Wireless credit card machines are an essential tool for small businesses and offer a range of flexibility and ease for business owners and customers. Wireless credit card machines are a great solution for businesses looking to streamline operations, gain more financial visibility, and improve the overall customer experience.
Offering these types of machines ensures that businesses can collect a variety of payment options and that customers are offered a smooth and easy transaction process every time.
Introducing wireless credit card machines into your operation can dramatically change the customer experience and business operations, especially regarding payment processing and PCI compliance. Plus, emerging wireless credit card machines also offer a wide range of integrations and extensions to help businesses run better, making it a worthwhile investment.
Best Wireless Credit Card Machines for Small Businesses:
- Ingenico 3500
- Takepayments A920
- Pax S80 V4
- SumUp 3G Card Reader
- Dejavoo Z11
- Zettle Reader 2
- Square Card Reader
What are the main features of credit card machines for small businesses?
Some of the main features of credit card machines for small businesses include:
Fees: Credit card machines collect fees in different ways, so it’s important to evaluate each option carefully to understand how they process payments. Some credit card machines take a flat percentage on each transaction. Others may vary based on the payment amount + a percentage. As a result, fee structures can differ; it takes time to understand what you are liable to pay for both the credit card machine itself and each transaction.
Portable/Mobile/Countertop: Having different options available for credit card machines make it easier for customers to pay. You can charge customers at their tables using portable machines or make retail operations easier by having mobile and countertop credit card machines to ensure that every customer has a smooth payment experience every time.
PCI Compliance: With every financial transaction undertaken, your business is privy to sensitive financial data. Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a responsibility for every business. Secure transactions are an integral part of businesses now, so it’s vital to look for credit card machines that offer PCI compliance so that you and customers can have peace of mind/.
Integrations and Extensions: Credit card machines are so much more than a way to collect payment. Many of the current options bring a lot of value for businesses by adding integrations and extensions with other tools a business might use. That can include integrating with existing systems for ease, introducing new systems to make finances a smoother operation overall, and extensions to give you better oversight and control into spending trends and more to improve your business.
Ingenico 3500
Fees: Fees range based on the business bank used and region
Portable/Mobile/Countertop: Portable and countertop terminals
PCI Compliance: Yes Integrations and Extensions: No integrations or extensions are available
Ingenico 3500 credit card machines for small businesses are designed to bring value while ensuring that payments are always smooth, easy, and secure. Priding itself on its smart terminals and sleek solutions for credit card machines, the Ingenico 3500 is one of the best credit card machines for small businesses. Ingenico 3500 has a suitable card-reader zone that makes payments convenient. Not only are transactions faster and easier, but the Ingenico 3500 also handles sensitive data under stringent standards. The payment terminal adheres to strong security features to keep data secure and ensures financial data is protected for both customers and businesses.
The Ingenico 3500 accepts all types of card payments, including NFC, ensuring that customers can pay via card, PIN, chip, swipe, and contactless depending on needs, so there is a lot of flexibility for businesses and customers. In addition, the Ingenico 3500 payment terminal can work via Ethernet or wifi, so it’s easy to set up and use. However, there are no integrations or extensions available with the Ingenico 3500, as it is solely a payment terminal as opposed to a finance system.
The Ingenico 3500 also features an eco-friendly design, which is a nice bonus. In addition, professional services such as repairs and replacements are also available as additional support for businesses.
Takepayments A920
Fees: No setup fees, customized fee packages available
Portable/Mobile/Countertop: All options available
PCI Compliance: Yes
Integrations and Extensions: Financial reporting tools and analytics are available
Takepayments A920 has one of the fastest setup times available. Businesses can be up and running with the credit card machine within the next day, making it a quick solution for businesses looking to implement flexible payments as soon as possible. Takepayments A920 is available as a portable payment terminal, and options are available for touchscreen, mobile, countertop, and contactless depending on needs. Plus, there are no setup fees associated with Takepayments A920, and transaction fees are customized for businesses as opposed to a flat fee.
