Best PDQ Machines for Small Businesses UK 2026: Costs, Fees & Providers Quick answer
The best PDQ machine for a small business depends on how many card payments you take each month. Very small businesses, mobile traders and startups often suit low-cost card readers from providers such as Square, SumUp or Zettle, because they usually have no monthly fee and simple percentage-based transaction fees.
Busier shops, cafés, restaurants, salons, clinics and trades businesses may be better comparing Dojo, Worldpay, Tyl by NatWest, Barclaycard, Elavon, Clover or a merchant account, because custom rates can be cheaper once your card turnover grows.
As a guide, Square currently charges 1.75% for in-person UK card transactions, SumUp’s standard card reader transaction fee is 1.69%, Zettle charges 1.75% per transaction, and Dojo’s current Fix plan is £39.99 per month, including card transactions up to £3,999 per month, with 1% on transactions over that level.
Want to know how much a PDQ machine will cost your business?
Compare UK PDQ machine quotes and see how much you could save on rental, transaction fees and setup costs.
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Contents
Best PDQ machine by business type
Types of PDQ machines for small businesses
PDQ machine costs in the UK
Cheapest PDQ machine for small businesses
Key Takeaways
A PDQ machine lets your business accept card and contactless payments.
Small businesses can choose mobile card readers, portable PDQ machines, countertop terminals or integrated EPOS payment systems.
Square, SumUp and Zettle are often good for startups, sole traders and lower-volume businesses.
Dojo, Worldpay, Tyl, Barclaycard, Elavon and Clover may be better for busier businesses that need lower custom rates or more robust terminals.
Pay-as-you-go card readers usually have no monthly fee but higher transaction fees.
Traditional PDQ machines may have monthly rental, contract terms, authorisation fees or minimum monthly charges.
The cheapest PDQ machine depends on your monthly card turnover, average transaction value, contract length and whether you take payments in person, online or over the phone.
Always compare total cost, not just the card machine price.
PDQ Machine Cost Calculator UK
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Mobile card reader Portable PDQ machine Countertop PDQ machine Smart terminal / EPOS terminal Custom merchant account Changing this updates suggested default fees
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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.
How Compare Your Business Costs helps
Compare Your Business Costs helps UK businesses compare quotes for business broadband, card machines, merchant accounts, vehicle tracking, business mobiles and commercial waste. We focus on practical costs, contract terms, provider comparisons and quote options for small and medium-sized businesses.
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Authored by: Ally Cox (Business Technology & B2B Services Specialist 10+ Years’ Experience)
Reviewed by: James Ward (Telecoms Specialist, 12+ Years Experience)
Last Updated: July 2026
What is a PDQ machine? A PDQ machine is a card payment terminal used to accept debit card, credit card, contactless and mobile wallet payments, and a PDQ machine can be:
a mobile card reader
a portable card machine
a countertop terminal
an integrated EPOS payment terminal
a smart terminal with apps and receipts
a virtual terminal for phone payments
a payment link or online payment tool
Best PDQ machines for small businesses at a glance
Provider Best for
Square Startups, pop-ups, mobile sellers and simple POS
No monthly fee, fixed transaction fee
SumUp Low-cost mobile card readers and simple payments
Device cost + fixed transaction fee
PayPal POS Small retailers, cafés and PayPal users
Device cost + fixed transaction fee
Dojo Busier SMEs wanting fast payouts and simple pricing
Monthly plan or custom pricing
Tyl by NatWest NatWest customers and growing SMEs
Quote-based / package dependent
Worldpay Established businesses and higher card turnover
Quote-based / contract pricing
Barclaycard Businesses wanting a major acquiring bank
Quote-based / contract pricing
Elavon Hospitality, retail and larger SMEs
Quote-based / contract pricing
Clover Businesses wanting card payments and EPOS together
Hardware/software + payment fees
Revolut Business Businesses wanting payments and business banking tools
Best PDQ machine by business type
Business type Best PDQ option to compare first Why
Sole trader
SumUp, Square or Zettle
Low setup cost and simple fees
Market trader
SumUp or Square
Portable, quick and easy to use
Pop-up shop
Square, SumUp or Zettle
Mobile hairdresser/beauty therapist
SumUp or Square
Café
Dojo, Square, Zettle or Tyl
Need speed, reliability and receipts
Restaurant
Dojo, Clover, Worldpay or Elavon
Table service and EPOS integration may matter
Retail shop
Square, Zettle, Clover or Worldpay
Stock, receipts and countertop use
Salon
Square, Dojo, Tyl or Clover
Bookings, deposits and repeat customers
Tradesperson
SumUp, Square or Zettle
Take payments on the move
Clinic
Tyl, Worldpay, Dojo or Barclaycard
Reliability, receipts and reporting
High-volume SME
Worldpay, Barclaycard, Elavon or Dojo
Custom rates may reduce costs
Types of PDQ machines for small businesses
Best for Pros Watch out for
Mobile card reader
Sole traders, pop-ups, markets, trades
Low cost, portable, simple
Needs phone/tablet or app
Portable PDQ machine
Cafés, restaurants, salons, shops
Can move around premises
Usually monthly rental or contract
Countertop PDQ machine
Fixed tills, retail counters, reception desks
Stable and professional
Less flexible
Smart terminal
SMEs wanting apps, receipts and reporting
More features
EPOS-integrated PDQ
Retail, restaurants, hospitality
Links payments with sales data
Virtual terminal
Phone payments
Useful for remote payments
Higher card-not-present fees
Payment link / QR payment
Invoices, deposits, remote payments
Easy to send
Not always ideal for in-store checkout
Compare PDQ Machine Quotes
PDQ machine costs in the UK The cost of a PDQ machine usually includes some combination of hardware cost, monthly rental, transaction fees and contract charges.
