Step 1: define how the business takes payment
Record every payment journey: fixed till, table, customer site, phone, online, subscription or a mixture. Note peak transaction flow, connectivity constraints, receipt needs, refunds, tips, EPOS and reporting.
Step 2: build a clean data pack
For an existing business, use recent merchant statements covering representative months. Record turnover, transaction count, average value, card mix, devices, payment channels and current contracts. A new business should use cautious forecasts and avoid pretending they are precise.
Step 3: issue the same brief to every provider
Ask each provider to solve the same requirements and model the same data. Request the complete monthly and contractual position, not a headline rate.
Step 4: score cost and fit separately
| Commercial score | Operational score |
|---|---|
| Total processing cost | Terminal type and usability |
| Fixed and one-off charges | Connectivity and resilience |
| Contract and notice | EPOS and reporting |
| Price-change provisions | Support and replacement |
| Settlement options | Refund, tip and permission workflow |
Step 5: test the real workflow
Ask for a demonstration or trial where available and run the awkward cases: split payment, partial refund, lost connection, wrong amount, terminal failure and end-of-day reconciliation. A clean demo sale proves very little.
Step 6: read every linked agreement
Check whether acquiring, hardware and software are separate. Record each minimum term, notice window, renewal, cancellation cost and price-change clause. Do not rely on a salesperson’s summary where the contract says something different.
Step 7: plan the change before cancelling
If you decide to move, get the new setup approved, configured and tested before ending the old service. Confirm bank details, settlement, refunds and any integrations, then give notice through the required channel.
How to compare and buy a card machine
A seven-step process for choosing a UK card-payment setup on evidence rather than headline pricing.
- 1
Define the payment journeys
List where, when and how customers pay, plus the workflow and resilience the business needs.
- 2
Prepare transaction data
Use representative statements or cautious forecasts, including transaction count and card mix.
- 3
Send one comparison brief
Ask every shortlisted provider to price and solve the same requirements.
- 4
Model the complete cost
Include processing, fixed charges, hardware, software, settlement and one-off costs.
- 5
Test difficult workflows
Check refunds, connection loss, tips, split payments, permissions and reconciliation as relevant.
- 6
Read all agreements
Map the term, notice, renewal, exit and price-change position for each contract.
- 7
Switch in a controlled overlap
Approve and test the new setup before cancelling the old one, then monitor early settlements.
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About this guide
Published by Card Payment Connect, an independent card-payment consultancy for UK businesses. Reviewed by Matthew McCarthy, who has worked in UK merchant services for over a decade. Last reviewed 11 September 2026.