PDQ Machine Cost Calculator UK 2026: Calculate Card Machine Fees Quick Answer
A PDQ machine can cost very little upfront, but the card machine itself is rarely the most important cost.
What matters is your:
Transaction rate
Number of transactions
Fixed authorisation charges
Terminal rental or hardware cost
Monthly account fees
PCI or compliance charges
Contract length
A business taking £1,000 per month by card and one taking £100,000 per month should not necessarily choose the same payment provider.
Use our PDQ machine cost calculator below to estimate your monthly payment costs, annual cost, effective processing rate and potential savings from switching.
Calculate Your PDQ Machine Costs
PDQ Machine Cost Calculator UK
PDQ Machine Cost Calculator UK
Estimate your monthly PDQ machine costs, transaction fees, total contract cost and potential savings from switching provider.
PDQ machine type
Mobile card reader Portable PDQ machine Countertop PDQ machine Smart terminal / EPOS terminal Custom merchant account Changing this updates suggested default fees
Contract length
No contract / pay monthly 12 months 18 months 24 months 36 months Used to estimate total contract cost
Your estimated PDQ machine costs
Estimated monthly cost
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Estimated annual cost
£0.00
Total contract cost
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Effective processing rate
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Potential monthly saving
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Enter your figures to estimate your PDQ machine costs.
Recommendation will appear here.
This calculator is an estimate only. Actual PDQ machine costs vary by provider, card mix, business type, transaction volume, card type, contract length, equipment, PCI fees and payment method.
Key Takeaways
PDQ machine cost is made up of much more than terminal rental.
Transaction fees can become the largest cost as card turnover increases.
Fixed per-transaction fees matter particularly when businesses process lots of small payments.
Flat-rate card readers can offer simple pricing without a monthly terminal contract.
Monthly plans or negotiated merchant rates can become more attractive as card turnover increases.
Square currently charges 1.75% for UK card-present payments.SumUp currently charges 1.69% on its pay-as-you-go plan and offers a lower 0.99% rate on eligible domestic consumer card payments through Payments Plus for £19/month.Dojo currently publishes a 1.2% blended rate for businesses below £100,000 annual card turnover, with custom pricing available above that level.
Higher-volume businesses should ask providers for personalised pricing rather than assuming the public rate is their best option.
We think the most useful comparison is your effective payment cost: total payment fees divided by total card turnover.
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How do we work?
Our comparisons are researched and reviewed by the Compare Your Business Costs editorial team using provider information, official UK guidance and business buying criteria. See how Compare Your Business Costs works .
Authored by: Ally Cox (Business Technology & B2B Services Specialist, 10+ Years’ Experience)
Last Updated: October 2026
Contents
What Is a PDQ Machine? A PDQ machine is a payment terminal businesses use to accept debit and credit card payments and modern machines can typically accept:
Chip & PIN
Contactless cards
Apple Pay
Google Pay
Other compatible digital wallets
PDQ machines are also commonly called:
Card machines
Card terminals
Payment terminals
Chip & PIN machines
Card readers
The term originally referred to Process Data Quickly and t oday, most UK businesses simply use PDQ machine as another term for a card payment terminal.
How Much Does a PDQ Machine Cost in the UK? There isn’t one standard PDQ machine price.
Your costs can include:
Hardware purchase
Some providers sell the terminal upfront.
Terminal rental
Traditional merchant-service arrangements may charge monthly for each machine.
Transaction percentage
A percentage of each payment.
Per-transaction charge
Some pricing models add a fixed fee each time a transaction is authorised.
Monthly plan or account fee
Some providers charge for a payment plan, software or merchant services.
PCI charges
Depending on the provider and arrangement.
Other fees
These can potentially include charges relating to refunds, chargebacks, international cards, premium cards, payment gateways or early termination.
Our view
This is why “How much is the card machine?” is usually the wrong first question.
A £20/month terminal costs £240 per year.
But a 0.5 percentage-point difference in transaction costs on £200,000 annual card turnover is £1,000 per year.
For a busy merchant the payment rate can matter considerably more than the terminal rental.
How to Calculate PDQ Machine Costs A useful simplified calculation is Card turnover × transaction percentage + Number of transactions × fixed transaction charge + Terminal/plan fees + Other payment charges = Estimated total card-processing cost.
For example, imagine a business processes £10,000/month across 500 transactions.