Cost type Typical range Notes
Basic card reader
£0-£59+
Portable/card terminal rental
£15-£40+ per month
Common with traditional providers
Smart terminal
£100-£300+
Depends on provider and features
Transaction fees
0.3%-1.75%+
Lower rates usually need higher turnover
Monthly minimum fee
£0-£25+
Some merchant accounts apply this
PCI compliance fee
£0-£5+ per month
Authorisation fee
1p-5p per transaction
Common with some merchant accounts
Chargeback fee
£0-£20+
Early termination fee
Varies
Important if signing a contract
PDQ machine transaction fees compared
Provider Example in-person card fee
Square
1.75% for UK card transactions
No monthly fee for standard payments
SumUp
1.69% standard card reader fee
No monthly fee on standard pay-as-you-go
PayPal
1.75% per transaction
No monthly fee
Dojo
£39.99/month includes card transactions up to £3,999/month, then 1% over
Monthly fee / custom rates
Worldpay
Quote-based
Tyl by NatWest
Quote-based
Barclaycard
Quote-based
Elavon
Quote-based
Clover
Quote-based/payment plan dependent
Hardware/software may apply
Cheapest PDQ machine for small businesses The cheapest PDQ machine depends on your monthly card turnover.
Usually cheapest option to compare
Under £1,000
£1,000–£3,000
Square, SumUp, Zettle or Dojo Fix
£3,000–£10,000
Dojo, Tyl, Worldpay, Barclaycard or Elavon
Merchant account with custom rates
£50,000+
Custom merchant services quote
Seasonal/irregular turnover
Pay-as-you-go reader or rolling contract
High average transaction value
Compare custom rates carefully
Low average transaction value
Watch per-transaction authorisation fees
PDQ machine vs card reader: what is the difference?
Feature PDQ machine Card reader
Meaning
Traditional term for card payment terminal
Modern term for compact/app-based device
Best for
Shops, cafés, salons, restaurants
Sole traders, pop-ups, mobile sellers
Connectivity
Wi-Fi, ethernet, mobile SIM or Bluetooth
Usually Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/app-based
Contract
Often contract-based
Often no monthly contract
Receipts
Printed or digital
Usually digital, sometimes printed
Cost
Higher setup or rental possible
Best example
Dojo, Worldpay, Tyl, Barclaycard
Best PDQ machines for no monthly fee
Provider Best for Why
Square
Startups and small retailers
Fixed 1.75% fee and strong free POS tools
SumUp
Simple low-cost card payments
1.69% standard card reader fee
Paypal
PayPal users and small shops
1.75% fee and simple setup
Best PDQ machines for higher card turnover
Provider Best for Why
Dojo
Busy SMEs wanting fast payouts and simple pricing
Fix/custom pricing options
Worldpay
Established businesses
Large provider with broad payment options
Barclaycard
Businesses wanting bank-backed acquiring
Established card payment provider
Elavon
Hospitality, retail and larger SMEs
Strong merchant services offering
Tyl by NatWest
SMEs wanting business banking/payment links
Clover
Businesses wanting EPOS and payments
Hardware and POS ecosystem
Best PDQ machines with EPOS features
Provider Best for EPOS angle
Square
Small shops, cafés and salons
Free POS tools and paid upgrades
Paypal
Small retailers and hospitality
Simple product library and PayPal ecosystem
Clover
Retail and hospitality
Strong hardware and EPOS ecosystem
Tyl
Small businesses wanting sales insights
Useful reporting and integrations
Worldpay
Larger SMEs
Broader payment and EPOS partner options
Dojo
Hospitality and retail
Fast terminals and integrations
Best PDQ machines for mobile businesses
Provider Best for Why
SumUp
Trades, markets and mobile services
Simple reader and low card fee
Square
Pop-ups and service businesses
Portable reader and strong app tools
Paypal
Mobile sellers using PayPal
Simple reader and PayPal ecosystem
Dojo Go
Busy mobile businesses
More robust terminal option
Revolut Reader
Businesses already using Revolut
Business account/payment ecosystem
What to check before choosing a PDQ machine Before signing up, check:
What is the transaction fee?
