Handepay Card Machine Review 2026: Fees, Costs & Alternatives
Quick Answer
Handepay provides card machines and payment services for UK businesses, including countertop terminals, the Saturn Android Smart Terminal, mobile payments, online payments and telephone payments.
Handepay currently says businesses can rent a card machine for less than £20 per month , although your total cost also includes transaction charges and depends on your individual quote and payment requirements.
Handepay is particularly worth comparing if you:
take regular face-to-face card payments
run a shop, café, restaurant, pub, salon or other SME
want a countertop or Android smart card terminal
want to take payments away from a fixed till
need online or telephone payments as well as card machines
want next-banking-day settlement where applicable
want 24/7/365 UK-based terminal support
want to integrate payments with a compatible EPOS system
Handepay currently states that its card-machine proposition does not charge a joining fee, minimum monthly service charge or PCI DSS compliance/non-compliance fees .
However, that does not mean using Handepay is free beyond the terminal rental.
Businesses still need to compare transaction charges and any other costs applying to their particular payment setup.
Considering Handepay?
Compare Card Machine Quotes →
Free quotes • No obligation • Compare UK card payment providers
Handepay at a Glance
Feature
Handepay
Card machines
Yes
Published terminal cost guide
Handepay says rental can be under £20/month
Saturn Android Smart Terminal
Yes
Countertop terminals
Yes
Mobile phone payments
Available through Genius Mobile Pay
Contactless
Yes
Apple Pay
Yes
Google Pay
Yes
Samsung Pay
Yes
Online payments
Yes
Telephone payments
Yes
Payment links
Available
EPOS integration
Available with compatible systems
Settlement
Next banking day available, subject to acquiring provider restrictions
Terminal support
24/7/365 UK-based support
Pricing
Individual quote based on business/payment requirements
Best fit
SMEs taking regular card payments
Key Takeaways
Handepay provides card machines and merchant payment services to UK businesses.
Handepay currently says card-machine rental can cost less than £20 per month.
Businesses also pay transaction charges, so terminal rental alone does not represent the total cost.
Handepay says it does not charge joining fees, minimum monthly service charges or PCI DSS compliance/non-compliance fees on its current card-machine proposition.
The Saturn Android Smart Terminal is Handepay’s main smart card terminal.
Handepay also provides countertop card machines and phone-based Genius Mobile Pay.
Businesses can accept face-to-face, online and telephone payments.
Next-banking-day settlement is available, although restrictions can vary according to the acquiring provider.
Handepay provides 24/7/365 UK-based terminal support.
The Saturn terminal can integrate with compatible EPOS systems.
Businesses should compare Handepay’s total annual cost rather than the terminal rental price alone.
Compare Handepay With Other Card Machine Providers →
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: September 2026
Contents
How Much Does a Handepay Card Machine Cost?
Handepay currently says businesses can rent a card machine for less than £20 per month.
However, card-machine rental is only one part of the cost.
Your total card-payment bill can include:
card-machine rental
debit-card transaction charges
credit-card transaction charges
commercial-card charges
card-not-present charges
online payment costs
gateway or virtual-terminal charges where applicable
other charges included in your individual agreement
Handepay’s own 2026 card-machine cost guide gives the following broad market benchmarks:
Cost
Handepay’s Published General Guide
Card-machine rental
£15-£30/month
Purchased card machine
Debit-card transaction fee
Credit-card transaction fee
Gateway/virtual terminal
Approximately £10-£20/month
These are general industry cost ranges published by Handepay, not guaranteed Handepay quotations.
Your actual price depends on your business and agreement.
Handepay provides an indicative card-payment quotation tool based on information including:
annual card turnover
average transaction value
business sector
Those are exactly the kinds of factors businesses should use when comparing card-payment providers.
See our full guide to card machine costs →
Handepay Fees Explained
One of Handepay’s main selling points is its approach to additional fees and their current card-machine information says customers won’t pay:
joining fees
minimum monthly service charges
PCI DSS compliance fees
PCI DSS non-compliance fees
Its countertop card-machine page also states that its proposition doesn’t include authorisation fees.
However, Handepay’s current support material says fees can depend on the individual setup and may include transaction, card-scheme, authorisation, PCI and card-not-present charges.
The safest approach is therefore to use the written quotation and agreement supplied specifically to your business rather than assuming every published general statement applies to every possible Handepay arrangement.