Its hypothetical pricing is 1.2% + 3p per transaction + £20/month terminal cost.
Percentage fee £10,000 × 1.2% = £120
Transaction charges 500 × £0.03 = £15
Terminal £20
Estimated monthly cost £155.
Estimated annual cost £1,860.
This example is illustrative rather than a provider quote.
What Is Your Effective Card Processing Rate? This is one of the numbers we think more businesses should calculate.
Take your total monthly card-processing cost and divide it by total monthly card turnover, Then multiply by 100.
For example £155 total fees ÷ £10,000 turnover × 100 = 1.55%.
Your effective processing rate = 1.55%.
This figure incorporates more than the advertised transaction percentage.
Why we like this number
Imagine Provider A advertises:
1.1% transactions.
Provider B advertises:
1.3% transactions.
Provider A sounds cheaper.
But Provider A may also have:
Authorisation charges
Terminal rental
Account fees
Other fixed costs
while Provider B may have fewer extras.
The advertised transaction rate doesn’t necessarily tell you which provider costs less.
The effective rate gives you a much better comparison.
Which PDQ Machine Is Cheapest for Your Card Turnover? There isn’t a universal turnover point where one type of card machine automatically becomes cheaper, but turnover changes which pricing models are worth comparing.
Very low card turnover
Start by comparing:
No-monthly-fee readers
Tap to Pay
Simple pay-as-you-go pricing
The priority is often avoiding fixed costs when relatively little money is being processed.
Growing card turnover
Compare:
Pay-as-you-go readers
Monthly plans with lower transaction rates
Traditional PDQ machines
This is where calculating the break-even point becomes particularly valuable.
Higher card turnover
Ask providers for:
custom merchant pricing.
Small percentage differences become increasingly valuable as turnover rises.
Very high card turnover
Negotiate.
At this point, don’t assume a provider’s standard online pricing is the best rate available to your business.
Is a No-Monthly-Fee Card Reader Really Cheaper? Sometimes, but not always.
This is one of the most important calculations on this page.
Consider a real current example.
SumUp’s pay-as-you-go plan currently charges £0/month + 1.69% for in-person payments.
Its Payments Plus plan currently costs £19/month + 0.99% for eligible domestic consumer card payments.
The transaction-rate difference is 0.70 percentage points.
Ignoring card-mix differences for a simple illustration, the monthly break-even calculation is £19 ÷ 0.007 = approximately £2,714.
So once around £2,714/month is processed at the eligible lower rate, the £19 subscription can theoretically be recovered through the transaction-rate saving.
In practice, your card mix matters and SumUp itself currently positions Payments Plus for businesses processing around £3,000 or more each month.
Our view
This demonstrates an important point, £0/month does not mean cheapest.
The higher your turnover the more attention you should pay to the transaction rate.
PDQ Machine Cost Example: £1,000 Monthly Turnover At low turnover, fixed monthly costs matter disproportionately.
For example £20/month in fixed terminal charges represents 2% of £1,000 turnover before a single transaction fee is added.
That is why we would generally start a low-volume comparison with:
Pay-as-you-go card readers
No-monthly-fee options
Tap to Pay
rather than assuming a traditional terminal contract will be cheaper.
PDQ Machine Cost Example: £10,000 Monthly Turnover At £10,000/month a 0.5 percentage-point difference = £50/month.
That’s £600/year.
At this turnover paying a modest monthly fee in exchange for a meaningfully lower processing rate can make financial sense.
But calculate it using your actual quote.
PDQ Machine Cost Example: £50,000 Monthly Turnover At £50,000/month a 0.5 percentage-point difference = £250/month.
That’s £3,000/year.
Now the transaction rate is likely to deserve considerably more attention than whether the terminal costs £15 or £25 per month.
This is why we think higher-turnover businesses should negotiate their merchant pricing rather than automatically accepting a standard rate.
What Are PDQ Machine Authorisation Fees? An authorisation fee is a fixed amount charged when a transaction is authorised.
For example 3p per transaction – t hat sounds insignificant.
But suppose a coffee shop processes 5,000 transactions/month At 3p each 5,000 × £0.03 = £150/month.
That’s £1,800/year.
Our view
Authorisation fees matter particularly to businesses with lots of low-value transactions.
A percentage-only comparison can therefore be misleading for:
Cafes
Quick-service restaurants
Convenience stores
Pubs
High-volume retail
Use the calculator above to include both percentage + per-transaction cost.
