very low volume traders, but for any business processing over £3,000 per month the cost quickly becomes uncompetitive. There is no free terminal — you pay upfront for hardware. Settlement takes 1 to 2 business days. Square does not specialise in high-risk merchant accounts and declines many UK business types.
SumUp offers a similar 1.69% transaction rate with no monthly fees and a low upfront hardware cost. It works well for very small operations such as market traders and pop-up shops. However like Square it offers no free terminal, has limited support for high-risk businesses, and settlement can take up to 3 business days. Payment links are available but as a paid feature.
Worldpay, Barclaycard, and similar high-street bank terminal providers offer more advanced features but at a significantly higher cost. Expect monthly rental fees of £15 to £45, minimum monthly service charges, PCI compliance fees, and exit penalties of up to £500 or more. Transaction rates are rarely disclosed upfront and are often tiered based on card type. Settlement typically takes 2 to 5 business days. These providers routinely decline high-risk business categories.
Our solution is the only UK provider offering a completely free PAX A800 smart terminal with no upfront cost, no monthly fees, no PCI charges, and no exit penalties. The flat 1.2% transaction rate drops to 0.7% for monthly volumes over £10,000. Every merchant account includes free payment links as standard. Settlement is next working day. We approve all UK industries including high-risk categories that mainstream providers decline. 24/7 technical support is included at no extra cost.
Verdict: For any UK business accepting card payments, our solution is cheaper than every alternative on the market at any volume.
Our £0.00 terminal is pre-configured for your sector. Here is what that means in practice for some of our most popular industries.
Our 4G-enabled PAX A800 is ideal for taxis and private hire operators across the UK. No WiFi needed, works anywhere on the road, next day settlement and no monthly rental.
Dental practices and medical clinics can take card payments and send payment links for treatment plans. No PCI compliance fees, no complex billing, next day settlement.
Law firms can use our payment links to collect client retainers and invoices remotely. Terminal in reception for in-person payments. 1.2% flat rate, no hidden tiers.
Veterinary practices benefit from payment links for invoices and a free terminal for in-clinic payments. No monthly fees, next day settlement, lifetime warranty on hardware.
Estate agents and letting agents can take holding deposits and referencing fees in branch or remotely via payment links. Fast approval, no contract penalties.
We are specialist high-risk merchant account providers. Bookmakers, casinos, and gaming venues declined by mainstream banks are welcome to apply for fast-tracked approval.
Everything UK businesses need to know before switching card terminals.
Yes payment links are included completely free with every merchant account. A payment link is a unique URL you send to a customer by text, email, or WhatsApp, and they click it to pay you instantly and securely online without needing a card machine present. Funds settle the next working day at the same transaction rate as your terminal. Most providers charge extra for this feature we include it as standard.
The cheapest card machine in the UK is our free-for-life terminal. It costs £0.00 upfront, has no monthly rental, no PCI fees, and no exit penalties. You only pay a flat 1.2% transaction rate, which drops to 0.7% for monthly volumes over £10,000.
Yes. Our solution offers a completely free card terminal with zero monthly fees, zero rental charges, and zero PCI compliance costs. You pay only a 1.2% flat transaction rate with no hidden charges whatsoever.
Yes. We are UK specialists in high-risk merchant accounts and provide fast-tracked approvals for bookmakers, casinos, travel agents, and other specialist sectors typically declined by high-street banks.
Square and SumUp charge 1.75% flat. Worldpay and Clover use variable hidden tiers plus monthly fees of £15–£45. Our 1.2% flat rate with zero monthly fees means most UK businesses save hundreds to thousands of pounds every year.
The PAX A800 terminal accepts all major card types and payment methods, including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. It also supports all forms of contactless payment including Apple Pay and Google Pay as well as chip and PIN and magnetic stripe transactions. Whether your customers pay by card, phone, or watch, your terminal is ready to accept it.
Yes. We provide 24/7 technical support for all merchants. Whether you have an issue during a busy Saturday night service or an early morning market, our team is on hand around the clock to help you resolve it quickly and keep your business taking payments without interruption.
Not necessarily. If you are a sole trader, a personal bank account is accepted for settlement. Limited companies and partnerships will require a business bank account. If you are unsure which applies to you, get in touch and our team will be happy to advise before you apply.
Yes multiple terminals are available for businesses that require them. Please contact us directly for more information and we will put together the right solution for your operation.
Absolutely and it can be one of the smartest decisions you make for your business. Having a second terminal as a backup means you never lose a sale if your current machine goes down unexpectedly. It also gives you an immediate alternative if your current provider is holding or delaying your funds something that unfortunately does happen and can seriously impact your cash flow. Since our terminal is completely free with no monthly fees, there is nothing to lose by having it ready and available whenever you need it. Many merchants who start using our terminal as a backup find that once they compare the rates, savings, and simplicity, they make the switch permanently when their current contract comes to an end.
High-street banks and mainstream providers such as Worldpay, Barclaycard, and Square apply strict risk criteria that automatically decline certain business types even perfectly legitimate ones. Common reasons for being declined include your industry being classified as high-risk, your business being newly established with limited trading history, having a previous chargeback record, or operating in a sector the bank simply does not support. Being declined by your bank does not mean you cannot accept card payments. We specialise in exactly these situations and work with underwriters who understand the realities of running a UK business. Apply today and let us find the right solution for you.
A business is typically classified as high-risk by payment processors due to the nature of the industry, higher likelihood of chargebacks, regulatory complexity, or reputational sensitivity. Common high-risk categories include bookmakers, casinos, travel agents, adult entertainment, firearms, e-cigarettes, and certain financial services. However, many everyday businesses such as bars, nightclubs, and even some restaurants can also be flagged. Being high-risk does not mean you will be declined with us. We are specialist high-risk merchant account providers with fast-tracked approval processes designed specifically for businesses that mainstream banks turn away. Get in touch and we will assess your application with no obligation.
Yes. The PAX A800 smart terminal works both indoors and outdoors via a built-in 4G SIM and WiFi, making it ideal for mobile traders, market stalls, events, taxis, and outdoor venues across the UK.
We offer next day settlement funds from card transactions processed today will be deposited into your business bank account by the next working day. This is significantly faster than high-street bank terminals, which typically take 2–5 business days to settle, and gives your business better cash flow from day one.
Join thousands of UK businesses already saving money with our true zero-cost terminal. No hidden fees, no risk. Call us on 02381 112 2209 or claim online below.
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