Handepay vs Dojo 2026: Fees, Card Machines, Contracts & Which to Compare Quick Answer
Handepay and Dojo both provide card payment solutions for UK businesses, but we think they make particularly strong cases for different types of merchant.
Handepay
Reducing existing processing costs
Having your current merchant statements reviewed
Switching from another card provider
Getting tailored transaction pricing
Potential help with existing exit costs
Dojo is particularly interesting if you prioritise:
Modern payment hardware
Fast in-person payments
Mobile connectivity
EPOS integrations
Real-time transaction information
A broader hospitality-focused ecosystem
We wouldn’t choose between Handepay and Dojo using the advertised terminal price alone.
The more important comparison is What will my business actually pay over a full year based on its card turnover, transaction values and card mix?
Get personalised quotes from both and compare the total cost.
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Key Takeaways
Both Handepay and Dojo offer card payment services for UK businesses.
Both use tailored transaction pricing rather than one universal processing rate for every merchant.
Dojo currently publishes monthly and upfront hardware prices for its main terminals.
Dojo Go Max currently costs £25/month or £149 upfront under its published launch pricing.
Dojo Pocket currently costs £20/month or £239 upfront.
Dojo Wired currently costs £15/month or £179 upfront.
Handepay generally uses terminal rental plus individually calculated card transaction charges.
Handepay heavily targets businesses switching from another merchant services provider.
Its Price Challenge currently promises £1,000 to eligible businesses if Handepay cannot provide an overall saving on comparable existing card processing costs, subject to terms.
Handepay says it can contribute towards existing switching costs in many cases.
Dojo can currently contribute up to £3,000 towards existing provider exit fees for eligible businesses, subject to turnover and terms.
Dojo says UK businesses processing under £1m in annual card turnover currently receive a 12-month contract followed by monthly rolling terms.
Handepay agreements can include an initial minimum period before moving onto monthly rolling terms, so check the specific terminal and acquiring agreements offered.
Both offer next-business-day settlement arrangements, subject to applicable terms.
We think Handepay has the more compelling pitch if reducing an existing merchant services bill is your main objective, while Dojo has the more compelling pitch if terminal technology, EPOS connectivity and the payment experience are major priorities.
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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
Handepay vs Dojo at a Glance Handepay
Particularly worth comparing for:
Existing card machine users
Businesses concerned about processing costs
Merchants wanting their current statements reviewed
Businesses switching providers
Businesses wanting tailored merchant pricing
Pricing Tailored quote.
Card machines Countertop, portable and mobile options.
Settlement Next banking day available, subject to the applicable acquiring arrangement.
Switching proposition Price Challenge plus potential contribution towards existing switching costs, subject to eligibility and terms.
Dojo
Particularly worth comparing for:
Restaurants
Hospitality businesses
Retail
Businesses prioritising fast payments
Businesses wanting modern touchscreen terminals
Businesses requiring extensive EPOS connectivity
Pricing Published terminal pricing plus individually calculated card processing rates.
Card machines Go Max, Pocket, Wired and Tap to Pay options.
Settlement Next-day transfers.
Switching proposition Potential contribution of up to £3,000 towards existing provider exit fees for eligible businesses.
What’s the Biggest Difference Between Handepay and Dojo? We think the easiest way to understand the difference is to look at what each provider is trying hardest to convince you about.
Handepay’s proposition repeatedly focuses on “Are you paying too much for card processing?”
It encourages existing merchants to provide statements so it can review their costs.
Dojo’s proposition is more focused on “Could payments work better in your business?” and their messaging places greater emphasis on:
Fast terminals
Connectivity
Reliability
EPOS
Payment data
Hospitality
Our take
That doesn’t mean Handepay has poor technology, and it doesn’t mean Dojo can’t save money – it means their strongest buying arguments are different.
Handepay starts with cost. Dojo starts more with the payment experience.
That distinction is useful when deciding which quote deserves particularly close attention.
