Card Payments Explained

A card machine that sits by the till and connects via your broadband or phone line. The classic fixed terminal for serving customers at a counter.

A wireless card machine that works anywhere within range of your premises over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

A fully portable card machine with a built-in SIM that takes payments anywhere there's a mobile signal.

Tap-to-pay technology that lets customers pay by holding a card or phone near the terminal, including Apple Pay and Google Pay.

A specialist bank account that lets your business accept card payments and receive the funds.

Receiving the money from your card takings in your bank account the next working day, rather than after three or more days.

The technology that securely authorises and processes online card payments between your website, the customer and the bank.

A secure payment link you send to a customer by text or email so they can pay online without a website checkout.

A secure web page that lets you key in a customer's card details to take a payment over the phone or by post.

The fee your provider charges for processing each card payment, usually a percentage of the transaction.

A transparent pricing model that itemises exactly what you pay: interchange, scheme fees, and the provider's margin.

The monthly fee for renting your card machine hardware, separate from the per-transaction processing charge.

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard — the security rules every business taking card payments must follow.

The secure card payment method where a customer inserts their chip card and verifies with a PIN.

A security technique that replaces card details with a meaningless 'token', so real card numbers are never stored by your business.