PDQ Machine Rental vs Buying a Card Reader Card-machine hardware is generally provided in one of several ways.
Buy upfront
Common with simple card readers and you buy the device and then pay transaction fees.
Monthly terminal rental
Common with traditional merchant-service arrangements and you pay a monthly amount for the terminal alongside processing fees.
Monthly payment plan
Some modern providers let businesses spread hardware costs.
Tap to Pay
Compatible smartphones can sometimes accept contactless payments without separate card-machine hardware.
Our view
Don’t compare:
£19 card reader
with:
£20/month terminal
and conclude the first provider must be cheaper.
Hardware and payment processing are:
two different parts of the cost.
The provider with the more expensive terminal could still have the lower total annual cost.
What Other PDQ Machine Fees Should You Check? Before signing, check whether your quote includes:
Terminal rental
Is each machine charged separately?
Authorisation fees
Is there a fixed cost per transaction?
PCI fees
Is PCI compliance included or separately charged?
Minimum monthly service charges
Do you pay a minimum amount regardless of turnover?
Refund fees
What happens when you refund a customer?
Chargeback fees
What does a disputed payment cost?
International card fees
Do non-UK cards cost more?
Commercial card fees
Are business cards priced differently?
Premium card fees
Do some card types attract a higher rate?
Gateway charges
Relevant if you also take payments online.
Early termination charges
What happens if you want to switch before the contract ends?
Replacement hardware
Who pays if the terminal fails?
Which PDQ Machine Does Your Business Need? Sole traders & very small businesses
Start by comparing:
Mobile card readers
Tap to Pay
No-monthly-fee plans
Keep fixed costs low unless your transaction volume justifies paying for a lower rate.
Market traders & pop-ups
Prioritise:
Portability
Mobile connectivity
Battery life
Simple pricing
Cafes
Prioritise:
Fast transactions
Reliable connectivity
Low costs on high transaction volumes
EPOS integration where required
Restaurants & pubs
Prioritise:
Portable terminals
Pay at table
Tips
Bill splitting
EPOS integration
Reliable Wi-Fi/mobile backup
Retail shops
Prioritise:
Countertop reliability
EPOS integration
Transaction speed
Reporting
Competitive processing rates
Salons & clinics
Consider:
Portable payments
Countertop terminals
Deposits
Payment links
Appointment/POS integration
Tradespeople
Prioritise:
Mobile connectivity
Portable hardware
Payment links
Low fixed costs
High-volume merchants
Prioritise:
Negotiated transaction rates
Authorisation charges
Card mix
Settlement
Reliability
Support
Contract terms
PDQ Machine Providers to Compare in 2026 Square
Worth considering for businesses wanting straightforward flat-rate pricing, low upfront hardware costs and integrated POS functionality.
SumUp
Particularly relevant to small businesses because it now offers both simple pay-as-you-go pricing and a monthly plan with lower eligible transaction rates.
Dojo
We think Dojo deserves particularly close consideration for hospitality, retail and other businesses prioritising modern hardware, fast payments and extensive EPOS integration.
Handepay
Particularly interesting for established businesses that want their existing merchant statements analysed to see whether switching could reduce processing costs.
Takepayments
Worth comparing for SMEs looking for card machines and merchant services with direct support.
Clover
Worth considering where businesses want payments and POS functionality within one hardware/software ecosystem.
Worldpay
A major merchant-services provider worth comparing for businesses needing in-person and broader payment processing.
Tyl by NatWest
Another relevant option for UK SMEs comparing countertop and portable card-machine services.
PDQ Machine vs Card Reader: What’s the Difference? The distinction has become increasingly blurred.
Traditionally PDQ machine meant a countertop or portable merchant terminal.
Whereas card reader often meant a smaller device paired with a smartphone or tablet.
Modern payment hardware doesn’t fit neatly into those categories but today’s market includes:
Mobile readers
Portable smart terminals
Countertop machines
All-in-one POS terminals
Handheld ordering and payment devices
Smartphone Tap to Pay
Our view
Don’t get too caught up in whether a provider calls its product – a PDQ machine, card reader or smart terminal.
Compare what it actually does and what it actually costs.