What should you check on a Handepay quote?
Charge
What to Check
Terminal rental
Debit cards
Percentage and any fixed transaction cost
Credit cards
Percentage and any fixed transaction cost
Commercial cards
Whether higher charges apply
Card-not-present payments
Charges for remote transactions
Online payments
Gateway and ecommerce costs
Refunds
Chargebacks
Applicable dispute charge
Settlement
When funds reach your account
Contract
Minimum term and notice period
Cancellation
Potential early exit charges
What’s the real Handepay cost?
For comparison purposes, calculate terminal rental + transaction charges + remote/online payment costs + applicable extras = expected total monthly cost.
Then compare that figure against alternative providers using the same card turnover and transaction mix.
Compare Card Machine Rates →
Handepay Card Machines
Handepay currently offers a selection of in-store payment options rather than one single card reader.
Its current range prominently includes:
Saturn Android Smart Terminal
countertop card machines
Genius Mobile Pay
All are intended for slightly different business requirements.
Handepay Countertop Card Machine
A countertop terminal is designed to remain at a fixed payment point.
It can suit:
shops
retailers
reception desks
salons
clinics
small cafés
service businesses
Handepay’s current countertop terminals support:
Chip & PIN
contactless
Apple Pay
Google Pay
Samsung Pay
Handepay says its countertop machines are plug-and-play and can generally be set up by the customer.
Its current guidance says businesses are typically set up to accept payments within around three working days after completing the application process.
Actual setup time can vary.
Handepay Saturn Android Smart Terminal
The Saturn Android Smart Termina l is the more modern device in Handepay’s current range.
It combines card acceptance with additional smart-terminal functionality.
Current features include:
Wi-Fi connectivity
4G connectivity
contactless payments
debit and credit cards
Apple Pay
Google Pay
Samsung Pay
digital receipts
EPOS integrations
The combination of Wi-Fi and 4G makes the Saturn terminal useful for businesses that don’t want payments restricted to a wired till.
Who might the Saturn terminal suit?
It can be particularly relevant to:
restaurants
cafés
pubs
retail stores
salons
hospitality businesses
service businesses
The ability to send digital receipts can also be useful where customers need receipts for expenses or businesses want to reduce paper use.
Handepay Mobile Card Payments
Businesses don’t necessarily need a traditional dedicated card terminal for every payment situation.
Handepay also offers Genius Mobile Pay , which enables compatible mobile devices to be used to accept payments.
This can be useful for:
tradespeople
mobile businesses
events
market sellers
delivery businesses
businesses visiting customers
businesses wanting an additional payment point
When comparing mobile payment solutions, check:
device compatibility
transaction rate
mobile connectivity requirements
settlement time
receipt options
monthly charges
For businesses taking only occasional mobile payments, also compare simple readers from providers such as SumUp and Square.
Handepay Online & Telephone Payments
Handepay isn’t limited to physical card machines.
Businesses can also take payments:
online
over the phone
through secure payment links
through ecommerce services
This can be useful for businesses combining several sales channels.
For example:
Retailer → in-store terminal + ecommerce payments
Restaurant → face-to-face payments + remote deposits
Service business → card machine + telephone payments
Tradesperson → mobile payments + payment links
Handepay PayMe Links
Handepay provides payment-link functionality that can allow a business to send a customer a secure link to complete payment remotely.
Payment links can be useful for:
deposits
invoices
remote customers
telephone enquiries
businesses without a full ecommerce checkout
If remote payments form a significant proportion of your turnover, compare their costs separately from face-to-face card transactions.
How Quickly Does Handepay Pay Businesses?
Handepay advertises next-banking-day settlement for its card-payment service.
However, Handepay states that restrictions can apply and settlement arrangements can differ depending on the acquiring service provider.
That means businesses should confirm their own settlement schedule when obtaining a quotation.
Why does settlement speed matter?
A business taking £500 in card payments each month will have very different cash-flow requirements from a restaurant taking thousands of pounds in card payments every week.
Faster settlement can be particularly useful for:
hospitality
retail
restaurants
pubs
businesses purchasing stock frequently
businesses with high daily card turnover
When comparing providers, ask When will a transaction taken today actually reach my bank account?
Don’t assume every provider or merchant account uses the same timetable.