Handepay vs Dojo Pricing Neither provider can be compared accurately using one transaction percentage and your actual cost can depend on factors including:
Annual card turnover
Average transaction value
Debit vs credit cards
Consumer vs commercial cards
UK vs international cards
Face-to-face vs remote payments
Number of terminals
Additional services
That’s why personalised quotes matter more than headline rates.
How Much Does Handepay Cost? Handepay generally uses terminal rental + transaction charges and their pricing is tailored to the merchant.
Handepay’s own pricing information says the exact cost depends on factors including:
Card turnover
Average transaction value
Business sector
Payment type
Card type
Terminal requirements
Rather than assuming a generic percentage represents your likely cost ask Handepay for a personalised quote based on your actual card profile.
Handepay also provides a regulatory indicative pricing tool for merchants wanting to understand potential charges.
Our view
This model makes most sense when you already process a reasonable amount by card.
Handepay can examine what you’re actually paying now rather than forcing you to compare against an arbitrary headline rate.
How Much Does Dojo Cost? Dojo currently publishes hardware pricing.
Dojo Go Max
Current published pricing £25/month
or £149 upfront under Dojo’s current launch offer.
Dojo Pocket
Current published pricing £20/month or £239 upfront.
Dojo Wired
Current published pricing £15/month or £179 upfront.
Tap to Pay on iPhone
Dojo currently advertises this with £0 hardware cost and no contract for the device.
Transaction processing charges apply separately.
Dojo’s Essential software package is currently £0 per month/location.
Its Plus package adds additional analytics and business tools for an additional monthly charge.
Card processing rates are tailored to the merchant rather than represented by one universal Dojo transaction rate.
Handepay vs Dojo Transaction Fees This is where we would avoid relying on an online headline comparison.
Handepay transaction fees
Handepay provides tailored processing rates and your quote can vary depending on:
Card type
Payment method
Turnover
Transaction profile
Business sector
Dojo transaction fees
Dojo also provides individually calculated processing rates and their current published fee information states that rates vary according to:
Card type
How the transaction is processed
Your individual agreement
Dojo currently lists a 5p secure transaction/authorisation fee and 50p refund fee in its published FAQ information.
Our view
This is why saying “Handepay is cheaper” or “Dojo is cheaper” without seeing the merchant’s actual quotes would be meaningless.
A business processing £5,000/month and a business processing £150,000/month might receive completely different commercial propositions.
The right comparison is Total annual processing cost based on your real transaction profile.
How to Compare Handepay & Dojo Fees Properly Ask both providers to price the same business profile, so give each:
Your annual card turnover
Your average transaction value
Your number of monthly transactions
Your consumer debit card mix
Your consumer credit card mix
Your commercial card mix
Your international card mix
Your number of terminals
Your online payment requirements
Then calculate Transaction fees + authorisation fees + terminal costs + account fees + gateway costs + other charges.
Don’t compare one transaction percentage with another provider’s total merchant service cost.
Handepay vs Dojo Card Machines Both providers support modern contactless card payments.
Handepay card machines
Handepay offers different terminals for businesses needing:
Countertop payments
Portable payments
Mobile payments
their current range includes Android-based smart terminal options and machines support major card types and contactless digital wallets including:
Apple Pay
Google Pay
Samsung Pay
Dojo card machines
Dojo’s current range includes:
Dojo Go Max
Dojo Pocket
Dojo Wired
Tap to Pay
Dojo places substantial emphasis on:
Fast payments
Modern hardware
Connectivity
Reliability
Integrated payments
What we think
Dojo has the stronger hardware story – their terminal range is a much more central part of the company’s proposition.
But don’t choose a payment processor because one terminal looks nicer.
If Handepay saves a high-volume business thousands of pounds over the contract terminal aesthetics aren’t going to compensate for that.
Likewise, if two quotes are commercially similar and your staff handle hundreds of transactions every day terminal speed, reliability and usability become much more important.
