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 bottom line 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, takes the order and the payment at the table, and starts from 0.6% with no monthly fee.
Read the full answerHow much does a card machine cost in the UK?
Expect 0.6%–2.5% per transaction plus £0–£50 a month in rental. The best-value deals sit around 0.6%–0.8% with no monthly fee once you are processing roughly £25k a month.
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 Dojo usually works out cheapest overall once you are taking more than about £10k a month.
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 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 tends to unlock 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 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.