Should You Choose a Portable or Countertop PDQ Machine? Countertop terminal
Usually makes sense where customers always pay at:
A till
A reception desk
A checkout
Portable terminal
Makes more sense where payment needs to move around:
Restaurants
Pubs
Large shops
Salons
Clinics
Mobile card reader
Can suit:
Tradespeople
Market sellers
Pop-ups
Mobile services
Smart terminal
Can make sense where you want additional:
POS functionality
Apps
Receipts
Reporting
EPOS integration
When Should You Compare PDQ Machine Quotes? Consider comparing providers when:
Your card turnover has increased significantly
You haven’t renegotiated your processing rates for several years
Your existing contract is approaching renewal
You don’t understand your current merchant statement
You are paying multiple fixed charges
Your existing terminals are unreliable
You need faster settlement
You need better EPOS integration
You need portable terminals
Your business has expanded to more locations
Your average transaction value has changed
Your card mix has changed
Our view
We wouldn’t use a fixed rule such as “switch once turnover reaches £3,000′ as that might happen to align with a particular provider’s pricing structure, but it isn’t a universal merchant-services rule.
Instead put your real numbers into the calculator. If another pricing model produces a meaningful potential saving get quotes.
How to Reduce PDQ Machine Costs Calculate your effective rate
Start by understanding what you’re actually paying.
Use your real transaction data
Don’t compare providers using hypothetical turnover if you already have merchant statements.
Negotiate at higher turnover
Standard rates aren’t necessarily the final rate available.
Check fixed transaction fees
Especially if you process lots of low-value payments.
Don’t overpay for terminals
Only rent the number of machines you genuinely need.
Check whether a monthly plan reduces transaction costs
Then calculate the break-even point.
Review your card mix
Make sure an advertised rate applies to the cards your customers actually use.
Compare the whole contract
Include hardware, processing, account fees and termination terms.
Review pricing as turnover grows
A payment setup that was competitive at £2,000/month may not remain competitive at £20,000/month.
What Should You Ask a PDQ Machine Provider? Before signing, ask:
What is our transaction rate? Does that rate apply to every card?
What do domestic consumer debit cards cost?
What do credit cards cost?
What do commercial cards cost?
What do international cards cost?
What does American Express cost?
Is there an authorisation fee?
Is there terminal rental?
Is there a monthly account charge?
Is there a minimum monthly charge?
Is there a PCI fee?
What does a refund cost?
What does a chargeback cost?
How quickly are funds settled?
What is the contract length?
What happens if we leave early?
Does the terminal integrate with our EPOS?
What happens if our internet connection fails?
What is our estimated total annual cost?
Our View: How Much Should You Really Pay for a PDQ Machine? We think businesses spend too much time comparing card machines and not enough time comparing payment economics.
Imagine two providers.
Provider A
offers a card reader for£19.
Provider B
charges£20/month.
Provider A immediately looks cheaper.
But suppose Provider B’s processing rate is sufficiently lower to save £150/month.
The expensive-looking machine becomes the cheaper payment solution.
The reverse can happen at low turnover.
A business processing only £500/month
might save almost nothing from a slightly lower transaction rate.
Paying substantial monthly fixed charges to obtain that rate could therefore make no sense.
That’s why we think the right PDQ machine depends heavily on turnover + transaction volume + card mix + hardware requirements.
And there is another important distinction – cost isn’t the only value.
A busy restaurant may value:
Fast payments
Reliable connectivity
EPOS integration
Pay at table
Quick settlement
more highly than a sole trader taking a few payments each week.
So our preferred buying process is:
Step 1: Calculate your current effective payment cost.Step 2: Enter the figures into the calculator above.Step 3: Test alternative transaction rates and monthly fees.Step 4: Identify where another pricing structure starts saving money.Step 5: Get personalised quotes using your real turnover and card profile.Step 6: Compare functionality and contracts once you’ve established the commercial difference.
Most importantly don’t assume £0 monthly fee means cheapest.
And don’t assume the lowest advertised percentage means cheapest either.
Calculate what £1 of card payments actually costs your business.
That’s the number we’d compare.
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PDQ Machine Cost Calculator FAQs How much does a PDQ machine cost in the UK?
Costs vary considerably. Some card readers involve a relatively small upfront hardware purchase and no monthly fee, while other terminals involve monthly charges alongside transaction fees. Total cost depends much more on your payment profile than the terminal alone.
What does PDQ stand for?
PDQ originally referred to “Process Data Quickly”. Today, PDQ machine is commonly used to mean a card payment terminal.