Handepay vs Dojo Contracts Contract terms deserve close attention with both providers.
Dojo contracts
Dojo currently says businesses with under £1 million annual card turnover
receive a 12-month contract which then becomes monthly rolling.
Businesses processing more than £1 million annually may have contract length agreed individually.
Handepay contracts
Handepay’s arrangements can involve separate providers and agreements for:
Terminal hire
Card acquiring
Existing Merchant Rentals agreements described by Handepay move onto monthly rolling terms after the initial minimum period, with one month’s notice available after that initial term.
Businesses should therefore check the exact initial minimum period and termination conditions contained in the specific Handepay agreements they are offered.
Why Contract Length Matters Imagine Provider A costs £10 less per month.
Provider B has better contract flexibility.
Saving £120 a year sounds attractive, but if your business:
Closes
Changes ownership
Moves premises
Changes payment systems
Needs different hardware
the contract conditions may suddenly matter more than £10/month.
Our view
Before signing either agreement, ask “If I want to leave after six months, exactly what would I owe?” and get the answer in writing.
Handepay vs Dojo for Switching Provider This is one of the most interesting parts of our comparison because both providers actively target merchants already under contract elsewhere.
Handepay Price Challenge Handepay currently promotes its £1,000 Price Challenge. Eligible merchants provide recent merchant statements and Handepay then compares the existing costs against the package it can offer.
Subject to the applicable terms if Handepay cannot offer an overall saving for comparable services, the eligible merchant can receive £1,000.
Handepay also says it will contribute towards existing switching fees in many cases.
Our take
This is probably Handepay’s strongest sales proposition, and it effectively encourages a business to say “Here’s what we’re currently paying. Show us something better.”
For an established merchant that’s a sensible way to compare payment processing.
Dojo Exit Fee Contribution Dojo also actively targets businesses switching providers and they currently say eligible businesses can receive up to £3,000 towards their existing provider’s exit fees.
Eligibility and the amount available depend on circumstances including card turnover and applicable terms.
Our view
Don’t let an exit-fee contribution decide the comparison on its own.
If Provider A pays £1,000 to get you out of an old contract but costs £100 more every month for three years the switching incentive wasn’t a saving.
It was a customer acquisition incentive, so always compare the value of the incentive against the total cost of the new agreement.
Handepay vs Dojo Settlement Times Cash flow can matter just as much as transaction pricing.
Handepay
Handepay promotes next-banking-day settlement for relevant arrangements.
Settlement terms can vary according to the acquiring service.
Dojo
Dojo currently promotes next-day transfers and its UK card-machine information says takings are transferred from 10am the next working day.
Our view
For a business taking £20,000 a month by card then settlement speed may be useful.
For a restaurant taking £200,000 a month while paying suppliers and staff continuously cash-flow timing becomes substantially more important.
Don’t automatically treat settlement as a minor feature.
Handepay vs Dojo EPOS Integrations This is an area where we think Dojo has a particularly strong proposition.
Dojo says its card machines integrate with more than 450 EPOS providers.
Integrated payments can connect the amount entered into the till with the amount presented on the payment terminal, which can help reduce:
Manual keying
Payment mistakes
Reconciliation work
Staff administration
Why we think this matters
Suppose a busy restaurant processes 300 transactions during a Saturday service.
Saving a fraction of a percentage point on processing matters.
But so does not having staff manually type hundreds of payment amounts into terminals.
The payment processor affects operations as well as fees – t hat’s particularly important in hospitality and high-volume retail.
Handepay vs Dojo for Restaurants & Hospitality We think Dojo deserves particularly close consideration for hospitality businesses and their wider ecosystem includes functionality and integrations aimed at:
Restaurants
Bars
Pubs
Cafes
Hospitality venues
alongside:
EPOS integrations
Payment data
Bookings
Virtual queues
That creates a broader proposition than simply “Here is your card terminal.”