Handepay EPOS Integration
Handepay’s Saturn Android Smart Terminal integrates with compatible EPOS softwar – current integrations listed by Handepay include systems such as:
EPOS Now
NuEpos
ShopMate
Hike
Register
MedEpos
Available integrations can change, so confirm compatibility directly before changing your payment setup.
Why integrate a card machine with EPOS?
An integrated setup can help reduce:
manual transaction entry
incorrect amounts being keyed into terminals
reconciliation work
duplicate data entry
It can also combine payment and sales information more closely.
This is particularly useful for businesses processing a high volume of transactions.
If you’re replacing your till system as well, see our EPOS system costs guide .
Handepay Customer & Terminal Support
Handepay currently provides 24/7/365 UK-based terminal support .
This is a meaningful consideration for businesses where being unable to take card payments would immediately affect revenue and examples include:
restaurants during evening service
pubs at weekends
busy retailers
hospitality venues
businesses operating outside standard office hours
Handepay’s gateway support has separate availability.
When comparing providers, distinguish between:
terminal technical support
and
general account, billing or gateway support.
They may operate at different times.
Handepay Contracts & Switching
Businesses considering Handepay should check the full contractual terms before signing, so ask for written confirmation of:
minimum contract length
terminal rental period
notice period
cancellation charges
terminal return requirements
what happens at renewal
any price review provisions
This is especially important if you are switching from another merchant-services provider.
Switching to Handepay
Handepay offers support to businesses moving from another card-payment provider.
Before switching:
Check your current agreement.
Find your contract end date.
Check the required notice period.
Identify any early termination charges.
Confirm who owns or rents your current terminal.
Get your proposed Handepay costs in writing.
Compare total annual costs.
Plan the switch so you can continue accepting payments.
Don’t cancel an existing merchant-services agreement until you understand the contractual consequences.
Who Is Handepay Best For?
Handepay is primarily worth comparing for businesses taking regular card payments.
Business
Why Handepay May Be Relevant
Retail shop
Countertop and Saturn terminals, contactless and EPOS integrations
Restaurant
Portable smart-terminal functionality and regular card processing
Pub/bar
Mobile terminals and 24/7/365 terminal support
Café
Fast contactless payments and EPOS compatibility
Salon
Counter payments and compatible EPOS integrations
Tradesperson
Mobile payment options and payment links
Established SME
Tailored card-processing proposition and multiple payment channels
Online + physical retailer
Face-to-face and ecommerce payment options
Handepay could be less suitable if…
Compare alternatives particularly carefully if:
you only take a handful of card payments each month
you want a simple reader with no monthly terminal rental
you only trade occasionally
you want straightforward flat-rate pricing above everything else
you don’t need a full merchant-services arrangement
For very low-volume businesses, a simple pay-as-you-go card reader can sometimes make more sense.
For businesses taking regular payments, comparing Handepay’s tailored quote against other merchant-services providers becomes more useful.
Handepay Alternatives
Handepay competes with several different types of card-payment provider.
Provider
Worth Comparing For
Paymentsense
Merchant services, terminals and integrated payments
Dojo
Modern terminals, hospitality, retail and regular card turnover
Takepayments
SMEs wanting card machines and merchant services
Worldpay
Businesses wanting established multi-channel payment services
Barclaycard
Businesses comparing established acquiring and terminal services
Tyl by NatWest
SMEs comparing bank-backed payment services
SumUp
Small businesses wanting simpler card-reader pricing
Square
Small businesses wanting payments and POS tools
PayPal POS
Businesses wanting PayPal-linked payment tools
Compare Handepay Alternatives →
Handepay vs Paymentsense
Both Handepay and Paymentsense target UK businesses that want more than a basic pay-as-you-go card reader.
Both can support businesses taking regular face-to-face and remote payments – the most useful comparison is therefore not simply brand against brand.
Compare:
transaction rates quoted to your business
terminal rental
additional charges
hardware
settlement time
EPOS compatibility
support
contract length
cancellation conditions
Read our Paymentsense card machine review for the other side of the comparison.
Handepay vs Dojo
Handepay and Dojo are both relevant to established SMEs taking regular card payments and Dojo currently focuses heavily on its modern Go Max, Pocket and Wired terminal range, while Handepay’s proposition centres around its Saturn Android Smart Terminal, countertop equipment and broader payment services.
For hospitality or retail businesses, compare:
actual processing quote
terminal cost
hardware
EPOS integrations
settlement
contract flexibility
support
See our Dojo card machine review .
