They’re extremely useful for mobile businesses like pet grooming, food trucks, auto repairing, etc. They connect over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G, or mobile data allowing you to accept payments anywhere.īenefits: Because these devices are smaller and lighter than countertop terminals-and portable-they’re great for processing payments on the go. These credit card terminals don’t require a physical connection to the internet or phone line making them ideal for processing payments on the go. Plus, they tend to be quite heavy, so it’s best to station them in a particular area of your store.Ĭost: Best suited for brick-and-mortar retail establishments, these devices can cost anywhere from $100 to $500 or more depending on the features, model, or brand. They‘re also very secure (since they’re hardwired) and minimize the risk of data breaches.ĭrawbacks: Because they use a hardwired connection, they have very limited mobility. You can also use them to process card-not-present transactions or equip them with pin pads for greater security.īenefits: Countertop terminals can be used to process a variety of payment methods including credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, and even manually keyed-in transactions. They can process many different payment methods including credit, debit, and gift cards. They typically sit on a desk or countertop and require an ethernet or phone connection to process payments. Traditional countertop EMV credit card machinesĬountertop terminals are the ones you’d most commonly see in retail stores. You must choose one that aligns with your business and customer needs. Now that we’ve covered what a credit card machine is used for and how it works, let’s take a look at the various types of credit card terminals available today. These machines have built-in keypads that allow you to manually enter credit card information collected from customers over the phone or by email. Some credit card machines also allow keyed entry for card-not-present transactions. Contactless payments are EMV compliant as well. Customers simply need to tap their credit cards or mobile phones (for Google Pay or Apple Pay transactions) against the credit card terminal and the NFC transmitter sends information to it wirelessly. Most credit card machines today include a traditional card swiper as well as an EMV chip card reader.Ĭredit card machines with NFC (near field communication) transmitters can accept contactless payments. This offers greater security and is EMV (Eurocard, Mastercard, and Visa) compliant. Some terminals use the chip-and-pin method in which cardholders need to insert their card and enter a pin. For example, magstripe cards (in which cardholder data is stored on magnetic stripes) are read by swiping them on a credit card terminal. How Do Credit Card Terminals Work?ĭepending on the types of payments you support, a credit card machine can accept payments in a variety of different methods. Sometimes, the credit card processor can also use a merchant account to hold your funds and deposit them directly to your checking account. When a customer makes a payment, funds are usually transferred from their bank account to your business’s merchant account. These machines are designed to send data to the payment processor over Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or a telephone line. In essence, credit card machines can accept debit and credit card payments from customers and transfer them to your merchant account. In this guide, we’ll take a look at the ins and outs of credit card machines and what you should look for when choosing one for your business. To get the most out of your payment processing, you need to choose a credit card machine that aligns with your business needs. Modern credit card machines come in a variety of forms-offering simple credit card processing features at one end of the spectrum to full-blown POS system functionality at the other. A slow and ineffective one can create poor checkout experiences for your customers, while a modern and robust credit card terminal allows you to serve shoppers better and even streamline payments and reporting in your business.
So while it might not seem like much, the type of credit card machine you use to accept payments can have a huge impact on your business.
Did you know that only 19% of consumers pay in cash, making it one of the least preferred modes of payment? While card payments are still widely used, contactless payments and mobile wallets continue to grow in popularity with each passing day.