The POS Blog
Sharp, practical tips on card machines, POS systems and payment fees - written for busy UK business owners, not fintech insiders.
Card Payments for Window Cleaners & Round-Based Trades
Card payments for window cleaners: payment links by text, Direct Debit for the round, and Tap to Pay at the door. Honest fee maths on a £15 clean.
Card Machines & POS for Takeaways: Counter, Phone Orders and Delivery Apps
Card machines and POS for takeaways: faster counter payments, safer phone orders, and why your own card fees beat 15-30% delivery app commissions.
Card Machines for Butchers: Taking the Counter Cashless-Ready
Card machines for butchers: keep your cash regulars, add contactless at the counter, take Christmas order deposits and protect thin margins on fees.
POS Systems for Bakeries: Morning Rush, Wholesale and Counting the Trays
Bakery POS systems compared: one-tap speed for the 7am rush, fee maths on low-ticket sales, wholesale invoicing and end-of-day reports that cut waste.
Card Machines for Florists: Shop, Weddings and Phone Orders
Card machines for florists: counter taps, phone orders for funeral and distance work, wedding deposits, and a backup reader plan for Valentine's Day.
POS Systems for Retail Shops: Stock, Staff and the Saturday Queue (UK 2026)
Retail POS is a stock decision first and a payments one second. What a small UK shop needs, how far free tiers go, and when paid retail POS earns its keep.
Card Machines for Dog Groomers: Bookings, No-Shows and Muddy £45 Appointments
Dog groomers lose more to no-shows than to card fees. How deposits, card-on-file and a cheap reader protect £45 appointments — including in the van.
Card Payments for B&Bs and Guest Houses: Deposits, No-Shows and Checkout
How B&Bs and guest houses should take card payments: deposits and pre-auths, virtual terminals for phone bookings, and beating OTA commission on direct stays.
Contactless Donations for Charities: Tap-to-Donate Boxes That Actually Work
Cash tins are emptying because pockets are. How UK charities set up tap-to-donate — fixed-amount boxes vs £19 readers, Gift Aid, and fees on a £5 donation.
Card Machines for Seasonal Businesses: Christmas Markets to Summer Sites
Seasonal traders should never pay for a card machine in months they don't trade. Why no-monthly-fee readers win, plus cold-weather and staffing realities.
Accepting Foreign Cards from Tourists: Fees, DCC and Why GBP Wins
Foreign cards can cost merchants more — unless you're on a flat rate. What tourist payments really cost, why DCC is a bad deal, and why charging in GBP wins.
What Is a Merchant ID (MID)? Where to Find Yours and When You'll Need It
Your merchant ID is the account number behind every card payment you take. Here is where to find it, when you will need it, and what to do without one.
Card Machine Rental vs Buying: The Full-Term Maths
Renting a card machine at £20 a month costs more than buying one within a year. We run the full-term maths on rental vs buying so you do not overpay.
Should Your Small Business Accept Amex? The 2026 Answer Is Probably Yes
Amex used to cost small businesses more. On flat-rate readers it now costs the same as Visa. Here is why the old advice is dead and how to switch it on.
Interchange Fees Explained: The Wholesale Cost Inside Every Card Payment
Interchange fees are the wholesale cost inside every card payment. We explain the UK caps, what is not capped, and why your rate is many times higher.
Pay by Bank: Is Open Banking About to Undercut Your Card Machine?
Pay by bank moves money account to account for a fraction of card fees. We weigh the savings against weaker protection and slow in-person adoption.
Business Bank Accounts and Card Payments: What Pairs Well (UK 2026)
Which business bank account pairs best with card payments? Name-matching rules, sole trader nuances, free accounts and payout timing, all explained.
Taking Deposits as a Small Business: Card-on-File, Terms and Refund Rules
Taking deposits as a small business: when they are fair, card-on-file options, written terms, refund rules and how to handle disputes without drama.
Invoice Payments vs a Card Machine: How Should Your Business Get Paid?
Invoice payments or a card machine? The real cost of waiting 30 days, pay-by-link as the middle path, and when proper invoicing still wins for UK firms.
The True Cost of Taking Cash (It Isn't Free Either)
Cash is not free. Deposit fees, cashing-up time, banking runs and float errors all cost real money. Here is the honest arithmetic on taking cash in the UK.
POS Reports: The 15 Minutes a Week That Run Your Business Better
The five POS reports worth your time: sales by hour, product, category, refunds and year-on-year. Fifteen minutes a week that genuinely run the business.
Card Machine Security: The Scams That Actually Target Small Businesses
Skimming is rare on modern card machines. The real threats are staff refund fraud, upgrade phone scams and fake payment screens. Here is how to stop them.