Handepay should still be compared, particularly where reducing processing cost is the priority.
Our take
For a restaurant, we’d ask Dojo to demonstrate payment → EPOS → reconciliation → reporting using the exact till system already installed.
Then we’d compare the commercial quote with Handepay – that provides a much better buying decision than comparing terminal brochures.
Handepay vs Dojo for Small Businesses Both can suit SMEs.
But very small businesses should also ask whether they need a full merchant-services contract at all.
A microbusiness processing relatively little by card may find a simpler pay-as-you-go reader easier to understand but as card turnover grows negotiated merchant pricing can become increasingly important.
That’s when Handepay and Dojo become particularly worth comparing.
Our view
A business processing £1,000/month shouldn’t necessarily make the same decision as one processing £100,000/month.
At low turnover simplicity and fixed costs matter enormously.
At high turnover small differences in transaction pricing become increasingly significant.
Handepay vs Dojo for High-Volume Businesses The higher your card turnover the less useful generic online pricing becomes.
For example, a difference of 0.1 percentage points on £1 million of annual card turnover represents £1,000.
At £5 million the same difference represents £5,000.
And that is before considering:
Per-transaction charges
Card mix
Terminal fees
Gateway costs
Other account charges
High-volume merchants should negotiate – Don’t simply accept an online headline rate.
Handepay Pros & Cons Advantages
Cost-focused proposition: particularly relevant for existing merchants looking to reduce fees.Price Challenge: provides a strong reason for businesses to submit existing statements for comparison.Tailored pricing: allows rates to reflect the merchant’s payment profile.Switching support: potential contribution towards existing exit costs.Terminal choice: countertop, portable and mobile payment options.Next-banking-day settlement: available under relevant arrangements.24/7 service and support: promoted for card-machine services.
Potential Disadvantages
No universal transaction rate: you’ll need a quote to establish your actual processing cost.Contract structure requires attention: terminal hire and acquiring arrangements can involve different agreements.Initial minimum period: businesses should establish the minimum commitment before signing.Less technology-led positioning: Dojo has a stronger current proposition around modern hardware and the wider payment experience.Less obvious hospitality ecosystem: Dojo has a particularly developed hospitality proposition.
Dojo Pros & Cons Advantages
Modern hardware: strong range of touchscreen and integrated payment terminals.Published hardware pricing: makes terminal cost easier to understand.EPOS integrations: extensive integration ecosystem.Hospitality proposition: particularly strong for restaurants, bars and similar businesses.Real-time data: transaction information available through the Dojo app.Next-day transfers: useful for business cash flow.Switching contribution: eligible businesses may receive help with existing provider exit fees.Connectivity: mobile connectivity provides additional resilience for compatible terminals.
Potential Disadvantages
Processing rates require a quote: there isn’t one universal transaction percentage for every business.Authorisation charge: Dojo currently lists a 5p secure transaction/authorisation fee.Refund fee: a 50p refund charge is currently listed.Contract commitment: businesses under £1m annual card turnover currently have a 12-month initial contract before monthly rolling terms.Extra features can add cost: additional software plans and services should be included in the total comparison.
Should You Choose Handepay or Dojo? Rather than declaring one universally better, we’d shortlist them according to the problem you’re trying to solve.
Your existing card fees feel too high
Handepay is particularly worth quoting as their Price Challenge is specifically designed around reviewing existing merchant costs.
You run a restaurant or busy hospitality venue
Dojo deserves particularly close consideration as their EPOS ecosystem, terminals and hospitality products are highly relevant.
You want modern payment hardware
We think Dojo currently has the stronger proposition.
You want someone to analyse your existing merchant statements
Handepay’s sales proposition is strongly built around this process.
You’re currently trapped in another provider’s contract
Compare both as both promote assistance with switching costs, subject to their respective terms.
You process substantial card turnover
Get personalised quotes from both.
At higher turnover the negotiated processing rate can matter much more than the monthly terminal price.