Businesses can get started quickly and only sign a contract for 12 months, so there is no worry around long contract lengths when using the payment terminals. Takepayments A920 is best for small businesses since up to six users can be authorized to use one payment terminal rather than needing separate terminals for each staff member. A wide variety of payment options are available for customers, including chip and pin (on the glass screen), Apple Pay, Android Pay, and swipe.
Takepayments A920 also includes real-time reporting and analytics, giving business owners greater visibility into financial performance, spending trends, customer behavior, and more. Other features such as real-time reconciliation and staff member performance are also available to help optimize operations and ensure maximum efficiency. Other solutions such as payments, EPOS systems, payment gateways, and more are also available for businesses as needed.
PAX S80 v4
Fees: Hardware fee but no additional fees from Pax
Portable/Mobile/Countertop: Countertop
PCI Compliance: Yes
Integrations and Extensions: None
Pax has been offering credit card machines for small businesses since 2001 and is one of the longer-standing companies with advanced countertop POS terminals. The Pax S80 v4 is a powerful countertop credit card machine that’s easy to use, built to last, and consistently performs well. For businesses looking to include easy credit card transactions within their payment ecosystem, the Pax S80 can be a great fit. It is connected by an Ethernet cable and comes with a high-speed printer to make transactions seamless and quick.
Pax also offers Android-based POS systems, and there are multiple options available for businesses, making quick expansion possible based on needs. The Pax S90 has a color display and white backlit screen for maximum usability.
Cards accepted include contactless, chip, and magnetic, so customers have the flexibility needed to pay conveniently. The Pax S80 is more of a basic card reader as opposed to some of the other options, and it’s best suited for small businesses looking for a hardware solution for accepting credit cards rather than a cloud-based system with additional features and integrations. However, one of the benefits of using a hardware-based solution is that it only requires an upfront cost for the machine itself, but there are no other fees from the company. The only fees merchants will be required to pay are from financial institutions depending on the customers’ cards.
SumUp 3G card reader
Fees: £149 for hardware, 1.69% transaction fee
Portable/Mobile/Countertop: Portable, mobile, countertop
Fees: £149 for hardware, 1.69% transaction fee
Portable/Mobile/Countertop: Portable, mobile, countertop
PCI Compliance: Yes
Integrations and Extensions: Functionalities and analytics are available
Compared to some of the other companies mentioned, SumUp has made a fast name for itself, a newer player in retail payments. SumUp is cloud-based and includes a sleek hardware solution alongside a software system that provides oversight and data into financial performance. Offering a seamless and fast transaction experience, retailers and customers have a lot of praise for the hardware and software solution.
The SumUp 3G credit card machine comes with a built-in 3G sim card, unlimited data, as well as wifi capabilities. The SumUp 3G credit card machine also includes a charging station and printer, making the receipts process that much fasters. Customers can tap to pay with contactless cards for maximum ease or use chip cards. Receipts and refunds can all be handled on the device, so it’s a full-service solution that makes the entire transaction process much smoother. Other types of hardware solutions are available for portable, mobile, and countertop for businesses with varying needs.
SumUp also offers additional features that make it great value for small businesses. Businesses can create product catalogs, add multiple staff accounts to make operations easier, and track transactions to better understand trends and performances. There are no monthly fees associated with SumUp, thereby adding to its value. Businesses pay a one-time fee for the hardware and then 1.69% on each transaction.
Dejavoo Z11
Fees: One-time hardware fee, no transaction fees
Portable/Mobile/Countertop: Countertop
PCI Compliance: Yes
Integrations and Extensions: Some integrations available
The Dejavoo Z11 is a countertop credit card machine that businesses can easily add to their payment ecosystem. Accepting chip, pin, swipe, and contactless payments, it’s one of the best solutions for businesses looking for countertop solutions that make the customer experience smoother. There is a wide range of contactless options for customers to choose from when making purchases, including Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Wallet, Visa PayWave, and MasterCard PayPass.