Handepay vs SumUp
The distinction becomes clearer when comparing Handepay with SumUp.
Handepay: more traditional merchant-services proposition with terminal rental and individually quoted card-processing costs.
SumUp: simpler card-reader proposition that can appeal to smaller and lower-volume merchants.
Neither model is automatically cheaper.
A low-volume merchant might prioritise avoiding ongoing terminal rental.
A higher-volume business might find individually quoted transaction pricing more important.
Use your actual card turnover to calculate the annual cost.
Read our SumUp card machine review .
Handepay vs Square
Square is another alternative for smaller retailers, hospitality businesses and service companies.
Square combines payment acceptance with a substantial POS ecosystem and relatively simple pricing.
Handepay offers a more conventional merchant-services proposition with individually quoted costs and dedicated terminal options.
If choosing between them, compare card turnover → transaction mix → terminal requirements → POS requirements → total annual cost.
Read our Square card machine review .
Handepay Pros & Cons
Potential Advantages
Points to Consider
Card-machine rental advertised at under £20/month
Total cost also includes transaction charges
No joining fee on current card-machine proposition
Individual pricing means you need a quote to know your actual cost
No minimum monthly service charge stated on current proposition
Contract terms need checking before signing
No PCI DSS compliance/non-compliance fee stated on current proposition
Very low-volume sellers may prefer pay-as-you-go alternatives
Saturn Android Smart Terminal
Not every EPOS system will necessarily be compatible
Online, telephone and face-to-face payments
Different payment channels can have different costs
Next-banking-day settlement available
Settlement restrictions can depend on the acquiring provider
24/7/365 UK-based terminal support
Other support services may have different opening hours
EPOS integrations available
Check compatibility before switching
Our View: When Handepay Makes Sense
Handepay is most worth comparing when your business takes enough card payments to justify looking beyond a simple pay-as-you-go reader.
Its current proposition has several useful commercial features:
Regular card turnover → individually quoted payment pricing
Fixed till → countertop terminal
Retail/hospitality → Saturn Android Smart Terminal
Mobile business → Genius Mobile Pay
Multiple sales channels → face-to-face + online + telephone payments
EPOS user → compatible integrated payment options
Card-dependent business → 24/7/365 terminal support
The advertised absence of several common additional fees is also worth considering.
But that doesn’t make Handepay automatically the cheapest card-payment provider.
The terminal rental is only one element of the cost.
We would compare Handepay based on the complete annual cost of processing your actual card turnover.
Our suggested order is:
annual card turnover → transaction mix → number of terminals → payment channels → EPOS requirements → settlement → support → contract → total annual cost.
Then compare the resulting Handepay quote with providers using both similar merchant-services pricing and simpler flat-rate models.
Compare Card Machine Quotes →
Free quotes • No obligation • Compare UK card payment providers
What to Ask Handepay Before Signing
Before accepting a quotation, ask for written confirmation of:
Your monthly card-machine rental.
Your debit-card transaction rate.
Your consumer credit-card transaction rate.
Your commercial-card rates.
Any fixed per-transaction charges.
Card-not-present costs.
Online-payment costs.
Gateway or virtual-terminal costs.
Refund and chargeback charges.
Your exact settlement timetable.
Your minimum contract term.
Your notice period.
Any early cancellation charges.
Terminal return requirements.
EPOS integration costs and compatibility.
The total estimated annual cost based on your expected card turnover.
This makes comparing Handepay with another provider much easier.
Handepay FAQs
What is Handepay?
Handepay is a UK payment-services provider offering card machines, online payments, telephone payments, mobile payments and related merchant services.
How much does a Handepay card machine cost?
Handepay currently says businesses can rent a card machine for less than £20 per month. Your total cost also includes transaction charges and any applicable additional payment services.
What are Handepay’s transaction fees?
Handepay’s transaction pricing depends on the individual business and agreement. Its general 2026 cost guide gives broad industry ranges of around 0.3%-1% for debit-card transactions and 1%-2% for credit-card transactions, but these aren’t guaranteed Handepay rates. Request a personalised quotation.
Does Handepay charge a monthly fee?
Card-machine customers generally pay terminal rental. Handepay currently says its card machines can be rented for less than £20 per month, with transaction charges also applying.
Does Handepay have a minimum monthly service charge?