Dojo Card Machine Fees Explained: What You'll Actually Be Quoted
Dojo doesn't publish prices - every fee is quoted. What's typically in a Dojo quote, the questions to ask before signing, and how to compare it against flat-rate rivals.
How to Cancel Dojo (Without Paying More Than You Have To)
Leaving Dojo is mostly about timing and paperwork: your notice period, any exit fees, and returning the rented terminal. The step-by-step, plus how to avoid a payment gap.
Average Card Machine Fees in the UK (2026): What Counts as Normal?
UK small businesses typically pay 1.4%-1.75% per card payment all-in. Where that number comes from, why big retailers pay far less, and how to tell if yours is high.
What Is a PDQ Machine? (And Why Everyone Stopped Calling It That)
PDQ stands for 'Process Data Quickly' - 1990s bank jargon for a card machine. What the term means now, the three types, and what to buy instead of renting one.
How Do Card Machines Actually Work? The Two-Second Journey of a Tap
Between the tap and the beep, your customer's payment visits four companies. How authorisation, settlement and payouts actually work - and why the fee exists at all.
What's the Contactless Limit in the UK? (£100 - With Big Exceptions)
The UK contactless card limit is £100 per tap - but Apple Pay and Google Pay have no limit at all. What that means for your till, your customers and your average sale.
Card Machines for Taxi Drivers: What Actually Works in a Cab
London black cabs must take cards by law - and everywhere else, drivers who don't are losing fares. The readers that survive a 10-hour shift, and the fee maths on a £12 fare.
Card Machines for Hairdressers: Salon, Mobile and Chair Renters Sorted
Three different hairdressing setups, three different right answers - and none of them costs more than £40 up front. Plus the tipping and deposit features worth having.
Card Machine Not Working? The 10-Minute Fix List (Before You Panic)
A queue forming and a dead terminal is every owner's nightmare. The fixes in the order that actually resolves them, the fallbacks that keep you trading, and the £19 insurance policy.
Do Businesses Have to Give Receipts in the UK? (Mostly No - With Catches)
There's no general legal duty to hand over a receipt in the UK - but VAT invoices, online sales and your own records are a different story. The actual rules, minus the folklore.
EPOS & POS Systems in Sheffield: A Local's Guide (2026)
The POS is based in Sheffield, so this one's personal: what Steel City businesses actually need from an EPOS system, and why buying local rarely beats buying right.
Card Machines for Sheffield Market Traders: Moor Market to Sharrow Vale
What actually works on a Sheffield stall: readers that survive a full day, signal realities indoors at the Moor Market, and why no-monthly-fee is non-negotiable for traders.
POS Systems for Sheffield Cafes: What the Indies Actually Run
Sheffield's independent coffee scene runs on iPad tills and flat-rate readers. What to copy, what to skip, and the fee maths at real cafe volumes.
Card Payments for Sheffield Salons & Barbers (Ecclesall Road to Hillsborough)
Sheffield's salons and barbershops are booking-first businesses. The card machine is the easy bit - the diary, deposits and no-show protection are where the money is.
Taking Card Payments at Sheffield's Street Food Markets & Events
Peddler, the food halls, Tramlines weekend: Sheffield street food is card-first now. The setup that survives a festival crowd - battery, signal, speed and a backup.
Card Tips and the UK Tipping Law: What Your Business Must Do
Since October 2024, 100% of tips must reach your staff - and you can't deduct card fees from them. What the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act means for your till setup.
Chargebacks: What UK Small Businesses Actually Need to Know
A chargeback claws the money back out of your account first and asks questions later. How the process works, what it costs, and the habits that stop most of them.
Are Card Machine Fees Tax Deductible in the UK? (Yes - Here's How)
Card processing fees are an allowable business expense - but the VAT picture surprises people. What you can deduct, what you can reclaim, and the records HMRC wants.
Free POS Software: What You Actually Get (UK 2026)
Square, SumUp and Zettle all give away genuinely capable till software. What free really includes, where the paid tiers start, and who never needs to upgrade.
Can You Charge Customers for Card Payments in the UK? (2026 Rules)
Card surcharges on consumer cards have been banned in the UK since 2018 - but minimum spends and cash discounts are legal. The rules, the exceptions and the smarter fix.
The Best Card Machine for Sole Traders (UK 2026)
Sole traders don't need contracts, monthly fees or a business bank account to take cards. The setups that fit one-person businesses, and the traps to skip.
PCI Compliance Fees Explained: The Sneaky Charge on Your Card Machine Bill
PCI DSS fees add £30-£500 a year to many UK card machine bills - and the 'non-compliance' version is pure penalty. What PCI actually is, who charges for it, and how to stop paying.
Can a Business Legally Refuse Cash in the UK? (Going Cashless in 2026)
Yes - UK businesses can legally refuse cash, and 'legal tender' doesn't mean what most people think. What the law says, and whether going card-only is actually a good idea.