The Dejavoo Z11 includes capabilities for dial-up, Ethernet, and wifi, so it’s fast to get started, and businesses can quickly start accepting credit card payments. The device connects to wifi fast, and it is self-discovering so that the device can connect to available networks with ease.
The Dejavoo Z11 has a color LCD screen with a backlight and ample memory of about 192 MB. In addition, businesses can display their logo on the credit card machine screen and on receipts printed from it to create additional opportunities for branding and customization.
Dejavoo also includes additional features such as the DeNovo business portal, allowing businesses to avail cloud-based solutions for financial operations. The DeNovo business portal features a comprehensive POS system, mobile solutions, and a back-office solution to help businesses manage different functions in a single place. The Dejavoo Z11 can be integrated with the DeNovo business portal and secure payment integrations to ensure customer financial data remains safe and protected.
Zettle Reader 2
Fees: $79 one-time hardware fee, a fixed transaction fee of 2.29% + $0.09
Portable/Mobile/Countertop: Mobile and portable
PCI Compliance: Yes
Integrations and Extensions: PayPal, Shopify, BigCommerce, QuickBooks, and WooCommerce
Zettle by PayPal is another recent player in the credit card machine business that has quickly grown in popularity across businesses of all sizes. The Zettle credit card machine for small businesses is all about speed and ensuring that customers check out smoothly and quickly. The device takes 2 seconds to power up and accepts payments in about 5-10 seconds, making payments faster than ever.
The Zettle Reader 2 accepts many forms of payment, including chip cards, contactless (NFC) cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, so there are ample options for customers to choose from.
Businesses can connect to the Zettle Go App via Bluetooth to start accepting payments as soon as possible. Zettle also makes bank transfer a faster process so businesses can access their money more quickly. Businesses pay a one-time fee for the Zettle card reader itself for $79, with promotions available for first-time buyers. All transactions processed through Zettle are secure, compliant, and subject to additional transaction fees of 2.29% + $0.09 regardless of what card is charged. Additional accessories can also be purchased, such as a charging dock to enable all-day fast charging for the card reader and a stand to rotate the card reader as needed.
Zettle can also be integrated with PayPal. In addition, other tools such as Shopify, BigCommerce, QuickBooks, and WooCommerce can make omnichannel shopping experiences a seamless experience as data is synced across the platforms for better oversight into performance.
Square card reader
Fees: First card reader free of charge, additional readers are $10, transaction fees 2.6% + 10¢ per swipe.
Portable/Mobile/Countertop: All options available
PCI Compliance: Yes
Integrations and Extensions: Integrates with Square Point of Sale app
Square is undoubtedly one of the most popular card readers for businesses, regardless of size. One of the bigger players in payment solutions, Square offers a wide variety of options for credit card machines for small businesses. Their hardware solution is easy to fit into existing payment systems, and their cloud-based software solutions provide additional value when it comes to data and analytics on financial performance.
The first Square credit card reader is free of charge for businesses. While the hardware is free of charge, Square does have some fees associated with transaction fees – 2.6% + 10¢ per swipe. It is also available as a mobile solution so businesses can use it on their own smartphone or tablet, or credit card readers can be purchased, including portable and countertop options. Square’s card reader accepts all major contactless payments, chip and pin cards. In addition, the card reader is connected to Square’s free Point of Sale app to ensure that the Square card reader can accept payments easily and securely on different devices. This makes it more flexible for businesses looking to quickly integrate card readers into payment options and gives customers an easy and fast checkout experience.
Square does not make businesses sign long-term contracts or commitments, which is great for businesses just starting out. The Square card reader can accept payments online or offline, and all payments are encrypted right from the start to ensure customer and business data protection. Plus, card readers are quickly dispatched to businesses, allowing for a fast setup time.