Is a PDQ machine the same as a card machine?
Yes. The terms PDQ machine, card machine and payment terminal are commonly used interchangeably.
How do I calculate PDQ machine fees?
Calculate your percentage transaction charges, add any fixed per-transaction fees, then add terminal rental, monthly account costs and other relevant payment fees.
What is an effective card processing rate?
Divide your total card-processing fees by your total card turnover and multiply by 100. This produces an effective percentage that can make different pricing structures easier to compare.
Are no-monthly-fee card readers cheaper?
They can be for low-volume businesses. As turnover rises, a paid plan or merchant arrangement with a lower transaction rate can potentially become cheaper overall.
What is the cheapest PDQ machine?
There isn’t one cheapest machine for every business. The cheapest payment solution depends on turnover, transaction volume, card mix, hardware requirements and additional fees.
How much does Square charge?
Square currently charges 1.75% for UK card-present transactions. Its Square Reader currently costs £19 + VAT.
How much does SumUp charge?
SumUp currently charges 1.69% for standard in-person payments on its £0/month pay-as-you-go plan. Payments Plus costs £19/month or £189/year and currently reduces eligible domestic consumer card transactions to 0.99%.
How much does Dojo charge?
Dojo currently publishes a 1.2% blended transaction rate for businesses below £100,000 annual card turnover. Businesses above this level can receive custom pricing.
What is an authorisation fee?
An authorisation fee is a fixed charge attached to a payment authorisation. Even a small fee can become significant for businesses processing thousands of transactions.
Why does average transaction value matter?
If your provider charges a fixed amount per transaction, a business taking thousands of small payments can pay considerably more in fixed transaction fees than another business with the same turnover but fewer, larger payments.
Do different cards cost different amounts to process?
They can. Pricing may differ for domestic consumer, commercial, premium and international cards depending on your provider and pricing model.
Do PDQ machines have monthly fees?
Some do and some don’t. Pay-as-you-go readers often avoid monthly service fees, while other terminals and merchant arrangements can involve hardware rental or monthly plans.
Do PDQ machines have hidden fees?
Payment agreements can include charges beyond the headline transaction rate. Check authorisation, PCI, minimum service, refund, chargeback, terminal, international-card and early termination costs where applicable.
Is a merchant account cheaper than a card reader?
It can be at higher turnover, particularly where the business can negotiate a lower transaction rate. But a low-volume business may benefit more from avoiding fixed monthly costs.
When should I switch from a card reader to a merchant account?
There isn’t one universal turnover threshold. Calculate your existing total payment cost and compare it with personalised alternatives. Switch when the saving or operational benefits justify the change.
Can I negotiate card processing fees?
Higher-turnover merchants can often access custom pricing from some providers. Use your existing transaction history and merchant statements when asking for quotes.
What is the best PDQ machine for restaurants?
Restaurants should consider transaction cost alongside portable payments, EPOS integration, connectivity, tips, bill splitting, settlement and support. Dojo, Square, SumUp, Clover and traditional merchant providers can all be relevant depending on the restaurant.
What is the best PDQ machine for a small business?
Small businesses should compare simple pay-as-you-go readers with monthly plans and merchant services according to turnover. Square and SumUp are relevant examples at the simple-pricing end of the market, while growing businesses should compare a wider range of merchant providers.
Can I use my phone instead of a PDQ machine?
Some providers support Tap to Pay on compatible smartphones, allowing contactless payments without a separate physical card reader.
Can I compare PDQ machine quotes for free?
Yes. Compare Your Business Costs helps UK businesses compare card-machine and merchant-service options without obligation.
Compare PDQ Machine Quotes Use the calculator above to estimate your existing or expected payment costs.
Then compare providers based on:
Transaction rate
Card mix
Authorisation fees
Terminal costs
Monthly fees
Settlement
EPOS integration
Connectivity
Support
Contract length
Early termination costs
Total annual cost
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Hi, I’m Ally Cox , a senior copywriter and blogger at CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, the UK’s trusted platform for comparing business services.over a decade of experience in the B2B sector, I specialise in simplifying complex topics like leased lines, VoIP, business energy, HR and payroll solutions, accounting software, and EPOS systems .HR, copywriting, and business operations- from clocking-in systems to card machines and office technology .informed, confident decisions when choosing products and services that improve efficiency and save money.