Card Reader vs Card Machine: What's the Difference (and Which Do You Need)?
Card reader, card machine, terminal, PDQ - the industry uses four names for two products. What each one actually is, the real price difference, and which fits your counter.
What Is an EPOS System? A Plain-English Guide for UK Small Businesses
EPOS explained without the jargon: what an EPOS system actually does, what it costs, who genuinely needs one and who is fine with a £19 card reader.
EPOS vs a Traditional Till: Is It Worth Upgrading?
An honest look at swapping the old cash register for EPOS: what you gain, what it costs, and the businesses where the dumb till is genuinely the right call.
How Much Does a POS System Cost in the UK? (2026 Breakdown)
Real UK POS system costs for 2026: hardware, monthly software, transaction fees and the extras nobody quotes - plus the cheapest routes that are not false economy.
Choosing a POS System for Your Salon or Barbershop (UK 2026)
Salon POS without the fluff: booking integration, deposits that kill no-shows, staff splits and retail - and which systems do it for sensible money.
Best POS System for Pubs and Bars in the UK (2026)
What a pub POS actually needs to do - tabs, speed, split bills, wet-led stock - and which systems handle a Friday night rush without falling over.
How to Take Card Payments as a Small Business (UK 2026)
How to take card payments as a UK small business in 2026, with the main options, real fees, setup times and a plain recommendation for most starters.
Card Machine Fees Compared: SumUp vs Square vs Zettle vs Dojo (2026)
Card machine fees compared for UK small businesses: SumUp, Square, Zettle and Dojo side by side, plus the sneaky extras that decide who's actually cheapest for you.
The Cheapest Way to Take Card Payments (UK 2026)
The cheapest way to take card payments in the UK depends on your volume. We rank the cheapest card readers and show the true all-in cost.
Best Card Machine for a Food Truck or Street Food Business (UK 2026)
Choosing a card machine for a food truck? We cut through the sales patter and pick the best mobile card readers for UK street food traders in 2026.
Do You Need a Card Machine? Card vs Cash for UK Small Businesses (2026)
Wondering if you need a card machine? For most UK small businesses in 2026 the answer is yes, but here's the honest cash vs card breakdown before you commit.
Best Card Machine for Small Business UK (2026)
The best UK card machines for small businesses in 2026 - by need, not by who pays us most. Fees, hardware, contracts and payouts compared in plain English.
How Much Does a Card Machine Cost in the UK? (2026)
A full breakdown of UK card machine costs in 2026 - hardware, transaction fees, monthly charges and the hidden extras - with worked examples by turnover.
Square vs Zettle: Which Is Better for UK Small Businesses? (2026)
Square vs PayPal Zettle compared for UK small businesses - fees, hardware, POS software and payouts, with a clear verdict on who each one suits.
5 Mistakes UK Businesses Make When Choosing a Card Machine
From chasing the lowest headline rate to ignoring the contract, here are the five traps that cost UK businesses money - and how to dodge them.
SumUp vs Square in 2026: Which Should Your Small Business Pick?
Two of the UK's most popular no-monthly-fee options, head to head. We break down fees, hardware and who each one actually suits.
How to Cut Your Card Processing Fees (Without Switching to a Worse Provider)
Seven practical ways UK businesses can shave money off card fees - from renegotiating to picking the right plan for your volume.
The Best Card Readers for Market Traders
Market stalls need a reader that works on mobile data, lasts all day and costs nothing when you're not trading. Here's what to look for.
Tap to Pay on iPhone: Is It Good Enough to Ditch the Card Machine?
Take contactless payments on your phone with no extra hardware. We look at who it suits - and where you'll still want a proper reader.
No-Contract Card Machines: What's the Catch?
No-contract sounds like a no-brainer - but there are trade-offs. Here's when pay-as-you-go wins and when a contract is genuinely cheaper.
Why Your Café Might Be Overpaying on Card Fees
Lots of small coffees means lots of tiny transactions - and that's exactly where the wrong setup quietly costs you. Here's how to fix it.
Restaurant POS in 2026: What Actually Matters
Tables, tabs, tips and a kitchen that's already on fire at 8pm. Here's what to prioritise in a restaurant POS - and what to ignore.
Getting Paid Faster: Which Providers Offer Same-Day Payouts?
Standard settlement is 1–2 working days. If cash flow is tight, here are the providers that get your money to you sooner.
Switching Card Machine Providers: A Stress-Free Checklist
Thinking of moving provider? Work through this checklist first so you don't get caught by exit fees, downtime or a worse rate.
Not sure what you need?
Tell us how your business takes payments and we'll point you towards providers that actually fit - not whoever's paying the biggest bounty this month.