Is there a monthly rental fee?
Is the card reader purchased or rented?
Is there a contract?
Are there early termination fees?
Is there a minimum monthly charge?
Are PCI fees included?
Are refunds free?
Are chargebacks charged?
Are Amex cards accepted?
Can you take Apple Pay and Google Pay?
Can you take payments over the phone?
Can you send payment links?
Does it connect to your EPOS?
How quickly are funds paid out?
Is customer support available when you trade?
Does it work with Wi-Fi, 4G or Bluetooth?
What happens if the device loses signal?
Why compare PDQ machine quotes? PDQ machine pricing is not always transparent. Two businesses can pay different fees for similar card machines because pricing depends on card turnover, industry, average transaction value, contract length and payment type.
Comparing quotes helps you check:
transaction fees
monthly rental
hardware cost
contract length
payout speed
PCI fees
chargeback fees
refund rules
EPOS integrations
phone payment options
online payment options
early exit fees
total annual cost
Compare PDQ machine quotes
Why compare with Compare Your Business Costs? Compare Your Business Costs helps UK small businesses compare PDQ machines, card readers and merchant service quotes based on turnover, business type and payment needs.
You can compare:
PDQ machines
card readers
countertop card machines
portable card machines
mobile card machines
EPOS-integrated terminals
merchant accounts
payment gateways
phone payments
online payments
payment links
There is no obligation to switch, and comparing quotes can help you avoid paying too much for card processing.
Verdict: what is the best PDQ machine for a small business? For very small businesses, startups, pop-ups and mobile traders, Square, SumUp and Paypal are often the easiest starting points because they are simple, low-commitment and transparent.
For busier shops, cafés, salons, restaurants and clinics, it is worth comparing Dojo, Worldpay, Tyl, Barclaycard, Elavon, Clover and merchant account quotes, because lower custom transaction rates may save more over time.
Final recommendation : choose a PDQ machine based on monthly card turnover, transaction fees, contract length, payout speed and whether you need portability, EPOS integration or online payments. Do not choose on hardware price alone.
Compare the best PDQ machines for small businesses
FAQs: best PDQ machines for small businesses What is the best PDQ machine for a small business?
The best PDQ machine depends on turnover and business type. Square, SumUp and Zettle suit many small or mobile businesses, while Dojo, Worldpay, Tyl, Barclaycard, Elavon and Clover may suit busier businesses.
What is the cheapest PDQ machine?
For low-volume businesses, the cheapest PDQ machine is often a no-monthly-fee card reader from SumUp, Square or Zettle. For higher turnover, a custom merchant account may be cheaper overall.
How much does a PDQ machine cost?
A simple card reader can cost under £60 upfront, while traditional terminals may involve monthly rental, transaction fees and contract charges. Total cost depends on provider and turnover.
Do PDQ machines have monthly fees?
Some do and some do not. Square, SumUp and Paypal generally offer no-monthly-fee card readers, while providers such as Dojo, Worldpay, Tyl and Barclaycard may use monthly plans or custom pricing.
What is the difference between a PDQ machine and a card reader?
A PDQ machine is the traditional term for a card payment terminal. A card reader usually means a smaller app-based device. Many small businesses use the terms interchangeably.
Which PDQ machine has the lowest transaction fee?
SumUp’s standard card reader fee is currently 1.69%, while Square and Zettle are both listed at 1.75% for standard in-person payments. Custom merchant accounts may offer lower rates for busier businesses.
Is Square or SumUp better for small businesses?
Square is often better if you want free POS tools and an all-round selling system. SumUp may be better if you want a simple, low-cost card reader with a slightly lower standard card reader fee.
Is Dojo good for small businesses?
Dojo can suit small businesses with regular card turnover. Its Fix plan currently costs £39.99 per month and includes card transactions up to £3,999 per month, with 1% on transactions above that.
Do I need a merchant account for a PDQ machine?
Some providers bundle everything together, while traditional card machine providers may set up a merchant account. Higher-volume businesses should compare merchant account rates.
Can I use a PDQ machine without Wi-Fi?
Some devices use mobile data or built-in SIMs, while others need Wi-Fi or a smartphone connection. Mobile traders should check connectivity before choosing.
Find the right PDQ machine deal
PDQ machine pricing is rarely one-size-fits-all. Compare quotes from trusted UK providers and find the best option for your business size, turnover and payment needs.
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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.
