What is a PDQ machine?
A PDQ machine is a card machine: the device a business uses to take chip, PIN and contactless payments, and PDQ stands for process data quickly. Buying one costs £19 + VAT to £135 ex VAT with no monthly fee; renting one from a bank-backed provider such as Barclaycard costs £18 + VAT a month in service fees plus a quoted rate.
Prices read from each provider's own UK page on 1 November 2026.
PDQ card machine, card terminal, card reader: one thing
The term is older than contactless payments, but nothing about the device is different. A PDQ card machine reads the card, sends the payment to your acquirer for approval and settles the money into your bank account. Square calls its own reader a PDQ machine; the bank acquirers tend to say card machine or terminal. If a supplier quotes you for a "PDQ", compare it against card machine prices like the ones below.
PDQ machine cost: buy or rent
| Provider and device | Upfront | Monthly | Transaction rate | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square Reader | £19 + VAT | £0 | 1.75% per in-person payment | None |
| SumUp Solo Lite | £25 ex VAT | £0 | 1.69% pay as you go | None |
| SumUp Terminal | £135 ex VAT | £0 | 1.69% pay as you go | None |
| PayPal Zettle Card reader (first reader offer) | £29 ex VAT (full price £69) | £0 | 1.75% | None |
| Tyl by NatWest PAX A920 Pro (rented) | Rented | £19.99 + VAT | Quote only | Not stated on the card machines page |
| Barclaycard Portable (rented) | Rented | £18 + VAT service fee | Customised pricing | 18 months |
| Dojo Go Max | £149 (launch offer, usually £229) or £25/month | Plan dependent | 1.2% blended, businesses with annual card turnover below £100,000 | Any minimum term is set in your application documents |
Tide Card Reader: £49 ex VAT on pay as you go (£29 on the Premium plan), 1.5% + 5p on domestic consumer debit cards; other cards per Tide terms. Tide says its transaction and subscription fees will increase on 1 December 2026. Dojo prices from dojo.tech (November 2026); Dojo’s fees schedule also lists a secure transaction fee, a refund fee and a minimum monthly payment, each set by your agreed plan; the amounts are not published.
What a PDQ machine costs a £5,000 a month shop
First-year cost is the hardware plus twelve months of fees. For a shop taking £5,000 a month on cards:
- Square Reader: £19 + 12 × (£5,000 × 1.75%) = £1,069.00
- SumUp Solo Lite: £25 + 12 × (£5,000 × 1.69%) = £1,039.00
- SumUp Terminal: £135 + 12 × (£5,000 × 1.69%) = £1,149.00
- PayPal Zettle Card reader (first reader offer): £29 + 12 × (£5,000 × 1.75%) = £1,079.00
- Dojo Go Max: £149 + 12 × (£5,000 × 1.2%) = £869.00, before any plan fees Dojo sets per account
- Tyl by NatWest or Barclaycard: £239.88 or £216.00 + VAT of rental, plus a rate you can only get by quote
At this volume the cheapest pay-as-you-go option is SumUp Solo Lite at £1,039.00, and Dojo's published 1.2% is £170.00 lower in year one on the published figures. The break-even is the hardware price gap divided by twelve months of the rate gap: (£149 − £25) ÷ (12 × 0.49%) = about £2,109 a month. Below that, a cheap reader with no contract is the sensible choice: stay put. The rented bank terminals only win if the quoted rate is low enough to cover the rental, so get the quote in writing and work out the effective rate before you sign.
Want PDQ quotes worked out on your takings?
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Who supplies PDQ machines in the UK
Two kinds of supplier. Payment apps (SumUp, Square, PayPal Zettle, Tide) sell you a reader and charge a flat rate. Acquirers and their resellers (Barclaycard, Tyl by NatWest, Lloyds Bank Cardnet, Elavon, Worldpay, Dojo, takepayments) rent or sell a terminal and quote a rate for your business. Our card machine models guide shows which PAX and Ingenico terminals each one uses, and the UK card machine rates table lists every published rate. Already have a PDQ and think you are overpaying? Send us a statement through the free statement review.
Frequently asked questions
What does PDQ stand for?
PDQ stands for process data quickly. It is a British name for a card machine, also called a PDQ terminal or PDQ card machine, and it means exactly the same thing as card terminal or card reader.
How much does a PDQ machine cost?
Bought outright, from £19 + VAT (Square Reader) and £25 ex VAT (SumUp Solo Lite) to £135 ex VAT (SumUp Terminal), with no monthly fee and 1.69% to 1.75% a payment. Rented from a bank-backed provider, £18 + VAT a month at Barclaycard or £19.99 + VAT for Tyl's PAX A920 Pro, plus a quoted transaction rate.
Is a PDQ machine the same as a card machine?
Yes. PDQ machine, card machine, card terminal and card reader all describe the device that takes chip, PIN and contactless card payments. Square describes its own card reader as a PDQ machine.
Should I rent or buy a PDQ machine?
Buy if you take under a few thousand pounds a month: a £25 ex VAT reader with no monthly fee is cheaper than £216.00 + VAT a year of Barclaycard rental. Rent or lease only when the rate you are quoted saves more than the rental costs, which you can check by dividing your total monthly bill by your card takings.