Card machine, card reader, terminal or EPOS: what’s the difference?
In the UK the words get mixed up, so here is how we use them:
- Card reader: a small device that pairs with your phone or tablet by Bluetooth. Cheap to buy, usually pay as you go. Good for low volumes and mobile trading. See mobile card readers.
- Card machine or payment terminal (also called a PDQ machine or chip and PIN machine): a standalone device with its own screen, printer or SIM. Countertop, portable (Wi-Fi/Bluetooth) or mobile (4G) models.
- EPOS or POS system: the till itself, the software and hardware that rings up sales, tracks stock, prints receipts and reports takings. Most EPOS systems connect to a card terminal. See EPOS till systems.
- Merchant account / acquirer: the regulated firm that actually processes card payments and pays the money into your bank account.
Some providers (for example SumUp, Square and PayPal Point of Sale, formerly Zettle) bundle all of these into one sign-up. Others, such as Worldpay, Barclaycard or Lloyds Cardnet, are acquirers that work with many terminal and EPOS brands.
How to choose a card machine for your business
- Estimate your monthly card takings and average sale. This decides whether a pay-as-you-go flat rate or a quoted contract rate is cheaper.
- Decide how you take payments: at a counter, at the table, on the doorstep, at a market or at the pump. That decides countertop, portable or 4G mobile.
- Check your till: if you already use an EPOS system, pick a terminal that integrates with it so amounts aren’t keyed in twice.
- Read the whole price: transaction rate, monthly terminal fee, authorisation fees, PCI compliance fees, minimum monthly charges, refund and chargeback fees, and the contract term.
- Check how fast you get paid and whether you must open the provider’s own business account.
Our card machine comparison lays out the UK’s main providers side by side, and the guides by business type cover what matters for your sector.
Card payment rules every UK business should know
- No surcharges on consumer cards: since January 2018 you can’t charge consumers extra for paying by debit or credit card. Read can you charge for card payments?
- Contactless limits are changing: the FCA removed the fixed £100 limit in March 2026, so card issuers can now set their own. See the contactless limit explained.
- PCI DSS: every business that takes cards must protect card data under the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. Most providers include a yearly questionnaire, and some charge a fee if you don’t complete it.
- Price transparency: large card acquirers must give small businesses a summary box of their prices and send reminders when a contract’s minimum term is ending. See how to read a card machine quote.
Last updated: 16 October 2026