Straight answers, no jargon
These are the questions UK business owners actually ask us about card machines, processing fees and funding. Each answer is written and checked by our payment specialists, with the verdict up front so you can decide quickly. If you would rather just talk it through, the phone number is at the bottom of the page.
Card machines & fees
What is the best card machine for UK restaurants?
For table service, the Dojo Pocket is hard to beat. It is phone-sized and takes the order and the payment at the table. Dojo publishes a 1.2% blended rate for businesses under £100,000 a year in card turnover and quotes a custom rate above that (we have seen quotes as low as 0.29% for high-turnover businesses); the Pocket is £239 upfront or £20/month.
Read the full answerHow much does a card machine cost in the UK?
Pay-as-you-go readers charge a flat 1.69%-1.75% with no monthly fee; negotiated providers typically charge 1.2%-1.9% plus £10-£60 a month in rental. Which wins depends on your monthly card volume.
Read the full answerWhat is the cheapest card machine in the UK?
Square Reader (£19) is cheapest to buy and SumUp (1.69%) is cheapest per transaction, but a negotiated provider like Dojo is often cheapest overall above roughly £4k-£5k a month. Pricing is bespoke, so get a quote.
Read the full answerWhich are the top 5 card machines for UK restaurants?
Our ranked shortlist puts Dojo Pocket first for table service, followed by Worldpay, Barclaycard and Zettle, judged on cost, hardware and how well they handle a busy service.
Read the full answerWhat is the best card machine for a small business?
Our verdict by monthly card volume, with worked costs at each level so you can see exactly where each provider wins.
Read the full answerWhich card machines have no monthly fee?
When £0/month genuinely wins, and the card volumes at which a no-monthly-fee reader quietly costs you more than a rented terminal.
Read the full answerSumUp vs Square vs Zettle: which is best?
The three pay-as-you-go readers head to head: rates, hardware, payouts and which one fits your kind of business.
Read the full answerHow do I reduce card processing fees?
The levers that actually cut your effective rate, and the ones that only look like they do.
Read the full answerDo I need a merchant account?
All-in-one card readers vs dedicated merchant accounts: what the difference costs you and when each makes sense.
Read the full answerHow long does switching card machine provider take?
Realistic switching timelines, including the notice periods that catch people out.
Read the full answerWhat is the best card machine for a new business?
No trading history? The no-contract options that will take you from day one.
Read the full answerAre card machine rates negotiable?
Which rates move, which are fixed, and what leverage you actually have when you ask.
Read the full answerWhy is my card machine not working?
The 5 causes ranked (connection, power, provider outage, terminal fault, account suspension) with 2-minute checks and a symptom-to-fix table.
Read the full answerCan you get a free Dojo card machine?
Yes: through MerchantSwitch the Dojo terminal is £0 upfront with no monthly rental for the life of your contract. What "free" covers, what you still pay, and whether it is actually a good deal.
Read the full answerHow do I get out of my card machine contract?
Three routes: wait out the notice period, pay the exit fee, or have the new provider buy you out. Dojo pays up to £3,000 towards exit fees when you switch through us.
Read the full answerWhich card machines have no authorisation fees?
Flat-rate readers and blended acquirer pricing charge no separate authorisation fee; traditional acquirer pricing adds 3p-4.5p per transaction on top of the headline rate.
Read the full answerWhat is a merchant acquirer?
The bank or financial institution that processes card payments on behalf of a business: it accepts transactions from your card machine or website, routes them through Visa and Mastercard, and settles the money into your account.
Read the full answerWhat is a merchant ID (MID)?
The unique number your acquirer assigns to your merchant account. It travels with every transaction, telling the card schemes and banks which business each payment, refund and chargeback belongs to.
Read the full answerWhat is an MCC code?
The four-digit merchant category code your acquirer assigns to classify what your business sells, standardised under ISO 18245 and attached to every card transaction you process.
Read the full answerPayment facilitator vs merchant account: what is the difference?
A payment facilitator (SumUp, Square, Zettle) processes your payments under its own master merchant account with instant sign-up and flat fees; a dedicated merchant account is opened in your business name.
Read the full answerBusiness funding
What is a merchant cash advance?
It is a lump sum you repay through a fixed percentage of your daily card takings, so repayments rise and fall with your sales. Approval usually lands in 24-48 hours.
Read the full answerMerchant cash advance or bank loan: which is better?
A cash advance wins on speed and approval odds; a bank loan wins on headline cost. If you need money this week or have a few credit blemishes, the advance is usually the realistic option.
Read the full answerHow do I get business funding in the UK?
The quickest route is a merchant cash advance: a 10-minute application, a decision inside 24 hours, and money in the account within 24-48 hours of accepting.
Read the full answerHow much business funding can I get?
As a rule of thumb, you can borrow one to two times your average monthly card sales, so £30k a month in card payments usually means somewhere around £30k-£60k.
Read the full answerCan I get business funding with bad credit?
Yes. A merchant cash advance is assessed on your card sales rather than your credit file, which is why approval rates stay high even with past CCJs or defaults.
Read the full answerWhat is the best funding for a small business?
For most small businesses needing £3k-£100k quickly, a cash advance is the simplest fit. Invoice finance and the government Start Up Loan are worth weighing up too.
Read the full answerCan I refinance a merchant cash advance?
Yes, three ways: a larger replacement advance, a term loan takeover, or renegotiating the daily split. But MCA fees are fixed on day one, so refinancing early can mean paying two full fee loads. The worked example shows exactly when it helps.
Read the full answerDoes card machine choice affect business funding?
Yes. Cash advance eligibility and pricing are assessed on your card turnover evidence, so your acquirer statements are your funding profile, and switching card machines mid-advance usually needs your funder to consent.
Read the full answerStill not sure? Ask a person.
Tell us your monthly card takings and what you are trying to do, and we will give you a straight recommendation. No obligation, and the comparison is free.