You use EPOS heavily
Check Dojo’s integration with your exact EPOS system.
Don’t settle for “Yes, we integrate with EPOS.” – a sk them to demonstrate the integration you will actually use.
Handepay vs Dojo: What Would We Ask Each Provider? Ask Handepay:
What is our total estimated annual processing cost?
How does that compare with our existing statements?
Which fees are included?
What terminal rental will we pay?
What is the initial minimum contract period?
Are the terminal and acquiring contracts separate?
What happens if we leave early?
How much of our existing exit fees would you contribute?
Are we eligible for the Price Challenge?
When will funds reach our bank account?
Ask Dojo:
What processing rates apply to our actual card mix?
What fixed transaction charges apply?
Which terminal is best for our transaction environment?
Should we rent or buy the hardware?
What will our total annual cost be?
Does our EPOS platform integrate directly?
What happens if Wi-Fi fails?
What is our exact initial contract term?
How much could you contribute towards our existing exit costs?
Which additional Dojo products would we actually need?
How to Compare Your Handepay & Dojo Quotes When both quotes arrive, ignore the sales presentation for a moment.
Create one annual figure containing:
1. Processing charges
Estimate these using your actual annual turnover and card mix.
2. Per-transaction charges
Multiply fixed fees by your expected number of transactions.
3. Terminal cost
Include every terminal at every location.
4. Account and service charges
Include anything charged monthly or annually.
5. Gateway costs
Include these if you take online payments.
6. Other charges
Check refunds, chargebacks and other relevant fees.
Then calculate:
Total estimated annual cost.
Only after that should you compare:
Hardware
Settlement
Support
EPOS
Contract flexibility
Additional features
That’s the comparison we think matters.
Our View on Handepay vs Dojo We don’t think Handepay vs Dojo should be reduced to a transaction-rate comparison.
They overlap substantially and both can:
Provide card machines
Process payments
Support contactless
Serve SMEs
Offer tailored commercial rates
Help businesses switch
But we think their strongest arguments are different.
Handepay’s most compelling question is “How much are you paying now?”
That’s a strong approach for an established business.
If you’re processing substantial card turnover and already have merchant statements your own transaction history is better evidence than an online advertised rate.
Handepay can use that information to build a competing quote.
Its Price Challenge reinforces that cost-led proposition.
Dojo’s most compelling question is slightly different “How well do payments work inside your business?”
That matters enormously in environments such as:
Restaurants
Pubs
Bars
Busy cafes
Retail stores
where staff may process hundreds of transactions a day.
In those businesses speed + reliability + connectivity + EPOS integration
can have operational value beyond the merchant service fee.
Our preferred comparison would therefore be:
Step 1: Give Handepay and Dojo exactly the same transaction data.Step 2: Calculate the total annual cost of each proposal.Step 3: Check the contract and exit conditions.Step 4: Compare settlement.Step 5: Compare the terminal experience.Step 6: Compare EPOS and other integrations you will genuinely use.
For a merchant currently paying substantial processing fees: we’d pay particularly close attention to Handepay’s commercial quote.
For a high-volume hospitality or retail business where the terminal is part of the everyday customer experience: we’d pay particularly close attention to Dojo’s operational proposition.
But if one provider produces a significantly better commercial deal for your actual transaction profile: that can outweigh our general observations.
This is one comparison where:
getting both quotes is considerably more useful than trying to pick the provider from headline pricing.
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Handepay vs Dojo FAQs Is Handepay cheaper than Dojo?
Not necessarily. Both providers use pricing that can vary according to the merchant and transaction profile. Compare personalised quotes using the same turnover, card mix and transaction data.
Is Dojo cheaper than Handepay?
There isn’t one universal answer. Dojo publishes its current terminal costs but transaction rates vary. Handepay also provides tailored transaction pricing.
How much does Dojo cost?
Dojo currently publishes monthly hardware prices of £25 for Go Max, £20 for Pocket and £15 for Wired. Upfront purchase options are also available. Transaction charges apply separately and vary according to your agreement.