Handepay’s current card-machine material says it does not charge a minimum monthly service charge on its proposition. Confirm the exact terms in your individual quotation and agreement.
Does Handepay charge a joining fee?
Handepay currently states that it doesn’t charge a joining fee for its card-machine service.
Does Handepay charge PCI fees?
Handepay’s current card-machine information states that it doesn’t charge PCI DSS compliance or non-compliance fees. Its broader support material notes that fees depend on the setup, so confirm your own written quotation.
What card machines does Handepay offer?
Handepay currently promotes the Saturn Android Smart Terminal and countertop card terminals, alongside Genius Mobile Pay for accepting payments through compatible phones.
What is the Handepay Saturn terminal?
The Saturn Android Smart Terminal is Handepay’s Android-based card machine. It supports Wi-Fi and 4G, contactless payments, digital wallets, digital receipts and compatible EPOS integrations.
Does Handepay accept Apple Pay?
Yes. Handepay’s current card machines support Apple Pay alongside contactless cards, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.
Can Handepay take payments online?
Yes. Handepay offers online payment services alongside face-to-face card acceptance.
Can I take payments over the phone with Handepay?
Yes. Handepay supports telephone payments and also offers remote payment options such as payment links.
Does Handepay offer payment links?
Yes. Handepay offers PayMe Links for businesses wanting to request secure remote payments.
How quickly does Handepay pay out?
Handepay advertises next-banking-day settlement, although restrictions can apply depending on the acquiring service provider. Confirm your individual settlement timetable when requesting a quote.
Does Handepay integrate with EPOS?
Yes. Handepay’s Saturn Android Smart Terminal integrates with compatible EPOS systems. Handepay currently lists integrations including EPOS Now, NuEpos, ShopMate, Hike, Register and MedEpos across its support material.
Does Handepay provide 24-hour support?
Handepay currently provides 24/7/365 UK-based terminal support. Other services, such as gateway assistance, can have separate support hours.
Is Handepay good for restaurants?
Handepay can be relevant to restaurants because its Saturn terminal supports mobile connectivity and it provides merchant payment services, EPOS integrations and 24/7/365 terminal support. Compare the actual quote and integration requirements with hospitality-focused alternatives.
Is Handepay good for small businesses?
It can be a good option to compare for SMEs taking regular card payments. Businesses with very low or occasional card turnover should also compare pay-as-you-go readers without regular terminal rental.
Is Handepay cheaper than SumUp?
It depends on your card turnover and individual Handepay quote. SumUp uses a simpler pricing structure, while Handepay combines terminal rental with individually quoted transaction pricing. Calculate the expected annual cost of each using your actual transactions.
Is Handepay cheaper than Dojo?
There is no universal answer because both providers’ costs can depend on the individual merchant. Compare transaction charges, terminal costs, contract terms, settlement and additional services using the same turnover.
Is Handepay the same as Paymentsense?
Handepay and Paymentsense are separate payment brands. Businesses considering either should compare the specific products, rates, contracts, terminal services and support offered under each proposition.
What are the best alternatives to Handepay?
Relevant alternatives include Paymentsense, Dojo, Takepayments, Worldpay, Barclaycard, Tyl by NatWest, SumUp, Square and PayPal POS. Which is most suitable depends on turnover, transaction mix, hardware requirements and contract preferences.
Should I choose Handepay?
Handepay is worth comparing if you take regular card payments and want dedicated terminals, multiple payment channels or EPOS integration. Compare its complete quote against other providers before deciding.
Compare Handepay Card Machine Quotes
Handepay offers a more complete merchant-services proposition than a basic card reader, with:
card machines
Saturn Android terminals
mobile payments
online payments
telephone payments
payment links
EPOS integrations
next-banking-day settlement where applicable
24/7/365 terminal support
But your actual cost depends on your business and transaction profile.
Compare the full Handepay quote against other providers using the same annual card turnover.
Compare Card Machine Quotes →
Free quotes • No obligation • Compare UK card payment providers
Related Card Payment Guides
Hi, I’m Ally Cox , a senior copywriter and blogger at CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, the UK’s trusted platform for comparing business services.
With 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 .
Before joining CompareYourBusinessCosts, I worked across various industries, gaining hands-on experience in HR, copywriting, and business operations- from clocking-in systems to card machines and office technology .
My goal is simple: to help UK businesses make informed, confident decisions when choosing products and services that improve efficiency and save money.