How much does Handepay cost?
Handepay generally charges terminal rental plus transaction fees, with pricing tailored according to factors such as turnover, average transaction value, business sector and payment profile.
What are Dojo’s transaction fees?
Dojo provides tailored processing rates depending on factors including card type and payment method. It currently lists a 5p secure transaction/authorisation fee and a 50p refund fee.
What are Handepay’s transaction fees?
Handepay’s processing costs vary according to the merchant, card and transaction type. Businesses need a personalised quote for an accurate comparison.
Does Handepay have a minimum monthly charge?
Handepay’s current public card-machine pages say its proposition does not include a minimum monthly service charge. However, Handepay’s regulatory indicative quotation tool can display an MMSC depending on the quote configuration. We would therefore confirm every fixed and minimum charge in your individual written proposal before signing.
How long is a Dojo contract?
Dojo currently states that UK businesses with under £1m annual card turnover have a 12-month contract followed by monthly rolling terms. Contract length for businesses processing more than £1m can be subject to individual discussion.
Is Handepay monthly rolling?
Handepay arrangements can have an initial minimum period. Relevant terminal-hire arrangements described by Handepay move to monthly rolling terms after that initial period. Check the exact agreements offered to your business.
Does Handepay pay cancellation fees?
Handepay says it can contribute towards existing switching fees in many cases, subject to its applicable terms.
Does Dojo pay cancellation fees?
Dojo currently advertises potential contributions of up to £3,000 towards existing provider exit fees for eligible businesses, subject to turnover and applicable terms.
What is the Handepay Price Challenge?
Eligible businesses provide recent merchant statements for comparison. Subject to its terms, Handepay currently says it will pay £1,000 if it cannot offer an overall saving over the relevant contract period for comparable services.
Which is better for restaurants, Handepay or Dojo?
Both can serve restaurants. We think Dojo deserves particularly close consideration because of its strong hospitality proposition, EPOS integrations, modern terminals and related restaurant tools. Actual payment costs should still be compared.
Which is better for small businesses?
It depends on turnover and requirements. Very small merchants should also compare simpler pay-as-you-go card readers, while businesses processing more substantial card volumes may benefit from negotiated rates from providers such as Handepay and Dojo.
Which has better card machines?
Both provide modern terminals. We think Dojo currently has the stronger hardware-led proposition, but terminal usability should be considered alongside transaction costs and contracts.
Does Dojo integrate with EPOS?
Yes. Dojo says it integrates with more than 450 EPOS providers.
How quickly does Handepay pay businesses?
Handepay promotes next-banking-day settlement under relevant acquiring arrangements. Restrictions can apply depending on the service.
How quickly does Dojo pay businesses?
Dojo currently promotes next-day transfers and says UK card-machine takings are transferred from 10am the next working day.
Do Handepay and Dojo accept contactless payments?
Yes. Both support contactless card payments and major digital wallets on compatible terminals.
Should I switch from Handepay to Dojo?
Compare your existing Handepay annual cost with a personalised Dojo proposal, including transaction fees, fixed charges, hardware, remaining contract costs and any switching contribution. Don’t switch solely because of a headline rate or promotional incentive.
Should I switch from Dojo to Handepay?
Ask Handepay to review your existing merchant statements and compare the proposed total annual cost with your Dojo arrangement. Also account for contract termination costs and differences in hardware and integrations.
Can I compare Handepay and Dojo quotes?
Yes. Using the same card turnover, transaction volume and card mix for both quotes is the most useful way to compare them.
Compare Handepay vs Dojo Quotes Before choosing, compare:
Transaction rates
Fixed transaction fees
Terminal costs
Minimum charges
Refund fees
Chargeback fees
Settlement times
Contract length
Early termination costs
Switching contributions
EPOS integrations
Hardware
Connectivity
Support
Total annual cost
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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.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.
